{"id":22219,"date":"2017-10-31T18:50:20","date_gmt":"2017-10-31T18:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/?p=22219"},"modified":"2017-12-06T23:00:10","modified_gmt":"2017-12-06T23:00:10","slug":"caribbean-surprise-open-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/caribbean-surprise-open-business\/","title":{"rendered":"The Caribbean: Surprise, We\u2019re Open for Business!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Curious about traveling to the Caribbean this year? Wondering what’s open and what’s not? We\u2019ve partnered with travel writer and island expert Angie Orth from Angie Away<\/a> to learn how to help the islands of the Caribbean recover from a devastating hurricane season. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The friendly, welcoming people of the Caribbean<\/a> are every bit as renowned as their beaches, luxury resorts and cruise ports, but recent visitors Irma<\/a> and Maria <\/a>wore out their warm welcome in a hurry. We\u2019ve all seen the devastation in Puerto Rico, St. Martin, Barbuda and the Turks and Caicos on the news, and it\u2019s been crushing to watch from afar.<\/span><\/p>\n

High season in the Caribbean <\/a>traditionally kicks off in early November. If you\u2019ve ever spent time in this region, you know just how blissful it can be to board a flight in the chilly U.S. only to arrive on a balmy island just a few hours later. <\/span><\/p>\n

But with all the damage and devastation, does this mean we should count the Caribbean out for travel this fall and winter? No way!<\/span><\/p>\n\"Bonaire\n

The Caribbean is an enormous geographic region. Home to 40 million people, it encompasses more than a million square miles on the map \u2014 almost double the size of the state of Alaska. Because of widespread misconceptions about geography and hurricane damage, the whole region suffers from a decrease in tourism when other islands are affected and covered in the media. As we witness the devastation and long recovery on some islands, as travelers we must remember that not only is tourism the lifeblood of the Caribbean, but the majority of the region made it through hurricane season unscathed.<\/span><\/p>\n

While more than 30 islands weathered Irma and Maria\u2019s high winds and record storm surges, it\u2019s business as usual in plenty of other places, including St. Kitts <\/a>and Nevis, Belize<\/a>, Aruba<\/a>, Bonaire<\/a>, Jamaica<\/a>, St. Lucia<\/a>, Antigua<\/a> and Martinique. And they need our visits more than ever!<\/span><\/p>\n\"Bahamas\n

How to Support the Caribbean <\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Schedule a Winter Visit. <\/b><\/span>The Caribbean is lovely all year round, but this is truly a critical time where every visitor matters. Whether you take a cruise or book a week at a beachfront resort, your vacation WILL make a difference. While the most heavily damaged islands are not ready for visitors to return just yet, pouring critical tourism dollars into other destinations in the region is a great way to support local economies so they can all lift each other up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cruise<\/a> as usual.<\/strong> There\u2019s no need to postpone or cancel your Caribbean cruise plans<\/a> or reroute your annual winter holidays. According to a study<\/a>, a single cruise sailing can generate $500,000 in economic impact, something destinations who haven\u2019t been affected by this season\u2019s hurricanes rely on. At press time, nearly 85 percent of Caribbean cruise ports are open. This includes the port of Key West<\/a> which was ravaged by Category 4 Hurricane Irma. According to the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association<\/a>, officials are hopeful that even the hardest hit ports \u2014 St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Maarten and San Juan, Puerto Rico \u2014 will reopen by the end of November.<\/span><\/p>\n\"Carnival\n

Donate!<\/strong> If you\u2019ve visited a resort before and perhaps have a favorite bartender, concierge or kayaking guide you\u2019d like to support during the recovery, check the hotel\u2019s website. Many have started GoFundMe campaigns to assist affected employees. <\/span>There are also island-specific opportunities to donate should you want to contribute to a larger effort. Check out: <\/span><\/p>\n