Archive for March, 2026

What the Most Resilient Destinations Understand About Sustainability

 

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The strength of a destination lies not only in its natural beauty or infrastructure, but in the pride, knowledge, and care of the people who share their home with the world.

Destinations everywhere are investing in infrastructure, new experiences, and sustainability initiatives. Yet many leaders still face the same question: why do some places consistently deliver strong visitor experiences while others struggle, even with similar resources?

Beyond Infrastructure: Why Human Capital is the Core of Destination Strength

From all of Aquila’s work with destinations throughout the Caribbean, one lesson stands out: resilience is rarely about physical assets alone. It is about people systems.

Through its work with destinations, ports, and tourism stakeholders across the Caribbean, Aquila focuses on strengthening the human side of visitor experiences – supporting frontline teams, tour operators, and partners to align around shared standards, improve communication, and build confidence in how experiences are delivered.

Building Resilience Through People Systems and Collaborative Tourism

This work takes place through training, facilitated collaboration, and on-the-ground engagement, providing a clear view into how daily decisions and interactions influence both guest satisfaction and community outcomes.

When conditions change – whether due to weather, volume, shifting visitor expectations, or operational disruptions – the destinations that adapt most smoothly are the ones where teams understand the bigger picture and feel empowered to act on it. Frontline staff, partners, and community members know what success looks like and feel confident making decisions that support it.

Empowering the Frontline: Turning Strategy into Exceptional Visitor Experiences

That clarity shows up immediately in the visitor experience. Guests may not notice the systems behind the scenes, but they feel the difference when people are aligned and empowered.

Sustainability follows a similar pattern. It often begins as a policy or strategic priority, but it becomes real only when it shapes daily choices – how groups move through a destination, how stories are told, how challenges are handled in the moment.

The Link Between Operational Clarity and Long-Term Tourism Sustainability

The most resilient destinations understand that long-term success depends on more than facilities, marketing, or programming. They invest in the people who bring those elements to life. Training, communication, and shared understanding create the conditions where sustainability and quality experiences can thrive together.

In many ways, resilience and sustainability are two sides of the same coin. Both depend on the ability of people across a destination to act with clarity, confidence, and pride in what they represent.

When those human systems are strong, destinations are better prepared not only to welcome visitors, but to adapt, evolve, and thrive over time.

 

Beth HattAuthor: Beth Hatt
Founder, Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence

Website: https://cruiseexcellence.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AquilaCruiseExcellence
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Well Within: Why Employee Wellness is the Most Important Investment Caribbean Tourism Can Make

Well Within: Why Employee Wellness is the Most Important Investment Caribbean Tourism Can Make

In an industry being reshaped by AI and rapid change, the Caribbean’s greatest competitive advantage remains its people.

The global wellness tourism market crossed US$1 trillion in 2024 and is projected to reach $1.4 trillion by 2027, according to the Global Wellness Institute*. The Caribbean is a natural part of that growth story, and it is not hard to understand why. Warm waters, lush landscapes and a culture rooted in community and care make the Caribbean a natural home for this kind of travel.

And yet, while much of the conversation centers on the guest experience, the industry faces an equally important and often overlooked question: What does wellness mean for the people delivering that experience every single day? The pace of change in tourism is putting real pressure on the people at the heart of it. In an industry built on warmth, attention and human connection, a stretched and unsupported team is not just an operational challenge. It is a cultural one, and it is felt in every single guest interaction.

The Science Behind It

One of the most important things we have learned from neuroscience in recent years is that the brain can change. Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself through new experiences and intentional practice, is at the heart of every meaningful leadership and wellness journey. When people are stressed, overwhelmed or stuck, the brain literally falls into neural ruts, defaulting to habitual patterns of thinking and reacting rather than responding with creativity, empathy and clarity.

The good news is that the same science tells us the brain can be retrained. Specific wellness practices, when introduced consistently and intentionally, create significant shifts in how people think, feel and lead. This is exactly why, in our work with leaders and in our strategic retreats, a wellness component is not optional. It is mandatory. Before any strategic conversation can truly land, leaders need to get into the right headspace, literally.

Practical Wellness for Teams

Some of the most impactful practices being integrated into team development and leadership programs across the region include the following:

  • Sound baths and acoustic therapy using vibrational sound to calm the nervous system and reduce cortisol levels.
  • Breathwork is one of the most accessible and powerful tools available for managing stress and anxiety in real time. Teaching frontline staff a simple two-minute breathing practice before a shift begins costs nothing and changes everything about how they show up.
  • Guided meditation, even in short five-to-10-minute formats, has been shown to reduce workplace anxiety, improve emotional regulation and increase the capacity for empathy. A team member who begins their shift centered and present brings something to the guest experience that simply cannot be scripted or trained in the traditional sense.

Nature-based well-being practices are perhaps the Caribbean’s greatest untapped resource for employee wellness. The science of blue and green space, time spent near water and in natural environments, consistently shows reductions in stress hormones, improvements in mood and enhanced cognitive function. Half Moon Resort in Jamaica was recognized at the 2025 Caribbean Hotel Industry Exchange Forum for a comprehensive, employee-centered strategy that blends wellness initiatives and continuous training to help maintain its Forbes-rated luxury service standards. Organizations that are building cultures around employee wellness are seeing the results in retention, engagement and quality of the guest experiences they deliver.

Source: *Global Wellness Institute (2024). Wellness Tourism Economy. Retrieved from globalwellnessinstitute.org.

 
amrita bhalla

Amrita Bhalla

Author: Amrita Bhalla
Managing Director, A.B. Consulting

@Amrita Bhalla, GPHR
@A.BConsultingHR
Instagram: a.bconsulting
Website: www.a-bconsulting.com

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Belize Highlights Natural Assets and Sustainability Focus Ahead of STC 2026

HAMILTON, Bermuda (March 20, 2026) — Belize’s tourism minister has extended an open invitation to tourism industry leaders to visit the Central American and Caribbean nation next month, highlighting its world-class natural assets and long-standing commitment to sustainable tourism.

Anthony Mahler

Speaking ahead of a major Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) conference, Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism, Youth, Sports and Diaspora Relations, showcased Belize’s diverse offerings during remarks tied to the upcoming Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC 2026), scheduled for April 27–30 in Belize.

“It is our honor to host the next Sustainable Tourism Conference in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye in Belize under the theme ‘Tourism in Full Color’,” Mahler told regional delegates attending CTO’s Air Connectivity Summit in Bermuda last month.

Mahler noted that many across the Caribbean remain unfamiliar with Belize’s tourism product, positioning the conference as an opportunity to broaden awareness. “Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world after Australia. We have three of the four atolls in the Western Hemisphere. We have the Great Blue Hole. We have about 250 to 300 offshore islands. We have the history of the Maya civilization. We have about 35 rivers, mountains, a rich rainforest just like the Amazon,” he said.

blue hole

He emphasized the destination’s accessibility and diversity of experiences: “You don’t have to go to Australia to have great diving or snorkeling. You don’t have to go to Egypt to see pyramids. And you don’t have to go to New York or Miami or LA or any of those cities to have a diversity of people. We have all of that packaged in such a small piece of real estate in Belize.”

Belize has prioritized sustainable tourism for nearly 50 years with eco-adventure at the core of its development strategy, Minister Mahler added. The country’s tourism product includes approximately 12,000 rooms, many of them intimate properties that reflect a community-based model of sustainability.

The 17th edition of STC, organized by CTO in partnership with the Belize Tourism Board, will convene regional and international leaders under the theme “Tourism in Full Color: Integrating Blue, Green, Orange and Beyond Economies into Sustainable Planning and Development.”

Dame Pania Tyson-Nathan, DNZM, Chief Executive of New Zealand Māori Tourism, will deliver the keynote address. The program will feature ministerial roundtables, expert sessions, master classes and field experiences focused on the blue economy, green climate-resilient solutions, orange cultural and creative industries, and broader priorities including social cohesion and inclusive growth.

The conference underscores Belize’s commitment to sustainable tourism and reinforces its role as a catalyst for innovation and responsible growth in the Caribbean. STC 2026 will serve as a platform for bold ideas, strategic partnerships and actionable outcomes as delegates work to shape a more sustainable future for regional tourism.

Registration and additional details are available at: https://bit.ly/CaribbeanSTC2026.

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Caribbean Tourism Leaders Urge Practical Climate Action at ITB Berlin

CTO, The Travel Foundation Strengthen Partnership Advancing Climate-Ready, Community-Centered Tourism in the Caribbean

BERLIN, Germany (March 13, 2026) — Caribbean tourism leaders used one of the world’s largest travel trade events to press the global community for faster, finance-ready adaptation to climate change, warning that theoretical plans and fragmented funding are leaving heavily tourism-dependent destinations exposed.

dona regis prosper at ITB

Speaking at ITB Berlin 2026 last week during a session titled “The Climate Adaptation Gap in Tourism: From Risk to Resilience,” Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Secretary-General and CEO Dona Regis-Prosper described the region’s experience with extreme weather as immediate and unrelenting. “There is no teacher as great as a practical experience,” she stated, reflecting on her personal experience with devastating hurricanes in the region.

Building on that lived experience, the Secretary-General urged a shift from theory to practical adaptation and resilience in action, underscoring the importance of public-private collaboration and media engagement in addressing the ravages of climate change.

CTO Deputy Director of Sustainable Tourism Narendra Ramgulam also emphasized the Caribbean’s frontline exposure to climate impacts during an earlier session, “These Ideas Will Transform Tourism,” where he evaluated new tools aimed at assessing climate and nature risks.

“When you talk about climate risk, we see it and we feel it more than others,” he said, noting that reef degradation, beach erosion and other environmental changes are already affecting the visitor experience and tourism livelihoods across the region.

narendra ramgulam at ITB

Ramgulam stressed that new solutions must work for smaller island states with limited resources. He also pointed to a persistent regional challenge in translating climate priorities into funded projects. “Across the Caribbean, there’s no shortage of climate risk information or project ideas,” he said. “What we consistently struggle with is turning those priorities into finance projects which can actually move forward.”

A highlight of the convention was the renewal of a partnership between CTO and The Travel Foundation, strengthening the framework for collaboration aimed at advancing sustainable, climate-resilient and community-centered tourism across the Caribbean. The updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed by Regis-Prosper and The Travel Foundation CEO Jeremy Sampson, marks a bolstering of the partnership between the two organizations.

Sampson affirmed, “The Caribbean is on the frontlines of climate change, but it is also at the forefront of innovation. This partnership is grounded in a shared belief that the future competitiveness of Caribbean tourism depends on its ability to deliver equitable benefits for local communities while adapting to the growing impacts of climate change. The collaboration offers a platform to align climate action, destination stewardship and resourcing pathways, supporting CTO and its members to ensure tourism continues to serve communities while adapting to growing risks.”

Travel Foundation and CTO sign MOU

Regis-Prosper noted the partnership “aligns with the CTO Reimagine Plan and reinforces our commitment to leading sustainable tourism across the Caribbean. Through this collaboration, we will work with our member states and partners to advance a shared regional approach that strengthens resilience, advances community benefit and ensures our tourism sector remains competitive in a changing climate.”

CTO representatives maintained a prominent stand throughout the three-day convention, holding bilateral meetings under a unified Caribbean banner to build partnerships on resilience and regenerative tourism.

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CTO Appoints Norris Clement as Deputy Director of Professional Services

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (March 10, 2026) — The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has appointed tourism and human resource development professional Norris Clement as Deputy Director of Professional Services, strengthening the organization’s capacity to advance workforce development and professional advancement initiatives across the Caribbean tourism sector.

Clement brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across the public and private sectors, with recognized expertise in human resource development, service standards, quality assurance, business development and project management.

norris clement

A national of Trinidad and Tobago, Clement has held senior leadership roles across multiple industries and has built a strong track record in tourism development and service excellence. Among his notable appointments was his role as Lead of the Service, Training, Attitude, Respect (STAR) Unit at Trinidad Tourism Development Company, where he led initiatives designed to strengthen service delivery standards across the tourism sector.

He also served as Manager of Customer Service and Training at ANSA Rentals, a division of the ANSA McAL Group, where he directed training and service excellence programs within a major corporate environment.

“As I assume this new role, I am excited to help shape a future-fit and future-forward tourism workforce while strengthening the capacity and competitiveness of the organizations and businesses that power our sector,” Clement said. “I look forward to working with colleagues, partners and stakeholders across the region to expand opportunities for learning, certification and professional development for tourism professionals, entrepreneurs and upcoming industry talent.”

Most recently, Clement served as project manager for the Caribbean Development Bank-funded CTO Tourism Human Capital Development Project 2025, where he provided strategic and operational leadership to support successful implementation of the initiative, including consultant coordination, stakeholder engagement and overall program execution.

In his new role, Clement will lead the advancement of CTO’s regional people development pillar in the Reimagine Plan, focusing on tourism education and training, workforce development, quality assurance, service excellence and professional advancement initiatives across member countries.

The appointment reinforces CTO’s ongoing commitment to strengthening human capital and supporting a competitive, resilient tourism sector across the Caribbean.

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