BHTA head: We must plan for disasters

Hoteliers and businesses operating in the tourism sector must prioritise disaster preparedness in the light of increasing threats posed by deadly hurricanes, water shortages and power outages, said the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA).

Chief Executive Officer of the BHTA, Ryan Forde, was speaking to industry members at the second annual Resilient Operations and Logistics Awareness (ROLA) workshop held on Thursday at Accra Beach Hotel and Resort. He cited the millions of dollars in damage wrought by Hurricane Beryl last year July on the island’s tourism sector and said a damage assessment report showed it had caused major setbacks to the tourism, restaurant and fishing industries.

“From the hurricane barrier collapse last year to the water supply issues on the south coast and electrical failures on the west coast, these challenges have disrupted our hotels, villas, and other businesses. The reality is, we must be prepared.”

Forde said the industry needed to be proactive with regards to natural disasters by preparing and planning for them.

He urged all tourism operators to implement annual hurricane drills and evacuation plans—a practice that is standard in international hotel chains.

“If you don’t have a plan, you are leaving your business, staff, and guests vulnerable,” he said. 

“If you fail to plan, then when disaster strikes, what are you going to do—grab your handbag and run into the street? That cannot be the approach,” he said. “We need to ensure that our infrastructure, teams, and families are protected.”

“Even if you have limited resources, our emergency management partners can help. The Tourism Emergency Operations Centre (TEOC), airport officials, and port authorities are all here to provide guidance.”

Tourism liaison officer Sade Deane said much of the damage experienced from Hurricane Beryl was due to storm surges, inland flooding, and structural erosion.

“The accommodation sector sustained damage to 9.7 per cent of its properties, while villas and restaurants reported damage rates of 9.3 per cent,” Deane reported. “Additionally, catamarans, yachts, and other vessels were affected, accounting for 2.4 per cent of the reported damage.”

She added that some of the common issues included flooding from storm surges and rising water levels; saltwater corrosion affecting pools and outdoor amenities; structural damage to restaurants, bars, and beachfront properties; beach erosion and fallen trees along the coastline.

Deane said that despite these setbacks, 80 per cent of affected tourism businesses continued operating, showing they had put in place mechanisms for dealing with adverse events. Only ten per cent of properties had to close partially for one to six weeks for repairs, while another ten per cent shut down completely because of severe damage or scheduled renovations.

The BHTA has a membership of 300 businesses. Based on a forecast before Beryl, accommodation for about 6 500 visitors was made.

Many accommodation providers have taken steps to enhance resilience by buying water tanks and backup generators, Forde said, but smaller properties remained vulnerable due to lack of adequate disaster planning.

Participants of the second annual Resilient Operations and Logistics Awareness workshop. (SZB)

“Larger resorts may have built-in contingency plans, but smaller properties…have felt the direct impact of these emergencies. It’s critical that we share best practices and work together as an industry to strengthen our response.”

Climate-related disasters were a serious threat not only to tourism but also to Barbados’ economy and national security, Forde said.

“We toured the coastline last year with the Prime Minister and government officials to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl—and it was devastating. We saw homes slipping into the sea, uprooted coconut trees, and businesses completely destroyed. This is not just about tourism; this is about the future of our country.”

“The fisheries sector took a major hit, and when tourism is disrupted, the entire economy feels the impact. Just look at what happened during COVID-19—when tourism shut down, there were no events, no retail sales, and even supermarkets lost major revenue streams. Tourism is not an isolated sector; it is deeply interconnected with every aspect of our economy.”

He said national-level emergency drills were also very important.

Moving forward, the BHTA is focusing on three key areas to enhance resilience: improved communication systems; advanced damage assessment tools; greater collaboration with the Department of Emergency Management to develop a broader financial and business impact assessment framework; and implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding between the BHTA, Intimate Hotels of Barbados, and the Barbados Entrepreneurial Tourism Association to improve guest relocation and emergency response coordination. (SZB)