Memorial Day has passed, and June has arrived. To many travelers, those events signal the official beginning of summer, but for those in the Caribbean, June 1st also holds significance as the start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs through the end of November.
This year, as always, tourism stakeholders are taking proactive measures to help ensure that Caribbean destinations, enterprises and communities are as prepared as possible to meet and manage the challenges that hurricanes and other severe weather events create in their aftermath.
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is leading the charge in the public sector in terms of establishing a clear set of communications guidelines for CTO members in the event it is necessary to prepare, respond to and recover from a hurricane event.
The organization’s 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Communications Plan delineates the roles various stakeholders must assume, including addressing issues such as crisis management, social media, and communicating with the media.
Forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with the Climate Prediction Center, anticipate near-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic this year. The prediction includes a 40% chance of a near-normal season, a 30% chance of an above-normal season and a 30% chance of a below-normal season.
Stakeholders are invited to attend the CTO Hurricane Preparedness & Climate Outlook Webinar on Thursday, June 1. The agenda includes a discussion of the season’s outlook; a presentation on the CTO-CHTA-CIMH Tourism Climatic Bulletin; considerations for disaster preparedness; and recommendations and guidelines for the tourism sector. Learn more about the virtual event on the CTO’s social media channels and join via Zoom.
As weather and climate events become more intense and destructive, let us take heed to the crisis and communications plans available and do everything in our power to adhere to these thoughtful roadmaps to readiness and recovery.
