DOMINICA BACK ON THE RISE AFTER HURRICANE MARIA DISASTER

Dominica has made an exceptionally strong recovery from Hurricane Maria, the worst natural disaster on record in island history, with tourism on the rise once again.

The Caribbean’s Nature Island has long been a haven for travellers in search of unmatched beauty and authentic, eco-friendly getaways, but after the devastation seen in September 2017, the future of industry on the island looked uncertain.

Now, just six months later, the island has restored full flight connectivity, with InterCaribbean Airways launching new service to Dominica this month, and locals are fighting back to bring industry not just back to pre-hurricane standards, but to exceed them. “The people of Dominica continue to show their resilience and steadfastness in building a better Dominica,” says tourism officials.

As for hotels, Dominica currently has 393 hotel and guest-house rooms available, around 41 percent of its pre-Maria inventory. These numbers are being boosted with the recent opening of Roseau’s Fort Young hotel and several other properties, including the ultra-luxe Secret Bay, the eco-friendly Calibishie Cove and the Citrus Creek Plantation.

“Nothing is better for our recovery from Hurricane Maria than visitors to our island,” says Colin Piper, CEO of the Discover Dominica Authority. “We have made significant progress in getting the island ready for guests. Whether it’s for a relaxing getaway, special event or meaningful travel, visitors will see the same vibrant spirit of our people and beautiful scenery and features that make Dominica the Nature Island of the Caribbean.”