, with its 2. 4 billion active users, has seen a rise in travel - related hashtags and influencer collaborations. # travel was one of the most popular hashtags on the platform. statista reported that by the end of 2020, around 40 percent of worldwide travellers were under the age of 33, emphasising the importance of platforms like instagram and tiktok in sharing experiences. recommendation : these statistics highlight the transition from traditional travel planning methods to a more digital, integrated, and interconnected approach. therefore, we must embrace technology. an online presence is no longer optional, it ’ s a matter of survival! engage with visitors through social media, offer online bookings, and encourage online reviews. 5. building resilience amidst global challenges with the unforeseen challenges like the covid pandemic, the data indicates that the industry is somewhat resilient, as we were able to rebound relatively quickly. however, it did take two years and we are not yet back to peak levels, and so we need to further strengthen that resilience. arrivals in 2022 : distance from 2019 levels cuba montserrat bermuda percentage above 2019 arrivals cayman islands british virgin islands dominica st. vincent & the grenadines belize anguilla barbados bahamas grenada saint lucia suriname antigua & barbuda cancun recommendation : develop contingency plans based on data - driven scenarios. this will ensure that we are not just reactive, but proactive in our strategies. guyana jamaica aruba martinique curacao dominican republic percentage below 2019 arrivals puerto rico st. maarten us virgin islands - 80 % - 60 % - 40 % - 20 % 0 % 20 % 40 % 60 % 80 % 6. finally, data analytics requires data! as we chart a course towards an even brighter future, the importance of comprehensive, accurate, and timely data is paramount. i urge each one of you to prioritise and enhance the quality and breadth of the data you provide not only to the bhta but to the other data collection agencies. we ( the collective 3 | page agencies ) are poised to harness the power of data analytics to better understand, predict, and support the sustainability and growth of our industry. your collaboration in this endeavour not only aids in tailoring policies for our collective success, but also fortifies our commitment to maintaining barbados as a premier and sustainable tourist destination. together, through informed decisions, we can shape the trajectory of our cherished tourism

delisle worrell : challenges facing caribbean economists opening remarks by dr delisle worrell, governor of the central bank of barbados, at the annual monetary conference, bridgetown, 15 november 2011. * * * the annual monetary studies conference ( amsc ) is now well established. it is the leading conference of caribbean economists and economists working on the caribbean. the quality of research and presentation at this conference is uniformly high, and the meeting offers the best opportunity caribbean economists have for networking. the journal of banking finance and economics in emerging economies, the journal of the caribbean centre for money and finance, offers swift publication of the best papers from this conference. so we can say that amsc is no longer aspirational but a fixture of the caribbean economic landscape. the conference is now challenged to push to the next level. there are 2 aspects of the challenge facing caribbean economists that i would like to see this conference tackle : the need for new ways of conceptualising our economies, and the need to do research that points the way more clearly for policy makers and the public. why do we need new concepts? the conventional analysis gives counter intuitive answers to many of the questions that are of ongoing interest : conventional economics says that flexible exchange rates are better, but the countries with fixed exchange rates are more prosperous ; conventional economics teaches that it is good policy for the central bank to speak out publicly against bad fiscal policy, but in truth public disagreement destroys the credibility of both parties ; conventional economics recommends that to reduce inflation you should raise interest rates, even though higher interest drives up costs ; conventional economics suggests that stock exchanges are a good way to fund investment, even though new issues to fund capital formation have become a rarity. at the moment our research looks pretty much like any other. we used to argue that caribbean circumstances were different, that small open economies ( soes ) were different, and that resource rich and resource poor countries were different. nowadays we use the same models, the same specifications, similar data and the same tests. if you use these methods and you get the same result for barbados, with an economy the size of a small county in an obscure us state, as you get for the entire us, shouldn ’ t you be sceptical? the truth is that economies are so diverse in so many ways that the notion of universal theory is problematic. the simplifications which are the essence of modelling will make sense only if they mirror the essential features of each economy. we need