OVER the last few years there has been increased awareness and conversations around the resilience of tourism in the Caribbean, especially after experiencing the ripple effects of COVID-19.

These conversations heightened at the Montego Bay Convention Centre when a host of subject matter experts met to discuss building resilience in regional tourism at the second Global Tourism Resilience Conference.

Under the theme ‘Navigating the Future of Tourism Resilience’, the two-day conference, spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism, United Nations Tourism and the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), was dedicated to providing a global platform for the tourism sector to prepare, plan and pivot towards the future.

Forming part of the conversation was a panel discussion aimed at examining the changing environment of the sector in light of the fast-paced progress in technology.

Guided by the topic ‘Building Tourism Digital Resilience’, this session provided insight into the ways digital innovation is transforming the industry, including advancements in technology and innovative business models.

Participating in the discussion was Dr Luz Longsworth, senior corporate director, Sandals Corporate University (SCU), the only one of its kind in the Caribbean.

In her presentation, Dr Longsworth focused on the use of technology in capacity building as a key area of focus for the team at the Sandals Corporate University, from initial systems being institutionalised before the pandemic to the implementation of cutting-edge technology as plans are made for the future.

“Our approach was pivotal to Sandals and Beaches Resorts being the first in the Caribbean to be reopened during the pandemic, June 2020 to be exact. What helped us was that prior to the pandemic, we had instituted an online learning management system (LMS), that all of our team members across the region were using to complete courses. Their ability to continue their skills training while at home helped to keep our industry alive in a time when it was thought that all was lost for us,” said Dr Longsworth

She noted that using this online platform saw to the birth of The Sandals Platinum Protocol of Cleanliness course, which was mandatory for team members to complete before being able to return to work on the resorts.

“This became not only the benchmark utilised for the successful reopening of the brand’s resorts, but also served as best practice for numerous other resorts and affiliated industry organisations throughout the Caribbean,” added Dr Longworth.

Dr Longsworth also spoke to transitioning from this initial forward-thinking approach to the future.

“What we’re now doing in our university is using hybrid approaches with the inclusion of artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality in partnership with EON Reality. The truth is if we are to remain at the cutting edge of all skill sets it has to be a multi-layered approach, to include the technology that can be used to continuously teach the skills needed for personnel in our industry to thrive,” said Dr Longworth.

The other panellists discussed present patterns, provided helpful perspectives on effectively manoeuvring and adjusting to forthcoming digital transformations and suggested policies and actions that can be taken in response to specific changes.

They emphasised the need for more collaborative efforts from organisations in the industry to ensure that no one gets left behind as it will take great effort from all to ensure that the industry continues to thrive amidst the ever changing landscape of technology in the world.