Haiti Is Counting on Haitians Abroad to Help Reinvigorate Tourism
Photo Credit: Haiti's Ministry of Tourism is relying on Haitians living abroad to spread the word that the country is open for business and travel, and it's focusing its marketing efforts on promoting its history and ecotourism. Experience Haiti/Haiti Ministry of Tourism
Skift Take
Though not as popular as other Caribbean islands, Haiti has been a tourist destination for decades but with the 2010 earthquake, key players on the ground consider the past year as the starting point for tourism in the country and the Haitian diaspora is leading this charge.
There are more than 4 million Haitians living outside of Haiti and new data show they, and also U.S. travelers, are eager to visit a country that's working to demonstrate it's open for tourism.
Following the catastrophic earthquake in 2010, which killed hundreds of thousands in and around Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, the country is largely relying on the Haitian diaspora living in the U.S. and elsewhere to spread the word that it's no longer a disaster epicenter or disease-ridden.
Where is the Interest Coming From?
Last year Haiti welcomed 430,000 international visitors arriving by air and another 600,000 cruise visitors, but it's difficult to pinpoint whether this renewed interest in Haiti in the U.S. comes from the 2.5 million Haitian expats living there looking to visit their homeland for holiday or if there's actually new interest from U.S. travelers who have no connections to the country.
Many U.S.-based Haitians have U.S. passports, for example, said Jean Marc Flam
