While it has taken a hard hit following the passage of Hurricane Maria one month ago, Dominica’s tourism sector is open for some business.
In a statement yesterday from Daphne Vidal, project officer for the island’s tourism agency, the Discover Dominica Authority, a welcome was issued to ‘voluntourists’ interested in visiting to help recovery efforts in the hurricane-stricken island.
“While some of our accommodations and sites have been damaged by hurricane Maria, our welcoming spirit has not been deterred. Many within the hospitality sector have regrouped and welcome voluntourism visitors. If you are interested in such a visit to Dominica kindly contact our office,” the statement noted.
Hurricane damage assessment efforts within the industry are still ongoing.
Of the 73 hotel properties on record, 27 have been severely damaged or destroyed with “serious to total destruction of structures, including roofs, electrical and plumbing.”
However, 32 properties which account for just over half of the island’s total room stock suffered only moderate damage and are “able to operate now or in the near future.”
Flights and sea voyages to the island have resumed on a limited basis.
The DDA said that regional air carrier LIAT as well as Seaborne Airlines have “resumed commercial flights to Dominica and are operating at a limited capacity.”
LIAT is operating commercial flights to Dominica as follows:
– Return flight to Antigua (LI624) will operate on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday departing Antigua at 11:30am and Dominica at 1:10pm;
– Return flight to Barbados (LI601) will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday departing Barbados at 10am and Dominica at noon.
This schedule will run until November 7th when the airline will update its schedule.
L’Express de Iles ferry service is also operating services to Guadeloupe, Martinique and St. Lucia from the Roseau Ferry Terminal. The DDA statement added:
“The ferry travels the Martinique /St Lucia route on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays departing Dominica at 10:30 am and on Saturdays at 3 pm. Service to Guadeloupe from Dominica is at 11:30 am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and at 9:15 am on Saturdays.”
The island’s vaunted natural sites suffered with the passage of the storm. Access roads have been damaged and all tourist sites and natural attractions are still currently closed until repair work can be done.
Underwater, 35% of reefs at dive sites were damaged and all of the island’s nine dive operators are closed for business. Most will not be operational until January 2018. (PR/AL-F)