As Hurricane Maria was about 24 hours away from making landfall in Dominica, local hotelier Gregor Nassief was expecting his island to get hit by a Category 2 hurricane.

He was wrong.

In one day, Nassief, the owner of Secret Bay and managing director of Fort Young Hotel, said the storm went from a Category 2 to a Category 5, surprising Dominica with a natural disaster far stronger than expected.

"The next day you are faced with a reality you've never expected," said Nassief, as part of a recent panel discussion on crisis management held during the fourth Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) at the Hyatt Regency Miami. "You have to be very quick. It's hard to plan for, but success is being truthful, being dead focused on getting back on track."

In an effort to help the small Caribbean island prepare for future hurricanes - and other natural disasters made less predictable because of climate change - the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the region's tourism development agency, has been working closely with Dominica.

The CTO recently completed a two-day climate sensitization and disaster risk management workshop in Roseau, aimed at facilitating the sharing of knowledge and best practices on strategies related to climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as identifying sound disaster risk management approaches.

Dominica suffered a direct hit by category five Hurricane Maria last September, which wiped out 226 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), two years after Tropical Storm Erika passed over the island, destroying an entire village, killing 20 people and leaving behind damage to 90 percent of the country's GDP, according to the CTO.

"Anecdotal data indicates that tourism arrivals after natural disasters reduce by up to 30 percent for up to three years," said Colin Piper, CEO of Discover Dominica Authority (DDA), the island's tourist board, in a written release. "For some properties, their occupancy levels may be up due to aid and agency short stays, but we must address this issue which threatens our livelihood within the hospitality industry and as nation."

The workshop, facilitated by strategic planning expert Dr. Jennifer Edwards, was the latest in a series of training programs being conducted by the CTO for Dominica.

Earlier this month a "Delivering Quality Service" workshop was held for 55 craft and souvenir vendors, hair braiders and tourism taxi service providers to help them better appreciate the importance of their roles in visitor satisfaction; improve people relations through effective communication and understand how positive visitor interactions result in satisfied visitors.

Dominica Continues to Rebound

Notable hotel reopenings expected soon in Dominica include the Fort Young Hotel, which will return with additional rooms, Calibishie Cove and Citrus Creek Plantation. All three hotels, along with Secret Bay, which is widely considered the best hotel on the island, are expected to reopen in the last quarter of 2018, according to the Discover Dominica Authority.

Two additional properties, Jungle Bay Resort and Cabrits Resort Kempinski, are expected to open during the first half of 2019, and Anichi Resort late in 2019. The opening of these three hotels will increase Dominica's room stock by 340, according to the Discover Dominica Authority.

In late May, Dominica, the island launched its "ReDiscover Dominica Campaign" to encourage travelers to visit the island. After Dominica was hit hard by Hurricane Maria last September, tourism officials have been working closely with key industry players to reaffirm Dominica's position as a desirable Caribbean destination.

The ReDiscover Dominica Campaign will run in all of Dominica's major source markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, the Caribbean and the French West Indies.

The promotion features one free night on a minimum four-night stay at nine participating hotels. Clients must book between May 24 to July 31, using the promo code DOM2018, for travel between July 1 and December 15.

Adult visitors age 18 and over will be entitled to $100 spending money in the form of coupon vouchers redeemable at 15 participating vendors and hotels.

On island activities include dining, car rentals, horseback riding, island tours, underwater experiences, spa services and duty-free shopping.

As far as events go, Discover Dominica Authority recently reported that plans are being made for World Creole Music Festival from October 26 -28, followed by the island's 40th Anniversary of Independence celebration on November 3.

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