GENEVA, Switzerland – The International Labor Organization (ILO) is warning that almost half a million Caribbean tourism workers face the prospect of losing their jobs, working hours and income due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
In addition, the ILO said there could also be worsening working conditions and the move to informal employment appear as a concrete possibility due to the pandemic.
In a new publication titled “Tourism sector in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean: An overview and the impact of COVID-19 on growth and employment”, the ILO describes as significant and far-reaching the reduction in the Caribbean tourism industry workforce due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ILO is also noting that recovery from the adverse impact on sector jobs could be prolonged by a reversal in economic growth, and calls for a human-centered approach to resilient and sustainable solutions.
The report includes ILO guidance and data, as well as research conducted around the region to demonstrate the severity of the crisis on the sector’s labour market.
