Natural disaster and destination management: the case of the Caribbean and hurricane Irma

This current issue in the Caribbean raises the topic of destination management and more particularly the importance of considering natural phenomenon when planning and developing a tourism product. The impacts of Irma on some Caribbean islands such as Saint-Barthelemy, Saint-Martin, Barbuda and Anguilla show that hurricanes are major risks for the tourism industry of the islands. This risk could be said to be absolute in the Caribbean but the negative impacts can be mitigated by appropriate strategies. To some extent, natural disasters provide tabularaza that give destinations opportunities to reinvent themselves sustainability.