here are many different things business owners must take into consideration to be successful; developing a strong business continuity plan should be a priority at the onset. Following a series of focus group sessions amongst tourism stakeholders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (DOT) has developed a template for small businesses to use when considering their own continuity plan.

“We are currently in an unprecedented business environment for the Cayman Islands where many of our tourism businesses are facing the ramifications of our borders being closed in March. The cessation of tourism was done for the safety of the country, and the wellness of our people to minimize the impacts of a global pandemic,” shared Hon Moses Kirkconnell, Minister of Tourism. “Though unforeseeable, this event should be a catalyst for all tourism businesses to plan for major disruptions beyond the hurricane season. In the first half of 2020, we have faced earthquakes, fires, and a deadly global health pandemic; now we’ve entered hurricane season which brought three storms prior to its official opening. Business owners must use these events as learning tools, working with their staff to create this plan, and ask the hard questions about every aspect of their business including: Was I ready for this disruption? What plans did I have in place for my staff? Am I prepared to weather another crisis? And, how do I recover? Business ownership is not an easy road, and it is our desire to continually provide tools for our tourism marketplace that will fortify them through any downturn, including to have a plan in place to resume business once feasible to minimize the negative impacts of a crisis.”

The business continuity plan template is available for easy download in Word format at https://www.visitcaymanislands.com/en-us/ourcayman/covid-19-continuity-plan. The http://OurCayman.ky website is the official corporate site for the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and provides useful information for local businesses, covering topics such as becoming a licensed accommodation provider, links to the different tourism related laws, the latest news and education opportunities for those seeking to become involved in the industry.