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Tourists Left Stranded Across Caribbean After Venezuela Attacks

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Following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces, tourists have found themselves stranded across the Caribbean. Even though the Federal Aviation Administration has reopened Eastern Caribbean airspace, many are struggling for answers regarding coming home or to their next destination. 

Airlines have been scrambling since Sunday in order to add flights and get people back home from the Caribbean. 

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Nydia Han, an anchor and reporter for ABC News Philadelphia station WPVI, stated that her and her family were supposed to fly from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Philadelphia on Sunday night. Now, however, she’s been told by multiple airlines that she won’t be able to get a flight home until Friday. 

“Unfortunately, because of Maduro’s capture and airspace being closed, we are stuck here in Vieques,” Han said in a video with ABC News. 

The FAA issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) to airlines early on Saturday that they would be banning flights from entering the Eastern Caribbean airspace “due to safety-of-flight risk associated with ongoing military activity.”

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that “the Caribbean airspace ban would expire at midnight Eastern time on Sunday.”

Major US air carriers such as JetBlue, American, Delta, and Southwest all canceled hundreds of flights during the airspace ban and some are struggling to add additional flights to the Caribbean region to accommodate impacted travelers. 

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On Monday, Delta stated that they added 2,600 seats through extra flights and that they’re working to re-accommodate all customers by Tuesday. 

Delta also said that delays could occur in the Caribbean on Monday due to the increased airline capacity and has recommended that customers with confirmed/rebooked tickets on Monday arrive at least three hours early to allow for crowded airports. Customers who don’t have rebooked tickets should not go to the airport until they’ve officially rebooked in order to avoid overcrowding, the airline said. 

American Airlines added 7,000 more seats and 43 extra flights, and for the first time in over a decade, the airline will be operating interisland flights in the Eastern Caribbean with two flights connecting Anguilla Wallblake, Anguilla and Beef Island, BVI to San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Flights throughout the Caribbean including popular destinations such as Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, St. Martin and St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands were also canceled. Some airports are now getting back to normal as of Monday. 

travel

International Travel To The US Has Been On The Decline, And Will Continue

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The decline in international tourism to the US could persist, and likely increase, in the future, according to travel analysts. Major travel destinations around the nation like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, have reported hosting fewer foreign visitors this summer, according to the Associated Press. 

Experts and local travel officials have stated that this decline first began in February after President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Specifically, his tariffs, immigration crackdowns, and repeated claims that the US will acquire Canada and Greenland, has made a lot of international travelers feel alienated and less willing to come to the US. 

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Patrick Kaler, CEO of the local tourism organization Visit Buffalo Niagara, created a marketing campaign to greet Canadian drivers with a billboard that states “Buffalo Loves Canada.” 

“To see the traffic drop off so significantly, especially because of rhetoric that can be changed, is so disheartening,” Kaler said.

Earlier in the year, the World Travel & Tourism Council projected that the US would be the only nation, out of the 184 they studied, where foreign visitor spending would decline in 2025. 

“[These findings] are a clear indicator that the global appeal of the US is slipping,” the global industry association stated.

“The world’s biggest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction. While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign,” said Julia Simpson, the council’s president and CEO.

Tourism Economics, a travel research firm, predicted this month that the US will see 8.2% fewer international arrivals by the end of 2025, which is a significant drop in the number of foreign visitors to the US before the Covid-19 pandemic. 

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“The sentiment drag has proven to be severe, airline bookings indicate the sharp inbound travel slowdown” of the summer that will likely persist, the firm noted. 

Deborah Friedland, managing director at the financial services firm Eisner Advisory Group, said “the U.S. travel industry faced multiple headwinds — rising travel costs, political uncertainty and ongoing geopolitical tensions.”

Since returning to office, Trump has revived his travel ban that mainly targets African and Middle Eastern countries, and has tightened the rules around visa approvals while increasing mass immigration raids. 

His push for tariffs on foreign goods have also made citizens in multiple countries feel unwanted in the US. 

“Perception is reality,” Friedland said. 

Washington D.C. has also noticed an impact on the travel industry. Local tourism officials projected a 5.1% decrease in international visitors for the year, and marketing organization Destination DC said just last week they planned to “counter negative rhetoric” regarding the city. 

US government data confirmed a general decrease in international arrivals during the first seven months of the year. The number of foreign visitors, excluding Mexico and Canada, have decreased by 3 million (1.6%) compared to the same period last year, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office.

Essential Travel Items

Tourists Would Rather Cancel A Trip Than Have To Wear A Mask On Vacation

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According to a recent study, the travel industry is set to take a large economic hit in the coming months as the seasons change and more tourists opt to cancel their holiday trips.

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