Caribbean comeback: UB40 re-releases hit single to support hurricane recovery

Ali Campbell is performing a fourth rendition of the 1998 hit Come Back Darling. A rum-punch-lubricated crowd consisting of local restaurateurs, Virgin Atlantic flight crew, Caribbean tourism officials – and me! Even the Antiguan prime minister is thrusting up against the open-air stage as if it was the first time. We’re at Mary’s Outhouse, a hilltop shack serving rum punch and jerk chicken, and we’re here to be in a music video gunning to be the 2017 Christmas number one. As post-hurricane recovery efforts go, this is a deliciously barmy campaign to be a part of.

“We jumped at the chance to come out to the Caribbean and get involved in a campaign like this, because we saw first-hand the rolling news coverage calling the area a disaster zone, and now nobody wants to come to the Caribbean this winter because they think there’s nothing left,” says Campbell, who fronts a splinter version of UB40 following disagreements within the original group. “We genuinely love the Caribbean, and we’re here to encourage people to come back.”

Joe Thompson, the chief executive officer of Virgin Holidays, can’t recall who exactly cooked up the idea of getting the band out to Antigua to re-release Come Back Darling as a potential Christmas number one – and lure tourists back to the region. But it stemmed from an urgent need to intervene and prevent a natural disaster evolving into an economic one. “Sure, this is quirky, and off-the-wall, but we needed something that would cut through the rolling news coverage about devastation in the Caribbean,” he says. “The island nations of the Caribbean have gone through a very challenging hurricane season in 2017, but the blanket media coverage of Hurricane Irma and Maria for days on end after they struck in September has left a misconception that much larger parts of the Caribbean were affected more than they were. Most of our properties were unaffected and are fully open, but they’re seeing reduced bookings.”

Antigua is one of the most tourism-dependent countries in the world, making up 65 per cent of the country’s GDP. Last year the Caribbean as a whole welcomed 29 million tourists, spending nearly £27 billion. With the exception of Americans, British tourists make up the largest visitor demographic. But a recent survey found that half of British tourists are not planning to return to the Caribbean this winter, believing the whole area to be badly storm-damaged. In such a tourism-dependent region, a reduction in visitor numbers would have a financially devastating impact, affecting everyone from hoteliers to street food vendors.

“There is major rebuilding work to do, and the last thing local governments need now is an economic downturn associated with a reduction in tourism,” says Thompson. “Having been part of creating that industry, we have to do the right thing by the communities who have become very reliant on tourism.”

Hurricane Maria was the 10th most powerful Atlantic storm on record, and although many tourism hotspots, including Barbados, Jamaica and St Lucia, escaped unscathed, other island nations were devastated. Hurricane Irma left 10 Cubans dead, Irma and Maria collapsed the infrastructure, electricity and communications lines of the British Virgin Islands, one third of Dutch Sint Maarten’s buildings were ruined, and in the US Virgin Islands many people remain without power. The rugged island of Dominica, which I visited last year, was ravaged, leaving 27 people dead, more than 50 people missing, and 90 per cent of buildings damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico’s death toll continues to climb, currently at 64, and the island remains a Federal Disaster Zone.

Although Antigua has bounced back quickly, with rebuilding work driven by a sense of urgency not to miss out on the crucial winter peak tourism season, its tiny neighbour Barbuda remains largely uninhabited, the population of 1,600 having been repatriated to Antigua.

“Everyone from Barbuda is here on Antigua now. There’s nothing for them in Barbuda any more,” is how my taxi driver puts it. “Lots more people on the island now, needing lots more jobs, so we need lots of tourists.”

James Lane is general manager of Galley Bay Resort in Antigua, which is closed and undergoing repairs – but set to reopen this January. “Many of our regular guests have contacted us to ask how they can help, but really, the best thing they can do is come back,” he says. “Look into which islands are operational. By coming out here and having a holiday here, you’ll impact the economy not just on Antigua, but on the surrounding islands that need help.”

At Elite Island Resorts’ Pineapple Beach Club, where today’s filming is taking place, and St James’s Club, where journalists and the film crew are holed up, there is little sign of the 175mph winds that whipped through the Caribbean in September. Buffet breakfasts still roll, beach bars still dish out piña coladas, and catamaran snorkelling tours still trace Antigua’s legendary coastline, returning tipsy guests to resorts at sunset.

It’s this image of the Caribbean as an easy, breezy winter sun destination, where palms sway and rum punch flows, that the new UB40 music video is tasked with presenting to sun-starved Brits watching Christmas telly. It might not be the story on every Caribbean island, but it’s certainly the story on Antigua, and one aspect of responsible tourism is directing travellers, and their wallets, to the places where they’re needed.

“We were touring in America over the summer, and watched a lot of the hurricane coverage in hotel rooms,” says Campbell. “CNN, they really were the prophets of doom. We’re here to tell people that one of the best decisions they can make this winter is to travel to the Caribbean.”

The band were approached because of their “strong links to the Caribbean,” and Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue, the members present for filming, have as much of an affinity with the Caribbean as they do with their native Birmingham. Astro’s parents are Jamaican, and Campbell has been visiting Jamaica since 1981.

“Coming from Birmingham and loving reggae music, the first place we were going to travel, as soon as we could afford to, was the Caribbean,” says Campbell, who, having sold 70 million records worldwide, can afford not just to visit the Caribbean, but order bottles of Veuve Clicquot to their table. “I lived in Jamaica for seven years, had a studio and a house there. Every time I come out here, I lose half a stone and my eyes start sparkling again. I go back healthier than when I left.”

“You come out here and your body just rejuvenates,” interjects Astro. “Because all you’re eating is fresh fish, fresh fruit, no additives, no preservatives, just honest-to-goodness… organic stuff.” I’m sure that’s just how the tourism board would put it.

“And they’ve legalised marijuana in Jamaica now [in small amounts], which makes things even more wonderful as far as we’re concerned,” beams Campbell.

The band might be considered unlikely ambassadors, but Campbell and co are treated like royalty here in the Caribbean – and their enthusiasm for the region is infectious. “We’ve never had any problems with the Caribbean people accepting us,” says Campbell. “We’ve only ever had trouble from white middle-class journalists. Most kids in the Caribbean grew up on UB40 music, so we feel part of the Caribbean, even though we’re from England.”

Two hours later, myself and all the other “extras” in the audience are mouthing the words en masse, “Come back darling, give me another try…” Right in the thick of it is Colin James, CEO of Antigua and Barbuda Tourism. “We’ve never had a year like this, and we did take a battering, but as we depend so heavily on tourism we need to nurture and promote it,” he tells me. “Natural disasters will happen, but it’s really important to get the word out that, in the Caribbean, we’re open for business.”

Essentials

Virgin Holidays (0344 557 3870; virginholidays.co.uk) offers a seven-night holiday in Antigua from £1,315 per person. Includes scheduled Virgin Atlantic flights from London Gatwick to Antigua, all-inclusive accommodation at St James’s Club & Villas with transfers. 

Price is based on two adults travelling and sharing a garden view room and on a departure date of June 12 2018. 

The holiday can also be booked through the Virgin Holidays stores in Debenhams, House of Fraser, Tesco, Sainsbury’s or V-Room nationwide.

Caribbean comeback: who's open for business?

Barbuda became an unfortunate poster-island for the destruction reaped across the Caribbean by hurricanes Irma and Maria. As many as 95 per cent of its properties suffered significant damage. Today, the island’s recovery efforts are emblematic of the hard work being done across the region.

The secondary school and hospital are being rebuilt, while repairs continue on the airport. As Anna Hart’s piece above shows, other islands were not hit so harshly – and they are more than ready to welcome tourists back. Here’s a round-up of several popular holiday spots.

Anguilla

The island’s tourist board says about a third of its hotels and resorts will be open for Christmas, and 70 per cent by April. The airport and ferry terminal are both open. 

Larger properties, including the Four Seasons Malliouhana and Zemi Beach House, are aiming for openings in early 2018. 

British Virgin Islands

Cruise passengers returned last month. The islands’ airports are also open and, according to the director of tourism, some of the beaches are “nicer and wider than before”.

Smaller properties have reopened, but some luxury offerings, including Little Dix Bay, will need longer.

Dominica

The Douglas Charles Airport is open, while a dozen or so hotels have reopened. A quarter of properties were severely damaged. Fort Young Hotel, Dominica’s largest, plans to reopen partially in January. 

Puerto Rico

Recovery continues, with the airport open and three quarters of the nation’s hotels. A number of properties by Sheraton have January earmarked for reopening. 

St Maarten

“The government of Port St Maarten are very proud to announce to the world that Port St Maarten is open for business,” the minister of tourism said in October. However, a number of resorts will be closed until early next year. 

Note that some 17 islands, including Aruba, Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines, were left untouched. The major tourism centres of the Bahamas, Dominican Republic and St Kitts and Nevis are open.