Beach Blues: Former tourism hot spot in Venezuela suffers amid economic crisis

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Hard times have washed ashore on Venezuela's Margarita Island. The economic crisis that's ravaging the South American country is turning tourists away from this international holiday destination. CGTN'S Juan Carlos Lamas reports.

It's known as the pearl of the Caribbean. And it's one of Venezuela's main tourist destinations: Margarita Island - just 40 kilometers from the mainland, it boasts white sand beaches, sparkling water and sunny days.

But the country's economic crisis has dealt a devastating blow to the most important source of income on the island, tourism. Empty hotels, pools, and beaches have transformed Margarita into a deserted paradise.

JOSE IGNACIO CASAL, PRESIDENT NUEVA ESPARTA'S TOURISM BOARD "Approximately 60 percent of all businesses have closed. Only 50 percent of the hotels are operating."

Hyperinflation, power outages and security issues, all of it is turning millions of tourists away.

German surfer Martin Zeindlmeir opened his own inn and restaurant on the island after he first visited 15 years ago. Now he says it's just a matter of time before he will have to close up shop.

MARTIN ZEINDLMEIR, OWNER SHARKS INN AND RESTAURANT "Each month, the situation gets more complicated, and it's harder to keep my business open. There are not enough tourists and I'm afraid soon I am not going to be able to keep my business anymore, I'll try to survive here as long as I can."

Windsurfing instructor Roxby Suarez says this paradise is slowly becoming a hell.

ROXBY SUAREZ WINDSURF AND KITE SURF INSTRUCTOR "Years ago, we could teach up to 10 windsurfing classes a day. Nowadays, we teach one class every two weeks, if we're lucky."

Part of the problem is transportation The Venezuelan government has a nearly four billion dollar debt to international airlines. Charter flights have stopped coming. And it's difficult for Venezuelan vacationers to get to the island as well.

MAYERLIN PAVIQUE TOURIST "Most tourists like me do not come to the island that often because getting an airplane ticket -- it's impossible. Ferries barely work, and the ones which do work, only come irregularly."

High crime rates, shortages of soap, toilet paper, drinking water and food, all everyday problems in Venezuela make it difficult to create the kind of atmosphere tourists are looking for.

JUAN CARLOS LAMAS MARGARITA ISLAND, VENEZUELA "According to the local tourist board, back in 2015, about two thousand tourists used to come to Margarita Island every day. But that was before the economic crisis. Now, the numbers have dropped by about 90 percent with an average of only 200 tourists each day."

Without tourism, many of the nearly 700-thousand residents of Margarita Island are hurting. And as Venezuela's hyperinflation is expected to top one million percent this year, residents who stay on this pearl of the Caribbean are likely to have the island to themselves for some time to come. Juan Carlos Lamas, CGTN Margarita Island, Venezuela.