Shamfa: TDC to be dissolved

Tourism Secretary in the Tobago House of Assembly, Nadine Stewart Phillips, at the THA post Executive Council media briefing in Tobago, had announced the establishment of a Tobago Tourism Authority (TTA), which she said was expected to lend support to tourism stakeholders to develop the island as the premier destination in the southern Caribbean. She said the TTA has nine main functions.

Yesterday, Cudjoe said the Tobago entity will give the THA autonomy to deal with marketing Tobago. “It’s only right that the Tobago House of Assembly be given necessary authority and autonomy to treat with matters and to do so in a more focused way,” she said.

Saying that dissolution of the TDC will not happen immediately but within legal parameters, Cudjoe also announced that steps were being taken to develop a Regulatory Authority which will set basic standards for all tourism operators.

Consultations with Barbados and Bahamas tourism authorities were ongoing on the establishment of this regulatory body, she added.

She says this move will make the TT tourism product attractive to the potential visitors.

“The review was done and we looked at the different structures and management of tourism in Trinidad and Tobago. One very important part of this new initiative is that the establishment of the any serious tourism destination needs to have these standards.

“Right now in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago doesn’t have a regulatory authority or basic standards…We have been in consultation with members form the Caribbean destinations, Bahamas, Barbados and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation for assistance in doing the consultations, so we look forward to these new arrangements,” she said.