Building on the tourism momentum

And although the travel and tourism industry contributes at present 13.8 percent of the country’s GDP, what is of particular interest is that the labour intensive industry is expected to account this year for 96,539 jobs or 16.7 percent of the total employment in Trinidad and Tobago.

This means that one out of every six TT workers is employed in the travel and tourism industry. Figures like these should put to the lie any doubts about this nascent industry.

But as revealing as the overall Trinidad and Tobago employment may be from the industry, when the employment figures for Tobago in the travel and tourism industry are treated separately, the industry is expected to contribute an impressive 46 percent of the island’s Gross Domestic Product, and 56.8 percent of overall employment.

The GDP and employment percentages which were announced last week at the presentation of the tourism survey should be viewed as examples of the increasing importance of the travel and tourism industry to us.

What is happening is that additional jobs are being constantly created in hotels, guest houses, water sports, in transport, eco tourism and entertainment. And while a breakdown of jobs has not been provided it is reasonable to assume that the expansion of the industry has impacted positively on the economy.

Yet even as we are pleased with the economic growth and new employment opportunities, nonetheless we wish to sound a cautionary note.

Government is still trying to deal with the crime monster that could roll back the gains in a fragile industry and could take the air out of all efforts and repel tourists. A basic fact is that tourists are not going to come here if they feel their lives are at risk.

We wish to point out too that even though Tobago is benefitting appreciably from tourism interest in the island, steps should be taken to develop marketable skills in the workforce, along with attracting of domestic, regional and international capital in the creation of energy based industries there.

As attractive as the figures look, people still snub at the tourism sector, a sector that assumes significance when the oil and natural gas runs out.

The travel and tourism industry’s drive to capture 46 percent of Tobago’s GDP and 56.8 percent of its total employment may appear to be unattainable but we only need to look at other countries like Cuba and Jamaica to see what they have achieved.

We are not suggesting that we copy their models wholesale but only how to use pieces to craft our own tourism piece.