Tourism must score

Williams saw the leisure industry as, at best, frivolous, but more worryingly, seriously demeaning to those who earned a living working in it. With phrases like “Tourism is Whoreism”, and “A nation of bus boys” ringing in their ears, Trinidadians soon conceived a healthy distaste for the Caribbean tourism phenomenon, and considered themselves fortunate not to have any part of it.

But that was then, and this is now. In the interceding 25 years Travel and Tourism has taken centre stage in the global economy, and now, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, contributes as much as 10.4% to global GDP, and provides up to 215 million jobs.

The notion of a foreign vacation has evolved from aspirational luxury to a very basic expectation, with more and more people, all with the means to do so, considering the exploration of the planet on which they live to be an inalienable right.

In the Caribbean, official recognition of tourism has mutated from widespread suspicion in the ’60s, to creeping ambivalence in the ’70s, qualified acceptance in the ’80s, and in certain cases today, a dangerously open embrace.

Now, however, there are clear indications that tourism is becoming a serious political consideration for Trinidad and Tobago. We have for the first time, a singular Ministry of Tourism and, in the Tourism Development Company, a professionally managed, dedicated State Enterprise to implement its programme of activities.

With an economy that is presently heavily driven by Trinidad and Tobago’s finite energy resources, the idea of diversification into the non-depletive service sector must surely be a healthy and desirable development.

The problem is to get Trinidadians to move on from the Williams era of blanket tourism rejection, to a more realistic understanding and acceptance of tourism’s obvious benefits and long-term potential.

Talk to most people and you will frequently hear the statement: “It is alright for Tobago, with its white sand beaches and clear waters, but there is no tourism future for Trinidad.” This, of course, is absolute nonsense.

There are many different types of tourism, with the quintessential beach variety prevalent in the Caribbean being just one. Others such as Cultural Tourism (for example Europe, India and China); Adventure Tourism (Africa); Eco-tourism (Central and South America); Shopping Tourism (Miami, New York and London); Meetings and Conventions (The United States); as well as Sports Tourism; Religious Tourism and many others, all providing powerful motives to travel, and for the host countries a valid incentive to promote their destinations, and profit from it. Viewed against this broader canvas Trinidad has a great deal to offer: the Northern Range provides a host of exciting adventure opportunities with walking or pony trekking trails to hidden waterfalls and beaches.

The Caroni and Nariva swamps are an ecotourism paradise, and Trinidad’s festivals, art, music and dance offer a cultural backdrop in several ethnic flavours. Not perhaps, a self-sustaining attraction, other than Carnival, but a rich additional feature for any visit.

Port-of-Spain is already a shopping mecca for Barbados, and the small islands, without anyone having done much to stimulate it. Properly packaged and promoted, it could be significantly enhanced and increased.

Over the last few years Port-of- Spain has also become the de facto commercial capital of the Eastern Caribbean, with the business flows into the country being the mainstay for hotel occupancy in all the city’s principal hotels.

Meetings and conventions are one of the fastest growing sectors in international travel and tourism, which Trinidad and Tobago, having signed the Tax Information Exchange Act with the United States, thereby guaranteeing that meetings held here are tax exempt in the US, can take full advantage of.

The new 430 room Hyatt Regency Hotel and Conference Centre is designed to be the centrepiece of the Waterfront Development Project, and will soon add an exciting new dimension to the city’s meetings potential.

All of this has just happened, virtually without much planning. Just imagine what could be achieved with some long-term integrated strategic thinking.

Tourism success is usually measured by the number of visitor arrivals, but on its own this is incomplete, since it does not take into consideration the more important measurement of visitor spend.

Which is more valuable to the economy, tourists that spend $100 a day or tourists that spend $300 a day during their stay in the country? Obviously this distinction will largely be determined by the type and quality of hotel or resort the visitors choose to stay in. Thus, the decision of what kind of hotels should be built will largely dictate the kind of tourism to be targeted, and the amount of revenue it will generate. More importantly it will also shape the international reputation of the destination.

At this point in time there is a very limited stock of approved hotel/guest house rooms in the country, a little more than 1,500 in Trinidad and just over 1,000 in Tobago, this by definition obviously limits the number of potential visitors, and of course, will justify the airlift necessary to bring them in. In other words without more hotels there is a definite ceiling to any tourism growth.

Another of today’s challenges is the fragmented nature of decision making in tourism-related planning and development. Tourism in Tobago is managed, if not fully funded, by the Tobago House of Assembly, the Chaguaramas Development Authority has similar responsibility for the North West peninsula, while the obvious potential of the North and North East Coasts is held hostage by inadequate road access.

Even more worryingly the nation’s reputation for visitor safety is now faced, after the recent tragic events in Tobago, with negative Travel Advisories put out by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This, in turn, is liable to trigger similar public warnings from the US State Department, thus seriously endangering the effectiveness of the new campaign to promote Trinidad and Tobago.

There is therefore an obvious need for all these separate, yet tourism linked, elements of Government to sit down together with the many diverse private sector stakeholders: The Hotels, Guest Houses, and Restaurants who accommodate and feed our visitors; the Tour Operators and Tour Guides, who proudly show off their country; The Manufacturers Association and the Chambers of Commerce, whose members provide much of the essential product used by the hotels and restaurants, and indeed the tourists themselves, and carefully plan for the future.

Only with such a coordinated approach will Trinidad and Tobago be able to maximise its very exciting tourism potential.