Letter: Tourism, crime and the future of Tobago

In response to the concern "Crime Deflates Tobago's Tourism," I fully agree that crime is a problem.

However, let me suggest the following, should our tourism officials just sit back and take the pounding over it like they have been doing, or should they show leadership and competence facing it head on and responding fearlessly and intelligently?

Despite whatever crime problems are facing Tobago, the destination must still answer with an even stronger response. For example, a new and effective marketing direction!

Look at what Jamaica is doing since the Dudus situation.

Historically, Trinidad and Tobago has been plagued with a convoluted policy of only wanting to attract wealthy and influential tourists; now it's business tourist and summits, these failed strategies have been among their fundamental downfall.

They have, to the detriment and sacrifice of Tobago's tourism industry, ignored and marginalized the enormous importance and potential of the mainstream tourist market in aiding the development and building of any tourism industry, crime or no crime.

What our former tourism officials have failed to understand is, we need more people visiting our shores, more than ever now.

We still have to attract significantly more tourists, crime or no crime. It is a proven fact now that we cannot rely on business tourism, summits and wealthy and affluent visitors.

Just look at where our tourism is today with that kind of thinking, especially Tobago.

It is not just crime! Though I agree it is a problem, poor marketing in attracting a larger segment of mainstream tourist, and a poor tourism vision is a greater problem in Trinidad and Tobago's tourism development than crime.

Crime is a poor excuse for the incompetence and failures of our former tourism officials to bring success and stability to Trinidad and Tobago's tourism industry.

I await the direction our new officials will take or if they will simply take the easy way out and fall to the so-called experts at the policy level, the TDC and THA departments of tourism, or whether they are going to lead in a new and fruitful direction.

Let us see what Dr.Griffith and Dr.Baker are made of.

Sincerely,
David Maundy