When tourism stakeholders meet Monday to discuss the state of their industry they will be pressing the government to launch a sustained destination marketing and branding campaign for Tobago.
Tourism Minister Dr Rupert Griffith has called the emergency meeting to discuss the dramatic decline in tourist arrivals to Tobago with the occupancy rate reaching crisis levels.
Businesses involved in the industry fear that any further decline with be the death of their industry and cause the collapse of the Tobago economy.
Griffith's cabinet colleague, Minister of Tobago Development Vernella Alleyne-Toppin, is expected to be at the crisis meeting along with Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Orville London, THA Tourism Secretary Oswald Williams and Tourism Development Company (TDC) chairman Stanley Beard.
Griffith has also asked the president of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association (THTA) Carol Ann Birchwood-James and vice president Chris James to attend along with President of Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association, Michelle Palmer-Keizer and vice-president Kevin Kenny.
Last week Griffith admitted that crime is a deterrent and has caused tourists to stay away. He noted that at least two cruise ships had "postponed" their visit to the island.
But stakeholders have noted that while crime is a very real issue, an aggressive and sustained marketing strategy would go a long way to getting visitors to Tobago.
They noted that while crime in Jamaica is at least three times worse than in Trinidad and Tobago the country was still voted as the number one tourism destination for the Caribbean. In addition, Jamaica is seeing a boost in tourist arrivals, despite the high rate of crime, with a six per cent increase in December over 2009 figures.
Read the story: Jamaica named top Caribbean tourism destination; gets seat on WTTC executive
Neighbouring Barbados is also seeing a boom in its tourism sector with near 100 per cent occupancy and visitors willing to pay up to US$10,000 for fully serviced exclusive accommodation.
The stakeholders want the Government to encourage investment for refurbishment of existing hotels and guest houses to bring the available room stock to 1,500 on the island.
They believe despite the expenditure on destination marketing the tourism sector has failed to attract visitors. One Canadian commentator told JYOTI the problem is a lack of creativity and originality in marketing Tobago as an ideal holiday getaway.
Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) figures show direct marketing cost US$12 million (TT$75.6 million) on direct media marketing in 2010 with the sector contributing TT$5.4 billion to Gross Domestic Product.
Tourism Minister Dr Rupert Griffith has called the emergency meeting to discuss the dramatic decline in tourist arrivals to Tobago with the occupancy rate reaching crisis levels.
Businesses involved in the industry fear that any further decline with be the death of their industry and cause the collapse of the Tobago economy.
Griffith's cabinet colleague, Minister of Tobago Development Vernella Alleyne-Toppin, is expected to be at the crisis meeting along with Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Orville London, THA Tourism Secretary Oswald Williams and Tourism Development Company (TDC) chairman Stanley Beard.
Griffith has also asked the president of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association (THTA) Carol Ann Birchwood-James and vice president Chris James to attend along with President of Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association, Michelle Palmer-Keizer and vice-president Kevin Kenny.
Last week Griffith admitted that crime is a deterrent and has caused tourists to stay away. He noted that at least two cruise ships had "postponed" their visit to the island.
But stakeholders have noted that while crime is a very real issue, an aggressive and sustained marketing strategy would go a long way to getting visitors to Tobago.
They noted that while crime in Jamaica is at least three times worse than in Trinidad and Tobago the country was still voted as the number one tourism destination for the Caribbean. In addition, Jamaica is seeing a boost in tourist arrivals, despite the high rate of crime, with a six per cent increase in December over 2009 figures.
Read the story: Jamaica named top Caribbean tourism destination; gets seat on WTTC executive
Neighbouring Barbados is also seeing a boom in its tourism sector with near 100 per cent occupancy and visitors willing to pay up to US$10,000 for fully serviced exclusive accommodation.
The stakeholders want the Government to encourage investment for refurbishment of existing hotels and guest houses to bring the available room stock to 1,500 on the island.
They believe despite the expenditure on destination marketing the tourism sector has failed to attract visitors. One Canadian commentator told JYOTI the problem is a lack of creativity and originality in marketing Tobago as an ideal holiday getaway.
Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) figures show direct marketing cost US$12 million (TT$75.6 million) on direct media marketing in 2010 with the sector contributing TT$5.4 billion to Gross Domestic Product.
The CTO said Trinidad and Tobago attracted only two per cent of the 23 million international visitors to the region last year.
Experts believe failed marketing is only one of the many problems that the government must urgently address in dealing with the problem that Tobago currently faces. Others include the high cost of accommodation and inefficient and costly air connections.
Experts believe failed marketing is only one of the many problems that the government must urgently address in dealing with the problem that Tobago currently faces. Others include the high cost of accommodation and inefficient and costly air connections.
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