Caribbean beaches on Forbes Top Ten list

Caribbean beaches are featured prominently on Forbes' Ten Most Secluded Beaches list.

Barbuda, with its pink sand beaches, St Barth's Colombier beach, Bonaire's Pink Beach, are among those that made the cut.

To find out the other beaches that made the list,Read more here

My Two Cents - Would a single Caribbean brand work?

When people who live outside the Caribbean speak of the region they speak of it as The Caribbean, like it's a single entity, one long strip of white sand, turquoise blue water and endless palm trees gently swaying in light breezes.

That was reinforced to me during a class presentation while studying in England. Presenting on Caricom, the Caribbean's political and economic organisation, I started my presentation with a diagram depicting all the islands that comprise the Caribbean archipelago.

Many of my classmates commented that they never knew the Caribbean was so vast. Even the lecturer, who worked for the United Nations, I believe, was really blown away by what that diagram showed - the vastness and implied differences of the region.

And that's what many people do not understand about the Caribbean, we may live in the same region, and may share a common history with colonialism and slavery, but each and every island is different, with its own culture and beliefs, attitude and approaches to life.

These differences have played a huge part in delaying any real political union similar to the European Union. Each island jealously guards its uniqueness, unwilling to let go and be part of a real Caribbean whole. And that has translated into how each island markets its tourism product. Forget The Caribbean, when it comes to tourism, it has always been each island for itself.

So with this in mind, I wonder, can attempts to market the Caribbean as one entity really work? Can it work, even as islands compete with each other to market themselves to what is now a challenging market, thanks to the economic decline.

In an article in the The Trinidad Express Caricom Ambassador Irwin Larocque, assistant secretary-general of trade and economic integration, says the establishment of a Caribbean brand for regional tourism sector will not impact negatively national branding.

"The plan that we put forward now is to provide avenues or a niche for the national brand..."

"The two - the national and the Caribbean brands - will coexist. As a matter of fact the Caribbean brand will enhance and augment the promotion of the national brand."

Larocque said, during a video conference to the media, that many times when people think of a vacation they first think of the Caribbean, and then within the Caribbean context, they will go for a particular destination or a particular experience and this is what the Caribbean brand will help to promote.

Caricom secretary-general Edwin Carrington said at a special one day meeting earlier this year, a task force was established to look into the regional development of the tourism sector.

"Part of the critical role of that task force is the designing of a regional marketing plan for the Caribbean brand of tourism that we hope to unveil to the international market as a way of attracting greater support in that area," he reportedly said.

Will it? Only time will tell.

SuperClubs Sends Off 2008 With 100 Percent Occupancy Rates and Multi-Million Dollar Renovations

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, Dec 15, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- As the New Year approaches, SuperClubs Resorts marks 32 years in the all-inclusive hospitality industry with two of its Caribbean hotels celebrating anniversaries this week. At 100 percent occupancy, the AAA Four Diamond all-suite Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa celebrates its 19th anniversary. SuperClubs' first Grand Lido resort, Grand Lido Negril was also named to Travel + Leisure's World's Best "Top 25 Hotels in the Caribbean, Bermuda and The Bahamas," earlier this year. Its sister resort, Grand Lido Braco, which just completed its US$2 million renovation, held the same honor in 2007.
Breezes Runaway Bay, which opened its doors 24 years ago this week, shares its birthday with a full house -- booked at 100 percent occupancy through December 15. Following its US$20 million 2007 renovation and expansion, the Breezes flagship property now boasts romantic verandah suites with private plunge pools, a rejuvenating full-service Blue Mahoe Spa and two sumptuous new restaurants serving Japanese-style Teppanyaki dishes at Munasan and Jamaican classics at the Reggae Grill. And, just down the street, the playful Hedonism III is booked solid with revelers through December 15.
Beyond the isle of Irie, Breezes Bahamas which is wrapping up a US$10 million upgrade is sold out over the holidays, and already booked at over 80 percent for January. Guests without a current reservation need not worry as the all inclusive resort is offering every fourth night free on bookings made by January 31, 2009, good for travel between January 2 and August 31. Special rates start at $139 per person per night, based on double-occupancy.
In the coming year, SuperClubs will continue to grow its portfolio with two new resorts rolling out the welcome mat. In summer 2009, SuperClubs opens the doors to its first foray in Central America, Breezes Panama in Playa Blanca, located in the luxury coastal community of Panama's Cocle province. In Brazil, SuperClubs welcomes guests to its third property in the region, Breezes Buzios, situated on prime beachfront property in the "St. Tropez of Rio."
For more information or to book an all inclusive vacation today, contact SuperClubs at (800) GO-SUPER (or 1-800-467-8737) or visit their website at www.SuperClubs.com.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Friedel
Lauren Kaufman
212-620-7100
Email Contact
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Virgin adds Caribbean flights

As the region's tourism industry faces one of its toughest seasons, thanks to the global economic meltdown, one international carrier is keeping the the tourism flat line at bay.

Virgin Atlantic Airways has announced that it will increase services from Manchester to the Caribbean and Florida next summer and add extra flights from Gatwick to Jamaica from November 2009.

The announcement is a boost to Manchester following a succession of blows, including the withdrawal of BMI long-haul flights from the airport, and to the Caribbean, which lost capacity from the UK when XL Leisure Group collapsed in September.

Virgin Atlantic will fly twice a week from Manchester to Barbados, adding a Saturday departure to the existing Sunday flight between May 2 and November 7, and will increase departures from Manchester to Orlando from nine to ten a week with an added Sunday flight operating from April 26 to November 8.

The carrier will also increase its winter Gatwick service to Montego Bay from two to three flights a week from November 13 next year.

A Virgin Atlantic spokesman said: "This is a vote of confidence in Manchester. British Airways and BMI have pulled out and there is a big gap left by XL".

Tourism slump costs jobs in the Caribbean

The tourism slump in the Caribbean, the result of the recession in the United States and the economic decline in Europe, has begun to cost jobs in the region.

Today, an Associated Press report said Sandals Resorts International is laying off 650 Caribbean hotel workers as a result of the decline in tourist bookings.

The cuts will take place as Sandals Resorts in the Bahamas, Jamaica and St Lucia represents seven per cent of the chain's workforce.


The hotel operator said the layoffs will help the company stay competitive during the world financial crisis, which has resulted in less people from key markets travelling to the region. As a result, the construction of some new developments has also been halted.

In Antigua, which also has a Sandals hotel, Tourism Minister Harold Lovell said Friday he has learned the company is planning layoffs there as well.

The announcement added to economic woes in the Bahamas, where the tourism sector employs 65 percent of the work force and several other properties including the sprawling Atlantis resort have announced major cutbacks.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. according to AP, said earlier this week that tourist arrivals are projected to fall eight per cent this year in the Bahamas, where Americans typically account for 80 per cent of visitors. He said bookings for early 2009 do not look strong.

Caribbean World Travel Awards announced

The Caribbean World Travel Awards have been published. The winners are as follows:

Caribbean's Leading Airline: Air Jamaica
Caribbean's Leading Airport: La Romana International Airport, Dominican Republic
Caribbean's Leading Beach: Grace Bay Beach (Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands)
aribbean's Leading Boutique Hotel: Point Grace, Turks & Caicos
Caribbean's Leading Car Hire: Avis
Caribbean's Leading Casino Resort:Wyndham Nassau Resort & Crystal Palace Casino, Bahamas
Caribbean's Leading Conference Centre: Sherbourne Conference Centre, Barbados
Caribbean's Leading Conference Hotel: Half Moon, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Caribbean's Leading Cruise Destination: Jamaica
Caribbean's Leading Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
Caribbean's Leading Cruise Port: Bahamas
Caribbean's Leading Destination: Jamaica
Caribbean's Leading Family All-Inclusive: Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa
Caribbean's Leading Golf Resort: Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic
Caribbean's Leading Green Resort: Tiamo, South Andros Island, Bahamas
Caribbean's Leading Hotel: Coco Reef Resort, Tobago
Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand: Sandals Resorts International
Caribbean's Leading Resort: Royal Plantation Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Caribbean's Leading Spa Resort: Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos
Caribbean's Leading Suite: Four Bedroom Villa at One&Only Ocean Club, Bahamas
Caribbean's Leading Tourist Board: Jamaica
Caribbean's Leading Travel Agency: Trafalgar Travel
Caribbean's Leading Travel Information Website: Totally Barbados www.totallybarbados.com

Read more here

Proposed air tax threatens region's tourism

As if recessionary economies weren't enough to put a damper on the region's tourism product, Britain´s Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister), Alistair Darling, is proposing a tax based on the length of their journey and their class of travel.

This, laments David Jessop, head of the UK-based Caribbean Council, will significantly increase the Air Passenger Duty on all travelers buying an airline ticket in the UK to travel to the Caribbean and elsewhere.

The tax announced by Darling will increase progressively over the next two years, when it will be joined in 2010 by a European scheme that seeks to include aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme involving the purchase of licences for all air transport operators to emit carbon.

The measure is part of the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement, which Caribbean Prime Ministers signed in September.

Jessop has been among the outspoken voices against the economic arrangement.

Read full report here

IMF says tourism in region threatened

With the US in a recession and other major economies teetering on the brink of a recession, the state of tourism in the Caribbean continues to be a concern for stakeholders.

In a speech during a visit to Jamaica, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn says weaker foreign remittances and dampened economic activity in key sectors such as tourism would be the likely consequences of the slowdown in global economic activity. As a result, the IMF's outlook for the Caribbean economies had been revised down in recent months.

Strauss-Khan's visit to Jamaica was part of his first official tour of countries in the Caribbean and Central America. During his stay in Kingston, he met with Prime Minister Bruce Golding, among other senior officials.

Read full report here

Crime hits Tobago tourism sector

With the gruesome murder of two Swedes and the robbery and assault of two British women, Tobago's tourism industry has taken a severe hit to its reputation. And tourism officials, worried that their industry might face the consequences Antigua is currently facing after a British couple was murdered while honeymoon in some months ago, are engaging in serious damage control across Europe.

This, even as the British Foreign and Commonwealth office issued updated its crime advisory on Tobago, which states that,"although most visits to Tobago are trouble free, crime against tourists in Tobago and the inability of the Tobago authorities to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators remains a concern. The authorities on the island are taking positive steps and the situation is beginning to improve."

The advisory noted that a resident Swedish couple were murdered at their villa in Bon Accord on October 9, 2008 and British visitors were subject to a robbery and sexual assault at their villa in the Black Rock area on October 20, 2008. "Caution is therefore advised when renting villas in the south west of the island."

Tobago's growing crime problem is part of a even bigger crime problem in sister-island Trinidad, where murders have surpassed 440 so far this year, a record for the island which recorded just over 300 murders in 2007.

One region for a stronger economy

We are all familiar with the EU but most people think it just involves one currency, the Euro. In fact, the EU is a political and economic union which was formed in 1993 and comprises of 27 members. It established a single market with a standard system of laws which apply to all members. It grants freedom of movement and maintains a common trade policy. Only 15 member states use the Euro.

In order to join the EU, a country must fulfill the economic and political conditions under the "Copenhagen criteria". This requires that the candidate country is stable, guaranteeing democracy, abides by the rule of law, protects human rights and minorities, and has a functioning market economy.
Membership presumes the country's ability to meet the obligations of membership. If the Caribbean were to form a CU, it would have to implement similar rules and regulations to ensure order and national safety.

A number of people are concerned that a CU would actually be damaging to our individual nations but in fact, the advantages of creating a Caribbean Union are countless.
The most obvious of these is the ease of travel and work. With this union, citizens of countries in the CU will be free to travel and work among the qualifying countries without hindrance. A unified front will open up many opportunities within the union so citizens will not be as inclined to "flee" the zone. As a result, travelling overall would be simplified and visas to visit countries outside of the CU will be more easily accessible.

Although countries in the Caribbean are miniscule compared to massive countries such as the US and Brazil, we will be formidable opponents as one. Unity of voices will bring together resources. Specialization and ease of trade within members of the CU will not only make natural resources cheaper and more accessible for us, but more competitive in the worldwide marketplace. We will be able to tap into the Caribbean's natural gas and oil resources and be self-sufficient as a region in terms of agriculture. It is time to think global. As a unified zone we will no longer need to compete with each other in regards to tourism. In working together, we can boost these revenues since we will have a larger variety of tourist attractions to offer. We should all be benefiting from the beauty and luxury of the Caribbean competing against Paris and Milan, not our neighbours.

Joining forces goes along with the plan to build a Caribbean Stock Exchange allowing all the members to fall under one securities roof. This will increase companies' marketability across the entire zone and allow them to raise more capital.
Moreover, a CU will allow for the creation of a Caribbean Central Bank like the European Central Bank. With this banking system the CU will be able to not only create and issue a stronger currency, but it will pool each country's money. Why would we want to pool our money into one bank? This will not only give us increased leverage when negotiating trade agreements with other countries but simply, more money equals more power. As a collective, the CU will have one voice, a louder voice that will be heard, as power rests in the unified hands of many.

Most importantly, unifying the region stimulates economic growth at a fast pace. With a stronger economy we will see "brain gain". Citizens of CU countries will want to return from the US, UK et al, as the overall health of our countries will blossom luring them. Many Jamaicans, Trinidadians, etc abroad have their flags pasted on cars and pinned on their windows. We are a very proud people who miss our homelands when we are away. Those abroad will return if the chance for a better life prevails.

A CU sounds like an excellent plan that would be beneficial for each individual country. So why then wasn't a CU created a long time ago? The answer is that there are some disadvantages to having a unified region. For starters, migration would become a challenge for the less developed countries. Not only would residents leave seeking a better standard of living, but they would also migrate due to wage competition. Citizens from the lower income countries would migrate to the richer and higher-paying islands. If you can get the same job in Jamaica and Barbados but in Barbados you will be paid more, what is to stop you from leaving Jamaica?

Another concern is price wars. Bigger businesses will create stiffer competition for smaller businesses and put pressure on them to cut their prices. Larger companies can buy products in bulk and therefore can sell them for cheaper than smaller companies. In turn, this could lead to local businesses losing their market share because of increased competition.

For most, the major concern however, is the loss of sovereignty. Though these apprehensions are valid, we must not lose sight of the "big picture". Each country will have its own government and individuality. The CU's agreement will be formed carefully and selectively so that it will build us up rather than tear down our current foundations. With every great change comes some trade-off, but undoubtedly the positives of a CU far overshadow the few drawbacks.

Jhana Saunders

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4829691472310395722

US crisis may hit Tobago tourism

Tobago's leisure tourism will be seriously challenged in light of the US financial collapse, but Trinidad's business tourism will be less vulnerable, tourism expert John Bell says.

Bell, the adviser to former tourism minister Howard Chin Lee, said Tobago may feel the impact of the collapse as soon as the start of the winter season, which runs from November 2008 to April next year.

Three weeks ago, financial markets in the United States were gripped by a crisis after two major investment houses-Lehman Bros and Merrill Lynch-failed when they suffered billions of dollars in losses because of bad mortgage and real estate deals.

"We've got a very difficult year coming because of the whole collapse of the US system. It is going to dry up the American travel market," Bell told the Express.

"The collapse has already spread across the Atlantic to a couple European banks. That travel market will be constricted as well, but not as bad as the US.

"The constriction of airlift coming into the Caribbean and a very fragile economy in all of the source markets (tourist) will definitely have a negative impact on Caribbean tourism."

Pinpointing Tobago, Bell said: "Tobago has a serious problem because of the fact that there are only one or two hotels that are of substantial quality. What Tobago desperately needs is another 1,500 quality hotel rooms of a branded nature that are of a superior quality.

"Then there is the problem of the European airlines cutting back flights to the country. Monarch is coming on board but I'm not sure how much that is going to help."

Last week, Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Tourism and Transportation Secretary, Neil Wilson, confirmed that Monarch Airlines will begin servicing Tobago from December 17.

The airline will replace British-owned Excel Airways, which had announced it was pulling out of Tobago from November in preference to Miami, since the Gatwick-Caribbean route was not lucrative.

Excel had also said it would end its services to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts and St Lucia.

Wilson added that the THA had reached an agreement with Condor, which operates out of Germany, to hold 200 seats exclusively for Tobago passengers. Condor will replace Martin Air, which withdrew operations earlier this year. The airline, which operated out of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, serviced the Scandinavian countries

As for Trinidad, Bell, the former general director and chief executive director of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), said: "People who are coming down to attend a business meeting or conference will be coming anyway. There will be some reduction but a lot less."

His advice is that the entire region adapt to the reduction of airlift and demand for rooms and find a way to live with the situation.

"It's always the same thing, those that have really done their homework will do quite well but does who have not won't."

Subtle…

This I am not. I can’t help it. I always feel the need to share my opinion (but for my best opinion, let me think about whatever it is for a few days). I suppose that’s why it’s taken me so long to write about Guadeloupe.

The “Butterfly Island” is lovely. The people are nice, the beaches are great and I ate lots of bread. I ate lots of bread… butter too (I’m talking to all women right now). Oh well. If I’m being completely honest, it was one of my favourite parts of the mini-break. French people have baking down to an art form and I love them for it. Viva La France!

That’s another thing about Guadeloupe that I found interesting... These people are French. Well, not quite, and I asked one of them about that. He threw up his hands in a giant shrug and rolling his “Rs” in the way only a cheeky Frenchman can he said,

“Well, I guess we arrrrrreee both!”

I love stereotypes, however, these people are anything but that. They were certainly interesting, especially so for me. I’m going to quote Jeremy Taylor again (sorry JT, you say it better than I do), they’re “so close in some ways, unimaginably far in others”. Never truer words were spoken. I’m embracing my Trini nationality a lot these days (it’s who I am after all) and I have to say there’s a lot to be said for the peoples of the Caribbean region. We’re all similar and I can’t quite put my finger on what makes us so. I think it must be the sun. Sun people are the best! And, I really had a chance to soak it in this trip.

And, so do the French. If Guadeloupe is the playground of the French bourgeoisie, then Mari-Galante is their sun-bed. Mari-Galante, the “little mistress” off the shore of Guadeloupe, is everything (I think) men think a mistress should be – pretty and uncomplicated. It’s too bad for them that half the time that’s not the case… we are all women, after all. Mari-Galante reminds me of a mulatto woman that grew up in the Plantation house. Simple, but worked hard for the master that is France. The mills and marble are still there to prove it. She is beautiful and serene.

I completely relaxed on Mari- Galante’s beaches, as did a little old French lady in a bright yellow bikini next to me. And she had no issues about taking it off for her costume change half way through her excursion. The British bit in me was completely shocked and the Trini in me found it hilarious! I can tell that they’re certainly some characters to be seen in Guadeloupe, but not as much as in Trinidad, I think we win in that category. Another win for us would be food. I’m sorry Guadeloupe, but our local dishes, even though there were similarities, are really very good.

But the sand was white, the sea was turquoise and the trees were green and yellow. Pretty I tell you and definitely comparable with Barbados… and I love their beaches. But, I should really stop comparing. It’s not a good habit and I got in trouble for it in Mari-Galante. To date, I am the only person I know to get “boofed” from their tour guide. In all fairness, her sinuses were acting up and it was only I, without a stitch of French, on the tour. Surely not worth the money. We did laugh about it though and next time, to make things easier, I’ll walk with my translator. I really do have one. She’s great.

All in all, it was a short, uncomplicated trip. A true unwind. You can’t help but slow down, everyone else has after all. Even the airport staff was late for check-in, and almost as if they had set the trend for the journey back home, so was our luggage. However, I’m going to blame LIAT for that.

Tourism can't escape global economic meltdown

With the US facing an economic meltdown and markets all over the world bracing for the fallout, tourism dependent islands in the Caribbean must be shaking.

With rising inflation, the high price of oil, dwindling jobs, and generally less money to spend, it's a safe bet less people from Europe and the United States will be travelling and willing to spend money on something as luxurious as a trip overseas.

This upcoming winter season, traditionally the high season for the Caribbean tourism industry, will certainly prove to be a challenging one for hoteliers, tour operators and travel agents alike.

Factors in the islands too may also work adversely on the industry. Already Antigua is scrambling to repair its image after the murder of a British couple on honeymoon prompted many to cancel plans to visit the island.

Last week the island’s Minister of Tourism Harold Lovell travelled to the UK on a trade mission to continue efforts to sell Antigua and Barbuda as a safe holiday destination.

Mr Lovell said tourism operators in the UK have hired a public relations company to come up with a recovery plan. He explained that part of the plan would involve meetings with tour operators, travel agents and the media.

The tourism minister added that current hotel bookings “do not appear encouraging”.

Another one gone, another one down...

Days after the failure of XL Holidays it has emerged that London-based K&S Travel has also gone into administration, which could affect over 500 people.

The tour operator, which specialises in Turkish travel, ceased trading on September 14th with 550 Holidaymakers mainly in the resort of Bodrum, according to a Telegraph report.

It is understood that the Civil Aviation Authority stated that it would charter an aircraft to fly stranded customers back to the UK.

The news provider also reports that boss of Virgin Airlines Sir Richard Branson called for special regulations to be introduced in order that if another airline is to go under, it will be able to continue flying to get passengers home.

Beleaguered Italian flag carrier Alitalia may have potentially found a saviour in the form of a rescue package that relies on two billion euros (£1.6 billion) of tax payers' money.

The country's main trade unions are reportedly on the verge of signing the agreement that would save around 20,000 jobs.

Press Release: MANAGING THE IMPACT OF THE CARIBBEAN SEX TRADE ON TOURISM

A newly formed NGO, Sex Trade Impact (STI) is calling on policy and decision makers in tourism sectors across the Caribbean to take a closer look at the phenomenal growth and size of the local, regional and international sex trade and the impact it has on the industry.


STI appears merely as a thought provoking initiative from the outset, but a closer look at its objectives brings to light the importance and need for public and private sector organizations to take steps to the minimize the impact of the global sex trade on their tourism economies.


Headed by its founder and president Charles Lewis, STI is based in Barbados. The organization was launched to offer facilitation, training and consultancy services to government agencies and private sector organizations to deal with issues stemming from the Sex Trade.

The organization's first initiative is to host a series of tourism seminars around the region, commencing with its October 15 debut in Barbados, which will feature speakers from numerous areas of interest, relevant to the cause of protecting investment from the negative impact of the Sex Trade.

These seminars are geared toward educating tourism officials, owners, directors and managers on the challenges brought about by an ever growing Global Sex Trade, magnified by the vulnerability of the region to this age old practice.


Lewis states "Regional policy and decision makers in all public and private sector organizations can no longer trivialize the impact of the sex trade. The lure of the rich lifestyle and making 'Big Money' is causing a dramatic increase in the number of people in the Caribbean becoming sex workers.



"The success of our tourism industry is also boosting the migration of foreign sex workers to our shores, in search of wealthy clients."



Lewis further states that, "In acknowledging their dependency on tourism, government officials, owners and managers can no longer pretend that the sex trade issues do not affect their establishments and the industry on the whole."


With 25 years in the Sex Industry under his belt, Lewis has for many years identified many of the problems which are usually overlooked or swept under the carpet. Left unmonitored these issues will continue to undermine years of tourism development.


The work of STI does not stop at tourism. The NGO is also focusing on the health issues and joins the fight against the spread of AIDS/HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

They are also developing initiatives to promote the destigmatization of sex workers and the protection of their human rights.

Lewis continues, "One of the aims of STI is to become an effective medium through which government agencies and Sex Workers in the Caribbean can communicate to voice their concerns and resolve issues.

More information on the objectives of Sex Trade Impact can be found on their website. www.sextradeimpact.com

RIP EXCEL...

I've just downloaded a song to listen to while I'm writing this post... Can you guess what it is?

It's Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust". It's a classic and appropriately accurate in these times. And no I'm not talking about the Lehman Brothers crisis, even though that's what my trusted advisor (ever since the Annual Caribbean Tourism Summit) Dr. Alan Greenspan is talking about. But let me get back on track here, we're talking about tourism on this blog, and I'm talking about Excel Airways in this particular post.

Of course this is not even mildly a joke, especially for the 85,000 passengers still on holiday or the 240,000 more that have either used Excel or one of its various subsidiaries to book a holiday. It's also a potentially dire situation for the 1,700 staff that have lost their jobs. But let's talk about us right now, it's a particularly serious situation for the Caribbean market. Excel's charter flights were a low cost alternative to reaching the West Indies. So I'm going to state the obvious. The closure of such an airline will result in less individuals from the UK (one of our larger markets) visiting the British West Indies. So what happened? Here's what their website has to say:

"On 12 September 2008, Alastair Beveridge, Nick Cropper, Simon Appell and Stuart Mackellar were appointed as Joint Administrators of the Companies by the Court. The Companies entered into Administration having suffered as a result of volatile fuel prices, the economic downturn, and were unable to obtain further funding. The Joint Administrators cannot continue trading the business and therefore all flights operated by the Companies have been immediately cancelled and the aircraft grounded. Going forward, the Joint Administrators are unlikely to be able to trade the business or operate the aircraft. All passengers who have yet to commence their travel should make alternative arrangements."

I was fortunate enough to attend a family function the other evening to meet family members who were visiting from the England and guess which airline they used? That's right, Excel Airways. As of Friday, they weren't too sure how and when they would return to the UK, but I understand that their ticket will be honoured and all stranded passengers are returning home with Virgin Airways - Richard Branson saves the day! However, this wasn't the most outrageous story that I had heard:

"On Thursday night XL Airways flight JN1121 pushed back from the terminal at Sanford International, the Orlando airport that is the gateway to Florida for thousands of British holidaymakers every year. For the 266 passengers on board it was the end of a late summer break - two weeks spent basking on the beach or squealing with delight on the rides at Disneyland. The thrills weren’t over just yet. As the aircraft prepared to taxi, two police cars raced up, lights flashing. The plane stopped, then eased back to its stand. The passengers were told to get off. 'We went backwards about 150 feet, stopped and got a message from the captain that there had been a bit of a problem,' one passenger told a local television news crew. What the holidaymakers didn’t know was that XL Leisure Group, the airline’s owner, had run out of money. As they kicked their heels in the terminal, a High Court judge was, in the early hours of the morning UK time, approving the appointment of an administrator for the company. XL executives had tried to time the appointment so its planes would be airborne and heading home before they were seized by creditors. Unfortunately, according to sources at Gatwick, cabin crew on the Florida flight got wind of the impending collapse and inadvertently mentioned it to airport staff. When the whispers percolated up to airport managers they were alarmed. XL owed them money for handling fees. Take-off was stopped and the plane impounded". Ouch!

There's only one way to end a story such as this. I'm sorry Excel. Times are tough and you are the weakest link - goodbye!

Tides coming to the Caribbean

The Tides, an elite brand with resorts in the world’s most desirable locations, has announced plans to reposition The Jalousie Plantation in St Lucia.

Kor Hotel Group, operator of The Tides brand, has entered into an agreement with property owner Roger Myers to manage, rebrand and reopen the resort as The Tides Sugar Beach in 2010.

“We are very excited to embark on this project in St Lucia, which will apply our unique blend of high design and intuitive service to the exceptional work already achieved there,” said Kor Hotel Group President, Nicholas Clayton.

Located in the “Valley of the Pitons,” a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the future Tides will have a spectacular setting, with 192 acres of rainforest and white-sand beaches. Guests at The Tides will be enveloped in views of the two majestic pitons (mountain-like formations) and the Caribbean Sea beyond. Upon opening, the resort will offer 150 sumptuous villas and guestrooms with private pools, four restaurants, an array of recreational activities, and amenities including a beach lounge, a comprehensive fitness center and a world-class spa.

Plans include a full closure of the resort in early summer 2009, followed by an extensive US$100M renovation, as Kor prepares to reposition the resort with a complete redesign, offering a chic fusion of European, Asian, African and Caribbean influences, embracing the style and spirit of its island setting.


The newest addition to The Tides collection will feature the brand’s distinctive offerings, including a prime coastal setting, provocative design, intuitive service and an array of refined and modern amenities designed for the spirited traveler. Personal Assistants, a Tides feature, will anticipate guest needs and assist them in accessing and enjoying the transformational experiences found on St Lucia.

There will be locally grown and influenced cuisine and a holistic wellness program will offer ocean-inspired dishes and sustainable, marine-based spa products and treatments.

With locations on some of the most unique and awe-inspiring beaches in the world, The Tides Sugar Beach in St Lucia is set to become the brand’s first Caribbean offering. Sister properties include The Tides Riviera Maya at Playa Xcalacoco on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, The Tides Zihuatanejo on Playa la Ropa, on the Mexican Riviera, and The Tides South Beach in Florida.

Stay to Get Away

Trinidad is truly a blessed nation.

If you’ve ever visited Trinidad, or even know a Trinidadian, you’ve probably heard the saying “God is a Trini”. And its true God really must be a Trinidadian because there is so much enjoyment to be had here in our little twin island nation. Why? Because there is never a dull moment here in Trinidad. Never, never, never. There is ALWAYS some sort of “bacchanal” going on, whether it’s the next-door neighbour’s cousin’s ex-boyfriend or another Manning/Panday saga. Big, small or usually both - It doesn’t matter. Trinis love a little drama (I’m convinced this is why The Young and the Restless is so popular here, but that’s beside the point). In fact, when Shakespeare said, “all the world is a stage” I think he was talking about Port-of-Spain on any given day. There is always something happening in Trinidad and that’s because Trinidad is one of the most diverse, chaotic and vibrant societies that you’ll ever encounter! We’re a mix of well…everything! We’re a nation of a French and British plantocracy, black slaves and Indian, Chinese, Portuguese, and “poor white” indentured labourers. Oh, and I nearly forgot, the indigenous Carib populations and the Syrian immigrants. Phew! It’s a mouthful and so are we.

We are a microcosm of the world’s population in one tiny island. Some would say that this is a recipe for disaster, but I think time has proven that this is a magical combination. Of course I have a theory on why it works and what makes us so theatrical. Long ago when we were all brought to this special place we bonded over the same thing that continues to hold us together to this day – Carnival. I think enough has been written about Carnival to revisit this topic at length. Of course, it is a culturally and visually beautiful festival for many reasons, the costumes, the Mas and it doesn’t hurt that Trinidad has some of the most gorgeous people in the world… However, it has to be mentioned as it is a crucial, if not the most crucial aspect of our society, because of what Carnival does to us as a people - it joins us in harmony. Not to be a little rude and to quote Jeremy Taylor, but I suppose you could liken Carnival to “make up” sex. We fight and toil all year long and arguably still put on a bit of a show, but at Carnival time none of it matters anymore, as we’re all joyous and “in love” again.

Well that is for everyone except me. Call it the “British-ness” in me, but Carnival hurts my feet and I don’t have the stamina for more than one day (to the genuine dismay of some of my friends). My ideal would be one day of fun and one day of quiet. I like to escape from it all if you will. And this is where I can talk about what I really love about Trinidad – it’s natural diversity – because I can ”escape” if I want to. It’s almost as if our diversity permeates from our people to the earth below us. We have everything. We have the chaos, but we also have quiet and peace in our natural surroundings – beaches, rainforests, green mountains, flat savannah lands, you name it, we have it! I will never understand why more schools don’t offer field trips to the Asa Wright Nature Centre as it is certainly a natural and educational resource, but again, that’s beside the point. Trinidadians can escape to the quiet of the countryside if they so choose and because it’s such a small space, I promise you the drive won’t be more than one hour (OK, maybe two) no matter where you go.

Trinidad can be a country of balance, if only Trinidadians knew where to look. We have the potential to be a joyous society. We, as a people will never stop offering up our own individual and collective excitement, and our natural environment will never stop cooling us down, whether it be in the form of a light breeze, a heavy torrential downfall or even the shade from a coconut tree…this is the Caribbean after all. We should appreciate that we live in paradise.

THE CARIBBEAN HONOURS CANADIAN MEDIA DURING CARIBBEAN WEEK TORONTO

TORONTO, Canada, August 25, 2008 – The Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC) will host an inaugural awards ceremony to honour Canadian media for their exemplary editorial coverage of the region as part of Caribbean Week Toronto 2008 (www.caribbeanweek.ca) September 24-26, 2008.

The awards will be announced on Thursday, September 25 during the Media Marketplace and Caribbean Awards Luncheon at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto honoring the best of the best print, Web and broadcast stories and photography from Canadian-based media that have truly captured the essence of the Caribbean in their storytelling. Media Award categories include: Best Feature Article in a Consumer Newspaper; Best Feature Article in a Consumer Magazine; Best Feature Article in a Trade Publication; Best Online Feature; Best Feature Broadcast; and Best Photograph in Conjunction with a Feature Article.

“The continued demand for Caribbean vacations is in no small part due to the beautifully written and insightful journalism that captures the Caribbean spirit, hospitality, and natural landscape for the audience,” said Hugh Riley, co-chief operating officer for CTDC. “It is an honour to recognize those journalists and simply tell them how grateful we are that they share our passion for this region.”

Nominations for the Media Awards will be submitted by National Tourist Offices however, media individuals are welcome to submit their work directly. A panel of judges from the hospitality, literary and media fields will judge each submission based on the following criteria:

· Submissions will be accepted by Canadian-based media who contribute to Canadian media outlets

· Both English and French language submissions are welcome

· Publication of the work must have been between the dates of January 1, 2007 – August 29, 2008

· Maximum of two entries per person, per award

· All entries must be submitted by Friday, August 29, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. EST

· Media submissions should showcase creativity and thoughtful knowledge of the Caribbean region with a provocative story angle

Caribbean Week Toronto 2008, themed Secrets of the Caribbean, brings together the most influential policy makers, financial leaders, marketing professionals and tourism industry officials to interact and discuss both tourism and investment opportunities in the region. It also serves to provide a taste of the region to consumers to inspire travel and showcase its diversity. In addition to the Awards Luncheon, a variety of distinctive events highlighting the Caribbean experience will take place including a Caribbean Travel Conference, Town Hall Meetings, a Media Marketplace, Caribbean Fair and Rum & Rhythm Festival.

For more information about Caribbean Week Toronto 2008, to register for all events and to purchase tickets, visit: www.caribbeanweek.ca or call 416-935-0767 to speak to a representative from the Caribbean Tourism Development Company.



SPONSORS



Sponsors of this year’s Caribbean Week Toronto include Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Discover Dominica, Dreamscapes, InPulse Magazine, Jamaica, Occidental Hotels, ScotiaBank, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Toronto Star, TravelWeek, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and the U.S. Virgin Islands.



All CTDC events are supported by American Express, Puerto Rico and Travelocity.



The Caribbean Tourism Development Company

The Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC) is a marketing and business development unit, owned equally by the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). Its mission is to own, promote, protect, advance and enhance the Caribbean brand. The CTDC combines the resources of the Caribbean region’s destinations, accommodations and service providers to create a viable, cohesive, business unit that is able to identify commercial opportunities and allow the members of CHTA and CTO to benefit collectively from those opportunities in ways that individually they could not. In all its endeavors the company engages only in activities that honor the Caribbean brand.



Media Contact

Terence Gallagher/Anna Lagos

Lou Hammond & Associates

(212) 308-8880

terryg@lhammond.com / annal@lhammond.com

Cashing in on Olympic success

Cuba may lead the Caribbean in the Olympic medal tally but it is Jamaica which is enjoying the international spotlight, thanks mainly to one man, Usain Bolt.

Today, the sprint sensation scored his second goal, and broke a 12-year-old record in the 200m, while doing so. He also became the second man since Carl Lewis in 1984, to cop both the 100m and 200m titles at the Olympics.

It's not just Bolt's winning ways, but the way in which he has won that has baffled the world. Before the 200 finals, Bolt barely, to echo the words of one write, sprained a sweat far less break one, in his previous races.

Overall, the Jamaicans, probably spurred by Bolt's success, have been dominating the marquis events normally dominated by the Americans. Jamaican women swept the 100m women's race, and another broke the Olympic record today in the 400m hurdles.

Now the world is wondering, what's in the jerk pork? And bet your bottom dollar, they will be trekking to the island to find out.

Interestingly Edmund Bartlett, a Jamaican minister is said to be in Beijing promoting the island as a sports tourism venue. No doubt, the Jamaicans' success at the games will make his job easier.

I bet, come next year, when Jamaica holds its annual track and field meet, there will be a substantial increase in the attendance of international athletes all wanting to size up the competition for the 2012 games in London.

Jamaica has always been a track and field powerhouse in the English-speaking Caribbean, with Olympic champions such as Don Quarrie and Merlene Ottey.

They have invested in their athletes, developing a programme at tertiary level that is more advanced than in any other island. Interestingly too, this crop of Jamaica successes are homegrown, not talent that was processed and refined in American universities. In an interview I did with Bolt for Caribbean Beat magazine, he stated plainly that he will never leave Jamaica, he did not have need to.

An editorial in the Jamaica Gleaner entitled "Leveraging Beijing" supports any move to capitalise on Jamaica's Olympic success with recommendations for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence, and deals with international sporting companies to assist in the development of athletes.

Any improvement to its current facilities and programmes can only augur well for the island, and the time to start is now, while the world is still curious about how a small island could take on the mighty America in events it once owned.

STATEMENT FROM THE CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION ON THE PASSING OF INTERIM SECRETARY GENERAL ARLEY SOBERS

It is with the greatest sadness that the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has been advised of the sudden, unfortunate and untimely passing of Interim Secretary General and Director of Information Management and Research, Mr. Arley Sobers. Mr. Sobers was on overseas mission when he passed away in New York on Thursday, August 14.

According to CTO Chairman Allen Chastanet, “Arley was a hard working, dedicated and committed member of the CTO family, selflessly giving over 20 years of his life to the organization. His passion for research and information management was unparalleled and his work on the development of an information management system for tourism in the Caribbean was revolutionary at the time. Quiet by nature, his work spoke volumes for itself.

“Arley was never shy to do whatever was necessary for the good of CTO and the Caribbean region on a whole. He always answered the call whenever the organization and/or the region’s tourism sector needed him. Nothing exemplifies his dedication like his willingness to lead the organization on an interim basis on two occasions in the past three years or so, while we sought a Secretary General.

“His passing is a tremendous loss, not just to the Caribbean Tourism Organization, but to the entire Caribbean region. Our prayers and best wishes go out to his wife, Margaret and immediate family, as well as the Caribbean tourism family that he adopted in his more than decades of service,” concluded Chastanet.

Former CTO Secretary General and current Minister of Tourism for the Bahamas Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace said, “We in the CTO family have lost our heart and the Caribbean has lost a brilliant, passionate and compassionate friend in the passing of Arley Sobers. He was my sounding board, my confidant, my advisor and my great friend during my years at CTO and long before. He helped to establish and solidified CTO's global reputation as a source of information on the Caribbean. Few people are irreplaceable but Arley comes as close as any. We all consider ourselves a part of Arley's family and mourn our great loss with Margaret and all of Arley's family and friends.”

Details on funeral services are not yet available.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados and marketing operations in New York, London and Toronto, is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency and comprises membership of over 30 governments and a myriad of private sector entities.

The CTO’s mission is to provide to and through its members, the services and information needed for the development of sustainable tourism for the economic and social benefit of the Caribbean people.

The organization provides specialized support and technical assistance to member countries in the areas of marketing, human resource development, research and statistics, information technology and sustainable tourism development. The CTO disseminates information on behalf of its member governments to consumers and the travel trade.

CTO’s New York office is located at 80 Broad Street, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10004, USA; Tel: (212) 635-9530; Fax: (212) 635-9511; E-mail: ctony@caribtourism.com. CTO’s London office is located at 22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, England. Tel: 011 44 208 948 0057; Fax: 011 44 208 948 0067; E-mail: ctolondon@caribtourism.com; CTO Canada is located at 2 Bloor Street West, Suite 2601, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2, Canada. Tel: (416) 935 0767; Fax: (416) 935 0939. E-mail ctotoronto@caribtourism.com. CTO Headquarters is located at One Financial Place, Collymore Rock, St. Michael, Barbados; Tel: (246) 427-5242; Fax: (246) 429-3065; E-mail: ctobarbados@caribtourism.com. For more information, please visit www.doitcaribbean.com or www.onecaribbean.org.

Olympic Gold!

I’ve blogged on Sports tourism before (“Sustain Sport, Sustain Tourism”) and mentioned some of the benefits of these international sporting attractions - marketing of countries, regions and cities as tourist destinations; to attract business and investment; or the use of events for economic, environmental and social regeneration and revitalization.

But there is no doubt in my mind that the “Olympic” brand is one of the oldest and most established sporting symbols in the world and is arguably the champion of all sporting events. Unfortunately, gone are the days of naked Greek athletes running around on Mount Olympus competing for wreathes, ribbons and to impress the goddess Nike. Well, maybe things haven’t changed that much…a Nike endorsement can catapult an athlete’s position to super-stardom… But, let’s get back on track… no pun intended.

The Olympic games can bring about tremendous benefits to the host country. And, this time around, unless you’re hiding under a big rock in the Himalayas, you know it’s in China. In 2007 3.2 million overseas tourists visited Beijing, up 12.6 per cent from 2006. Within this figure were 440,000 Americans, a rise of 19.4 per cent year-on-year. Even the traditional animosity from other Asian countries such as Japan, Korea and Taiwan has not stopped travelers from these areas flocking to Beijing to experience the Chinese culture pre-Olympic boom. Certainly, the Chinese began to reap the benefits of the Olympics torch even prior to the start of the games. However, It has been said “the Olympics are bringing fresh attention to China at a time when some investors might prefer to forget about it”. As a result, the Chinese have taken these games very seriously, investing approximately $40 billion in construction, which has generated over $13.2 billion in economic activity between the years of 2004 to 2008. As we've seen with China and will see with London, the real benefit of hosting the Olympic games is the regeneration of the area in which it is held. Ken Livingston, the current Mayor of London hopes that the 2012 games will transform East London, as massive new investment will create local jobs, improve skills and help get thousands of people into work. Additionally, it will create housing as there will be “9,000 high quality homes on the Olympic park site, plus 30,000 homes will be built in the surrounding area providing more affordable accommodation”. Keep in mind this is all before the official launch of the games, we haven't touched the tourist package as yet. But speaking of which, the Chinese government is expecting approximately 5 million foreign visitors and 120 million domestic tourists to Beijing for the duration of the games.

Viewer figures for the Beijing games are estimated to be 3.2 billion people, up from the then record breaking 203 million figures recorded for the 2004 Athens games. So it’s no wonder that top Olympic sponsors, the likes of Coca Cola, Kodak, Johnson & Johnson and Mc Donald’s, have spent an average of $1 billion to be associated with the event. In fact, the Olympic Partner Programme (TOP) created in 1985 claims the “Olympic Games are one of the most effective international marketing platforms in the world, reaching billions of people in over 200 countries and territories throughout the world”.

But, let’s focus on the real issue. How can the Caribbean benefit from the Olympic brand? I think it’s fair to say that we currently don’t have the facilities to host the games in the near future, even though I can think of many areas within our region that could benefit from a regeneration scheme. Could we perhaps become an official sponsor? Vancouver will be the spot for the 2010 Winter Olympic games and personally I think this would be a great fit for the “One Caribbean” brand. Imagine it…you’re a professional athlete, you’ve just won a medal in your chosen sport and you’ve been training intensely in sub-zero temperatures for months now. Why not celebrate and unwind with an all-expense paid trip to the Caribbean region? An athlete who has just won gold at the Olympics has enough disposable income to travel regularly and if they really enjoyed themselves maybe they’ll come back and bring friends next time. But that’s just the athletes, what about the general public watching the games? Well, because of the nature of the sports exhibited, I’m going to hazard a guess and say that the majority of the Winter Olympic viewers come from temperate and arctic climates. Don’t quote me; it’s just an assumption. But, surely these are the non-traditional markets that Allan Chastenet keeps talking about…Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, Poland China, Korea and even our regulars plan to make an appearance – USA, Canada, UK, Italy – the whole gang’s going to be there. So maybe we should go to. Ok, ok, it might be an expensive ticket – but maybe not. According to the Vancouver Winter Olympic games site, there are three sponsorship levels – National Partner, Official Supporter and Official Supplier. Current sponsors or suppliers include the likes of Wrigley’s Canada, who is “freshening-up” the 2010 games by supplying confectionary products. Couldn’t we supply our product too? I’m sure there’s scope for the “One Caribbean” brand, but it will probably require further investigation. But nothing sells a product faster than giving it away to the right individuals. I would know, I work in the media.

Technology Changing Travel for the better...

An interesting article from the Bangkok Post:

"Advances in information and communications technologies (ICTs) that have facilitated the growth of global travel and tourism industry are set to play an increasing role in both reducing and managing the growth still to come.

Those same technologies that greatly assisted the development of reservation and payment systems that helped low-cost airlines shake the dominance of the established airlines are now set to be used to alleviate global warming and the impact of travel on climate change.

A number of sessions at the International Telecommunications Union Asia conference due to be held in Bangkok next month will focus on the ways ICTs can be deployed to reduce travel, not expand it.

One of numerous research reports to be presented at the conference has a clear message for companies with high levels of travel for business and conferences: "Increase productivity, save time and money while reducing your carbon footprint."

ICTs, the report says, can help create "a family of tools that promise to facilitate communication, collaboration and co-ordination - without the requirement of physical travel."

Says the report, "Although ICTs account for only around 2.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions, they have the potential to be used in reducing the other 97.5% of emissions in other sectors. They can do this primarily by creating opportunities for the abatement (or displacement) of existing applications that generate carbon dioxide (CO2).

"Probably the most obvious area for carbon abatement opportunities offered by ICTs is in reducing, or substituting for, travel requirements. The ICT industry offers a number of different tools and services that can theoretically replace travel, especially business travel, which range from the mundane (for example, e-mail, phone calls, text messaging) to the sophisticated (high-performance videoconferencing)."

Another report says that globally, 30% of business travel can be avoided through videoconferencing. As well, growing use of new technologies for peer-to-peer meetings allows organisers and participants to communicate with the help of audio, video and text, and jointly edit documents.

The ITU itself is using remote collaboration for some meetings of steering committees and study groups. At the same time, webinars (web seminars) are being often used for product presentations or the transmission of conferences and being made available online as webcasts.

Citing its own example, the ITU said most of its meetings take place in Geneva and involve participants from up to 191 countries. "This means many delegates must travel long distances to participate in meetings, even though they may sometimes only be interested in one brief part of a meeting. For example, nearly two-thirds of delegates travelled round trips of more than 10,000 km to participate in ITU-T meetings in 2007.

"Holding even a small number of those meetings online would have a significant impact on the ITU's carbon footprint, considering that air travel is the world's fastest growing source of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which cause climate change.

"Furthermore, ITU workshops and tutorials held online can address a wider audience, notably in reaching participants from developing countries, and non-members. For developing countries, remote collaboration tools can thus be seen as a helpful instrument in overcoming the digital divide.

"Specific types of remote collaboration tools have also allowed more ITU meetings to be held away from the headquarters in Geneva."

The reports cited at least three other ways in which ICTs will affect travel and tourism, for better and worse:

- Reducing CO2 emissions by use of intelligent transport systems that are used in applications such as "eco-driving", congestion charging, as well as for traffic management and parking optimisation.

- "Dematerialisation", or the replacement of "atoms" with "bits", by reducing physical distribution of press kits, brochures, pre-recorded movies and music (such as DVDs and CDs) in favour of online delivery. That alone would be a huge saving, assuming that by 2020, seven billion DVDs and 10 billion CDs could be sold globally per year, using one kilogramme of CO2 emissions per CD/DVD.

- The use of ICTs for disaster relief and emergency services, such as in the event of tsunamis, earthquakes, flooding due to rising sea levels, or increased incidence of violent storms and hurricanes.

The report also notes how smart buildings, including hotels and airports, will help.

"A closer look at buildings in North America indicates that better building design, management and automation could save 15% of North America's buildings emissions. Globally, smart building technologies would enable 1.68 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions savings, worth 216 billion.

"The scale of emissions reductions that could be enabled by the smart integration of ICT into new ways of operating, living, working, learning and travelling makes the sector a key player in the fight against climate change, despite its own growing carbon footprint.

"No other sector can supply technology capabilities so integral to energy efficiency across such a range of other sectors or industries."

Steupsss….

Is the rising cost of airfare and travel really the Caribbean tourism industry's biggest problem? I don't think so. I think it's the enemy within. It's our crime issue. I live a very cautious existence in Trinidad right now, as do most of the population, and I think it's a fair assumption to say that the crime in Trinidad, Guyana and Jamaica is far worse than in Antigua. According to the BBC the murder rate for Antigua this year was 10... Ha! That's Trinidad's murder rate for a week... However, the disease that is permeating all of our societies is quite obvious. Unfortunately, because of our geographic location, the Caribbean is a major transshipment point of illegal narcotics from South America to the rest of the western hemisphere. And when drugs enter a society, then follow the cheap guns that are put into the hands of uneducated, disenchanted youth that have absolutely no quality of life or self. Therefore, how can we expect them to value the lives of others? The result? Usually murder.

It’s a sad reality, but what’s even worse is that the smaller islands are also affected by this epidemic. The smaller populations (Antigua and Barbuda – 80,100 in 2004) increase the likelihood of an attack. Hence, the unfortunate murder of Honeymooner Catherine Mullany. The Overseas Advisory Council in their 2007 Crime Report claims that the islands of Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Grenada are all mini-ports for the trading of drugs.

And unfortunately the bad press is loud and clear…

The British newspaper the Independent had a very interesting article about the unfortunate murder of British tourist Catherine Mullany:

“Each…[murder] makes the headlines, but some resonate especially strongly with the public. The attack on Catherine and Benjamin Mullany in Antigua will be one of those. It was a dream honeymoon that turned into the worst nightmare: a bride and groom at the start of their bright lives together, divided by death within weeks of their marriage. The damage caused will go way beyond the couple's grieving loved ones. The average friendly, welcoming citizen of this beautiful island either works in tourism, or depends upon fellow Antiguans who do. This is not a backpacker destination: the island's fragile economy relies on a steady stream of high-spending visitors, and the Mullanys were typical tourists staying at the opulent Cocos Hotel in the south-west of the island – which promises an "Escape to paradise". You and I may soon forget the name of the property and its slogan, but our subconscious association between "Antigua" and "Honeymoon Murder" could endure for years.

With Barbados and St Lucia offering a broadly similar range of attractions, Antigua is likely to see a swift, sharp decline in visitor numbers. But with other Caribbean islands – especially Jamaica – enduring shocking murder rates, concerns about safety could echo across the region.

From the point of view of the islands' image and prospects, the identity – and fate – of the perpetrator who fired the shot that killed Catherine Mullany is largely irrelevant. That catastrophic bullet will reverberate for years.”

The Black Sheep

It seems that Cuba is in some way or another are always in the mainstream media. Whether it being the appointment of Raul Castro as Cuba’s new leader, Fidel’s endless operations, or as of yesterday, a Florida Court ruling that Florida’s travel agents should not have to pay the compulsory US$250,000 bond to organize bookings to the Socialist island. This court ruling is particularly important news for Florida based travel agents as Cuban-Americans are allowed to obtain a visa from the US Federal government and travel back to Cuba once every three years. It’s a substantial market and if Barack Obama has anything to do with it, it’s about to get bigger. If elected, he’s promising “unlimited family travel and remittances to the island”.

However America is still not Cuba’s main market for travel. Because of the lengthy restrictions that are still being placed on the American tourist traveling to Cuba, Europe is “the number one market for Cuba” [World Travel & Tourism Council]. I assume this is because there is somewhat of a shroud of mystery surrounding the “black sheep” of the Caribbean region. We should all know the history – 1959 Fidel Castro overthrows the corrupt government of Fulgencio Batista and places himself at the head of Cuba’s government, resulting in the United States closing it’s borders to the new Communist presence and large amounts of the Cuban upper-class fleeing to Florida.

As a result of Cuba’s bad behaviour, no one is really allowed to talk to them, let alone trade with them. Therefore, Cuba is stuck in somewhat of a time warp from 1959. They sustain their own economy by being mostly self-sufficient and of course through tourism, which supplies their struggling economy with foreign currency. In fact, tourism is their main source of income. My sister lived in Cuba for 6 months and tells me tales of their topsy-turvy society where those who work in the tourism industry are some of the more well paid individuals due to the gratuity of kind visitors, while doctors and the large majority of the Cuban population earn between US$10-15 a month. Everyone said that the death of Fidel would change it all, but despite his various ailments nothing seems to have changed. The majority of the Cuban people still love him, their poverty now do not compare to the hardships and corruption they faced under Batista. At least with Fidel they have food.

But, will Fidel’s death really make that much of a difference? Raul has stepped into his position quite seamlessly. Of course, it will make international headline news. However, change in Cuba will probably not come suddenly. It will be gradual, like all lasting change. It will come from the society itself and it has already begun as a result of tourism. It is hard for Cubans to leave their country. The rigorous process they have to go through can make it pointless at times. From what I understand, it’s worse than the Australian immigration system (which I believe is on par with the US)! Cubans can only travel abroad if “invited” by the destination country. Travel to Cuba is encouraged by the Castro government, but once there foreigners and Cubans are encouraged to stay separate. My sister tells me that this is for the protection of travelers so that they are not swindled out of their money. But I have my doubts. Maybe it’s also to maintain a certain amount of ignorance amongst the Cuban population? We cannot forget the paternalistic nature of a Socialist society. Looking to the state for direction and conformity is of paramount importance.

However, the tourism industry is pulling large droves of the sophisticated European set to the Varadero region - five star Italian hotels line this luxury stretch of beach. With all this money swirling around, Cubans are obviously curious about the outside world. To them, we’re all multi millionaires and they’re realizing that the government is inhibiting their progress. So my point? I believe that change in Cuba will come. Maybe not as soon as we’d think or even like. But it will come because it is always inevitable and it has already started as a result of the tourism industry educating the Cuban people about the outside world. Tourism is fundamentally about the education of a culture and Cuba proves that education should always go both ways – from the teacher to the pupil and visa versa.

Daily Dose

Medical tourism is something that has always been of interest to me (and a few of my friends also). I can recall quite a few conversations on which we’ve had lengthy and serious discussions about which countries have the best practices and prices for various types of plastic surgery. In fact, when I was sent to Costa Rica at age 19, a big draw was their excellent reputation for plastic surgery. I thought it sensible to become acquainted with the country, just in case I came back one day…It’s purely physical vanity of course and I hope to grow out of it (still waiting), but in my opinion, vanity is one of the deadliest of the mortal sins, as it’s indulged by a large majority of the World’s population.

Except for my mother. I promise you that this is not a biased opinion, but my mother is a naturally beautiful person and is healthy for the sake of being healthy. So I was slightly surprised when she recommended that I do a piece on developing medical tourism in the Caribbean region, with a market focus on our Diaspora. I do know a few people who have chosen to have plastic surgery done here in Trinidad and, so far, I’ve heard no horror stories about their experiences. I don’t believe actively targeting the Diaspora in developed nations is something that has been done as yet and it does make complete sense. Foreign currency travels further and pumping a little of it into our economy is always a good thing. Also, individuals can recuperate at home rather than in an impersonal hotel room surrounded by strangers and, of course, what if something goes wrong…

That is not to say, individuals from around the globe do not take the risk. India, for example, has a thriving medical tourism industry as “patients can save 60%-95% of their treatment costs by undergoing treatment in India ” [RNCOS, “Booming Medical Tourism in India”]. Health and well-being are on the top of most “to-do” lists of late and what better destination to discover one’s inner self than India? According to the market research firm RNCOS, “wellness tourism, comprising of spa, yoga and Ayurveda, has a very bright future in India as foreigners are increasingly flocking to India to seek physical and mental healing and in 2007, around 272,000 medical tourists visited India for medical tourism and together, they brought US$ 656 Million in revenues”. The largest problem facing this destination is their inefficient malpractice laws.

I’m sorry to say, I cannot vouch for the Caribbean’s legal systems if a doctor was to perform an ineffective operation, as cases tend to stay in the Courts for ridiculous periods of time. However, many insurance companies have begun to cover trips to India in their health policies because of the competitive prices offered – it’s often much cheaper than the US, UK and the Middle East. If the Caribbean were to further explore this type of tourism, maybe the insurance companies would extend their “safety nets” to this part of the world. Additionally, the Indian government certainly appreciates the benefits of this type of tourism as they have begun “issuing a Medical Visa for tourists who come to India for medical treatment. This visa is valid for a year or the period of treatment, whichever is less, and can be extended by another year. The medical visa enables a tourist to travel to India up to three times in one year. Two family members or attendants can also accompany a patient on a medical visa”. With such provisions being made for this specialized segment of tourism no wonder the Indian medical tourism market is expected to generate over US$ 2.5 Billion in revenues by 2012.

Sustain Sport, Sustain Tourism...

One of my father’s favourite quotes to illustrate the importance of hard work is from Tiger Woods. The tale goes that at one of his numerous golf tournaments a journalist quizzed him on his amazing talent and the fact he made the game look so easy. In response to the interviewer’s gushing, Tiger Woods responded, “…The more I practice, the easier it gets…”

Professional athletes are nothing, if not devoted individuals. Their focus, discipline and pure dedication to their sport are phenomenal. It permeates every aspect of their lives – their daily schedules, their diets, their thought processes. A true athlete will allow their game and talent to consume their lives similar to an artist. Sport is their art and we, the spectator, are simply partaking in their exhibitions. We’ve even churned out a few of these individuals right here in Trinidad…

These individuals make fantastic ambassadors for both the country and the region and, ideally, they should represent the best of a society. However, sport tourism goes beyond the athlete. It is those of us who travel to watch and hopefully enjoy the glories of our teams that make large international sporting ventures financially worthwhile for the countries that host them and there is no doubt that travelling to watch a sporting event has increasingly become an important cultural, social, political and economic activity over the recent years. “Sport tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing segments of the tourism industry, valued globally at $118 billion (Sports Travel). While the global tourism and travel market is expected to grow by five per cent per annum up to 2020, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN WTO) forecast a ten per cent growth for sport tourism.”

The Soca Warriors’ qualification to the 2006 World Cup left a lasting impression internationally and reaffirmed Trinidad’s place on the world platform. I was fortunate enough to visit Frankfurt in October 2007. All I can say is that the Germans I met certainly remembered the Trinidadian contingency that had visited the previous summer. But what about using sport as a catalyst for local tourism? Certainly academic reports note the importance of these events to a larger strategic marketing plan, “the hosting of sporting events is often undertaken for various reasons, including marketing of countries, regions and cities as tourist destinations; to attract business and investment; or the use of events for economic, environmental and social regeneration and revitalization” [Journal of Sport & Tourism]. The first commonwealth conference on sport tourism held in May of this year in the Malaysia, further displayed to an international audience the benefits offered by the sporting package. And touched on themes such as the benefits that can arise, “sport tourism is the glue for the strategic vision of a destination…sport tourism generates peace and goodwill and inspire young people”. Never a bad thing, in my opinion, and something that is desperately needed in the Caribbean region. Even Cuba has gotten on the bandwagon with their Marabana Marathon scheduled to take place in Havana in November.

However, these international sporting events are not always as successful as we would like. Last year’s Cricket World Cup would be the primary example for the Caribbean region. Trinidad certainly did not get the visitor numbers that we expected, but arguably, this may have been due to the games package that our government bid for…

The largest sporting display carded for this year would be the Olympic games and, as we all know, it is to be launched in Beijing China on the 8th of August. The success of these games remains to be seen, however, response to the upcoming games has been far from smooth – riots surrounding the Olympic torch because of China’s treatment of Tibet; displacement of Chinese nationals to build large stadiums; earthquakes and, as of this morning three separate bombs on buses, resulting in a security clamp down for the upcoming games. The last thing China needs is the threat of terrorist attacks.

There is no doubt that sport is a powerful tool for the tourism industry. Similarly to music, sport is an international language, bringing different cultures together in celebration and camaraderie. Needless to say, I have no doubt that this year’s Olympic Games will be an extravaganza and I’m sure I’m not the only person that is anxiously anticipating the opening ceremony, in which China will be displaying their traditional culture and art on an international stage. I think most of the world will be watching and what better way to market your tourism package.

Divi Resorts

For over 40 years, Divi Resorts has provided the idyllic Caribbean vacation and today offers nine premium properties sprinkled across six magnificent Caribbean Islands. With over 1,250 spacious vacation suites and hotel rooms to its well-established name – including the option for vacation ownership and condominium sales – the Divi collection of resorts is the largest hotel brand in the Caribbean. For Divi Resorts, the Caribbean isn’t one of many destinations offered, it is the destination.



Since its founding, Divi Resorts has offered exclusively Caribbean getaways, earning a halo of credibility with guests, wholesale partners, tourism associations and travel agents. Decades of diligent specialization has enabled the brand to create unmatched – and authentic – niche vacations, be it lively, secluded, comfortable or adventurous. And today, with properties having earned the prestigious AAA Three Diamond ratings and other accolades, Divi is widely regarded as the Caribbean aficionado. The Divi Resort collection – premium but unpretentious – touts everything from sugary beaches and indulgent spa services to world-class scuba diving and a true Vegas-style casino. Please see below for an update on a few Divi Resorts that I thought would be of interest:



Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort (www.diviarubaphoenix.com) is situated on Aruba's famed Palm Beach and is backed by a private wildlife sanctuary. Divi Aruba is literally a tropical paradise with clear aqua waves washing up on a beautiful wide beach dotted with thatched cabanas and inviting hammocks. Divi Aruba has been receiving an “extreme makeover” -- renovations have been moving forward with the fabulous results more evident than ever! The development project more than doubles the size of the 101-unit resort. An additional 140 suites in four eight-story buildings will offer studios, one-bedroom suites, and two- and three-bedroom penthouses. The official grand opening is scheduled for December 2008. For more information on the construction that includes a virtual reality video, please visit: http://www.diviresorts.com/DiviAruba/construction.html.



Guests of Divi Aruba Phoenix can also enjoy the amenities at its sister resorts, Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort and Divi Dutch Village Resort, where one can play nine-holes, splash in freshwater swimming pools, play on lit tennis courts, conquer a beach-side rock climbing wall, master a new adventure in one of the water sports center clinics, slip down a waterslide, exercise in an air-conditioned oceanfront fitness center or watch a movie under the stars. Further, guests can choose from 11 restaurants including Windows on Aruba (at Divi Village) – a stylish glass wrapped contemporary restaurant that offers ocean and golf course views. Windows boasts fine international cuisine, a stellar wine list and amazing desserts prepared by award-winning pastry chef, Geert van Mil, who won the best of the Caribbean competition in 2005. One can even hire a Windows chef to prepare a meal in their suite! In addition, Divi Village houses Indulgence by the Sea spa where guests can receive luxurious treatments such as a soothing wrap or scrub, facial and massage and rock therapy. Plus, Divi Village tees up **“Free Kids, Free Golf” until December 23, where kids stay and eat free, and adults get unlimited golf after 3 p.m. (cart included).



Divi Flamingo Beach Resort (www.diviflamingo.com) on Bonaire is colorful and charming and is situated on the leeward side of Bonaire, just steps from world-class diving (the famed Calabas Reef is just 20 yards off the resort’s shoreline). On premises is PADI five-star dive operation, Divi Dive Bonaire, (http://www.diviflamingo.com/DiviFlamingo/bonaire-scuba-diving-vacation.html), which offers dive boats, top-of-the-line gear and a seasoned dive crew. Also on premises is onsite camera shop, Capture Photo. Capture Photo professionals teach guests underwater photography, helping beginners get their feet wet and experienced shutterbugs perfect their shots. Classes are open to children and adults, snorkelers and divers. Capture Photo specializes in both personalized and group underwater photography courses. All classes include post-dive photo analysis and a CD of images taken. Guests at Divi Flamingo can also enjoy two open-air restaurants, a fitness room, water sports rental and a casino.



Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort & Casino (www.divicarina.com) on St. Croix is located along a gorgeous beach with crystal clear waters that are trademark of the US Virgin Islands. Hammocks under swaying palms invite guests to relax, while Divi Carina’s Vegas-style casino lures in the adventurous! Spacious oceanfront guestrooms and hillside suites are available at the resort and guests can also make use of the two oceanfront restaurants, two swimming pools, the water sports center, a PADI five-star dive center and dive shop, fitness room, tennis courts and surfside spa. Meeting space and banquet facilities are also available.



Divi Little Bay Beach Resort (http://www.divilittlebay.com) is located on a private peninsula between two beautiful bays in Dutch St. Maarten and is minutes away from the Caribbean’s best shopping and dining. The resort has been getting a “facelift” and construction is almost complete! First, to accommodate the growing demand for vacation ownership at Divi Little Bay, existing hillside units were converted into nine luxury one-bedroom suites, and one 1,900 square-foot, three-bedroom premium suite - the "Presidential Casita." Additionally, as of February 2008, 36 beachfront rooms were transformed into 12 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom oceanfront suites that now feature LCD flat screen TVs, iPod docking stations, granite countertops, hot tubs and more. By the end of 2008, all 210 deluxe oceanfront suites will be fully redesigned (to date, 150 are complete) with granite countertops, rich dark-wood furniture, tile flooring, new kitchen cabinets, top-of-the-line appliances and plush duvet bedding. Finally, Toucan's Restaurant - fronting one of the islands most scenic beaches - will be redesigned in fall 2008. Other amenities include three swimming pools, a sidewalk café, a shopping promenade, a full service spa, tennis courts, fitness center and a water sports center.



** Please note that the “Free Kids, Free Golf” promotion applies to all Divi Resorts. Kids 12 and under can stay and eat free from the children’s menu when accompanied by at least one paying adult. Limit is two children per room. (Booking window until 12/20/08 and travel window until 12/23/08.)



Another great promotion we have currently is The Divi Village All-Inclusive Suites 10 percent off with a minimum three-night stay. (Booking window until 12/20/08 and travel window until 12/23/08.)

Online Gambling in the Caribbean

The below note was recently posted on Jackpot.co.uk on the continued issue of online gambling in Antigua and Barbuda.

"Antigua and Barbuda welcomed Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador John Veroneau yesterday, whose visit will focus on talks with the Caribbean nation’s Minister of Finance and the Economy, Dr Errol Cort, regarding the ongoing conflict over internet gambling between the two countries.

The dispute began in March 2003, when Antigua and Barbuda first expressed concern to the World Trade Organization (WTO) that the US government was taking actions to stifle their online gambling industry. The Caribbean nation won the preliminary ruling, but a number of appeals by the US has kept the issue in limbo ever since, despite rulings stating that certain aspects of their online laws are illegal and discriminatory. More recently, Antigua has retaliated by seeking authorization to ignore US patent and copyright laws, which would allow them to make internet piracy of US media legal. It has also been speculated that Dr John Ashe, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the WTO, will also take part in the talks.

A deadline had been set for 11th July for the deferral of the case at the WTO, but that date passed with little sign of a resolution. However, hopes are high that this meeting will yield more progress. “I think it is a positive sign that a very high-level US delegation is visiting Antigua and Barbuda to engage in these talks,” commented Dr Cort.

The talks are scheduled to continue into this afternoon."

On a related issue, the EU is also now also investigating the US for its descrimatory practices towards the international online gambling market. "The investigation by the E.U. is the result of a Trade Barrier Regulation complaint filed by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA), which represents the largest remote gambling companies in Europe. The RGA claims the United States is in violation of international trade law by threatening and pursuing criminal prosecutions, forfeitures and other enforcement actions against foreign Internet gambling operators, while allowing domestic U.S. online gambling operators, primarily horse betting, to flourish." It is worth noting that the US laws that have come into question with regards to the online gambling issue are as follows:

The Wire Act (1961) - Prohibits nearly all gambling by telephone and the telegraph, but says nothing about the Internet. Instead of updating this archaic law to include online gambling, the Bush administration passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006.

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) - The UIEGA made it illegal for financial institutions to handle gaming transactions between US residents and online gambling sites. However, the UIGEA exempted certain forms of state-sanctioned online gambling such as horse race betting and state lotteries. Hence, US domestic online gambling institutions are protected, unlike international gambling bodies such as those in Antigua and Barbuda.

Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2046) - Introduced by Congressman Barney Frank. This legislation would bring the United States into compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements by regulating Internet gambling and creating a level playing field among domestic and foreign Internet gambling operators.