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”.