Uh Oh...with less than two weeks before it's biggest event, Carnival, Trinidad and Tobago has received a potential blow with negative advisories for tourists travelling to the islands.
A Trinidad Guardian story said T&T received negative advisories from the UK, Australia, the US and Canada. The advisories warned of an increase in serious crimes such as rapes and murders, and robbers following unsuspecting victims from the airport to their places of residence.
With over 80 murders for the year so far, T&T is battling a serious crime problem and this will no doubt continue to impact on its tourism product. Tobago, which saw a yet to be solved murder of a Swedish couple last year as well as other crimes against tourists, is said to be suffering as a result with only 30% occupancy levels in what is supposed to be a peak period.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Delta adds new Caribbean routes
Delta Air Lines Inc. is adding flights from New York to the Caribbean, including its first flights to Haiti in about 50 years.
The Atlanta-based airline will start new nonstop daily service between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on June 20. The new flights are the first Delta service to Haiti since the 1950s when Delta flew from New Orleans to Port-au-Prince.
Delta also will bring back daily nonstop service between New York's LaGuardia Airport and Bermuda beginning May 22.
"Delta's long-standing commitment to the Caribbean basin is now reinforced as we provide the growing population of Haitians in the tri-state area with more options to visit friends and loved ones in their native country," said Gail Grimmett, Delta senior vice president, in a news release.
The Atlanta-based airline will start new nonstop daily service between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on June 20. The new flights are the first Delta service to Haiti since the 1950s when Delta flew from New Orleans to Port-au-Prince.
Delta also will bring back daily nonstop service between New York's LaGuardia Airport and Bermuda beginning May 22.
"Delta's long-standing commitment to the Caribbean basin is now reinforced as we provide the growing population of Haitians in the tri-state area with more options to visit friends and loved ones in their native country," said Gail Grimmett, Delta senior vice president, in a news release.
St Kitts promotes on Facebook
At least one Caribbean island has realised the power of social networking site Facebook.
The St Kitts Tourism Authority has established a fan site on the uber-popular networking facility called My St Kitts.
Fans joining the page in the first two weeks are eligible to win a St Kitts hamper as part of the authority's special trade promotion.
The page utilises images, video clips, event invitations, blog feeds, discussion boards and information about island attractions, among other features.
Users will be invited to take part in a special interactive feature allowing them to post their own photographs and holiday snaps, offer reviews and travel tips and enter discussion panels.
St Kitts Tourism Authority CEO Rosecita Jeffers said “St Kitts selected Facebook to target prospective visitors because of the more than 150 million active users and the St Kitts Facebook fan page hopes to attract the attention of the discerning and technology savvy audience engaged in this form of social media.
“Our fan page promotes St Kitts as the next special upmarket destination in an extremely innovative, yet cost-effective manner and we especially look forward to having the travel industry join us in this exciting venture.”
The St Kitts Tourism Authority has established a fan site on the uber-popular networking facility called My St Kitts.
Fans joining the page in the first two weeks are eligible to win a St Kitts hamper as part of the authority's special trade promotion.
The page utilises images, video clips, event invitations, blog feeds, discussion boards and information about island attractions, among other features.
Users will be invited to take part in a special interactive feature allowing them to post their own photographs and holiday snaps, offer reviews and travel tips and enter discussion panels.
St Kitts Tourism Authority CEO Rosecita Jeffers said “St Kitts selected Facebook to target prospective visitors because of the more than 150 million active users and the St Kitts Facebook fan page hopes to attract the attention of the discerning and technology savvy audience engaged in this form of social media.
“Our fan page promotes St Kitts as the next special upmarket destination in an extremely innovative, yet cost-effective manner and we especially look forward to having the travel industry join us in this exciting venture.”
Can Trinidad find it's niche with business tourism?
When it comes to tourism plans, Trinidad and Tobago's has been through several incarnations. It seems that with the dawn of each administration, the tourism plan changes and the twin island seems to be constantly struggling to get out of the starting blocks. Some years ago, there was an attempt to sell the twin island as a two in one package with Trinidad for fun and parties and Tobago for rest and relaxation. These days, the emphasis in on marketing Trinidad as the perfect destination for conferences and other international business events.
I recently came across this article in which the author questions Trinidad's advantage in marketing itself as a business destination.
The author wonders why, in this time of economic uncertainty, the tourism officials are pegging their hopes on business tourism. Yes, Trinidad has secured two major conferences for 2009, the Summit of the Americas in April and the Commonwealth Heads of Government conference in October, but despite assurances from the government that there will be benefits, no one is really sure in what form such benefits will take.
The article makes it clear that what is needed is a focused plan. Trinidad and Tobago has more resources than most Caribbean islands yet the country lags behind everyone else when it comes to marketing, promoting and establishing a real brand.
I recently came across this article in which the author questions Trinidad's advantage in marketing itself as a business destination.
The author wonders why, in this time of economic uncertainty, the tourism officials are pegging their hopes on business tourism. Yes, Trinidad has secured two major conferences for 2009, the Summit of the Americas in April and the Commonwealth Heads of Government conference in October, but despite assurances from the government that there will be benefits, no one is really sure in what form such benefits will take.
The article makes it clear that what is needed is a focused plan. Trinidad and Tobago has more resources than most Caribbean islands yet the country lags behind everyone else when it comes to marketing, promoting and establishing a real brand.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Carnival tourism threatened?
Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival is undoubtedly the largest income earner for the country when it comes to tourism, but with the recession in the US and UK, it's left to be seen if Trinis abroad will be flocking home for the annual festival due to culminate in the next two weeks.
Trinidad Guardian columnist Lisa Allen-Agostini wonders the same in her column today entitled Staying, to get away
Trinidad Guardian columnist Lisa Allen-Agostini wonders the same in her column today entitled Staying, to get away
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Air Jamaica, LIAT cut routes
As the region continues to reel from the decline in tourist arrivals, two regional airlines have been forced to make adjustments. Air Jamaica and LIAT announced this week that they are both cutting regional routes.
Air Jamaica revealed to employees on January 27 that it addition to getting rid of underperforming routes and reducing its plane fleet, it will have to trim its workforce.
"We are following a schedule that reduces our flying to try to match our capacity with demand and we are reducing and at least eliminating for the time being flights between Jamaica and Miami, also to Grand Cayman, Los Angeles and Atlanta and the Eastern Caribbean," Chief Executive Officer Bruce Nobles said, adding that the service between Jamaica and Barbados and Jamaica and Grenada will also cease from February 26.
The number of persons who will be sent on the breadline has not yet been decided, Mr Nobles said, but he made it clear that the cuts will "affect all levels in the company because we are going to try and get the company's cost down to try and match the revenue coming in the door".
He said that efforts will be made to minimise the impact on staff, with consideration being given to options such as voluntary redundancies and leaves of absence.
The airline's fleet will also be reduced from 15 to nine aircraft, and existing leases will be restructured and aircraft returns negotiated.
All the cuts are part of a business plan for the carrier which is moving to be privatised by March.
On Monday, the Antigua-based LIAT announced that it would have to cut back on some routes because of a decrease in demand. It said the current world economic crisis was impacting on travel patterns in the Caribbean and the carrier would have to reduce the number of daily flights in and out of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, and St Kitts and Nevis.
"At present there are some flights that are doing fairly well and there are some days with good loads; but unfortunately our forecast overall load factor for the month of January and the next few months is clearly showing a softening in the markets," explained Lesroy Browne, Director of Schedules and Special Projects.
"We will be continuing the process of adjustments throughout this trying time of world economic downturn to ensure that we add capacity where there is a demand and reduce capacity where we see the loads are not holding up."
LIAT said that from February 15 to 25 and April 9 to 14, it would reinstate at least two flights in an effort to help satisfy demand around the time of the Trinidad Carnival as well as the Easter Weekend.
Air Jamaica revealed to employees on January 27 that it addition to getting rid of underperforming routes and reducing its plane fleet, it will have to trim its workforce.
"We are following a schedule that reduces our flying to try to match our capacity with demand and we are reducing and at least eliminating for the time being flights between Jamaica and Miami, also to Grand Cayman, Los Angeles and Atlanta and the Eastern Caribbean," Chief Executive Officer Bruce Nobles said, adding that the service between Jamaica and Barbados and Jamaica and Grenada will also cease from February 26.
The number of persons who will be sent on the breadline has not yet been decided, Mr Nobles said, but he made it clear that the cuts will "affect all levels in the company because we are going to try and get the company's cost down to try and match the revenue coming in the door".
He said that efforts will be made to minimise the impact on staff, with consideration being given to options such as voluntary redundancies and leaves of absence.
The airline's fleet will also be reduced from 15 to nine aircraft, and existing leases will be restructured and aircraft returns negotiated.
All the cuts are part of a business plan for the carrier which is moving to be privatised by March.
On Monday, the Antigua-based LIAT announced that it would have to cut back on some routes because of a decrease in demand. It said the current world economic crisis was impacting on travel patterns in the Caribbean and the carrier would have to reduce the number of daily flights in and out of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, and St Kitts and Nevis.
"At present there are some flights that are doing fairly well and there are some days with good loads; but unfortunately our forecast overall load factor for the month of January and the next few months is clearly showing a softening in the markets," explained Lesroy Browne, Director of Schedules and Special Projects.
"We will be continuing the process of adjustments throughout this trying time of world economic downturn to ensure that we add capacity where there is a demand and reduce capacity where we see the loads are not holding up."
LIAT said that from February 15 to 25 and April 9 to 14, it would reinstate at least two flights in an effort to help satisfy demand around the time of the Trinidad Carnival as well as the Easter Weekend.
Forecast '09 - bleak days ahead
Happy New Year to all. Well, 2009 has begun and the first month has ended. The United States welcomed its first black President, bringing joy and hope around the globe, but on the economic front, the bad news continues. The US is sliding deeper into recession, the UK is officially in a recession, and, here in the Caribbean, the fallout continues to be felt. Tourism is taking a wickedly hard blow and now the rest of the world is beginning to notice.
Over the last few weeks, articles have popped up on how badly the region's tourist industry is doing in what is traditionally a peak period. The news is not good people. Take a look for yourself.
Lonely Beaches
Caribbean islands slammed with double financial hit
Region's tourism officials bracing for fall off in business
Over the last few weeks, articles have popped up on how badly the region's tourist industry is doing in what is traditionally a peak period. The news is not good people. Take a look for yourself.
Lonely Beaches
Caribbean islands slammed with double financial hit
Region's tourism officials bracing for fall off in business
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