tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498961727602805543.post4723532933266485487..comments2024-02-18T04:34:40.897-04:00Comments on Living in Barbados: Tourism Week When Tourism's WeakUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498961727602805543.post-5962646977806299172009-12-06T15:12:17.833-04:002009-12-06T15:12:17.833-04:00@acox, I figured that the anonymous comment was yo...@acox, I figured that the anonymous comment was yours, so took it hoping you would confirm. As you may realize, blogger.com does not permit a referral back to a commentator.<br /><br />I recommend you read the letter in today's Advocate, "Several benefits to Tennis pon de Rock". To me, it is a series of 'half' answers, with not a single figure to support any remark. Good that other comments provoked a reply but should it have been necessary? I know plenty in the tennis fraternity and in the general audience who would argue strongly that the event was much less than it could/should have been.<br /><br />Thanks for your suggestions.Dennis Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500715553200132089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498961727602805543.post-34228741400942318072009-12-06T14:55:38.730-04:002009-12-06T14:55:38.730-04:00THe anonymous comment was incorrectly tag .it was ...THe anonymous comment was incorrectly tag .it was actually a response given by me (acox)to my Question about "Suggestions offered by you.acoxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498961727602805543.post-22885595602288493682009-12-06T08:58:59.460-04:002009-12-06T08:58:59.460-04:00Dennis I am ver pleased with your response to my &...Dennis I am ver pleased with your response to my "Question" .However i would suggest that you send acopy to the Tourisim ministry maybe in it they can find some answers. You might not have realised it but indirectly you have given some good ways in which to solve some of the tourisim problems . I am really pleased in the way in which you would point out the ways specifically other couties are getting better results ther in lie some of the answer needed. <br />I am very pleasantly surprised I thought yuor answer was very thought provoking and gave much food for thought.<br />Statics are very important that I do understand but without sound suggestions on how to solve a problem they are just what they are abunch of numbers.<br />I am very impressed to see this side of your comments and I would continue to read yourblogs looking for more of the same.<br />Good job this time .Keep it upAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498961727602805543.post-3148664542679862012009-12-06T04:31:13.655-04:002009-12-06T04:31:13.655-04:00@acox CONTINUED:
There's more that can be do...@acox CONTINUED: <br /><br />There's more that can be done to get public 'buy in' to tourism. Bermuda is known to have a 'policy' of getting tourists to spend from arrival to departure, meaning that taxis are part of the effort to get tourists to spend, and make sure they leave with empty pockets. Every one has to see that they are part of the 'image' of tourism on the island: bad experiences stick and reports of them get spread fast by word of mouth: Minister Sealy and his staff monitor closely tourists' attitudes as reported on TripAdvisor.<br /><br />That's a lot of information. So, I will understand if it is hard to digest.Dennis Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500715553200132089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498961727602805543.post-37585946428471037432009-12-06T04:29:45.505-04:002009-12-06T04:29:45.505-04:00@acox, When I first started working at a central b...@acox, When I first started working at a central bank, my supervisor told me "We do not expect you to have all the answers, but we do expect you to be able to ask the right questions."<br /><br />Let's try to do a Q&A. First, the problem to solve is not "How do you stop the decline in tourism?". You need to understand why it is declining--which may be out of your control--and then see if you can deal with its effects.<br /><br />Why is tourism to Barbados declining? The world has been in recession for two years and countries from which Barbados draws its visitors have suffered very badly (US, UK, rest of Europe, Canada, Caribbean). So people in those areas are spending less, and tourism is suffering along with other forms of spending. Barbados may be getting hit harder because of its heavy reliance on the UK, where the recession began earlier and has gone deeper than in most countries. However, Barbados may also be suffering because of issues about the nature and quality of what is on offer. Sun, sand and sea are plentiful in many destinations so other attractions are needed. Some of Barbados' key attractions are not functioning, eg Harrison's Cave, Ocean Park. Other things, are not as good as elsewhere. Shopping options are very limited and for some types of tourists this is very important, but it is also important in getting tourists to part with their money: compare duty free offerings here with other Caribbean destinations. See recent comments critical of how organizations looking to mount sports tourism in Barbados are treated and how the institutional support here is lacking. Service is acknowledged to be severely wanting: this is acknowledged within the local tourism industry.<br /><br />What can we do about the decline in tourism? Marketing has been shown to be important, both in amount and type: the surge in Canadian visitors in both Barbados and Jamaica has been based on much increased marketing efforts, including to new source areas like western Canada. Increase the availability of flights and lower their costs: JetBlue (from NY) and the addition of scheduled (not charter) flights by SunWing and WestJet to Barbados from Canada has been important.<br /><br />But note what the Minister of Tourism said about the decline in visitors from Canada: "In 1979, (some) 99,000 Canadians came to Barbados," Sealy said in a report in Totally Barbados. "Last year, only 55,000 came. So, we have a lot of room there that we can grow." Note also that Canadian federal government also reports that an average of 50,000 to 60,000 Canucks visit Barbados each year, despite the fact that the relationship between the two countries dates back more than a century. The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service established an office in Barbados in 1907 and Canadian banks soon followed. The Royal Bank, for example, opened a Barbados branch in 1911 (see http://www.canada.com/travel/Barbados+Take+authentic+Caribbean+experience/920479/story.html). So both sides see a hugely underdeveloped market.<br /><br />Trying to target new markets is important, and Barbados is turning its attention to China (which has not been in recession and whose citizens are just warming to mass tourism) and South America (very close but culturally and lingusitically very differnt, with many tourist attractions of their own already). We will have to see what results that brings.<br /><br />Promoting the island in other ways help. The highly regarded Zagat Survey released a Best of Barbados guide in 2007 -- the first Zagat guide to a Caribbean island. That 'standard setting' is very important. What will be interesting will be to see what happens this year with so many high quality restaurants closing on the island.<br /><br />Remember also, that tourism also includes business visitors, for conferences etc. Minister Sealy went on record months ago lamenting how Barbados had lost out in that area to Trinidad, who was "eating Barbados' lunch" (or words to that effect).Dennis Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500715553200132089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5498961727602805543.post-88327952424394288472009-12-05T23:28:22.675-04:002009-12-05T23:28:22.675-04:00Since you seem to have more questions than anwswer...Since you seem to have more questions than anwswers. My question to you what doyou suggest the barbados goverment do to stop the decline in tourisim?<br />It would be interesting if you have one suggesting.However I wouldn't be surprised if you avoid giving any .<br /> Media via the internet is avery important tool especially by radio promotion and television very little is done in that area.<br /> Please don'f dodge my question<br />Waiting for an answeracoxnoreply@blogger.com