|
Cuba embraces
golf to boost tourism |
Havana, Cuba, May 14,
2008: The only time Cuba's
Fidel Castro is known to have played golf was in 1961, in a stunt
thumbing his nose at the United States.
Now that Fidel has handed over power to his brother, Raul, Communist
Cuba is setting aside any ideological objections and is embracing
golf, the most capitalist of sports.
Investors from Canada and Europe have proposed building gated
communities with luxury hotels, villas and condos surrounding
18 and 36-hole golf courses near beach resorts across the Caribbean
island.
Some of the projects, which include one by top British architect
Norman Foster's firm, have been on the drawing board for years
and their backers are hoping Cuba's new president, Raul Castro,
will give them the green light to revive golf.
"Old-school objections to golf on ideological grounds have
fallen away," said Mark Entwistle, a former Canadian ambassador
to Havana who now consults to foreign companies planning to do
business here.
"Golf is seen as important to develop a more sophisticated
and repeat tourism beyond sun and sand," said Entwistle,
who is advising one of the golf community projects.
Since succeeding his brother, Fidel Castro, in February, Cuba's
first new leader in almost half a century has set about lifting
restrictions in the one-party socialist state, such as allowing
Cubans to stay at hotels previously reserved for foreign tourists.
He does not appear to share his famous brother's abhorrence for
the bourgeois sport of golf. There are today at least 10 golf
resort projects in the pipeline at various stages in the approval
process, Entwistle said.
The only time Fidel Castro was seen armed with a putter instead
of a gun was two years after seizing power in the revolution
in 1959 that ousted U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista and
changed Cuba from a Mafia playground into a Soviet ally.
That was in March 1961, one month before the disastrous landing
by CIA-trained Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs. Tensions were
running high between Havana and Washington, and Castro played
golf with Ernesto "Che" Guevara, wearing military fatigues
and boots, as a publicity stunt.
Guerrilla icon Guevara at least knew how to play the game, having
worked as a caddy as a boy in Cordoba, Argentina.
But the Colinas de Villareal golf course where the two revolutionaries
played was soon turned into a military camp.
Havana's elite Country Club was taken over and its fairways became
the grounds of Cuba's top arts and music school.
Today, Cuba's capital has only one 9-hole course, the former
British-owned Rovers Athletic Club, where foreign businessmen
and diplomats play.
The rugged course has seen better days sticks are used
for flag poles on the parched greens. Argentine soccer star Diego
Maradona played there almost every day when he lived in Cuba
undergoing treatment for cocaine addiction.
XANADU CLUB HOUSE
The only new golf course since the Cuban revolution was opened
in 1998 at Cuba's prime resort of Varadero after the country
opened up to foreign investment and tourism in the wake of the
collapse of the Soviet Union. The 18-hole Varadero Golf Club
is on the grounds of Xanadu, a seaside mansion built by U.S.
chemical industry millionaire Irenee du Pont.
Cuba's new interest in golf arises in response to the stagnation
of its $2 billion-a-year tourist trade, which saw the number
of
visitors dwindle in 2006 and 2007.
Cuba has no choice but to build new golf courses if it wants
to compete with other Caribbean resorts in Mexico, Jamaica or
the Dominican Republic, a smaller country that draws more tourists
than Cuba and has 22 golf courses, says Miami lawyer Antonio
Zamora, an expert on Cuban real estate.
"If you have a tourist industry you have to offer tourists
what they want, and they want golf courses as much as they want
beaches, pools and entertainment," Zamora said.
But no developer builds a golf course if there is no real estate
involved, and that has been a hurdle for proposals made by foreign
entrepreneurs, who would need leases of 50 to 75 years before
they could commit to a project.
Cuba does not allow foreigners to own property and is not expected
to do so in the near future. The Cuban government has yet to
approve a single golf project as it debates whether to allow
long-term leases, said Zamora.
Leisure Canada Inc, a Vancouver-based venture run by mining and
real estate developer Wally Berukoff, has waited more than a
decade for approval to build a gated community with sea-front
hotels, time-share villas, health spas and 18-hole golf courses
at Jibacoa, 40 miles east of Havana.
Leisure Canada has even signed a licensing agreement with Britain's
Professional Golf Association to promote world class golf and
tournaments in Cuba, the company's website says.
One project that is likely to move ahead because it does
not involve real estate is the Hicacos marina and golf
resort to be built in Varadero by French engineering group Bouygues
S.A. for Gaviota, the Cuban army's tourism company.
|
Caribbean tourism
fund coming |
Port of Spain, T&T,
May 10, 2008: A CARIBBEAN
Tourism Investment Fund is being set up to bridge the financial
gap in the tourism sector in the Caribbean.
This announcement was made Thursday at a press conference at
the Hyatt Regency Trinidad in Port-of-Spain by Director General
and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Caribbean Hotel Association
(CHA) Alec Sanguinetti, in the aftermath of the 12th Annual Caribbean
Hotel and Tourism Conference (CHTC).
Sanguinetti said that any member of the CHA would be able to
access the fund of approximately US$100 billion, which he said,
would be used for improvement of any existing tourist establishment
including upgrade of hotels through "appropriation and refurbishment."
The CHA released a memorandum on the proposed fund, as a result
of the high level of interest expressed by potential investors.
A press release issued by the CHA, stated that CHA president
Peter Odle said: "The establishment of the fund is intended
to address the investment needs of specific sectors of the Caribbean
tourism industry which are currently not being addressed by traditional
sources of finance."
Odle said the proposed fund, will target owners and operators
of hotels with up to 150 rooms as well as other entities "with
proven track records and robust business plans."
The release stated that the CHA intends to register the fund
with relevant authorities in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago,
but may also consider other Caribbean countries.
"We believe the fund will present an attractive investment
opportunity for investors who wish to access the Caribbean tourism
sector," said Odle.
This year, the international tourism conference, which ran from
May 6-8, closed with an optimistic outlook for the Caribbean
tourism industry, where a record-breaking number of 522 delegates
were delighted to hear that the proposed Fund was being established
for improving and expanding tourism facilities and infrastructure.
Beaches Negril
among 'Ten Best Beach Resorts' for families
Beaches Boscobel named as Runner-Up |
Westmoreland, Jamaica,
May 05, 2008: Beaches
Negril Resort & Spa has been ranked as one of "The 10
Best Beach Resorts for Families" by Parents Magazine, an
online publication with a circulation of over two million people.
The Westmoreland- based resort was placed sixth after an indepth,
exclusive survey among 200 beach resorts in the United States
and the Caribbean. The survey is part of Parents Magazine's ongoing
"10-best series" which looks at room rates and other
resort costs, the quality of the supervised children's programme,
the variety of family activities, the pool and beach area, as
well as other factors that parents would consider when selecting
a resort.
Beaches Negril came out ahead of the Hilton Hawaiian Village
in Honolulu, Hawaii; Ocean Edge Resort & Spa based in Brewster,
Massachusetts; Loew's Coronado Bay Beach Resort & Spa in
San Diego, California and Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort Casino &
Spa in Puerto Rico.
A second Jamaican Beaches resort, Beaches Boscobel Resort &
Golf Club near Ocho Rios, St Ann, was named runner-up in Parents
Magazine's "More Great Spaces to Stay" category. Just
last year Beaches Boscobel unveiled its expanded Pirate's Island
Waterpark, providing guests with a "splash-tastic"
vacation experience.
"After a US$3 million expansion to the resort's existing
aqua playground, Beaches Boscobel welcomes guests of all ages
to a fun and fresh waterpark experience, featuring new slides,
rides and wet n' wild features for the entire family," said
Adam Stewart, chief executive officer of Sandals & Beaches
Resorts.
The waterpark features an expansive 27,000-square-foot Pirate's
Island-themed aqua playground with six new kiddie slides. The
waterpark also includes a Treasure Isle AquaPlay area, complete
with water cannons and a treasure chest. For the resort's tiniest
waterpark enthusiast, Pirate's Island has a pirate-themed kid's
zone and zero entry kiddie pool complete with a misting crab,
a squirting sea turtle and a splashing seahorse. Also included
in the kiddie complex is a 1,500-square-foot grass sundeck and
7,000-square-feet of pool decks.
"We are quite pleased with the ranking of our Beaches brand,"
said Stewart. "The Beaches brand is a very dynamic one.
We try to adapt to the needs of families, while meeting and exceeding
expectations consistently."
|
Surama chosen
to film Riocochet's TV series "unbreakable" |
Georgetown, Guyana, April
27, 2008: THE indigenous
tourism community, Surama has been chosen by Ricochet, Britain's
leading independent television company as one of the locations
for the filming of an adventure reality based survivor type contest
and TV series titled "Unbreakable" said the Guyana
Tourism Authority (GTA).
According to a release, the 20 member team comprising of 12 film
crew and eight contestants arrived in Guyana on Saturday and
the production shoot will begin next Tuesday.
The press statement explained that the contest is about survival
in the great outdoors and wilderness and contestants will undergo
a series of grueling tasks to test their survival skills and
endurance.
"The contestants, both male and female will have to endure
a series of challenges from wrestling with anacondas, biting
off the heads of live piranhas to ensuring the traditional Makushi
stick beating ritual," the release disclosed.
The series will also be filmed in Africa and Europe.
It noted: "This adventure docu-series will provide destination
Guyana with much needed positive publicity and will help to create
more awareness of and raise the profile and image of unspoilt,
untouched and undiscovered Guyana. The series will also help
to promote, brand and share with the world our indigenous Makushi
culture and tradition, our eco tourism product, community based
tourism, the remote village of Surama, our flora and fauna, wildlife,
etc".
The indigenous community will benefit from the construction of
three thatched bush camps, two toilets, two dug out canoes, two
aluminum boats with engines, a generator, a laptop computer among
other equipment, the statement underlined.
In addition, it said, over 20 persons from the village will be
employed and community members will be prominently featured during
the five day shoot.
Previous big screen motion pictures that were filmed here include
White Diamond, Guiana 1838, BBC's Extreme Dream and a National
Geographic documentary on the otters, scaling Mount Roraima.
|
American Airlines
Adds Miami-Grenada Service to Schedule |
MIAMI, April 24, 2008: American Airlines will open another
new route from South Florida to the Caribbean this fall when
the airline begins nonstop service from Miami to the southern
Caribbean island of Grenada.
American will begin flying between Miami and Grenada on Nov.
20, 2008, using Boeing 737-800 aircraft configured with 16 seats
in First Class and 132 seats in the Main Cabin.
American's upcoming service from Miami is the only nonstop service
currently scheduled between South Florida and Grenada, which
is located approximately 100 miles off the coast of Venezuela.
The new service complements existing flights to Grenada from
San Juan, Puerto Rico, offered by American Eagle, the regional
affiliate of American Airlines.
Known as the "Spice of the Caribbean" for the abundance
of spices the island produces, Grenada is also well-regarded
for its cool sea breezes, unhurried pace, picturesque towns,
lush rain forests, stunning beaches, and exquisite coral reefs.
"Grenada is a wonderful addition to American's schedule
from South Florida," said Peter J. Dolara, American's Senior
Vice President - Miami, Caribbean and Latin America. "It
has much to offer visitors, and American's convenient nonstop
flight from Miami puts it all virtually at South Florida's doorstep.
Our connecting service via the Miami hub brings Grenada closer
to dozens of other cities as well."
"Visitors to Grenada can expect to experience some of the
best that the Caribbean has to offer, including lovely scenery,
magnificent weather, relaxing beaches, lively culture, and a
wide variety of activities," said the Hon. Clarice Modeste
Curwen, Grenada's Minister of Tourism. "We welcome American's
nonstop service from Miami, just as we welcome all those who
come to see and enjoy the Caribbean of their dreams."
Grenada is the third Caribbean destination from South Florida
to be added to American's schedule this year. Earlier, American
announced it will begin nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale
to Kingston, Jamaica, in June, and from Miami to Antigua, also
starting Nov. 20.
American Airlines
returns to Grenada after a 10-year break
By Linda Straker |
ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada
(eTN), Apr 24, 2008:
Grenadian Tourism Minister Claris Modeste-Curwen has confirmed
that the "government and American Airlines has signed an
agreement resulting in the airline returning to the island from
November after a 10-year absence." This development comes
after months of negotiations between the two parties.
"The flights are being advertised from the airline, it's
on the reservation booking system and we anticipate that this
will bring in more visitors, not because it's a bigger aircraft
but Miami is the hub for some major airlines and this will give
all persons who want to travel to Grenada a better choice,"
the tourism minister said.
According to the minister, the Grenadian government had to provide
a financial US$1.5 million guarantee to the airline, as part
of the deal. "This condition is part of the market and risk
sharing commitment, it is practically impossible for any country
to have an agreement these days with an airlines without putting
up some money, so we agreed and we are now negotiating with all
the stakeholders to arrive at the amount."
Member of the Grenada Airlift Committee, Sir Royston Hopkin,
said that the private sector is being asked to support the financial
arrangement reached with the airline.
"Although, this type of commitment is usually from government,
we, in the private sector, see it as an important enough to step
in to render support because of the other commitment already
given to other airlines, negotiations was conducted with the
private sector to take up the full cost and today we are close
to the amount," he said.
A statement from American Airlines stated that it will begin
flying between Miami and Grenada from Nov. 20, 2008 using a Boeing
737-800 aircraft configured with 16 seats in first class and
132 seats in economy class. Scheduled to overnight, the flight
will depart from Miami at 5:00 pm and arrive in Grenada at 9:30
pm, then depart at 9:30 am the following day and arrive in Miami
at 12:15 pm the same day.
The airline's upcoming service from Miami is the only non-stop
service currently scheduled between South Florida and Grenada,
which is located approximately 100 miles off the coast of Venezuela.
The new service complements existing flights to Grenada from
San Juan, Puerto Rico, offered by American Eagle, the regional
affiliate of American Airlines.
"Grenada is a wonderful addition to American's schedule
from South Florida," said Peter J. Dolara, American Airlines'
senior vice president for Miami, Caribbean and Latin America.
"It has much to offer visitors, and American's convenient
nonstop flight from Miami puts it all virtually at South Florida's
doorstep. Our connecting service via the Miami hub brings Grenada
closer to dozens of other cities as well."
Grenada is the third Caribbean destination from South Florida
to be added to American's schedule this year. Earlier, American
announced it will begin non-stop service from Fort Lauderdale
to Kingston, Jamaica, in June, and from Miami to Antigua, also
starting Nov. 20.
Minister Modeste-Curwen also announced that the Trinidad-based
Caribbean Airways would commence flights to Grenada beginning
this June. This is expected to boost regional travel while British
Airways have given a commitment to have a second year round flight
from London.
"Grenada lost its market share in the USA when American
Airline left 10 years ago and with American now deciding to put
on a flight to Grenada we will be back on our way to regaining
that market share," she said. "As for the regional
airline the statistics have shown that there is a down turn in
visitors from Trinidad and with a second service available we
know what will happen while as for London, statistics have shown
that this is now our major market, so a second year round flight
is definitely good news for the tourism sector.
|
Spirit airlines
to fly Fort Lauderdale to T&T |
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 23rd 2008: Spirit Airlines
will begin flying to Trinidad on June 12 from Fort Lauderdale,
Florida.
The new carrier will be the second major airline to service the
Fort Lauderdale/Trinidad route. Caribbean Airlines recently launched
its flight to the US city, which will commence on May 22.
Earlier this year the carrier submitted its application with
the Trinidad and Tobago Government to begin service between Fort
Lauderdale and Port of Spain.
"We couldn't be more excited to introduce this new service
to Trinidad and Tobago," said Spirit's chief marketing officer
Barry Biffle in a statement.
"Trinis will look back on this day as the day they gained
their independence from high fares!"
Spirit's low-fare mascot Nickel Centpiece, commonly known by
his rap moniker 5-cent, is kicking off the new service with his
5-cent fares and also debuting his newest 5 cents a mile fares
available yesterday and today at www.spiritair.com .
Jason Baptiste, marketing manager, Trinidad and Tobago Tourism
Development Company (TDC), said Trinidad and Tobago was thrilled
to be part of the expanding network of international destinations
for Spirit Airlines.
"The arrival of Spirit Airlines is certainly welcome,"
he said.
"In addition to their low-cost competitive air fare structure
they will be a major factor in the expansion of visitor arrivals
in Trinidad and Tobago. We look forward to working closely with
them to ensure this flight is a success."
The five-hour flight will depart from Fort Lauderdale at 8.55
p.m. on June 12 and arrive in Trinidad at 12:30 a.m. the following
day. Then depart from Trinidad at 1.30 a.m. and arrive in Fort
Lauderdale at 5.30 a.m.
Port of Spain will become the Spirit Airlines' 22nd Caribbean/Latin
American destination and the 43rd city it serves.
Off With His
Head
Montserrat celebrates African heritage during Cudjoe Head Festival |
Montserrat, West Indies,
April 23, 2008: The Emerald
Isle of the Caribbean is known for its culturally rich and diverse
mix of Irish and African Heritage. Most notably, the island has
the distinction of hosting the largest St. Patrick's Day celebration
outside of Ireland. In commemoration of its dynamic African heritage
the island will celebrate the annual Cudjoe Head Festival on
August 2, 2008.
Aimed at fostering a more inclusive relationship between the
people of Cudjoe Head and the remaining cultures that share this
small island, the Cudjoe Head Festival is seen as one of the
gateways to the island's strong African culture. The village
of Cudjoe Head was named after a runaway slave, Cudjoe, who was
caught and beheaded by his master in the 18th century. His head
was placed on a silk cotton tree as a reminder to other slaves
who were considering the run to freedom.
The community of Cudjoe Head began celebrating this festival
in 1989. At that time activities included a small group serenading
the village at 5 a.m., followed by breakfast in the center of
the village. Music could be heard throughout the day. In the
evening, the crowds were entertained with music from a local
band. A dance competition between the girls in the village served
as the culmination for the festivities.
Today, nineteen years later, the festival still maintains its
authenticity, while adding new traditions. With the inclusion
of steel band performances, a road race, and an exhibition of
goods produced by the village, the festival has grown significantly
throughout the years. The night before the festival, Cudjoe Head
Eve, is now been widely regarded as a time for revelry and fun
with a street festival that includes live music and vendors.
This British overseas territory boasts the spectacular Soufrière
Hills Volcano, a modern day Pompeii in the form of its buried
former capital city Plymouth, alongside lush, green mountains,
world-class nature trails, secluded dark sand beaches, untouched
reefs and a quiet friendly charm reminiscent of the way the Caribbean
used to be. For more information on Montserrat and its breathtaking
scenery and unspoiled, unpolluted coral and volcanic vistas,
visit www.visitmontserrat.com.
|
St Kitts government
blasts PETA |
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts,
April 23, 2008: The St
Kitts government has blasted People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals (PETA) for its attempt to boycott tourism to the island,
describing the move as "outrageous" and "unjustifiable".
PETA had called for a boycott on travel to the Caribbean island
because it claimed that the Ross University School of Veterinary
Medicine there was deliberately mutilating and killing sheep,
donkeys, and goats in it practical sessions. It had asked government
officials to investigate the veterinary school for violations
of the island's Protection of Animals Act.
But in a statement issued yesterday, the Tourism Ministry said
the government had determined that the university "is not
in violation of any current laws of the Federation of St Kitts
and Nevis governing the treatment of animals".
"The government is disappointed in PETA's call for a boycott
of St Kitts tourism which we interpret as an unjustifiable attempt
to destabilise the economy of a small but sovereign country.
We see this action by PETA as an unreasonable public relations
measure to attract attention for their own benefit and to force
the intervention of the government into a dispute between two
privately owned and operated organisations, both of which are
headquartered in the United States of America and which operate
under US laws," the statement said.
"The citizens of St Kitts and Nevis are peaceful, hardworking
and law-abiding and do not condone any acts of cruelty anywhere
to animals or humans alike. Any insinuation by PETA that our
government and people think or behave otherwise is a gross misrepresentation
of our proud Caribbean culture and traditions."
It continued that while the government respects PETA's right
to address issues, "their methods in this situation have
been outrageous and have disrespected the fact that St Kitts
and Nevis is an independent and democratic nation with its own
laws".
"The government urges PETA to avoid any further escalation
of their threats against the international integrity and economic
security of St Kitts and Nevis," it said.
At least one travel agency has signed on to PETA's boycott campaign.
Holiday Systems International has said it will not allow it's
over 300,000 clients the option of booking St Kitts through the
company "until such time (as) their government demonstrates
a more civilised respect for animal welfare and Ross University
builds a veterinary teaching hospital and adopts the recommendations
outlined by PETA".
|
Trinidad &
Tobago Set to Host the 15th Annual FCCA Cruise Conference &
Trade Show |
PEMBROKE PINES, Fla.,
April 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire:
The premier industry event of the year will take place October
27-31, 2008 in Port of Spain, Trinidad -- the country's capital
city. Attendees and activities will be housed in its newest,
waterfront, five-star hotel: the Hyatt Regency Trinidad Hotel.
Nestled between Southern Caribbean and Latin America, with only
seven miles separating Trinidad and Tobago from Venezuela explains
the eclectic culture formed. Trinidad offers samplings of the
Far East, India, Africa, or Spain, and celebrates its rich background
through their festivals.
Micky Arison, CEO of Carnival Corporation and Chairman of the
FCCA tells that the Annual Cruise Conference and Trade Show "is
the time my colleagues and I set aside to spend working with
the Caribbean and Latin America to better know each other and
to better the industry." It is a forum where over 1,000
cruise industry partners will come together with 100 Cruise Executives
from the FCCA Member Lines. Executives from the FCCA Member Lines
will host a series of round table discussions in the areas of
Marketing, Shore Excursions and Operations. As Executives share
their expertise and offer ideas for the future, delegates will
have the opportunity to participate during the question and answer
session allowing for an interactive and informative series of
workshops.
The FCCA Conference is the only event that also offers pre-set
meetings with select Cruise Executives on a one-on-One basis
for pre-registered Delegates. This is the perfect opportunity
to meet with key players, analyze industry trends and discuss
current issues. Sessions will be arranged and confirmed prior
to the Conference. As Michele Paige, President of the Florida-Caribbean
Cruise Association, explains, "...the Conference's core
mandate is to work with our private and public sector partners;
maximizing benefits the cruise industry represents is our focus."
Still, plenty events at the Conference enact a more relaxed setting
and more fluid networking. The Annual Golf Tournament has become
an important resource for meeting top executives in an exclusive
casual atmosphere. Play in a foursome hosted by a Cruise Executive
and contribute to a worthy cause, the FCCA Foundation. The 11th
Annual Golf Tournament will take place at the Millennium Lakes
Golf & Country Club, Trinidad, on Tuesday, October 28th.
Other more casual social opportunities include the Cocktail Reception,
Welcome Party, and Trinidad's Night Extravaganza.
Bid on cruise vacations at a fraction of the cost while mixing
and mingling with the Member Cruise Executives at the evening
social functions and pre- and post-tours. Along with getting
great deals, participants gain the satisfaction of benefiting
the FCCA Foundation.
For more information on the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade
Show, please contact Terri Cannici at (954) 441-8881 or tcannici@
f-cca.com .
|
St Lucia Minister
says no to investing money in LIAT |
CASTRIES, St. Lucia,
April 21, 2008: St Lucia's
Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister, Senator Allen Chastanet
says government will get more returns pumping money into a fast
ferry service than investing in regional airline LIAT.
He insisted that it was pointless investing in a corporation
which has not been able to provide a solid and viable investment
plan.
Senator Chastanet said that while government was willing to enter
into joint marketing with LIAT, the airline has insisted on receiving
money.
"The funding that American or British Airways is receiving
or that we consider putting in, is in joint marketing or to get
a route off the ground. The funding that Mr Darby (LIAT's CEO),
is talking about is us putting money into LIAT as a corporation
and as I said, if you're going to ask for our country to invest
into LIAT, I need to know what we're investing in," said
Mr Chastanet.
He suggested that the introduction of a fast ferry service would
create an affordable alternative for people who want to travel
within the region.
The Tourism Minister also pointed out that this mode of transportation
provided more cargo carrying capacity.
"The planes, and given the size of the markets and the facilities
that we have, will never be able to carry cargo in a substantive
way. When we talk about economic integration within this region,
one of the things that clearly has been lacking, is the ability
for us to be able to carry cargo afford ably and on a reliable
basis and on an inter- regional basis," he said.
THE STRENGTH
OF THE CARIBBEAN DIASPORA - TAKE THREE
By Bevan Springer |
NEW YORK (April 19, 2008): Who knew that for a third successive
week I would be writing another article about the strategic importance
of the Caribbean Diaspora to tourism promotion efforts?
That's because the reaction from Caribbean people at home and
abroad to the power of the Diaspora has been overwhelmingly positive
and it is clear that a renewing of the mind is urgently in order
in both the Caribbean's public and private sectors if we are
to begin to take full advantage of the intellectual and financial
capital of our vibrant overseas-based market.
Imagine where Caribbean tourism would be if destinations, hotels
and attractions had a consistent messaging strategy that targeted
our people overseas and did not just rely on them to spend their
greenbacks during Crop Over, Carnival and Christmas.
Imagine if we proactively tapped their skills and converted them
into value in the Caribbean marketplace. What if we courted medical
professionals, religious leaders, investment bankers and successful
business people to come home and give back, mentor young businesses
or invest in the region whence they came?
Imagine if we developed a database of prominent and celebrated
African Americans and Hispanic Americans who can trace their
roots to the Caribbean, and invited them to spread the Caribbean
gospel in their business and social circles, perhaps on Wall
Street or in Hollywood, and in return, we flew them home once
a year, like we do travel writers and travel agents, to say thank
you for their service to the region.
Just imagine if our marketers spent time in Caribbean communities
in New York, Miami, Toronto, London and Manchester, held meetings
with community leaders and local business people and created
an Ambassadors program which encouraged Caribbean people to bring
a friend to the Caribbean as a region and not just to their native
land.
"While, say playing pool, they can convince fellow members
of the Diaspora to 'take that visit home'. As a by-product of
regular social interaction, members of one country in the region
can encourage members from other countries to visit 'my home'
either on a single country visit or in combination with a visit
to the vacationer's own country, a de facto multi-destination
vacation. Others, who are not members of the Diaspora, can also
be encouraged to visit the region either on single destination
or multi-destination visits," notes former airline executive
Ian Bertrand of the Trinidad and Tobago-based El Perial Management
Services.
Derrice Deane, a Barbadian-American host of CaribNation Television
in Washington, said she can personally can attest to her own
version of tourism marketing during her career at the World Bank.
"From posters around my office to casual conversations,
I have succeeded in directly guiding scores of visitors to the
Caribbean," she said, adding "I believe our technocrats
in the region have been stuck in the old adage that 'foreign'
(as the Jamaicans say) is more valuable and in the meantime,
we in the Diaspora recognize the wealth of knowledge and experience
given to our adopted home - expertise (from which) I am sure
many would prefer to have the region benefit. But then again,
we're not appreciated by our own. I think we are witnessing,
once again, the same malaise that pervades the region year after
year - much talk, little action. Hopefully more involvement of
the Diaspora will trigger some serious movement."
Veteran Trinidadian broadcaster Von Martin of Washington DC's
"Caribbeana" radio programme sings a similar tune.
"After my spending all these years doing so much promotion
of my land and trying to get the ears and whims of my home leaders
and key players in the tourism fold unsuccessfully makes me feel
indeed like a forgotten soul," said Martin who also produces
a top-rated Caribbean Comedy Festival to promote Caribbean culture
abroad and almost all on his own dime.
Derrice's and Von's concerns resonate with members of the Diaspora
and hopefully a movement abroad will trigger some changes in
the hearts of our marketers. But the job is not easy because
even if marketplace-based tourism officers are able to develop
Diaspora-centred tourism strategies, their ideas can easily be
thwarted by Caribbean-based managers to whom they report but
who are out of touch of trends in the marketplace.
But the challenge is even greater. As a former tourism executive
from Barbados put it, "My question continues to be just
how ready is the Caribbean hospitality industry to welcome the
Diaspora? Based on experience (in the marketplace) and my work
in the region since then, I would suggest that there may well
be concerns and work to be done at home. Just how ready are we?"
The challenges are mighty, but with dialogue and mutual respect,
a transformation could be on the horizon.
"For the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, migration
is a core component of our economy and social life," Organization
of American States (OAS) Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin
declared in Washington this week, at the launch of a Migration
Information System of the Americas. Migration is equally important
for the receiving countries, Ambassador Ramdin argued to member
state delegates and international experts at the Special Forum
on Migration Issues, at OAS headquarters.
We know the impact of remittances on our Caribbean economies.
Let's now raise the bar and redefine our relationship with the
overseas-based community who are making outstanding contributions
to life in their adopted homelands. To do so would be to herald
our seriousness about community-centred sustainable development
in the Caribbean. The evidence is overwhelming. There is no question
about the strategic importance of the Caribbean Diaspora. The
issue is whether or not our marketers will put their money where
their mouth is and move beyond talk and towards a viable and
mutually beneficial solution.
Editor's Note: Bevan Springer, the Director of Counterpart
International's Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism
(CMEx), is a journalist and communications advisor.
|
Sleeping Among
Nature's Splendor: Camping in Belize |
Belize City, Belize,
April 18, 2008: For those
who find peace and tranquility in the sights and sounds of Mother
Nature, Belize offers unparalleled camping opportunities among
some of the world's most luscious and exotic plants and wildlife.
Dozens of protected parks, forests and nature reserves afford
campers the ability to easily explore the natural world and interact
with Belize's indigenous cultures at an extremely low price.
From the lush jungle and rolling rivers of the Western Cayo District
to the secluded rainforests of Belize's Southern Toledo District,
those looking to immerse themselves in nature's diverse habitats
can do so at one of the many campsites found throughout the country.
In addition to these inland options, campers can pitch a tent
along the shores of the sparkling Caribbean Sea at one of Belize's
island campgrounds.
The Belize Tourism Board's Toucan Trail (www.Toucantrail.com
) offers a wealth of information for campers seeking the ultimate
Belize adventure on a budget. The following are some of the most
popular camping options in Belize:
Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Situated on the banks of the Sibun River in Belize's Western
Cayo District, the Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is a 1,000-acre
forest reserve and environmental education facility. The sanctuary
protects a wide variety of rare flora and fauna, giving visitors
the unique opportunity to see exotic animals, like tapirs, Morelet
crocodiles and over 250 species of birds. Overnight accommodations
range from tent camping, bunkhouse beds in dormitories and private
rooms located in the on-site field research station. From the
sanctuary, visitors can hike along Indian Creek Trail for unmatched
scenery or go spelunking into the nearby Tiger Sandy Bay Cave.
For more information, visit www.monkeybaybelize.org or call +
(501) 820-3032.
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Located over a sprawling 128,000 acres of jungle vegetation,
the Stann Creek District's Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
is one of Belize's most unique environments. It is also home
to the world's first jaguar reserve! In addition to housing elusive
jaguar, many of Belize's endangered plant and animal species
find refuge here. Avid hikers can gain access to a number of
scenic waterfalls and true adventurers can climb Victoria Peak,
Belize's second tallest crest. The Sanctuary offers basic overnight
accommodations and camping at one of three camping grounds, all
with raised tent areas, picnic shelters and tables. Camping here
ranges from $2.68 per person per night to $5.45 per night. For
more information, visit www.belizeaudobon.org/home.htm.
Rio Blanco National Park
Thirty miles west of Punta Gorda in the Southern region of Belize's
Toledo District sits Rio Blanco National Park. One of the park's
main attractions is a spectacular 100-foot wide waterfall. Pouring
into a deep pool below, visitors can swim among a rainbow of
wild orchids and flowering borguvilleas. Guided tours are also
available to lead trekkers through the dense jungle canopy, into
the underground cave system, or to nearby archaeological Mayan
sites to explore the local history. Camping and furnished dorms
are available within the park and regular shuttle service runs
to surrounding local villages. For more information, visit www.toucantrail.com/Belize-on-a-Budget/Rio-Blanco-National-park.html.
The Boat Yard
For those who love sun, sand and endless aquatic adventure, camping
along the palm-fringed shores of Ambergris Caye Belize's
largest offshore island is an ideal locale. Tucked away
on a secluded beach, The Boat Yard camp grounds is a short walk
from the quaint town of San Pedro filled with bustling shops
and local eateries. In addition, campers have easy access to
world class snorkeling and scuba diving along the Belize's famed
barrier reef. Sailing, kayaking, fly-fishing and windsurfing
are also popular ways of passing the time on the island. Campers
can rent a campsite, which includes a tent, for only $7.50 per
person, per night. For more information on camping on the island,
please visit http://ambergriscaye.com/camping.
For more information on Belize, contact the Belize Tourism Board
at 1-800-624-0686 or visit the web site at www.travelbelize.org
|
Constellation
explains disruptions |
Georgetown, Guyana, April
18, 2008: Constellations
Tours has issued an apology for the recent disruption to its
services which left hundreds of passengers stranded last weekend.
In a statement yesterday, the company said that the substantial
increase in fuel prices over the last six weeks along with
the grounding of several US aircraft affected its services.
Constellation said owing to the high fuel prices it was forced
to suspend by mutual consent its arrangement with EOS airlines,
one of its chartered airlines. Constellation in the
statement said it is finalizing arrangements with another airline
which started operations last Friday with an aircraft that has
a lower fuel utilization level than the previous one.
Constellation said further that there was the grounding
of American Airlines and other US carriers for maintenance
so all other available aircraft were quickly contracted out to
meet the shortfall that resulted from these cancellations.
"Consequently, we were unable to negotiate a sub-service
arrangement to back-up the operation," the statement said.
The company said it had no choice but to cancel its programme
until the new arrangement came into effect.
According to the statement, Constellation has had discussions
with the regulatory bodies in the US, Trinidad and Tobago and
Guyana to apprise them of the situation and their plans to address
the passenger disruptions.
In addition, the company has committed to giving
a full refund to all originating passengers and all returning
passengers will be reallocated to scheduled flights to their
point of origin.
Constellation Tours has assured that these issues do not affect
its Canada operation on Zoom Airlines and those flights would
continue as planned.
Angry passengers
storm Constellation office
as flights cancelled and travellers left in the dark |
Georgetown, Guyana, April
15, 2008: An estimated
200 passengers from Miami and New York have been left stranded
in Guyana after Constellation Tours cancelled two flights over
the weekend and incurred the ire of the Minister of Tourism,
Manniram Prashad.
Late yesterday afternoon, Minister Prashad said that he had summoned
the management of the charter to a meeting today.
Yesterday, several of the angry passengers mobbed the Quamina
Street office of Constellation Tours, demanding their money back
or assurances of flights out.
Police reportedly arrested two of the passengers after they allegedly
made threats against the employees.
At around 10:30 hrs yesterday, the passengers crowded into the
small office as they sought answers. The Constellation travel
clerks had earlier locked the door and were only allowing one
passenger at a time to enter the building to inform them of the
problem and likely solutions.
One clerk informed the passengers that the manager, John Rosales,
was travelling to Guyana and should have arrived by mid-morning.
This could not be confirmed, since the local office refused to
answer calls.
Minister Prashad said that the quality of service provided to
Guyanese by Constellation Tours was unacceptable. He threatened
firm measures given that, at an earlier meeting last year, the
airline had promised to be more efficient.
According to the travel clerks yesterday, two aircraft under
charter, one from Zoom out of the United States and the other
from Primaris out of Canada, were grounded by the US over the
weekend as that country tightens up on aircraft checks over the
past weeks.
According to Guyana born Subhash Sukhram, who now lives in New
York, he turned up at the airport on Sunday morning and was told
that the flight had been cancelled.
Joshua Singh was told to report to the airline's Georgetown office
today.
The airline was unable to immediately provide any refunds on
the tickets, and management was unable to say exactly how soon
the stranded passengers would be getting flights out.
Last year, the company had given commitments to Minister Prashad
to upgrade its service in light of several complaints by passengers.
The Minister expressed displeasure at the quality of service
being offered by Constellation, and promised firm measures if
he was not satisfied after today's meeting.
Regulators of the US, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), have
continued to ground, inspect and re-inspect hundreds of planes
in order to establish whether they comply with the safety demands.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers have been affected by the
inspection audits, which are scheduled to expand to all U.S.
carriers.
The case of Southwest Airlines is well known by now: the planes
grounded last month were found to have cracks, which was a clear
sign that they had not been properly inspected.
The federal regulators proposed a civil penalty against the company
of $10.2 million, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Another carrier, American Airlines, is currently undergoing an
inspection that forced the airline to cancel as many as 600 flights.
The methods of the FAA are considered to be too harsh by some
carriers, who say that there was no need to cancel all those
flights as part of the unprecedented inspection that is set to
continue months from now.
While some agree with the FAA, others believe they are overreacting,
saying flight safety has not been compromised so far. However,
safety experts disagree, considering the inspection audits to
be necessary for decreasing long-term risks.
American Airlines
Adds Miami-Antigua Service to Schedule
Nonstop Flights to Start Nov. 20, 2008 |
MIAMI, April 8, 2008
/PRNewswire-FirstCall:
American Airlines, which offers more flights from South Florida
than any other airline, will begin daily nonstop service from
Miami to Antigua this fall -- the only nonstop service currently
scheduled between Miami and the eastern Caribbean island.
American will begin flying the Miami-Antigua route on Nov. 20,
2008, using Boeing 737-800 aircraft configured with 16 seats
in First Class and 132 seats in the Main Cabin.
The new service from Miami complements existing flights to Antigua
from San Juan, Puerto Rico, offered by American and its regional
affiliate, American Eagle.
Located approximately 290 miles southeast of San Juan, Antigua
is known for its sunny climate, beautiful beaches, outstanding
sailing and yachting facilities, and well-preserved coral reefs
that offer excellent snorkeling and diving opportunities.
"We are very excited to add Antigua to American Airlines
extensive list of destinations served nonstop from Miami,"
said Peter J. Dolara, American's Senior Vice President -- Miami,
Caribbean and Latin America. "It's the perfect place for
a relaxing getaway. And now, it's just a convenient nonstop flight
away from South Florida on American Airlines, as well as a convenient
connecting flight from dozens of other destinations via our Miami
hub."
"Antigua entices visitors with wonderful scenery, beautiful
beaches, numerous activities, and warm, friendly people,"
said the Hon. Harold Lovell, Antigua's Minister of Tourism and
Civil Aviation. "We look forward to the start of American's
nonstop service from Miami and the opportunity it offers to showcase
the many things that make Antigua such a special place for residents
and visitors alike. We are confident that once visitors experience
Antigua, they will want to return again and again."
BONAIRE:
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
DURING BONAIRE DIVE INTO SUMMER 2008 |
Kralendijk, Bonaire,
(April 7, 2008): Tourism
Corporation Bonaire together with event sponsors Scuba Diving
magazine, Continental Airlines, Coral Reef Alliance, EarthEcho
International and STINAPA are pleased to announce the program
highlights for Bonaire Dive Into Summer 2008. Taking place June
1 through September 30, 2008, Bonaire Dive Into Summer will be
filled with exciting activities and interesting seminars for
divers, adventurers, families and sun-seekers.
The program for Bonaire Dive Into Summer offers visitors the
flexibility to enjoy their planned vacation on-island, and as
an added bonus, the option to take part in interactive dives
and seminars, which practically guarantees a fun and educational
vacation in Bonaire. Additionally, visitors will be given the
opportunity to participate in a summer-long ecology project which
will reflect Bonaire's position as a world leader in marine conservation
and as a focal point destination for the International Year of
the Reef.
As a focal point destination for the International Year of the
Reef, all of the summer activities in Bonaire will incorporate
reef-friendly practices to increase awareness and understanding
of coral reefs, and to further conserve and manage valuable coral
reef and associated ecosystems. Activities already in place by
local residents include decorating window displays in town with
a reef theme, showcasing reef-themed artwork created by children
in town throughout the year and presenting special reef workshops
for dive trade professionals.
Here's a look at some of the showcase activities taking place
during Bonaire Dive Into Summer 2008:
International Year of the Reef Week: June 21-28
Sand Dollar Condominiums will host this week focusing on Bonaire's
role as a world leader in marine conservation. The week will
feature dives and seminars with Jan and Alexandra Cousteau of
EarthEcho International; REEF fish count dives and snorkels with
Bonaire's own naturalist Jerry Ligon; interactive workshops with
Rick MacPherson from the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL); and a parade
and food festival in the center of town at Wilhelmina Park. For
more information about Sand Dollar Condominiums, visit www.sanddollarbonaire.com.
Scuba Diving Magazine Week: July 19-26 Join the
staff of Scuba Diving magazine for a week of diving adventures
with Executive Editor Keith Phillips; presentations and interactive
dives with renowned photographer Steve Simonson; equipment demonstrations
by Scuba Pro; dive trivia quizzes; and decompression happy hours.
For more information about Scuba Diving, visit www.scubadiving.com.
Pro Kids World Freestyle Windsurfing Competition: July
27-August 3 Be a spectator or participant at this exciting
annual event by attending one of ten qualifying events in advance.
Event organizers are planning a week long windsurfing event that
will be accompanied by island culture and fun. For more information
about Pro Kids World, visit www.prokidsfreestyle.com.
Love Our Planet Week: September 20-27 Captain Don's
Habitat is hosting this week for the second consecutive year,
featuring dives and seminars with Philippe Cousteau from EarthEcho
International, interactive seminars with experts from CORAL;
photo workshops with Rick Sammon from ESPN Photo Safari; above
and below water cleanups; and a festival in the center of town
at Wilhelmina Park. For more information about Captain Don's
Habitat, visit www.habitatbonaire.com.Summer Long Photo Contest:
June 1-September 30 - Compete for prizes with other Bonaire visitors
by uploading your best photos taken in Bonaire between June 1
and September 30 to www.bonairediveintosummer.com.
Bonaire Dive Into Summer 2008 is sponsored by Tourism Corporation
Bonaire, Scuba Diving magazine, Continental Airlines, Coral Reef
Alliance, EarthEcho International, STINAPA and the International
Year of the Reef. A complete schedule of activities, information
about the event and hotel packages can be found on the event's
official website at www.bonairediveintosummer.com.
Located eighty-six miles east of Aruba, the Dutch Caribbean island
of Bonaire offers year-round sunshine, low annual rainfall, pristine
coral formations and the most thriving fish population in the
Caribbean. Ideal for adventurers, explorers and sun-worshippers
alike, Bonaire offers myriad eco-adventure activities including
world renowned scuba diving and snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding,
landsailing, mountain biking, sea and mangrove kayaking, horseback
riding, nature tours, hiking, bird watching, sailing and deep
sea and bone fishing. And with a selection of accommodations
ranging from full-service oceanfront resorts and condominiums
to guesthouses and small inns, Bonaire has something for every
lifestyle and budget.
Bonaire continues to be recognized as one of the top destinations
worldwide for its sustainable tourism as reported by National
Geographic Traveler magazine (March 2004) and Islands magazine
(December 2007), and as one of the top diving destinations in
the Atlantic/Caribbean for six years in a row in the Scuba Diving
magazine's Readers' Choice Awards (2003-2008).
For more information on Bonaire contact the Tourism Corporation
Bonaire in the U.S. at 1-800-BONAIRE or visit Bonaire's official
website at www.tourismbonaire.com.
|
Air Jamaica
lost US$171 million in 2007 |
Kingston, Jamaica, April
06, 2008: AIR Jamaica
lost a staggering US$171 million last year, its largest loss
ever, according to an internal document shown to the Sunday Observer.
The loss came against revenues of US$413.3 million, an interest
subsidy of US$44.71 million and a government grant of US$25.41
million, and continued a trend for the two previous years when
the carrier bled heavily.
Government has started the process to divest the airline by March
2009.
According to summary statistics from the airline's 2007 Eurobond
offering document, Air Jamaica lost US$128.4 million and US$131.5
million in 2006 and 2005 respectively.
However, one industry analyst who preferred not to be named said
the 2005 and 2006 losses would most likely be adjusted upwards
to reflect government grants of US$27.7 million in 2006 and approximately
US$21 million in 2005.
Yesterday, the Daily Observer reported that the Government had
started the process of divesting Air Jamaica by March 2009.
Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the
Public Service, Senator Don Wehby, announced Friday that the
Government signed an advisory services agreement with the International
Finance Centre (IFC), a member of the World Bank group, on March
31.
He said that the IFC, as the lead adviser in privatising Air
Jamaica, will assume the role of financial adviser and act as
co-ordinator of all specialist consultants to ensure that stipulated
objectives are met, and that divestment processes are carried
out as efficiently as possible.
"The advisory committee will be expected to work closely
with the IFC to ensure that the project proceeds in accordance
with the stipulated timeline and guidelines," Wehby said.
At least four major airlines have expressed an interest in acquiring
a majority stake in Air Jamaica. One bidder has offered to fund
the rehabilitation and restructuring of the Palisadoes road which,
in recent months, has experienced flooding in some sections from
high tide and storm surges.
The current Government has said it intends to sell the majority
share in the carrier which has been losing money and which the
previous administration reacquired from the Gordon 'Butch' Stewart-led
Air Jamaica Acquisition Group (AJAG) in December 2004.
The AJAG had run the airline for 10 years, during which time
the carrier lost US$699 million. The group said those losses
were due to a number of reasons, among them:
. The downgrading by the United States of America's civil aviation
management system shortly after Air Jamaica's privatisation.
This undermined the capacity of the airline to fly new routes.
Independent auditors had estimated that this cost Air Jamaica
US$150 million.
. By the third quarter of 2001, Air Jamaica was breaking even
on its operations. But then came the 9/11 terror attacks that
threw the world's airline industry into turmoil.
. America's War on Terror, violence in Jamaica, rising petrol
prices and hurricanes in 2004.
. Cost reduction initiatives, including the cutting of routes,
begun under the AJAG management.
A Ministry Paper (Number 58) dated June 28, 2005, under the signature
of then Finance Minister Dr Omar Davies, had noted that at the
date of privatisation in 1994, Air Jamaica had an accumulated
deficit of US$131.8 million.
Added the Ministry Paper, "Between 1994 and 2004, the fleet
of aircraft grew from nine to 20 and was upgraded as the airline
expanded service to new destinations. Currently, Air Jamaica
provides more non-stop flights from its North American gateways
to the Caribbean than any other carrier serving the region, thereby
highlighting its importance to the economy, and in particular,
the tourism industry."
The paper also noted that the major constraint affecting the
overall financial performance of the airline was its inability
to align its cost structure with revenues. "Fuel, maintenance,
and leases for aircraft account for approximately 40 per cent
of the airline's operating costs," said the Ministry Paper.
"These are fairly fixed, with limited possibilities for
sustained reduction. In addition, the company's financial performance
has been challenged by high fixed costs (a feature of the airline
industry), and low margins."
|
CA expands to
Fort Lauderdale |
Port of Spain, T&T,
April 5 2008: CARIBBEAN
AIRLINES (CA) yesterday announced that it is expanding its service
to Florida with the addition of four weekly flights to Fort Lauderdale.
The new route will be launched on May 22, offering additional
service to South Florida.
CA is the only carrier servicing both Miami and Fort Lauderdale
International Airport from Trinidad.
"The new network expansion will allow CA to better cover
South Florida and offers more options and flexibility to customers.
In addition to the new four weekly flights to Fort Lauderdale,
the airline continues to offer daily service to Miami's newest
facility, Terminal J," it said. CA recently announced that
it will start operating three daily flights to New York City
on July 1 and will offer nine flights per week to Toronto, Canada
from April 15.
COURTING THE
DIASPORA
By Bevan Springer |
NEW YORK (April 5, 2008):
The dictionary defines
"Diaspora" as any group that has been dispersed outside
its traditional homeland.
In the Caribbean's case, this dispersion of nationals represents
a rich source of intellectual and financial capital. The Caribbean
Diaspora, scattered across the Caribbean, North America, the
United Kingdom, Europe, and remote destinations in Asia and the
Pacific, represents a passionate, upwardly mobile and influential
market that if strategically tapped will aid immeasurably our
home region's development.
While preparing a news release for next month's Caribbean Media
Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx) meeting in San Juan, Puerto
Rico, which will explore the theme "Embracing the Diaspora,
Connecting Communities," I reported that the Hispanic-American
market, which is part of the Caribbean Diaspora, now spends so
much that it is estimated that their buying power will reach
US$1.2 trillion by 2011. Marketers are chomping at the bit to
race aggressively into a market which in just three years' time,
will represent one out of every six residents in the United States.
Speaking at an American Foundation for the University of the
West Indies event in New York this year, Denis O'Brien, Chairman
of the Digicel telecommunications giant, encouraged members of
the Caribbean Diaspora to invest in business in the region.
"There are massive opportunities today in Haiti and Guyana
and countries that may have not had much investment over the
last 10 years. We will be encouraging people in Europe, Ireland
and here in the US to really have a look at the Caribbean. The
Caribbean is on fire economically at the moment - there is so
much development going on and it's going to be a great base for
the future."
The Caribbean Diaspora, often referred as the VFR or Visiting
Friends and Relatives market, remains a largely untapped market
from an investment perspective.
Re-directing the resources of Caribbean nationals into Caribbean
investment will help propel the Caribbean's economy forward.
Inaction limits the Caribbean to a modest rather than exponential
growth rate in the future.
The Diaspora is intellectually rich and financially strong and
has been only partially exploited by Caribbean marketers and
national and regional government agencies.
Latin American and Caribbean migrants send billions in remittances
to their homelands each year, transferring some US$66.5 billion
back home in 2007, about seven percent more than in the previous
year, according to estimates by the Inter-American Development
Bank's Multilateral Investment Fund. About 75 percent of those
flows come from the United States.
The Dominican Republic topped the Caribbean, receiving US$3.1
billion, followed by Jamaica at $1.9 billion. Haiti took the
third spot with $1.8 billion in remittances received from migrants.
As the Caribbean places more and more emphasis on tourism to
meet its economic needs and boost foreign exchange reserves,
our destinations should be careful not to overlook niche markets.
In New York City, the easily harvested "low-lying fruit"
includes Caribbean-Americans and African-Americans who have not
been consistently courted except for some destinations like Antigua
& Barbuda, Bermuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis,
St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago that are increasingly recognizing
the huge revenue potential of these loyal markets.
Caribbean-Americans have high disposable incomes, own their own
homes and arguably spend more money "on island" than
the "mainstream" American visitor who may typically
spend only three to four nights in a particular destination.
Nowadays, the Caribbean-American traveler is opting not to stay
with Mum and Dad or Granny and Auntie, but rather not only in
the large but increasingly the intimate, small hotels of the
Caribbean which offer that "down home" Caribbean flavor
in a relaxing, family environment.
Caribbean people are not just interested in going to their home
town, village or island, they want to experience the rich variety
of their home region. As they savor that nostalgic taste they
leave behind thousands of dollars in precious hard currency not
just in hotels and resorts, but in villages and communities,
and at festivals and sporting events.
As for the African-American, there is really little difference
since so many African-Americans can trace their roots to the
Caribbean. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, singer Harry
Belafonte, journalist Andria Hall, marketing czar Michael Deflorimonte
and actress Cicely Tyson are only a small sampling of those who
call the Caribbean home.
And even for those without a direct ancestral link, our common
history and culture make the Caribbean region truly a home away
from home for our American brothers and sisters.
It is disappointing that some top tourism operatives are still
not aware of the obvious size and influence of the Caribbean
Diaspora.
We sometimes hear the ridiculous rhetoric that Caribbean people
don't stay in hotels and are not a viable market worth tapping.
Assuming one falls prey to such thinking, aren't Caribbean-Americans
at least worth courting so that they will use their efforts to
promote our region to the cherished mainstream American traveler?
If equipped with the tools and information, couldn't Caribbean-Americans
encourage their firms on Wall Street to hold their next convention
in Curaçao? Or could the Caribbean-American sway their
Brooklyn church leadership to hold a retreat in spirit-filled
St. Lucia?
I exhort our leaders to think out of the box and not to view
each other as competitors but realize that the world is truly
our real competitor.
With some new leaders in charge of Caribbean tourism following
recent elections - from Barbados to Jamaica - Caribbean people
should start taking the lead in charting our own future for the
sake of our children and our children's children. As Bob Marley
once advocated, we should strike off our fetters of old thinking
and embrace the emancipation of the mind from mental slavery.
Editor's Note: Bevan Springer, the Director of Counterpart
International's Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism
(CMEx), is a journalist and communications advisor.
|
Three new airlines
to fly Guyana route |
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA),
April 4, 2008: Minister
of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad, Thursday
announced that three major air carriers Delta Airlines from the
United States of America, Zoom Airlines from the United Kingdom
and Skyservice Airlines from Canada will be entering the Guyanese
market this year.
Delta Airlines will officially fly to Guyana on June 1, operating
a Boeing 757 aircraft that can accommodate 183 passengers. Officials
from the airline said that there will be three scheduled flights
weekly, and if necessary this can be increased to match the demand.
"We are happy that Delta has confirmed that they are starting
on June 1. They originally had a date set for May, however, but
they have confirmed that they will definitely start June 1,"
Minister Prashad said.
The Minister disclosed that officials from the airline are in
Guyana and are holding meetings with officials of the Cheddi
Jagan International Airport, Roraima Airways (their handler)
and the various agencies that they will be operating through.
According to Prashad, Zoom Airlines which operates a charter
service out of London has commenced negotiations to start flights
in November 2008.
"Zoom Airlines is a reputable company, it is the first time
in Guyana that you will have a direct flight from Gatwick, London
to Cheddi Jagan International Airport," Minister Prashad
said.
Zoom Airlines is providing services from JFK International and
Fort Lauderdale in the United States and Toronto, Canada to Guyana
through Constellation Tours in Trinidad. However, other stakeholders
are involved in the Zoom Airlines that will be operating out
of London.
Additionally, Skyservices Airlines from Toronto is planning a
direct flight into Georgetown. It will be providing air services
for the summer period commencing July 1 to September 2, 2008.
Skyservices will also be operating a Boeing 757 aircraft with
one flight per week.
Attention was also placed on TravelSpan Airlines, and Minister
Prashad has confirmed that TravelSpan is not pulling out of Guyana
as it will be providing charter services from June.
The Minister said that a meeting was held with the airline's
CEO, Nohar Singh, and members from the management team yesterday,
and they confirmed that the airline will run the charter services
from June until December 2008. A North American aircraft will
be chartered to provide the service.
Prashad also said that a meeting was held last month with representatives
of American Airlines as they have expressed interest in the Guyana
market. They have promised to meet with the Minister in two weeks'
time to explore the option of operating in the Guyana market.
|
Dominican Republic
Minister of Tourism Presents Tourism, Economic and Infrastructure
Developments at 2008 Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE) |
BAVARO, PUNTA CANA, April
2, 2008: Minister of
Tourism Felix Jimenez recently announced the Dominican Republic
(DR) government's plan to invest approximately U.S. $1 billion
in tourism infrastructure developments by 2012. Discussed during
the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE), the country's annual
gathering of leading tourism buyers and suppliers, the DR's significant
investment demonstrates their commitment to enhancing their growing
infrastructure as the destination continues to welcome international
visitors and enhance its world-class destination status.
Jimenez noted that the DR is one of the leading Caribbean travel
destinations. In fact, 25 percent of all travelers to the Caribbean
picked the DR as their vacation spot of choice in 2007. "Last
year, tourists from North America exceeded tourists from Europe,"
said Jimenez. Forty-eight percent of visitors to the DR originated
from North America with 34 percent from the U.S. and 14 percent
from Canada. Thirty-nine percent came from Europe and the remaining
13 percent from Latin America.
Jimenez also highlighted new developments to the North and East
Coasts, as well as the South Central region. The East Coast has
attracted four prestigious U.S. hotel developments, including
Aman, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton and Westin luxury brand hotels.
According to Jimenez, there are a wealth of international investment
opportunities developing as celebrated hotel chains purchase
property and high-level real estate projects develop. "Ten
years ago, only Casa De Campo existed in the high-level real
estate development market. Now, we boast prominent projects such
as Cap Cana, the Punta Cana Resort and Club, and Roco Ki."
Along the North Coast is Cabarete, an emerging destination that
boasts a recently regenerated beach named one of the world's
best spots for the sport of kiteboarding as it features the perfect
combination of wind and waves. This year Jimenez announced that
additional developments to this vibrant surf town will be added,
including a boutique hotel and bar/restaurant.
In the South Central region, a new convention center is being
planned for Santo Domingo, which will be the first for that area
of the DR. Moreover, the new Sans Souci Port will be formally
inaugurated in the next few months and is now known as the DR's
"mother port" for prestigious cruise lines. Additionally,
cruise ship tourism to the DR continues to increase. Vice Minister
of Tourism Magaly Toribio stated, "due to the DR's growing
cruise ship industry, the country has seen a vast improvement
in the number of cruise ship passengers, rivaling Puerto Rico.
In fact, last year cruise ship visitation to the DR represented
34 percent of overall tourism and 500,000 cruise ship tourists
are forecasted to visit the DR this year; a 60 percent increase
over 2007."
Jimenez also provided updates on the DR's growing investment
in development to transportation infrastructure, including improvements
to the highway from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo. This should
shorten drive time between the areas from three and a half hours
to just two. In the near future, visitors to Bavaro will easily
reach Samana upon completion of the Bavaro tourism corridor.
Located between Macao and Sabana de La Mar, it will feature a
port to provide a one-hour ferry crossing between the East and
North Coasts (completion date and details to be announced). Once
this new ferry is operating, golf enthusiasts will be able to
enjoy the sport on the East Coast, the golf mecca of the country,
as well as the North East Coast, which will soon feature a course
of its own.
Rich in history, the Dominican Republic's first tourist was Christopher
Columbus in 1492. Since then, it has developed into a diverse
and luxurious destination offering both Dominican and European
flavors to more than one million U.S. visitors each year. At
10,000 feet, the Dominican Republic is home to the highest point
in the Caribbean. It also features some of the best golf courses
and beaches in the world, the largest marina in the Caribbean
and is a chosen escape for celebrities, couples and families.
For additional information visit www.godominicanrepublic.com
or call 1-888-374-6361.EAGLE BEACH, Aruba, April
1, 2008: Cropping up
overnight, large mega-resorts have become the growing trend and
Bucuti Beach Resort featuring Tara Beach Suites & Spa is
the David amongst these Goliaths. Against the odds, Bucuti owners
Ewald and Susan Biemans chose to stay small, maintain a peaceful,
unique atmosphere and in return have celebrated more than 20
years of success, proving that bigger is not necessarily better.
"When constructing the Tara Wing we had the opportunity
to build 150 suites, but chose to limit the project to 41 suites,
in order to maintain Bucuti's intimate and serene atmosphere,"
said Owner and CEO, Ewald Biemans. "We believed the addition
of a smaller wing would still allow us to deliver the personal
service and retain the peaceful and natural environment we have
become renowned for, while improving the economy of scale for
the business."
The Tara Beach Suites were designed to the specification of the
guests who shared their wishes and dreams with the Biemans' over
the years. Bucuti's owners have always known they were not in
the business of selling hotel rooms, but in the business of making
dreams come true. Customers' needs are the focal point of their
resort, allowing this European-style property to maintain an
impressive 90-plus percent occupancy since opening day.
Ewald and Susan's commitment to preserving Aruba's environment
and sensitive eco-system is another key attribute to maintaining
a smaller size. Eagle Beach's white sandy shore is not only a
home to Bucuti, but to the island's endangered sea turtles and
indigenous foliage as well. The resort's intimate size prevents
overcrowding on Bucuti's beach, which is instrumental in protecting
the fragile turtle population, especially during the nesting
season. A hands-on approach to management allows the Biemans
to personally inform guests of the location of these nests, something
that may not be available at larger resorts, whose crowded and
over-populated beaches prove detrimental to the delicate eggs.
A world champion bartender, Ewald Biemans began his career in
the hospitality industry as a bar manager in the Intercontinental
in Venezuela, where he managed the food and beverage departments.
During a vacation visit to the Caribbean, he fell in love with
Aruba, and decided to accept the challenge of launching a nightclub
on the island. The overwhelming success of this club led to his
creation and management of several other businesses, including
a popular restaurant, two resort hotels, and Aruba's airline
catering company. After a hiatus to earn an International Business
degree from Florida State University, Ewald returned to Aruba
with the opportunity to take over and own a hotel, ultimately
leading him to Bucuti Beach Resort. The property's success is
partly attributed to Ewald's hands-on approach he makes
himself accessible every day to enjoy one-on-one chats with guests.
He also utilizes focus groups to allow his department heads and
associates to fully understand what their contribution means
to guest satisfaction and repeat business.
Bucuti Beach Resort featuring Tara Beach Suites & Spa is
Aruba's premier, intimate, upscale boutique resort. Located on
the white powder sands of Eagle Beach, Bucuti offers 104 guest
rooms and an abundance of contemporary European charm in addition
to a caring and attentive staff, innovative technology including
advance check-in, high-speed Wi-Fi access throughout the resort
and loaner laptops, and a commitment to sustainable tourism.
Bucuti Beach Resort is Green Globe 21 and ISO 14001 certified
and has been recognized by notable organizations such as the
Caribbean Hotel Association, American Express and the International
Hotel and Restaurant Association for its environmentally responsible
hotel operations. For more information, visit www.bucuti.com.
|
Crystal is new
world wonder - Prestigious travel magazine names Lee Chin's gallery
among the best published: |
Toronto, Canada, March
30, 2008: The influential
travel magazine, Condé Nast , has named the Michael
Lee Chin Crystal at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) as one of
the 'new seven wonders of the world' in its April issue.
In a full-colour double-page spread in the magazine, the Crystal,
along with six other artificial 'wonders', was prominently featured.
The six other artificial 'wonders' include the 160-storey Burj
Dubai complex in the United Arab Emirates, now the world's tallest
structure, The New Museum of Contemporary Art in Manhattan, Cumulus
Hall in Nordborg, Denmark, London's new Wembley Stadium, The
Smithsonian's Kogod Courtyard in Washington, DC and the Red Ribbon
bench in Qinhuangdao, China.
The Crystal, created by New York-based architect Daniel Libeskind,
opened in June 2007 and has since generated much discussion and
strong opinions. The Condé Nast article acknowledges that
the Crystal and its jagged thrusts of steel, glass and aluminum
have "received mixed reviews from the locals."
Shocking in a right way
William Thorsell, the Royal Ontario Museum chief executive,
quoted in the Toronto Sun , described the Crystal as shocking
in a right way and as a real piece of art. He added, "The
unconventional Crystal adds an artistic vitality to both the
museum and the city."
Jamaican businessman and philanthropist, Michael Lee Chin's lead
donation of C$34 million facilitated the dramatic new wing of
the museum that showcases seven collection galleries on four
floors, two special exhibition spaces, new retail and dining
facilities and the museum's new main entrance. Remarking on the
Condé Nast article, Michael Lee Chin expressed
his pleasure at being able to contribute to this important project,
which included the renovation of the ROM's historic 1914 and
1933 buildings, making this Canada's largest heritage restoration
project to date.
"I am delighted that the Crystal is part of an outstanding
international selection of the 'new seven wonders of the world'.
This is a tribute to the imagination of architect Daniel Libeskind.
I am happy that I could play a small role in this magnificent
project, spearheaded by William Thorsell."
Condé Nast Traveler , regarded as a highly influential
magazine, has a paid monthly circulation of 800,000 and specialises
in luxury travel.
WINDS OF CHANGE
CONFRONT CARIBBEAN TOURISM
By Bevan Springer |
NEW YORK (March 29, 2008): Reverend A.R. Bernard, founder and CEO
of the Brooklyn-based Christian Cultural Center, the church home
for thousands of Caribbean-Americans in the tri-state area, teaches
that "Change is the only constant in life; And when change
is necessary, not to change is destructive."
It is fitting to share this principle as the Caribbean's travel
and tourism industry undergoes a transformation as "old
things are passed away and all things are become new."
Senator Allen Chastanet, St. Lucia's Minister of Tourism and
Civil Aviation who currently serves as the chairman of the Caribbean
Tourism Organisation (CTO), told an industry audience recently
that "as we prepare for the future, we need a change in
perspective and attitude. We need to fight complacency, to define
success, not by relying on traditional indicators such as visitor
arrivals, but by measuring our performance against our potential.
Too often in this region, we settle for mediocrity without fully
understanding that the good is the enemy of the best. Real success
is when we rise to our true potential."
Today, the Caribbean's tourism industry, faced by serious competition
from regions such as Latin America, Asia and the Pacific, and
closer to home in the "Sunshine State" of Florida,
has not risen to its true potential, registering - in spite of
the region's competitive advantage - a mere two and a half percent
growth last year compared to worldwide increases of seven percent.
While our lifeblood industry has had its challenges, the foremost
of those being the US passport requirement for American visitors
when returning home, several destinations such as Anguilla, Bahamas
Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Turks &
Caicos have re-positioned their destinations as attractive locales
for business, vacation and investment while ably guided by some
astute and visionary leaders.
Others like Jamaica, St. Lucia and the United States Virgin Islands
are being led by a refreshing new generation of public servants
who are transferring their experience and expertise from the
private sector to help meet the socio-economic needs of local
communities.
But overall the Caribbean is losing its market share, a setback
that requires an urgent comeback.
Former sacred cows such as beloved regional carrier LIAT and
regional organisations like the Caribbean Tourism Organisation
and its private sector cousin the Caribbean Hotel Association
(CHA), are no longer exempt from criticism and their current
leaders deserve appreciation for taking a close look at their
relevance in today's rapidly changing world where customers and
constituents are demanding more.
The CTO has already begun to restructure by requiring Ministers
of Tourism to meet separately and apart from directors, thereby
distinguishing the crafting of regional policy from its implementation.
Once policies have been set, directors and commissioners can
then use their creative imagination and skills to develop plans
and programmes that help to aggressively position the Caribbean's
brand, without too much interference from the politicians.
CHA too is seriously looking at restructuring itself. Having
downsized its San Juan, Puerto Rico operations to have its affairs
centrally managed from the Miami office, CHA wants to change
its name, to go beyond hotel members and fully embrace the wider
constituency of Caribbean tourism stakeholders, such as attractions,
banks, farmers, lawyers, doctors who each provide services and
benefit from tourism.
A wise man once said you cannot heal a thing by saying it is
not there. It is no surprise therefore that today's young tourism
turks are peeling off the scales, identifying our inefficiencies
and making changes that our embattled leaders have been reluctant
to make in the past.
Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, CTO's Secretary General, notes "The
level of innovation that is required confronts us with a very
steep hill to climb. In order to do so, we have to go through
the "creative destruction" process that the economist
Joseph Schumpeter pointed out long ago was most necessary for
significant leaps in progress.
"We in the Caribbean have long wanted to 'eat our cake and
have it too'. We want to make the changes necessary for progress
but we also want to preserve all of the current practices and
processes at the same time. True progress does not permit that
outcome. True progress always requires that there be "winners"
and "losers" and that the benefits delivered by the
"winners" far outweigh the total losses of the "losers".
We cannot abide the idea that there must be some losers in the
wake of progress."
More changes are on the horizon, but we must be mindful that
the more things change, the more they don't stay the same.
Whether it is anticipating the needs of customers, providing
value-added services, implementing serious measures to combat
crime and changing our approach to marketing, there is unquestionably
the need for serious action in the Caribbean.
But, alas, we must be committed to our confessions.
Editor's Note: Bevan Springer, the Director of Counterpart
International's Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism
(CMEx), is a journalist and communications advisor.
|
Call for one
regional air space as intra-regional travel declines |
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,
March 28, 2008: The merger
of regional carriers LIAT and Caribbean Star doesn't seem to
have brought all good news for intra-regional travel.
St. Lucia's Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Senator Allen
Chastanet has revealed that since the move visits across the
Caribbean has declined by as much as 30 per cent.
Pointing out that travel between various regional destinations
has taken big dips, he recommended that creating a single air
space with a central civil aviation authority could rectify the
problem, making it easier for business and leisure travel.
"Trying to establish our own civil aviation authorities
is to me ludicrous. We are all using different programmes to
try to do the same thing, and none of the programmes are talking
to each other, so there is no efficiency," he said as he
addressed tourism officials and business executives at a Barbados
Chamber of Commerce and Industry seminar on the topic 'Regional
Air Travel - A Deterrent to Business - How Can We Fix It'.
"Right now we are causing a monopoly to take place because
we are making it so prohibitive to do business down here and
we are hindering ourselves," he added.
"We must start looking at this area as one space...We must
move to one CARICOM card, one immigration card and start harmonising
our systems so that we can do business better with the world,
and that's when we will start seeing efficiencies."
The St. Lucian minister also suggested that regional governments
should review their airport taxes to help reduce the cost of
travel.
Bucuti Beach
Resort named to National Geographic Traveler's first annual 'Stay
List'
Aruba resort recognized for exceptional sense of place and authenticity |
Georgetown, Guyana, March
28, 2008: In what appears
to be a healthy trend for the local tourism industry, international
birdwatchers continue to flock to Guyana. The third birdwatching
tour in as many months recently took place when U.K. tour operator,
Ornitholidays, brought their first and completely sold-out
birdwatching group to Guyana from March 1-14.
Ornitholidays principal guide, Mike Witherick, led the group
of eight birdwatchers from England and Ireland to some of the
same birdwatching locations that he visited on his original trip
to Guyana.
In February 2007, Witherick visited Guyana as part of a familiarization
trip that was sponsored by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA)
and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
/ Guyana Trade and Investment Support (GTIS) project Birding
Tourism Program.
The trip included birdwatching stops at Georgetown Botanical
Gardens, Mahaica River, Shanklands Rainforest Resort, Kaieteur
Falls, Karanambu Ranch, Iwokrama Field Station and Canopy Walkway,
Rock View Lodge and Wowetta Village. For the entire trip, head
local guide and President of the Guyana Amazon Tropical Birds
Society (GATBS) Andy Narine, assisted Mr.Witherick in guiding
duties.
Witherick, who has led more than 135 tours to all seven continents,
said that outside of the unseasonably wet weather, the trip went
well. Standout bird species that the group spotted included the
Hoatzin, Crimson Topaz, Capuchinbird, the much sought-after Harpy
Eagle, and several species of toucans, parrots, hummingbirds
and raptors.
And while Witherick said the group did not see the desirable
jaguar, all were pleased with the number of monkeys they spotted.
When asked to compare Guyana's birdwatching experience to other
countries in the region, Witherick said, "My experience
[in the region] is limited to Costa Rica, Jamaica, Cuba and Trinidad
and Tobago. [Guyana] is the equal of any of these." On the
local guides that provided assistance throughout, Witherick said
that, "Andy proved to be first class," and the others
that joined them at each destination, "were friendly and
well informed about the birds in their areas."
Ornitholidays did not originally consider selling a birdwatching
trip to Guyana until Mr. Witherick met Judy Karwacki the
tourism specialist working on Guyana's Birding Tourism Program
at the 2006 British Birdwatching Fair. She convinced him
that Guyana was a little-known birding paradise that his company
should consider selling and invited him to come experience it
himself.
After coming on the familiarization trip, Witherick said he saw
Guyana's, "birding and general wildlife potential,"
and began organizing a trip for Ornitholidays. The company's
first Guyana trip sold out in less than a week and their trip
planned for 2009 is already completely booked. Ornitholidays
has also already scheduled a birdwatching trip to Guyana for
2010.
The Birding Tourism Program is receiving support from GTIS, a
joint project of the Government of Guyana and the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID).
(For more information, please visit www.guyanabirding.com)
Bucuti Beach
Resort named to National Geographic Traveler's first annual 'Stay
List'
Aruba resort recognized for exceptional sense of place and authenticity |
EAGLE BEACH, Aruba, March
28, 2008: Ready, setstay!
National Geographic Traveler recently recognized Bucuti Beach
Resort for its exceptional sense of place on the magazine's first
annual "Stay List." The compilation represents 150
properties that embody the true Traveler experience, going beyond
just the hotel lobby. The list acknowledges resorts that incorporate
and share the soul of their location, respect and conserve local
resources and play a vital role in the community.
"Since day one, my wife Susan and I have been committed
to preserving Aruba's rich culture and environment and educating
our guests on what makes the island unique," said Owner
and CEO, Ewald Biemans. "Promoting conservation among our
staff and guests is a major part of the Bucuti experience. Whether
it's participating on one of our resort-sponsored beach clean-ups,
interacting with volunteers from Turtugaruba, the island's sea
turtle protection program, or enjoying native cuisine, folklore
and music at our restaurant, the Pirates' Nest, our guests can
count on a truly hands-on, authentic Aruban experience."
The resort's guest rooms feature Aruba Aloe toiletries and balconies
with a view of the beautiful white sandy shores of Eagle Beach.
Bucuti's grounds are landscaped with flora indigenous to the
island, which has been labeled by Biemans for guest education.
Adding to the Aruban experience, a wide array of arts and crafts
made from local artisans is available at the on-site gift shop.
In addition to his dedication to maintaining the island's cultural
identity, Biemans is also a leader in instituting environmentally
sound operating practices and has been described as single handedly
mobilizing an entire island to prioritize environmental preservation
in their daily lives. Bucuti was the first Caribbean resort to
become ISO 14001 certified and is now celebrating its fourth
consecutive year of certification and its sixth consecutive year
of Green Globe 21 certification.
Throughout the resort, energy and resources are conserved through
the use of light and air conditioning sensors, environmentally
friendly products and bulk dispensers for products including
soap, shampoo and lotion. Solar heated water is used in designated
areas of the resort and ozone machines, rather than chemical
aerosols, keep guest rooms smelling fresh. A resort-wide recycling
program helps drastically eliminate the amount of waste from
glass, aluminum, paper, cardboard cartons and other materials,
such as cooking oils and batteries.
Mr. Biemans' passion for preservation and extensive community
involvement includes government lobbying, creation of an Environmental
Committee within the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Authority, taking
part in community educational programs and employing as many
locals as possible.
Bucuti Beach Resort featuring Tara Beach Suites & Spa is
Aruba's premier, intimate, upscale boutique resort. Located on
the white powder sands of Eagle Beach, Bucuti offers 104 guest
rooms and an abundance of contemporary European charm. A caring
and attentive staff, a commitment to environmental responsibility
and innovative technology, including advance check-in, high-speed
WiFi access throughout the resort and loaner laptops, are just
a few of the features that have persuaded nearly half of Bucuti's
guests to return year after year. For more information, visit
www.bucuti.com.
|
Dominican Republic
Briefs |
Dominican Republic,
March 28, 2008:
Three DR Beaches Awarded Prestigious Blue Flag Certification
The DR received Blue Flag certifications for three beaches, including
two stretches of beach on the North Coast in Costa Dorada, Coson
Beach on the northern side of Samana, and the eastern coast of
Bayahibe. The certification is awarded only to beaches that adhere
to strict quality standards. For more information, visit www.blueflag.ca.
New Eco-Routes in Bayahibe
The Romana-Bayahibe Hotel Association and the Ministry of Environment
have opened their new Padre Nuestro hike. The hike will bring
visitors to caves adorned in pictographs in the National Park
of the East. An additional shorter route winds through the town
of Bayahibe, highlighting its vibrant culture. Another route
takes hikers to an early 20th century church and an Indian burial
site. For more information, visit www.explorelaromana.com.
DR Set to Host Latin American Table Tennis Championships
Representatives from 20 countries will compete in the Latin American
Table Tennis Championships in Santo Domingo from March 30 through
April 6. The top singles players will advance to 2008 Summer
Olympic Games in Beijing. For more information, visit www.ittf.com/world.
JetBlue Offers Direct Flights to the DR from Orlando
As of March 6, JetBlue is offering daily non-stop flights from
Orlando, Florida to Santo Domingo in the DR's South Central region.
For more information, visit www.jetblue.com.
PGA to Make First-Ever Stop in DR During 2008 Tour
The Jack Nicklaus signature golf course at Punta Espada Golf
Club in Cap Cana has been chosen as a stop for the 2008 PGA Tour's
Champions Tour, marking the first time in history the PGA has
included the DR in the tour. Scheduled for March 31 to April
6, 2008, the tournament will garner international coverage as
golfers play Punta Espada which was named by Golf Digest as one
of the top 100 courses outside of the U.S. Visit www.pgatour.com
for a complete 2008 Champions Tour schedule.
National Geographic Creates Adventure Map for DR Travelers
The Global Foundation for Democracy and Development with the
Dominican Military Institute of Cartography and the National
Geographic Society has created the first-ever DR adventure map
for visitors. The detailed visitor's map promotes the diversification
of the local tourist offering while creating a cartographic base
for the country. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.
|
US$120m tourism
agreement signed |
ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada,
March 27, 2008: The Keith
Mitchell government on Tuesday signed a US$120 million agreement
with a company predominantly owned by Irish nationals for the
development of a marina, resort and villas on the island's south
coast.
A statement from Mitchell's office said that the agreement with
Century Developments Limited signified "government's continued
effort and commitment in encouraging and facilitating private
sector investment in its pursuit of economic development".
The company will establish a marina village with commercial and
residential mix to include a 65-room boutique hotel, 31 luxury
villas, 40 two-bedroom suites, condominiums and apartments, a
waterfront restaurant, sporting centre, beach club and 100 boat
decks.
Mitchell's office said the project was supported through the
grant of investment incentives provided to approved tourism developments.
When completed, the project would create jobs for about 300 people
and contribute to increasing the country's room stock through
its utilisation as a tourism resort.
"It is government's intention to continue encouraging these
types of developments due to the positive economic impact to
be realised," the statement said. (CMC)
|
Haiti's consul
general in Miami, Ralph Latortue. |
CaribWorldNews, MIAMI,
FL, Weds. Mar. 26, 2008:
Haiti's consul general in Miami, Ralph Latortue, is slamming
American Airlines for its ` ongoing pattern of disrespect` of
Haitian passengers.
Latortue`s comments were reportedly expressed in a three-page
letter to the carrier, according to the Miami Herald newspaper.
The consul general`s complaint comes following allegations that
a passenger who works for Haiti's president, Rene Preval, was
mistreated on an American Airlines flight from Port-au-Prince
to Miami.
According to the Herald report, the alleged incident occurred
last Friday on American Flight 816 and involved Elisabeth Delatour,
an adviser to Preval. She was reportedly traveling in business
class with two minors, her son and her nephew, and had purchased
an upgrade for the nephew, Sebastien Delatour.
According to the letter, an American flight attendant `rudely
insisted, while yelling` that the nephew sit in economy class,
so that an off-duty flight attendant identified as Leon Harris
could sit in the business-class seat.
`There is no logical explanation why an employee of American
Airlines should verbally aggress a passenger and literally push
a child out of his seat,in order to replace him by an off-duty
employee,` the consul general was quoted as stating in the letter.
American Airlines spokeswoman, Martha Pantin, said the incident
was an unfortunate misunderstanding and that the airline is `very
committed to the Haitian market` and `has a long-standing commitment
with the Haitian community both in the U.S. and in Haiti,` serving
Haiti for 37 years. She added that the matter is under investigation.
The complaint comes less than a month after the death of Carine
Desir, 44, of Brooklyn, on board an AA flight from Haiti to New
York.
Relatives claimed Desir died after failing to receive adequate
care on the carrier but the airline`s official denied the claim.
That case is also under investigation. CaribWorldNews.com
TAKING TOURISM
TO THE AMERICAN CAPITAL
By Bevan Springer |
NEW YORK (March 22, 2008): This June's Annual Caribbean Tourism
Summit (ACTS) in Washington DC from June 21 to 24 is not only
the first such meeting, it also represents the new spirit of
collaboration between the Caribbean's public and private sectors.
To convene the meeting, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO),
representing regional governments, and the Caribbean Hotel Association
(CHA), the umbrella body for the private sector, are combining
resources in their new marketing and business development entity,
the Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC) whose mission
is to own, promote, protect, advance and enhance the Caribbean
brand, while making a profit.
In previous years, each June, the CTO had organized Caribbean
Week in New York activities, billed as a celebration of the sights,
sounds, colours, cultural and unique vacation attributes of the
Caribbean; while the CHA had hosted the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism
Conference, formerly known as CHIC, and held in recent years
at the Hyatt Regency in Miami.
These separate activities will not happen this year as energies
are concentrated on combining conferences and transferring the
travel and tourism debate from the shores of the region to the
beltway of the American capital. Following the Summit, key policy
makers head to Antigua & Barbuda for another landmark day-long
meeting focusing on Tourism during the 29th Meeting of CARICOM
Heads of Government set for July 3 to 5.
Organizers say this Washington Summit is an opportunity for influential
policy makers, financial leaders, marketing professionals, and
tourism industry officials from more than 30 Caribbean countries
to interact with each other as well as with US Government officials
and leaders of tourism and investment communities. In fact, plans
are afoot to invite US Presidential candidates Senator John McCain
(R) and either of the Democratic Senators Barack Obama or Hillary
Clinton depending on who emerges from the primary battle by June.
As delegates look to the economic future of the Caribbean region,
former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is confirmed to
address the conference on Monday, June 23. While some commentators
argue that the authority on American domestic economic and monetary
policy might not be a relevant candidate to speak about Caribbean
tourism, others believe Dr. Greenspan's presence will help to
sensitise Caribbean policy makers about the important economic
impact of the services sector.
Organizers want the "learning conference" to help educate
Caribbean stakeholders in general about the critical importance
of tourism. Ministers of Finance and Governors of Central Banks,
who oversee foreign exchange but have not played a central role
in shaping tourism policy, have been invited to be part of the
inner circle of players in taking a serious look at the challenges
facing the region.
The conference also offers an opportunity for the Caribbean to
present compelling arguments to the Bretton Woods institutions
and multilateral agencies about the debilitating impact trade
liberalization has had on agricultural industries like sugar
and bananas, and the need for a hand-up to boost the services
sector in which small vulnerable economies have a competitive
advantage.
The new requirement which stipulates that Americans use a passport
when traveling by air from the Caribbean is also expected to
dominate the conference, given its current and potential negative
impact on Caribbean air arrivals just when the region must aggressively
compete with other destinations (which have long required passports
for entry into their ports) for today's paltry percentage of
Americans who will travel internationally.
The other keynote speaker is Bahamian Dr. Myles Munroe, Founder
and Senior Pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International,
who will no doubt set an energetic and inspirational tone.
Dr. Munroe, scheduled to lead an inspirational brunch on Sunday,
June 22, was chosen to speak based on his ability to energize
a diverse audience as he did at a recent Caribbean Tourism Conference
in his native Bahamas. With a reputation for "Transforming
Followers into Leaders," Dr. Munroe will inspire investors,
politicians, tourism industry executives, the Caribbean Diaspora
and Friends of the Caribbean to meaningfully contribute to the
growth and prosperity of the Caribbean region.
"ACTS will be held a time when all investors, political
and tourism decision-makers, as well as the powerful Caribbean-American
community will be called upon to help the Caribbean get on the
path to realizing its full economic potential," said St.
Lucia's Minister of Tourism Senator Allen Chastanet, co-chairman
of the CTDC, and chairman of the CTO. "And we're very excited
to have one of our region's most celebrated motivational and
spiritual speakers add his influence to this important effort."
Also planned for the Summit will be the holding of CTO and CHA's
Board of Directors meetings; a meeting of the new CTO Council
of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism; a &qu |
