Paradise Island, Bahamas – There has to be a strong consensus of Caribbean leaders and the public so travel and tourism will receive the full support it needs as the Caribbean’s most vital export industry, said Josef Forstmayr of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.
“It is the fastest way to create jobs, grow the economy and generate income for all,” he said. “Every citizen needs to understand that, whether or not he or she works directly in the tourism areas, every tourist’s dollar brings economic and social benefits to every level of our society.
“It should be noted that the linkage between the tourism sector and our local industry, agriculture and services is very strong,” Mr. Forstmayr said. “According to the hotel spend study that Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association commissioned; over half of our vegetables, dairy products, meat products and alcohol are locally sourced. Not to mention 100 per cent of our utilities and information technology.”
Airlift was also key as it was how most guests arrived in the Caribbean.
“The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association estimated that in 2010 the Caribbean governments collectively paid $45 million to secure airlift – only to find that our airlift is still inadequate and way too expensive for our visitors.
“Furthermore, intra-Caribbean tourism once represented 13 per cent of the region’s tourism; as much as Canada. The combined population of Caribbean countries is 40 million. However, due to the lack of a competitive and truly regional airline, regional tourism has been suffocated by outrageous ticket prices and a cumbersome and ill-conceived network,” he said. “Caribbean nationals cannot travel freely between their countries without being subjected to visas, long immigration lines and other bureaucratic indulgences that stifle any sense of hospitality, the Caribbean’s trademark.”
He said there was a need to establish the best welcome and farewell to all our visitors, as well as returning residents within the Caribbean.
“This must be a call to action to all governments and airport operators to focus on this issue. Too often, we hear that long lines, antiquated bureaucracy and surly attitudes are commonplace in our islands … this is not acceptable,” he said.
To market the region as a unit, the Caribbean Tourism Development Council is relaunching a Caribbean-wide destination website in August, 2012, he said.
Mr. Forstmayr was speaking at the Caribbean Travel Marketplace conference, which brings together suppliers, buyers and media from the region and worldwide.
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