Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan, while remaining silent on what might replace the cancelled Cayman Airways route to Barbados, told regional tourism delegates that Cayman plans to concentrate on quality over quantity.
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace, held in Jamaica last week, brought together regional tourism officials and industry stakeholders.
Bryan appears to be in no rush to push to increase visitor numbers even as Cayman’s post-COVID tourism recovery continues to steadily rebuild, saying in an media interview at the regional tourism conference that the focus now is “quality over quantity equals sustainability”.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the direct flights from Cayman to Barbados had been cancelled. The decision was taken by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, which was subsidising the route.
The announcement came just weeks after the Cayman Compass revealed that just 34 passengers per flight were using the service – enough to fill only six rows of Cayman Airways’ 176-seater jets.
Many in the community have been voicing their opinion on a new route for the flag carrier should head to next, but there’s been no official word on the next planned gateway, if any.
Bryan, in his interview in Jamaica, said Cayman as a “top-notch destination” is aiming for a sustainable tourism product.
“We don’t necessarily have to increase the numbers for the quality of service. Marginal increases are good, but you don’t want to do it that it is detrimental to the foundation of what you have,” he said.
He said Cayman has a “white glove approach” when it comes to all of its tourists “regardless of what price point you come in”.
This approach, he said, is the Cayman Islands way.
Finding a balance
However, he said the island is also examining how to balance sustainability and tourism.
“Do we have enough here? Do we want to transition to different areas of tourism, eco-tourism, wellness, tourism, knowing that it’s not all leisure. So we are all about analysis to make sure it’s sustainable, not about just more and more and more,” he said.
Bryan added that of course the island would like more, “but more for the right reasons”.
He said he thinks Cayman is “doing a good job of that, numbers are looking good and we will continue on that path”.
Bryan, who is also the chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, pointed out that the conference being held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre also featured key discussions on issues that could affect tourism in the region as well as in Cayman.
He said working with the Caribbean Hotel Tourism Organization is very important to continued collaboration for industry stakeholders and “was no different than talking to the airlines or talking to the tours, hotels and properties that are essential to the equation and the puzzle of delivering an experience”.
He said some of the presentations have been “really enlightening” along with the data that is being collected from the region.
“Data always tells you the truth and the facts… how to solve problems,” he said, adding there was also a good panel discussion about integration and togetherness with respect to the regional tourism product and its development.
Bryan said there was also an important discussion on artificial intelligence and implications for the human resource in the industry.
“One of the key areas for me as chairman, on behalf of all the members I represent… is the concern about technology and AI affecting the human capital. Making sure we are aware of that. Accept the benefits from it,” he said, but added they need to consider how to mitigate negative effects on tourism workers.
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