Columnist Claims Tobago’s Tourism on Brink of Collapse

In light of all the latest developments internationally on the economic and tourism front, coupled with bad strategic planning from Trinidad’s Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Development Company, it appears imminent that Tobago’s tourism sector is heading for a collapse.

With Tobago’s hotel occupancy rate now at 30 percent, and this is the peak of their tourism season, there is cause for severe alarm. Unless the financial stability of Tobago’s hotel owners and the tourism industry is as guaranteed as death, Tobagonians are headed for very hard times that will result in an uncomfortable pattern of lifestyle changes.

It is imperative that tourism officials urgently come to reality. With the misguided and self-destructive “Fantasy Island” strategy of attempting to position Trinidad as the business and convention capital of the Caribbean, where does that leave Tobago?

What is being done to alleviate the immediate needs of the majority of Tobagonians dependent on tourism for their livelihood and protect the hotel industry from collapse? The historically false promises and unyielding policies of the Tourism Development Company (TDC) cannot be tolerated anymore.

Trinidad’s Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Development Company is claiming that business tourism is booming worldwide. Again to Tobago’s detriment, the real facts as stated by the UN are being denied and ignored. Tourism cannot move forward with the “Fantasy Island” thinking and planning.

Tourism officials must stop their “Fantasy Island” thinking and planning mentality. Lives are dependent on a functioning and stable tourism sector. Tobago can no longer tolerate the TDC’s wasting of tax dollars on strategies that will not help now or even in the future.

Tobago needs a solution that will bring stability to its tourism now. It is unacceptable to say this is an international problem and nothing can be done about it, something can be done about it, but not business tourism.