COMMENTARY: Caribbean tourism development with boutique flair

Cdr. Bud Slabbaert

There is no universal definition for luxury tourism. One person’s luxury is another’s ordinary.

Even if there was a definition of a tweet length, what purpose does it serve? Why hide behind academic fabricated definition that is no better than an astrological horoscope profile that one can read in a boulevard magazine. Everyone has his own perception of what luxury tourism is, according to his own needs, desires or commercial interests. All the perceptions have wild variations. The perspectives are also multi-layered. There is already a distinction between ultra-luxury and affordable luxury.

For those who like the idea of developing luxury tourism for the benefit of a destination how about a straight talk three-word definition like “Big Spender Tourism”?

The first thing that may come to mind for the development of such a tourism segment is five-star-plus hotels. I would consider such naïve thinking. My primary thoughts would be about what this clientele is really looking for, how it fits into their lifestyle, and what might meet their expectations.

Here are the ten things that they expect:
1. Secluded pristine white sandy beachfront with crystal clear and turquoise waters
2. Lush tropical emerald greenery with palm trees and flower-bursting landscaped gardens
3. Boutique properties styled after traditional island architecture
4. Harmonious sense of place that blends masterfully into the natural surroundings
5. Private utopia to unwind, lifetimes away from the hustle and bustle
6. Daily life adorned with elegance, intimacy and serenity
7. Savoring the spice-of-life in a heaven-like paradise
8. Impeccable personalized, detail-oriented service delivered by a passionate team
9. Unmatched sophisticated amenities in style with contemporary comforts
10. Cultural authenticity and genuine conviviality of the Caribbean

These are the development benchmarks that need to be considered. If one cannot meet eight of the ten on this list, the advice would be to try try-harder or start re-thinking. Mind that this listing nowhere includes the two words that you might have expected, ‘luxury’ or even ‘hotel’. Commonly recognized as the Caribbean hub for exclusive guests such as celebrities and tycoons, St. Barts, apparently has twice as many villas that are rented out than it has hotel rooms.

The next thing that may come to mind as essential to developing this exclusive tourism segment is to have a big international airport to receive these guests. Again, naïve thinking. If we use a bit more class and elegance to replace the crude definition “Big Spender Tourism”, this category of people is usually known as high-net-worth-individuals (HNWI) and ultra-high-net-worth-individuals (UHNWI). Most of these affluent persons arrive on private jets. Many of these jets only need a runway of about 5,000ft/1500 meters even when they come from far-away. Some of the most beloved island destinations worldwide can only be reached via a hub airport. The one claim that can be made with high accuracy is that ‘Big Spenders’ typically don’t arrive from abroad with cheap airlines or Low-Cost-Carriers.

Surveys and research in the Caribbean have indicated that private flyers spend an average of US$ 69,000 on that destination. Furthermore, these visitors do have the means to invest in a destination, if they like the location. It underlines the thesis that depending on ‘headcount statistics’ is one of the worst mistakes made in tourism development. How much each ‘head’ actually spends is a better indicator for what concept should be advanced. To top it all off, High-Net-Worth-Individuals are more loyal visitors to return to a particular destination and in many cases more than once per year. Destinations that offer more authenticity and are less commercialized are more to their liking. These people may not be considered vacationers anymore.

The multiple visits can make them integrated part-time members of the community and they may become valued friends. There is not only a positive economic impact coming from this visitor segment. It has a positive social impact also. The affluent individuals are usually successful individuals. The saying goes that success breeds success. It may a bit of exaggeration but it could rub off on a community that has to adapt to the expectations and demands of their guests, who are actually raising the bar.

The upscale guests who have personal preferences that combine enrichment, enjoyment, but also education, can encourage communities to maintain their culture and society. They appreciate access to the local people, places and experiences that represent all that is authentic about a destination. Becoming more affected to a community and destination may result in an increased willingness to assist in improving the quality of life the members of a community. These visitors, who often wish to immerse into local culture more than ever before, will protect the natural resources and the culture of a destination for future generations.

A fact is that on the international tourist market, there is one segment that keeps expanding regardless of any set-backs, be it recession, increased full prices, currency fluctuations; it is the upscale or luxury market which remains on top like oil on water. I’m not advocating that luxury tourism as something all could or should pursue. In cases where destinations put more emphasis on mass-tourism, it is hardly feasible because the two segments are like the oil of the affluent and the water of the masses, and they just don’t mix.

While others see the minimum standard of luxury tourism as the development of 5-star hotels. I have tried to give you a different exclusive boutique perspective. You can believe and do what you want, but if all of the above is appealing for destination tourism development, the clear-text advice is “If you really want it, get your back up off the wall and get down it”.

Cdr.Bud Slabbaert is the initiator and coordinator of the annual Caribbean Aviation Meetup conference. The international results and solution oriented event brings airlift stakeholders from both aviation and tourism industry, as well as government authorities together (www.caribavia.com). His background is accentuated by Business Development, Strategic Communication, and Journalism.

 

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10 Comments

  1. Laura Smith
    September 3, 2017

    Solid advice..let’s get woking

  2. Chester
    September 1, 2017

    Nice piece, enlighttning. We just cannot be like St. Batts not even Antigua with all the white sand beaches, not gon happen. We are better off doing all we can to continue to promote and boost eco-tourism. While we’re at it there is an equal need to study, research, encourage and promote the SALE of WATER that we have flowing to the sea at billions of gallons annually. Interesting reading!

  3. Titiwi
    August 31, 2017

    To quote Sherlock Holmes: “elementary Dear Watson”. The logic of Cdr. Stabbaert is so obvious it is blinding some of us. Wishful thinking is no substitute for reality.

  4. Emile Dominique
    August 31, 2017

    That man is brilliant. I am sure he has a billion dollar business in the Travel and Tourism industry and is writing books and teaching in his spare time. Thank you Sir.

  5. Point of Order
    August 31, 2017

    I agree with that ten point list. DHTA, DDA and Ministry of Tourism print it out and stick it on your walls for your staff to study every day!

    By the way I see that at the “Morocco Hotel”, Cabrits, they are lining the verandas with cast concrete ballistrades as if it is a suburban house. A sign that the image of the hotel will have no class. So forget any so called Five Star accomodation there!

  6. Roger Burnett
    August 31, 2017

    In my forty-five years of living and working in the Caribbean, that is the best insight that I’ve come across as to what small island tourism should be all about.

    With a different mind set Dominica could reach that bench mark.

  7. UK Dominican
    August 31, 2017

    By this definition the Kempinski and Silver Sands certainly don’t fit this bill. If people want that kind of hotel there are far easier places they can go to that have far more white beaches and by same -day non-stop ciommercial flights. What are we doing? Building white elephants

  8. Truth Be Told
    August 31, 2017

    In order words they do not expect paros on the main streets of the capital, harassment when getting in and out of banks, cars broken into, their children assaulted, molested or raped, rental stolen, hotel room robbed, laissez faire and incompetent police, inefficient and malfunctioning court and legal system, to name a few of Dominica’s tourism trademarks!

    • Emile Dominique
      August 31, 2017

      Well, truth be told, you can try to destroy Dominica with all kinds of fake news, just because you are a hateful bully like %.

      • Mother
        August 31, 2017

        Listen Emile, your blindness is very worrying. Only last Saturday morning I walked from the market to Jolly’s in King George V street and 4 beggars accosted me. I am a Dominican, not a tourist. And oh my God the last one was just standing there. tuti ni I swear with his dingeling fully exposed and nobody batting an eyelid. That man, no mistake he was a man, did not beg me but was just standing there uttering gibberish. Why can’t we give people like that a safe place. You want foreigners to experience that when they come and visit our island but our P.M. flying by private jet and staying in five star hotels with his own security? Boy, I get so pissed with Skerrit and his gang and feel ashamed to be a Dominican some time.

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