The Roseau Cruise Ship Berth came alive on Tuesday morning as the 2014/2015 Cruise Ship season officially began.
The island is expecting a slight increase in ship arrivals, according to tourism minister, Ian Douglas.
Vendors’ stalls were set up; taxi drivers were lined up, while visitors, who arrived on board the Celebrity Summit, danced to local music.
“I believe we will see about 191 calls coming to our shore which is a slight increase from about 188 calls last season,” Douglas said during a ceremony to officially open the season.
He said the tourism sector continues to do what is necessary and possible to allow Dominica, “to continue to be a very competitive destination.”
“We want to implore our stakeholders that it is a combine effort, both on the part of the government authorities and also the private sector and indeed every Dominican, to do everything that is necessary for us to continue to be one of the sought after destinations,” he stated.
He stated further it is a widely accepted fact that Dominica has some of the more natural and eco-attributes that cannot be found in other destinations which offer just maybe a beach or sand, sea and shopping.
“But all of this will really come to naught if we do not pay attention to the other aspects of the product, our service delivery, the way our guests are treated in the destination,” he said. “One of the buzz words and one of the key issues for the cruise lines is always guest experience … we are to bear that in mind specifically when we interact with our guests, when we take them around, when we take them on a tour, even the independence guests who are not on an organized tour.”
He said the quality of service must always be a premium throughout the island, so that guests will be of the opinion that they enjoyed Dominica and got value for money.
Meanwhile, Douglas said there have been negotiations with Carnival Corporation ever since that company ceased sending its ships Dominica.
“There have been combinations of issues that have been placed on the table,” he said. “Some of it is economics because for the Corporation the price of fuel affects their bottom line. We have been looking at various issues where we ourselves in the destination could assure the ship of certain revenue. And that is why we implemented the premium access into the Trafalgar Falls to allow the organized tours … the organized guests purchase their tours from the ships, it guarantees the ship secure tour revenue”
He said Carnival will be having “a few calls” to Dominica.
“There are few calls the Carnival Corporations will conduct this year,” he said. “We have been advised that those tours are chattered tours, but at the same time we have the hotel managers on the ship that will be monitoring our delivery of the service that we offer.”
He called on stakeholders to put their best foot forward when the Carnival ship is in port, “so that the reviews that the Carnival Corporation receive from those tours can be good reviews.”
He said this will encourage Carnival “to consider putting Dominica back on the normal established itinerary.”
While in town on Tuesday we spoke to two ladies from the ship. They thought we were also tourists because of our light skin. The first words they said to us has we passed them, WHAT A CRAPPY LITTLE TOWN. The second set of words, CANNOT BELIEVE THEY STILL HAVE OPEN DRAINS. DISGUSTING. We explained that we actually live on this island, and it is a beautiful island, the people are warm and friendly. Unfortunately we think it fell on deaf ears. They saw what they saw and were not impressed.
That same Carnival Corporation have been asking for a vendors plaza with restroom facilities for guests, where is it?That same Carnival Corporation have been asking that the eyesore be removed on the bayfront ,the visitors prefer to stay on the ship than walk through the chaos .Have we done anything?
The powers that be gave word that the D.E.X.I.A building would be modified for a temporary vendors plaza ,When?
We want them to come back with no significant improvements and now resting the burden on “stakeholders” who were the folks in the delegation that went to meet with the Carnival execs?
The Antigua delegation went back and implemented most of what was asked,they just can’t move the port physically.
It’s tremendously worrisome to comprehend that we as
a people can’t do better and then turn around and say “The Nature Isle” well we should lead the way,because islands with no water get higher mark than us.
Well said, Toure.
…and to add, what happened to keeping the Paro’s away from the tourists, and cleaning up Roseau etc. There also seems to be an island-wide problem with trash collection, and work is only just being started on cleaning up the interior roads and the Roseau river project.
Beginning of the tourist season means that the other part of the world is preparing for winter. Some have already had snow and cold weather; nothing of the sort in Toronto but threat of rain and thunder. It is now raining with high winds, the latter I hate which could blow people away. Generally, when there is high winds in winter the temperature dips and according to the weather forecast. I hope not too much and also hope the snow stays away for a while.
As the tourism minister stated, overall be hospitable to the tourists. Do not overcharge them for items and site-seeing. Satisfied customers promote business. Hope Dominica gets many tourists.
“I believe we will see ABOUT 191 calls coming to our shore which is a slight increase from about 188 calls last season…” This is passive language with not one shred of substance.
Some people are famous for consistently being negative. If a diploma was given for this, they would receive an A and graduate with honors.
As an outsider i must say that you guys are truly incompetent.
allow me to quote you then show you how foolish you are.
“We have been looking at various issues where we ourselves in the destination could assure the ship a certain revenue. and that’s why we implemented THE PREMIUM ACCESS INTO TRAFALGAR FALLS, to allow THE ORGANIZED TOURS. meaning the ORGANIZED GUEST purchase their tours from the ship, it therefore guarantee the ship secure tour revenue. What you are saying to the ships is simply that you will allow them to pimp you and the island by extension. while you are at it why don’t you buy the Vaseline, bend over and have them do you because that’s exactly what you just did to your self and the island with a deal like that. my friend you have just turned over the people’s money maker to these big outside corporation namely cruise ship. i know that industry very well having worked in it in the Virgin Islands and its the same game. it used to be that the cruise ship came into your island and they generate revenue by ticket sales and the expensive liquor the passengers would consume. now when you go on the ship you can practically purchase most if not all the the things that you would find on shore. cruise ship do not come to bring you money they come to exploit. once they realized the kind of revenue that was in tours, they decided to use what i call dollar diplomacy to control the real revenue generator your historical and tourist sights. they want it all. you are not suppose to make any. come to your shores, leave trash and waste behind and take the money back with them by exploiting you. your deal is no different than if all airlines landing in Dominica would say to Fort Young or any of the other hotels on island that since we brought them down here, we would need for you to guarantee us some revenue besides the ticket that we charged them for to get them here. and Fort Young or any of your other hotels saying that o k any one you land down here who uses our hotel we will then turn the revenue over to you exclusively. now think about it that’s RETARDED.
@amonrah kobadi
Its not only about tourism and inability to count 2+2…if you live in Dominica you would see many many interesting things such:
– intentional destruction or complete neglect and denial of those industries which generate real cash flow
– support of hopeless ventures and unprofitable businesses
– government and public sector see themselves as the largest employers and source of employment
– international help/donations/loans etc are considered to be equal to GDP grow and generally very welcome: culture of dependency at its best!
– competition and reforms considered to be a risk and avoided at any cost. It normally leads to stagnation and degradation of acceptable standards but its tolerated and generally nobody minds
– once standards of living become too poor, then its time to start playing historical card and blame: slavery, whites, chinese, haitians, colonialism, external economic factors, recessions, you name it…
i am so lost. i would like to believe that you were responding to someone else and not me because though i get your point and believe you to be correct, i do not see how that relates to me addressing this man deal to allow Carnival cruise to sell organized tours to the Trafalgar falls and pocket all revenues from these tours in an attempt to get them to come back to Dominica. all what you mention may be true and i may also be aware of it but still, i was simply addressing this one issue which i see as a foolish move to allow Carnival to use dollar diplomacy on Dominica.
We continue to talk and talk and talk endless nonsense. We are not ready yet for the Tourism industry. Why I say that?? SMH. Just check the piles of garbage on the sides of the streets. This is just one of the many shortcomings we have. So we talk, and talk, but there is no action to back it up. SMH.
What has a pile of garbage to do with being prepared for the tourist season? Granted, it is not a beautiful sight but this is as far as it goes.
If you observe garbage on the streets, for the love of your town, your country and its good name, inform the authority about it. I do think it is the Roseau Town Council, called City Council.
If they want to be recognized as a “City” and to be called likewise, they should act as if they are residing and working in a City.
As a national you also have a part to play, an obligation which you will not be exonerated from, to assist in enhancing your town/country.
Too much talk and criticisms and no concrete and positive action. For the love of your city/country, be a person of action and cut off the negativity and criticisms. When you do, you will not be prone to criticisms.
I agree, Watchdog.
The first things that the vast majority of tourists look for in an island visit is cleanliness and safety, closely followed by Customer Service.
I live here, but travelled around the island earlier this week, and there were literally mountains of trash piled up in every village.
I also know that some of many people in villages who, when fed up of the rat and cockroach problem they have to put up with when the trash truck fails to call, simply put their trash in the river or on the (East Coast) beaches, because apparently “it gets taken away”.
And, yes, I do my very best to educate people about trash, including where it goes to when it enters the sea.
Minister of Tourism Ian Douglas said: We want to implore our stakeholders that it is a combine effort, both on the part of the government authorities and also the private sector and indeed every Dominican, to do everything that is necessary for us to continue to be one of the sought after destinations and to allow not only our stakeholders but for everyone to be able to eat steak too not only Stakeholders he re-iterated,