Tourism Minister Ian Douglas has highlighted several constraints facing tourism development in Dominica.
He told a tourism stakeholders meeting here this week that if these constraints are not minimized, it could mean trouble for the already struggling sector.
“We are faced with a scarcity of financial resources to reengage and dynamize our accommodation sector for the building of new tourism enterprises that will give us a greater competitive edge in sites and attraction. We are constrained by the limited amount of seats into the destination which makes the price of our product more expensive and less competitive. We are constrained by the high cost of energy and the other inputs for the operation of the sectors business activities and we are also constrained by the lack of resource to mount greater levels of cooperative Dominica brand alive,” he said.
According to Douglas, Dominica’s tourism industry faces the dichotomy of developing a growing and expanding cruise sector and attempting to maintain the integrity of a land-based tourism product.
Meanwhile, Douglas announced that stakeholders in the industry are on the heels of developing a Cruise Tourism Committee to plan a new strategy to optimize returns on investments in the sector.
It is true, Dominica has been a secret for too long. I know that it has to do with the ignorance of most people, but I am tired of having to explain to people, that my home country, Dominica, is not the Dominican Republic. Even when I search the web for commonwealth of Dominica I still get news from Haiti. How can those who would like to visit understand the difference without further information?
I have lived in Canada for the past 36 years, but I do not plan stay away from Dominica for much longer. I am very proud of Dominica and our people; I wish that we could do something more to remove our name from the Dominican Republic, that we might display our pride and beauty.
There are a lot of things wrong with our ministers ideology. I mention again how can we have a lawyer in such a key position. What young ignorant people look at such a big challenge is more us an opportunity that the ignorant cannot see. I bid you again Mr minister, I am but a mare peasant but I am offer my life to my country. If you want my advise you know who I am.
There is another issue that Dominica needs to take account that has not been raised by the Government and that is safety of tourists and I speak from experiance. My wife and I have visited your country on three occasions and on the fist visit my wife was robbed and very seriously injured, she continues to require a wheelchair to get around as a result of that robbery. On our third visit I was assaulted and robbed of my wallet containing a substantial amount of cash and traverlers cheques though I was lucky and was not seriosly injured.
Incedently I still have had no word of apology nor offers of compensation from your Government.
So maby it’s time for your Government to spend a little of the money made from tourists on ensuring thier saftey.
We are hoping to accommodate the expanding cruise ship passengers and the complaint is they do not spend a lot of money in Dominica. That’s because on many occasions the cruise ships are actually competing with the Islands. They offer everything on board. That’s why islands like Dominica have to work twice as hard, be more innovative in finding ways to get them off the ships.
I’ve been on a two week cruise in the Caribbean, the passengers have so much to choose from on board that some islands they just decide they are not coming off. Some passengers came off the boat after breakfast, walked around in time to go back on board for lunch between 11am and midday because it was all included in the price they paid. The cruise I was on, Dominica was the third island visited, another obstacle, by the time they got to Dominica they were fed up of ‘I love Antigua…….St Kitts….. St. Thomas…… etc, etc,T-shirts. They were equally fed up with all the trinkets and cheap jewelery all made everywhere but Dominica. I can tell you what did go down very well and was very popular – arts and crafts. They loved the straw mats, baskets and carvings – they loved the idea that the people who made their baskets were carib people, who could only be found on Dominica – they had a story to go with the baskets to tell friends and family when they arrived home.
I dont know if they do it here on the bayfront, but where are all the artists in Dominica. In Europe you find many sketch artists who sketch pictures of tourists in minutes – it does not have to be serious art some do cartoon sketches or caricatures of the tourist which are excellent.
I do agree with the Minister that the need to balance servicing cruise ship passengers and stay over passengers is a precarious and conflicting one. I know from experience, if cruise passengers are travelling North, stay over tourists will travel South! The arial tram, sometimes operates only when cruise ships are in – for stay over passengers when cruise ships are in, many give the tram a miss! Also, when stay-over tourists ask how many cruise ships are in Roseau and you reply 1 or 2 their faces visibly drop with horror – you are almost frightened to tell them when there are more than 2.
Finally, I took that cruise with my husband over ten years ago, it had to be one of the best two weeks of our lives. We had never been on a cruise before. Towards the end of the cruise a poll of all passengers was carried out as to which island they liked the best – guess what, Dominica was the clear, runaway winner – we were very proud and became instant mini-celebrities!!
Its’ a pity over the years we have not been able to build and capitalize on that momentum?
Yes my people. It looks like those of us who are looking in have more scope and vision than those appointed. I am sure this was not all of the ministers speech, however, it shows the madness and lack of preparedness on the part of the minister and clearly he speaks from a general approach, with no specifics to substantiate his comments; agreed, he was reading from a sheet.
It is funny somehow that being at the helm of such an important ministry all the minister can highlight are the constrains we face. He needed to reassure stakeholders of his intentions on the way forward so that there could be some hope on the part of these investors.
A lawyer, heads a tourism ministry.. its a square peg in a round hole.
excuses, excuses, excuses. I would fire whoever wrote that speech for the minister, all their staff and the minister. No one is interested in your constraints. The speech should be about what is being done to overcome them. Otherwise this is basically a whole ministry throwing their hands up and going on vacation. Absolute BS!!!!
Wow! It is crazy that this article focused on the constraints of our Tourism industry. Was there not abnything positive that was said at this stakeholders meeting?
Cruise people don’t spend money and I think it’s a fake Industry anyways, so please don’t depend on them, stay-over is the way to go and hopefully night landing will help.
Mr minister
You should venture into the other caribbean countries with a striving tourism sector and learn what has made them competitive and progressive in terms of tourism..
These are the things you will find out..
1. International airport
2. Foreign investments in the tourism sector( hotels, casinos etc)
3. Duty free shopping malls
4. Mariners( yaughting sector)
5. Global marketing
6. Training for citizens in the hospitality industry
If the so-called leaders keep dragging their feet, and trying to use old fashion outdated ideas to try develop the country, it will go nowhere fast.
D/can is right. I live in North America. In 25 years, I’ve seen advertisements by Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, Belize, Mexico, St. Barts, Jamaica, Curacoa, St.Kitts/Nevis, Anguilla, and the list goes on. Never have I seen an advertisement on Dominica. Not in the news papers (Caribbean and otherwise), nor on billboards, let alone on TV.
I wonder, for the life of me, can’t we develop and display advertisements extolling the virtues of our country?
You know, that brings to mind the raging debate in our community – advanced lately by the chairman of the Carnival Organizing Committee, Mr. Bully – about moving the date for our carnival to somewhere in April, the argument being we can not compete with Trinidad carnival.
In fact, the real substantive argument ought to be, how are we going to improve our tourism product overall, so that it meets international pedigree.
Among other things it would take for us to get there is full scientific analysis (including a comprehensive review and potential of all assets and aspects) of Dominica’s tourism product, a publicly stated vision and mission by any entity or institution charged with the development of tourism in Dominica, deliberate and genuine commitment by government to completely invest substantial sums (up to US $50 million) towards developing potential tourism assets , another US $10-15 million purely for advertising within and without the region and further afield, and deliberately action to foster and encourage collaboration among every stakeholder within the tourism trade.
Barring these and (I can think of several other impetuses) our total tourism product will continue to lag.
It is all good to have these plans and aspirations.
But until your ministry do not put out HUGE INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISEMENTS,the tourist industry in Dominica will remain stagnant. You have to spend money to make money .
Tourism is all about making the world aware that we are here and can make them safe when ever they visit.
Do more ADVERTISING.