Tourism Minister optimistic about 2011/2012 tourist season

Douglas

Tourism Minister Ian Douglas says despite what is expected to be reduction in the number of cruise ship calls this year, the 2011/12 season could be a good one.

Dominica will see a 10-15 percent reduction in cruise ship calls this year and according to Douglas, stakeholders should seek to improve on attracting stay over visitors.

“The season looks good. We could have less call than the previous year but all in all I think we will still see a good season and what a lot of people don’t recognize is that cruise tourism generates 10 percent of the tourism into the island. This means that we should pay attention to the cruise sector,” Douglas said.

Meantime Douglas says government is continuing its thrust to upgrade several tourism sites around the island.

“A number of facilities have been built all over the country. You must have heard about our eco-tourism development program. We did some facilities at the Indian River and I believe that every community has a unique aspect that can be packaged and offered to the tourism industry,” he said.

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28 Comments

  1. Really
    August 30, 2011

    Are these facts correct? If the amount of cruise calls for the 2011/2012 season is down by close to 100 calls, then I think we can safely say that over calls for the upcoming season are down by close to a third, so about 30/35%. Please be truthful when bringing information to the public Mr Douglas. Also, is it not more beneficial to the people concerned to have a more realistic outlook for the upcoming season. It is also not just that there are fewer calls but it is the type of ships/lines. It has been a continual downturn in revenue to the tour operators who work directly with the ships, so be realistic Mr Minister, there is not much to be smiling about.

  2. cosie
    August 30, 2011

    Hello Ian, The north east needs some attraction. Not to far away from Melvin Hall Airport,you have plenty of empty land in hampstead. Build an 18 hole Golf Course with a driving range, Club House and a Resort. Do the same in One Mile portsmouth. The Ross University students gets budd. Also do not forget to build a Boomers with racing cars. A water Attraction site like Wet and Wild would be awesome.If you want to attract tourist, this is the way to go my man.And see dominica on fire with tourist after thats done.

  3. August 30, 2011

    i wish this year would be bad for dominica tourism,then the p.m.would be force to build an international airport.after wasting so much on melville hall,airport.

  4. August 30, 2011

    Ian… when will work begin on the Hampstead 5 Star Resort in order to boost tourism in the North-east.

  5. An open eye
    August 30, 2011

    Am I dumb how could we have between 10-15% reduction in cruise ships calls and see a good looking season when the previous season was the worst in the history of Dominica? Mr. Dominica could you please explaine? Are you just writing to DNO just because you are the minister for tourism? Is someone or some people fooling you by making you believe that you are doing a good job?

    • Sout Man
      August 30, 2011

      The minister can speak for himself but check this. The minister stated that cruise tourism is only 10% of the tourism industry; therefore, 10% of cruise tourism is 1% of Dominica’s tourism industry. 15% of cruise is 1.5% of total industry. So only 1%-1.5% reduction of the entire industry is at issue. If other sectors, like stay over tourists, improve significantly, then, overall, there is improvement.

      The hope is that the improved air access at Melville Hall and activities like World Creole Music Festival, carnival, whale watching,etc. will improve the entire tourism package, despite the shortfall in cruise. We definitely need to advertise some more.

      • ?????
        August 30, 2011

        No matter what type of crap or analysis you all are making, the fact is that tourism is half dead, and the minister of tourism has lost his way…

      • Sout Man
        August 30, 2011

        @ 2 thumbs down:

        That’s the math; not politics. I’m sorry if you do not understand that 10% of a slice that’s 10% of the whole, equals 1% of the whole. I am going to withhold my opinion on our level of comprehension and math skills and my inability to convince you without visual aid because it’s not simple computation.

  6. August 30, 2011

    Based on what Ian? I can’t understand how less equates to more. Further Dominica is where tourist spends the least in the entire OECS. I suspect you may have watched the movie “Field of Dreams” too much. “If we build it they will come”. It doesn’t happen just so Ian. It takes planning, spending and proper marketing which is equal to hard work that you are unfamiliar with. I want to know which of the Stoogies you are. Curly or Shemp? I heard you are one of them in the family as pointed out by your cousin

  7. An open eye
    August 30, 2011

    DNO please allow me to address MR. Dominica

    Mr. Dominica whilst you have been shifted to the ministry of tourism, what have you done, what have your govt. done? what is yoour ministry doing to improve the tourist sites on the island?
    What are you doing to build the tourist village which seems to be a priority for the cruislines to jump to our destination?
    what are you and mr.Goodwill doing to improve the conditions on the woodbridge bay the terrible toilet conditions there? the facility to dock the ship?Mr. Dominica go get money from the international traveller your boss and put things straight in the tour industry stop speaking like you are never sober.

  8. Nathaniel Peltier
    August 30, 2011

    Ian, instead of comming and talk madness here. I wouild recommend that you just shut up about tourism.

  9. Born Free
    August 29, 2011

    Minister Douglas: Besides upgrading several tourism sites around the island, the roads to those sites need to be in good motorable condition.

    Also, is Government planning on attracting a major hotel chain with a golf course here? Wouldn’t that be a good way to put into use some of the 16 acres of land UWP bought in the northeast in the late 90s? What is that land being used for at this time, more than 10 years later?

  10. GH
    August 29, 2011

    Thats right!!! Fond Cole is like a junk yard and Ian and Badwill have this eyesore welcoming people to DOminica. Go down there on a rainy day. Huge pools of water everywhere. On dry days nothing better, the dust is choking you!!!

  11. ineedfree
    August 29, 2011

    he’s just showing us the slackness that is going on in this country.

    those young people in government dont have a clue on management.

    SOMEBODY TELL HIM IT DOESNT SOUND SANE

    WHAT KIND OF STATEMENT IS THAT

  12. D/a Massive
    August 29, 2011

    You are very confusing, totally. How could there be a drop in cruise ship calls and on the other hand we should expect a good season. Does he know something we don’t know? Stop trying to fool people bro, those days are gone, we have become smarter.

  13. handsome
    August 29, 2011

    I’ve been working in thius field for 15 years traveled from Alaska to Central America ,Panama Carnal and the whole Caribbean and we have so much to offer but the government refusses to improve things into the mordern era and make things more acessable for the visitors.Ireally don’t know what you guys are doing

  14. Answers
    August 29, 2011

    lol ,
    Ian , Ian , Ian … u just dont sound convincing at all. matter of fact you know better ! hard times ahead for d/a as far as tourism is concerned !

    Magwaya Ca Ian

  15. August 29, 2011

    Ian boy, you are not going to lose a single tourrist this season , those who fail to arrive from Europe, and the United States, you have long decided to replace them with plenty of tourrist from South America.

    Have you forgotten the Venezuelan Airline will be flooding Dominica with South American Tourrist, as well as Dominicans, will be traveling to South America, on business trips, and vacations, and to go to hospitals, and buying groceries and returning home oui!

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

    Boy you are existing in a world of your very own; you own a vast area in the Milky-Way, where no other Dominican can penetrate; you are a piece of work!

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

    • FORKIT
      August 30, 2011

      hey, in a nut shell you said it all.. TI BAOY LA FOU

  16. MA DOMINIQUE
    August 29, 2011

    ALAS!!! IAN , YOU CAN DO MUCH BETTER :cry: IAN TAKE A BATH WITH 2 GREEN LIME ,1 BOTTLE OF ALKALII, SOME SWEET BROOM, GO BETWEEN RIVER N SEA, SAY 4 PSALM 23,, 1PSALM 91, 1 ISAIAH 54: 17 A RID YOURSELF OF THAT BAD OMEN THAT ON YOU ALAS PAPA GOD , DELIVER IAN IN JESUS NAME.

    • FORKIT
      August 30, 2011

      YOU FORGET DE CODFISH TAIL

  17. Anonymous
    August 29, 2011

    Whats going on in this place!!! We all know that cruise tourism does not contribute much to general tourist revenues in this country! Only a few members of the public benefit from cruise tourism and we all know who they are. My God we know that already!!! we are not idiots !!!! (10%) what happen to the other 90% what steps are being taken to boost the arrival of stay over tourist (for god’s sake this is where the money is papa met!!!)We are less than fifty miles away from the EU ………. yes the EU (Martinique and Guadeloupe our neighbours who are departments of France. What incentives are being given to our neighbours to come spend time here!!! they have Euro’s $$$!! Please stop talking Eco tourism and start acting sensibly and spend some money to market Dominica as the best chill out spot!!!! you can find in the region …. get back to basics !! (Get back to nature in Dominica!!!(I have the copy right for this by the way!!)That deify the everyday slogan does not cut it!!! Its boring and unappealing!!!

    Money needs to be spent on marketing this country. Building eco tourism sites will not automatically transplant a tourist here!!

    The agricultural sector has been destroyed !!! The one at the helm of agriculture is totally ignorant and has not even reached the stages of a neophyte!!!

    If the focus is now on tourism …. my God do it properly and stop feeding people this garbage!!! Do some real work ….you are clearly not qualified for this post and in addition many of you are just lazy !!! (Both Govt and opposition by the way !!!) here is some inspiration … Millions of dollars have been spent on the Waiti Kubuli National Trail….even if its was not Dominica’s money it should still be accounted for and should generate economic benefits ………. but tell me ? will cruise tourist be hiking the trail ….. any idiot would know that stay over tourist and by extension the country would benefit more from this exercise!!!

  18. i can use my brain
    August 29, 2011

    We cannot afford less calls and still realize optimism…..be real nuh Ian. Stop that jibberish nonesense and produce a plan…between u and Mr. Piper what are ur plans for the Hotels, Bus Drivers, Tour operators and guides, Watikubuli Trail, Tourist sites…….What optimism are u talking about……what are your plans in real english…….OPEN UR MOUTH AND TALK PARDNER…..I FED UP WITH YOUR HALF-HEARTED ATTEMPTS TO PULL WOOL OVER OUR EYES!!

  19. caribbean genius
    August 29, 2011

    lol. Everybody that have common sense except u and your gov have been saying cruise tourism is a waste of time. That stay over tourism is the one generating the income, and therefore an international airport is needed, but your gov went the other way. Now you confirming that its only 10%, hmmm

    When leaders lack vision, the people sure to perish.

  20. dominican abroad
    August 29, 2011

    Thanks for building the infrastructure roads , roads and more roads,, good for the farmers, villagers , touristism and diaspora, we want to come home and build, but we need access to good road for building material, to get to its destination for house building, so thanks to the people in power for facilitating the process i will be home next year for good . love to all the dominican at home , and abroad LOVE

    • Ted lewis
      August 29, 2011

      caribbean genius

      there’s a differece between building roads and rehabilitations of roads.

      MOREOVER , ARE YOU SAYING THAT IMPROVEMENT IN ROADS WILL GENERATE AN INCREASE IN STAY OVER VISITORS ?

      WELL MY FRIEND ALTHOUGH I AGREE ( AND HAPPY WITH THE ROAD WORKS) THAT THE ROADS ARE NECESSARY COMPONENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT MODEL FOR DOMINICA, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IF YOU REGRESS ROADS & OTHER KEY VAIABLES ON TOURIST ARRIVAL YOU MAY NOT FIND EVIDENCE OF CORRELATION BUT EVIDENCE OF AUTOCORRELATION WITH ROADS AND SOME OTHER VARIABLE (MARKETING,INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT , NEW HOTELS, ) BEING REGREESS TOGETHER ON TOURIST ARRIVAL.

      ALSO BESIDES THE CORNERS , I HAVE SEEN PLACES WITH ROADS IN A MORE DEPLORABLE CONDITION THAN DOMINICA BUT YET STILL THEIR NUMBERS IN TOURIST ARRIVAL HAS BEEN WAY SUPERIOR THAN THAT OF DOMINICA.

      I AM VERY HAPPY FOR THE ROADS ,BUT WE NEED TO SPEND MORE ON MARKETING,NEW RECOGNISED HOTELS ( 5 STAR) , WATER SPORTS, CASINOES, GULF COURTS, STRIP CLUBS( SEX TOURISM WAS THE MAJOR INCOME EARNER DURING THE WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA) ,DUTY FREE SHOPING COMPLEXS, AND RETHINK THE IDEA OF AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THROUGHT THE MEDIUM TERM.
      DON’T TELL ME YOU HAVE TO DO ALL ROADS FIRST BECAUSE BY TIME YOU FINISH THE FIRST SET WILL NEED RESURFACING AGAIN.

      • caribbean genius
        August 30, 2011

        Ted i wasnt the one commenting on roads, i was advocating the international airport. Dominican abroad was talking about roads

        But your comment is well supported by me…

  21. Good ways
    August 29, 2011

    Ian boy….. alas boy try to be a man and agree u not cut out for what they gave you to do and step aside.

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