Trinidad company to help Dominica develop tourism industry

Dominica’s Ministry of Tourism and the Discover Dominica Authority have contracted a Trinidadian firm to help develop the island’s National Tourism Policy and Tourism Master Plan.

Tourism Intelligence International (TII) headed by Dr. Auliana Poon have been chosen to help develop a comprehensive sustainable policy, plan and action programme for tourism development over the next decade.

The plan will seek to address multiple fronts including the preservation of Dominica’s environment and the optimisation of the social and economic benefits from tourism to the country.

Dr. Auliana Poon, Managing Director of Tourism Intelligence International, acknowledged that “this Tourism Master Plan consultancy was an extraordinarily significant project for us to win as we competed against more than 20 companies from around the world.

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26 Comments

  1. Bring back the kidnapped Dominican parrots
    January 9, 2019

    The name of Dominica needs to be changed, the island always gets confused with the Dominican Republic. The island should also ask Britain to make the island a colony again, Dominica was much better off as a colony of England. The current leadership of Dominica does not know what they are doing and as long as they are in charge the country will go nowhere economically.

  2. Papa met
    January 9, 2019

    Tourism will go no where under Colin Piper. The real problem with Dominica tourism is Colin Piper and Robbie know that. All this is nothing but masturbation spinning the nation round and round. Fleecing the treasury.
    What about the money spend on Rebranding?
    More than 15 years in charge of dda what advances can piper show?
    What happens to the reps?
    Papa met!!!!!!

  3. Papa met
    January 9, 2019

    Look BS. Tourism in Dominica shall go no place as long as Colin Piper is the head of DDA. Robbie know the problem is Piper. Wasting tax payer money. What about the thousands spent on Rebranding? Have you done a audit of the last Plan?
    All of this is total BS. The problem with tourism in Dominica is Colin Piper. After 15 years show his improvement?
    Get Real People!!!!!

  4. LifeandDeath
    January 8, 2019

    If not Barbados, is Trinidad..#Dominica Real Strong.

  5. RastarMarn
    January 8, 2019

    So dem road mashup and river overflow, allyou go for a Trinidadian company and come and find big money to give dem to clean river,,, while the public works yard still looking like a junk yard,,,

    Now allyou go find some new money to give to a next set of Trinidadians for some fictitious Scam that will never yield any profits???

    Garcon to comprehend the Tourism sector at Dominica all allyou need to do is to pass by Mero and look at the Remains of the Castaways Hotel,,,

    The last time that place was used was to host the first concept of the Ross University in the 80s,,,

    Stop fooling people by using Dominica as a passthrough place to wah allyou laundered money garçon,,,

    When the Feds finish their investigation and dey come looking for allyou like how dey do them fellows in the Middle East doh come hiding behind the color of Diplomatic immunity yeh,,,

    Allyou should know by now Tourism is not for Dominica!!!

  6. foreign observer
    January 8, 2019

    In the early 1990s, the LIAT schedule up and down the islands facilitated day trips to Dominica, St. Lucia and Grenada, to name a few. The cost of the trip included airfare, island tour and lunch at a local restaurant with local delicacies. Day trippers to Dominica visited Kalinago (and shopped at their market), Emerald Pool, Freshwater Lake and Roseau, and I forget where else. Flights were into and out of Melville Hall.

    As I was living in Barbados at the time, I routinely sent visitors off to Dominica for the day – all returned tired, but taken with their time in Dominica and continue to have fond memories of the experience to this day.

    Perhaps this is a tourism product that should be revived? Not sure if the current LIAT schedule would facilitate this – yet another reason to shake LIAT’s tail into serving Dominicans better?

    And I won’t charge a consulting fee for this proposal!

    • Shaka Zulu
      January 9, 2019

      The Caribbean has over 40 million people and yet we have one lil airline struggling. Our leaders have failed us. There is no reason what you said above should not be happening i have mentioned this here before. DNO has records. Lets say tourist come from europe to Antigua for a week, part of thier trip could be a day tour to Dominica to see volcanic features, kalinago and everything else DA does not have. They can fly out Antigua in morning by 7 pm they are back. All this could be sold as package and liat is paid by the hotels. This can be accomplished through private contracts and partnership. The money circulate more in carribbean and create improvement in each island. Pur selfish backward thinking needs an overhaul.

  7. Nacinimod
    January 8, 2019

    Let’s face it folks, there is no money in ecoTourism. Look at the evidence. Every country that promotes or depends on ecotourism is poor. Environmentalists want to be close with nature and closer still to their wallets. These people are cheapskates and relying on them for economic stimulus is an exercise in futility.

    Dominica is Dominica and any major steps taken to change the island in the name of progress is a step in the wrong direction. The people of Dominica are fat and happy, please stop interfering with our Gross National Happiness. And by the way, how is that study going to cost?

    • carltymas
      January 9, 2019

      Actually, Ecotourism is a very lucrative business if you use the right tools to promote it and place it in the right hands to do so. However, the reason why a lot of countries like Dominica does not prosper in the ecotourism sector is that one, we were not afforded an equal advantage to those who are prospering from it example compare Dominica vs Norway and secondly, persons coming from countries that are dependant on ecotourism especially from developing countries, do not see ecotourism as being a very lucrative business like large shopping malls, casinos and skyscrapers so they do little to no effort to promote it. These are countries with political instability because they usually view their countries’ leaders as “not providing them with these sort of Americanized things”. But we can’t all be the same right because alas, what chance would we stand here in the Caribbean if we were to bare similar traits as the US.

  8. Steve
    January 8, 2019

    What is whit the old Master Plan ? 8-O

  9. Anon
    January 8, 2019

    Wait this woman Poon still around wasn’t she in Dominica when Noah built the ark. What can she bring to move Dominica forward Trinidad tourist industry isn’t well regarded ..stepws

    • Wendy Wallace
      January 11, 2019

      Indeed she was here already, Ms Poon and yes these was a master plan. They thrive on wasting hundreads of thousands of dollars on foreign Consultants some of whom come in and use data collected by civil servants its such a farce and a repetative blunder but who cares right. Robbie needs to go Piper needs to go. the hard working DDA staff are continually set up to appear as they are failing but its the idiots at the top who micromanage. will they ever get it right? your guess is as good as mine…….sadly

  10. enough is enough
    January 8, 2019

    from the tourism master plan of 2005 to the one in 2015, there was no improvement in terms of numbers. i really believe this administration do not want a real tourism development. and do you know why ? because if the island will be where it should be after 10 years of intense marketing promotion, the REAL economy will actually take place in Da. it means people will have real job. and wont have to go and beg money to their parl rep. which mean they wont be under the control of the Master gangster ! good luck my people !!!!

  11. January 8, 2019

    Personal vindication is very bad for the population. Leaders need to take care of themselves so that they don’t make cloudy decisions as a result of too much sugar floating in their blood. They hired a firm to build a development including a house for themselves. That person left them dry and went to finish the other country development in less than 6 months. Leaders please, take your medication and be rational. The people are suffering. Stop bringing sheep in wolve clothing on our shore. It is not about you. No one can help you but yourselves. Every man for himself. Antigua wants a piece of the pie. Trust no one. Please Lord intervene. The foreign pastor at your gospel thanksgiving is the same pastor that was rejoicng at your stolen GDP in his country.

  12. zandoli
    January 8, 2019

    I would think a Jamaican based company with on the ground experience in that field would have been better suited for that project.

  13. RandyX
    January 8, 2019

    If this is the case then Tonge and Piper ought to be fired. Why should the tax payer keep on paying people that don’t perform?? Why?

  14. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    January 8, 2019

    Dominica’s Ministry of Tourism and the Discover Dominica Authority have contracted a Trinidadian firm to ”
    “help develop the island’s National Tourism Policy and Tourism Master Plan.”

    That is another pile of rubbish talk; we been there before, done that kind of talk: The last time it was Athie Martin idea that Barbados was going to help Dominica with the same idea. the way that was supposed to work is that when tourist book and bought their package to Barbados, after spending time in Barbados, they would be ferried to Dominica, leaving the asphalt in Barbados visit nature in Dominica.

    More than almost thirty years has elapsed, to this day, Athie wish, and ideas has failed to come to fruition! Dominicans are always looking to someone to do something for them.

    The idea is laughable, in this case perhaps whoever is going to help Dominica, should simple takeover the country. I’ve never heard such nonsense!  

    The master plan should be an International Airport and…

  15. Shaka Zulu
    January 8, 2019

    Continue……. We keep focusing on what we dont have. Pirates of the Caribbean filmed in the island not one of the locations set up with a pirate experience. Build an old pirate ship give tours, set up partnership with hotel chains in Antigua guada st.lucia organize day tours to our unique features. We have most volcanic features, whale watching etc. DNO does not have enough space to write. I am tired of bringing up these ideas hoping someone with commonsense will listen. All this could be done to most importantly increase arrival numbers. Tourist come for an experience. By the time international airport is here we would already have sitea upgrades, attractions, and experience to capitalize on. We spend our creative spirit on gossip and minding other people business while we cannot figure out shit dor ourselves. I am pissed because we are capable and seem to think that everyone else have solutions dor us. Frankly fed up.

    • Sylvester Cadette
      January 8, 2019

      Shaka Zulu you are right on the ball with this but Dominica has a penchant for not listen to its own.
      they often remember us for WHO WE WERE while at school in 1st Form rather than SEE US FOR WHO WE HAVE BECOME – Human resource pool that can contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.

      If we comment on an issue constructively it is perceived as if we are on a political agenda – a product of the comical political environment perpetuated by the THREE POLITICAL TRIBES (some more than the other). SO SAD. What is more there is an inherent socio-political disease of DISHONORITIS. If you attempt to achieve anything then someone, somewhere in Dominica tries to discredit or dishonor you.

      I know the WE CAN DO FAR FAR BETTER THAN THAT because we have SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST PEOPLE but we seem unable to harness their expertise for our development.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      January 8, 2019

      Building a fake pirate ship will not attract the tourists; Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed on other islands too. I went to see the movie Pirates of the Caribbean while on vacation in Canada when it was first released! Truth is I could not even Identify any place in Dominica where they filmed.

      My cousin Kathleen Telemaque, the former Dominica, and Caribbean Queen and I sat to the end of the movie, we only saw the name Dominica, at the very end when the producers gave credit to all the islands on which they produced the movie.

      That movie has not given our island any publicity! If we need any sort of viable tourist industry, the first move is to build an International Airport; develop the infrastructure of the country, clean Roseau, and all of the places the tourists visits on the island!

      Note: Until we have international flights bringing people to overnight on the island, the existing conditions will only repel the few who ventured before.

  16. Shaka Zulu
    January 8, 2019

    It freaking annoys me every time i see a news like that. After 40 years of independence you mean to tell me Dominica cannot develop its own tourism industry. WTF is wrong with our creativity. When will we ever believe in ourselves and our ability. Let me give you guys a little info i found out 20 yrs ago while doing case study in Ms Francis geo class at CDCC. Sucess of tourism depends on number of arrivals. Number of arrivals depends on access and direct flights from markets. That also depends on pull factors or attractions. We have lost the best potential for tourism marketing in the name of Ross University. Let me suggest clean Portsmouth beaches, make possi a heritage city. Rehabilitation of old buildings in thier historic form. Build yaught mariner in possi make it a free port. That will increase arrivals quickly while we try to figure out an international airport that should have been built 30 years ago. We have 5 of the top 10 black sand beaches in Caribbean. We keep focusing

  17. January 8, 2019

    I hope that one day, rather than soliciting more than twenty competing companies around the world, we can use our own insight and talent to project a positive visitor image of Dominica.

    • Not A Herd Follower
      January 8, 2019

      It is not surprising that TII was awarded the contract. It developed the previous policy and master plan. I don’t see any significant re-orientation between the new and previous policies and plans. The current exercise may just be an updating of the previous documents.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      January 8, 2019

      That will not happen in Dominica, everybody is shortsighted; blinded by Labor politics.

      Dominica shall: “shall never move one inch under the rule of Roosevelt Skerrit, and his corrupted labor party.”

      The nation as it is right now is doomed okay!

      Take a look at all of the islands in the Caribbean from Jamaica in the North to Guyana on the South American Continent, you will find Dominica to be the most undeveloped the most backward place in the entire Caribbean.

      Mind you there is a vast difference in the term “underdeveloped,” and undeveloped! Dominicans should be ashamed of ourselves, and country!

      They love their PM, one who appears not to have a brain!

      • Man bites dogs
        January 9, 2019

        @ FRANCISCO You talking crap pathetic crap all that you have said on this post. For a start you and most Dominicans don’t know a Woof about Jamaica, my wife is from Jamaica I was in Jamaica ocho just before Christmas 2018 and a lot of people wishing they had a government like ours lots of people don’t have any work soon as someone meet they want something and the rest of it at least we have lots of work and can pay the bills. Dont just talked about things you don’t know about like the rest of sub standard supporters off workers calamity clowns.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        January 9, 2019

        Shut up fool; remember you name is dog; you are a brainless Canaveral specimen, a dumb animal, so what do you know, you operate of your instincts, while the rest of us uses brain power, and cognition!

        Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

        You are a wild carnivore which are only capable of thinking like a dog eh!

        That is what you get for attacking; so assess your insult tome, and assess mine to you see which of the two is much more effective!

        My name is Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque: Your name is dog.

        Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaah!

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