Director of Tourism and Deputy Coordinator for the reopening of borders, Colin Piper said Dominica will once again become an attractive destination for travelers within the CARICOM Travel Bubble.
He made the statement during the launching ceremony of Dominica’s participation in the CARICOM Travel Bubble held at Jungle Bay Resort on Friday.
The CARICOM Travel Bubble consists of the islands of Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, St Vincent & the Grenadines, St Lucia, Grenada, St Kitts & Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla.
“So of importance is that the pre-arrival requirement to undertake the PCR Test within 72 hours is absent and thus allow travelers from the CARICOM Travel Bubble greater ability and flexibility in making plans to book a trip. So, we anticipate that with this newfound freedom, Dominica will once again become an attractive destination for travelers within the CARICOM Travel Bubble,” he said.
According to Piper, this now gives travelers from islands which have proven in their own rights the ability to contain the spread of Covid, and so the incidents of importation would be lower, “a compelling reason to visit Dominica.”
Meantime, President of the Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association (DHTA), Hans Schilders said Dominica is ready to receive guests.
Twenty-one hotels, guest houses, bed and breakfast, resorts are already certified to provide service to the public and visitors, by extension.
“Our CARICOM brothers and sisters will find many of the properties that are COVID safe and certified, to offer them the same great rates that we offer to our local visitors in our staycation,” Schilders said…“So you want to feel at home in Dominica and we welcome you in your home, in Dominica, the same favourable conditions that we offer to others.”
It is difficult to criticize sometimes, however Colin is way out of line. What he says is so far off, you are forced to question his sanity. He might just be perfectly normal while being suspended in a state of stupidity. I cannot see how Dominica will become attractive in the CARICOM Bubble, but we cannot take care of simple medical ailments on island. Did he forget that all the big shots are routinely flown out of state for medical care?
Travel bubble my foot! This is very risky!!!!
Must admit I am confuse. You are promoting Dominica as a vacation destination at the same time as telling people to stay at home for a staycation. Don’t you think the other Caribbean islands are any different and not doing the same and try to get their people to spend money locally? At least you can fly direct to Barbados, say from the U.K. and save yourself the hassle of a less easy
flight to Dominica. Anyway that would make more sense to me. I do not want to be negative but why would fellow Caribbeans want to go to that trouble instead of enjoying a hassle free staycation at their own place and save expensive air fares and obnoxious taxes? If that makes sense for Dominicans surely that makes sense for the other Caricom bubblers too.
Piper you know too well that Dominica will NOT become attractive as long as these thieves and fools are in control. Over twenty years these kleptocrats have been fleecing our lovely Dominica, twenty years they literally HAVE THEIR KNEES ON DOMINICA’S NECK, you expect Dominica to breath.
Piper all of you MUST GO FOR DOMINICA TO GROW.This is a fact.
Piper couldn’t care less. He’s a paid up member of the cabal.
Dear Mr Piper, I must commend you on your efforts to reopen the boarder’s to Caricom an possibly extension, as we all can see considerable thought and planning has been given, to make such a decision, for now let’s say Dominica is covid free. What I am really interested in, Is what is it that you are marketing ? If you can name three commodity that an investor from the Caricom region would be interested in, to take back to his or her island and Caricom by extension that would help Dominica and the economy both now and in the future please feel free to say so. In this regard I do await your favorable response.
When people from high risk countries mix with travel bubble people on the aircraft, the travel bubble becomes totally meaningless. Its about time someone burst Piper’s bubble and replace him with someone who actually has a clue.
Piper boy; you need to shut up, you seems to exists on a delusional planet, you seem to be the only human who flew to Mars on the super Shuttle you brought back from Nevis when you went to Nevis to get help to fly passengers in and out of Dominica.
What do you have in Dominica that will make it an attractive destination for travelers?
I want you to ponder on this: Ross University School of Medicine operated in Dominica for more than forty years; how many students (American students) do you believe studied over the years?
Can you tell us how many of the students returned to Dominica even for a visit with their families, or reside in Dominica?
How many of the thousands, or hundreds of students who attended Ross influence their friends and family to visit Dominica, because of its attraction?
Guy, one of my daughters is in the medical profession, worked in a very popular medical facility, dealt with doctors who studied in Dominica.
However, in conversations with these people who studied in Dominica for no less than four years, none of them were enthusiastic about Dominica which would cause them to return!
The conversation as far as my daughter told me was always something negative, something they did not like, including the food, and how dirty is Roseau, and the stench emitting from the garbage in the street; and the poverty which consumes our people!
You all came up with this stupid slogan “Nature island of the world” or Caribbean, if that did not cause people by the millions to flocked to Dominica what in a thousand years can you do to make Dominica an attractive place to encourage more than the few tourist ship you get once per year!
Some people when they are inebriated they see all sorts of possibilities; however, by the time they get sober; they enter a state of natural “delirium” which is a disturbance in their mental ability, result in all confused thinking; Piper seem confused!
We should not be so damning of Mr. Piper. He is doing his job and perhaps well, in the circumstances. However, do agree that we must work on alleviating local poverty. And as much poverty of mind as material goods. I have advocated, admittedly with the arrogance of someone living overseas, that our government should celebrate our smallness and community, with a spirit of modesty, pride, goodness and welcoming. This mental rigor and pride can displace poverty, both of mind and material.
What sort of job is Piper doing?
Talking bull!
Piper told you he was going to Nevis, which is a dependency of St. Kitts to get help in transporting people “passengers” in and out of Dominica, would you call that doing a job, or bull-crap?
Let me show you how stupid is Piper’s notion!
There are no aircraft manufacturing industries in Nevis; there are no operating commercial aircraft’s based in Nevis; if anything the bankrupt LIAT serves Nevis too.
There are International Flights servicing St. Kitts from which Nevis benefits.
Let me put it to you bluntly, the people of St. Kitts and Nevis intends to build a Bridge between St. Kitts, and Nevis; what sort of help can Nevis give to Dominica along the line of air transportation in and out of Dominica.
Every word Piper speaks; each time he opens his mouth, he spews hogwash; all nonsense; blowing in the wind to be heard by him only and people like you who are impress by his garbage!
Boy, you must be living in a bubble of utopia. People wearing their poverty with pride then?
It will take a very long time for things to get back to normal. In the mine time encourage people to go into agriculture. Food most sell . Oh while you at it tell PEE-M we still waiting for those 2 boats to sell our food. Tourism is dead for now.
the countries named are the OECS and Barbados yet it is being called CARICOM.
They all are members of Caricom.
Yep…costs of inter island air fares are crazy. Perhaps the regional governments should get out of the airfare business and collectively invest in half a dozen fast ferries.
Perhaps these could transport people, vehicles and goods more cost effectively, and allow for more regional travel. Just a thought, with little history or study
The idea of a CARICOM BUBBLE is a good idea. Whether it will work in these economically tough times is left to be seen. Dominica needs a reliable air bridge and more advanced infrastructural developments to make access to this naturally picturesque gem much easier. Instead the incumbent administration focuses on these well needed developments, they focus more on humiliating, excoriating, persecuting, and totally destroying the law abiding members of the Opposition.
Two heads are better than one. No one person has a monopoly on knowledge. Instead of using the country’s resources to arrest and drag the Opposition members to court on bogus charges, the maladministration should use that wasted money to bring every Dominican who has something positive to contribute to the table of thoughts and discussion. Stop the ANTIQUATED POLITICS of SLASH & BURN and ONE-MAN-ISM.
You saying one thing Dr esprit saying another this place is so confuse just like the leaders close your boarder back until all you can put all words and action straight
Incompetence and incoherence are the trade mark of this government and its leader. Only corruption and deception they are good at. In summary, our country is already paying a high price to accommodate these clowns and will pay even more in years to come. My poor country!
How many people within the region can afford to travel with those high taxes and fees imposed on the airfare?