A three-month Japanese international Cooperation Agency volunteer is advising residents to have a firsthand experience of Dominica’s tourism product in order make a more meaningful impact on the sector while at the same time improving it.
Katsumi Miura gave the advice at a final report presentation on his voluntary service at the Waitukubuli National Trail Management Unit (WNTMU) at the Garraway Hotel on Thursday.
According to Miura, Dominicans need to get more involved in the tourism sector.
“I noticed that I met very few people Dominicans who were actually on the trail,” he said adding that the most efficient way to improve the situation of the trail is to have more Dominicans hiking on it.
He encouraged Dominicans to go hiking on a more consistent basis. “I would really love to encourage people to go on hiking,” he said. “Even if you can’t physically go on hiking, you can know about this trail, support it through home or informing other people.”
Miura also suggested having hiking maps on the internet which, according to him, would offer a wide range of vital, on-hand information.
He said Dominicans should take advantage of our “every day familiar things” such as the island’s tropical crops, fruits, plants and spices.
“Dominica has all these features and I believe that Dominica needs more world class attention,” he stated.
Meantime Operations Officer at the Waitukubuli National Trail Management Unit, Roselyn Paul, described Miura’s contribution to the WNTMU as ‘Valuable’.
“It was approximately three months ago that we agreed to partner with JICA … and just by his presentation you can see the value of having such volunteer with us especially in the area of resource constraints and especially …the trail is a very new product but a growing signature product in Dominica that embraces and showcases who we are,” she said
The chinse are not our problem but people like Dodd, who did not read the article, before he started sprouting his sprout anti-chinese rhetoric. The man made some observations that is all.
Dominican need to be educated about tourism and the type of tourism we are advertising.Yes more Dominicans need to enjoy the island.
He said Dominicans should take advantage of our “every day familiar things” such as the island’s tropical crops, fruits, plants and spices.
“Dominica has all these features and I believe that Dominica needs more world class attention,” he stated.
I have been hearing quite a bit of information inregards to “how healthy coconut oil is”, information in relation to “the benefits of soursop, the benefits of pawpaw, the benefits of ginger..and all our tropical fruits….just google the info..you would be surprised…I say we should be taking advantage of our climate and rich soil, by planting alot more fruit crops, alot more coconuts, ginger, aloes,then invite the world to come to be healthy in Dominica. we could have some planted along the trails…just a suggestion…its like having a blessing.. but looking everywhere else for the blessing…these are out blessings… let us utilize them, plant more…everywhere…everytree that one can use..our ginger taste different from those from another place. our avocadoes taste better…….grow local. eat more local…
They are not on the “trail” for a reason. Tourism is not the strong point of this island, agriculture is. Only ecotourists would be interested in spending time on this island. Cruisers are already invested in their cruise, not in buying trinkets in various ports.
if we were gettig invstments,skerrit would never borrow from morocco.
i have met some millionaires that want to invest in dominica.but because,we don’t have an int’l airport,they just change their mind.skerrit only talk about be commited to an int’l airport,during election,and changes his mind after being reelected.
There is no money for an international airport. Melville Hall was put in the wrong place to begin with.
yo …change the record ok … it (international airport) is not going to happen … and nor should it until you and others can prove (not in loose pawole … but in verifiable and credible figures ) that it will not bankrupt the country bot financially and environmentally.
An oversight occurred: In every case where I reference China, I actually meant Japan; “Japan.”
FET.
that’s o.k.
I can’t Agree with more. but more need to be Done to bring Nature Island to the world. like useing the social network. post some videos on youtube ect, am aure we will get more world class attension.
“I noticed that I met very few people Dominicans who were actually on the trail,” he said adding that the most efficient way to improve the situation of the trail is to have more Dominicans hiking on it.”
All in the quote above is nothing more than sweet sounding nothing words; meaningless with no substance!
What difference will the presence of Dominicans on a hiking trail make in the tourist industry! There are less than seventy thousand people in Dominica, struggling daily for their survival.
There are probably less than five thousand civil servants going to work every day, a few thousand of people work in the private sector, either operating some struggling business, and employing a few people, the remainder are farmers, and the remaining population are out there bewildered not knowing if they may have something to eat by night fall.
What purpose will it serve the people in question to leave whatever they are doing in the day time to go on some hiking trail! Dominicans hike every day, especially those who work on the plantations.
If you are so interesting in helping Dominica’s tourist industry, perhaps you can influence your Chines people to come to Dominica on their vacation. Millions of Chines take vacation each year, you people fly from one end of China to the other end, for that purpose the double Decker aircrafts were manufactured in the 1980’s.
Talk alone cannot help us; however visiting Dominica, and spending your money in the country will indeed make a difference.
Better yet influence your government to invest into an International Airport on the island, thus you can have flights originating in China destine for Dominica.
Hence that will serve a better purpose than this crap about Dominicans should be more visible on hiking trail!
If someone is hungry, and I sympathize with them, and did not offer them something to eat, or give to them some money to buy a plate of food, what good is my sympathy; what purpose would my sympathy serve the hungry person?
DNO if there is a double post, please delete one of the same.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
i am so impress with you,i wish every dominicans were like you.
Why are you ranting and raving about this gentleman influencing Chinese tourists to visit Dominica, when the article clearly states he was from Japan?
I agree with you that hiking Dominicans are utterly non-sense and it wont help but the guy raised good points:
– Hiking is something which attracts extreme sport tourists who not care about good restaurants, hotels etc…nobody really knows that Dominica has superb trails
– Dominica generally is good for extreme sport tourists..unlike cruise ship dudes, extreme tourists dont mind spend a bit cash to get adrenaline injection
Maybe those ideas really need to be monetarised: create dedicated program targeting extreme sport tourists, attend some industry event specialized for extreme tourism, get in contact with companies who provide clothing and equipment and make some campaign together.
Island has a lot of remote areas which are good for endurance training and racing..I imagine that in such areas is possible to do sporting camps and bring sportsmen for training camps..away from hassle, away from people…
Dominica try to follow conventional tourism but its way to nowhere…no infrastructure, no capacity to run such business and industry…but unconventional tourism like sport tourism, extreme sport might be good
He’s not Chinese you twat. And second of all since we’re so cosy with the chinese in this country, why aren’t we encouraging them to see destinations and visit? Or the government trying to attract Chinese tourists?
But no, because, you know it yourself, Dominicans have too much distrust and maybe outright hate against local chinese. get your head out of you behind first,
It just goes to show what your subconscious mind is thinking.
Why so much negativity towards China and its people?
You refer to them as “you people”
And who says “Chines”
Perhaps you should when posting, be more careful in what you say and how you say it. I’ve seen many a times your attempts at correcting and “schooling” others..perhaps, we must practise a bit more what we preach.
hate is not good in any culture or circumstance