Local hotelier Atherton Martin says stakeholders in the tourism sector will feel the brunt this year especially during the off season.
The 2010/2011 cruise ship season which ended here last month has been described as encouraging despite the pull out of carnival victory.
But Martin says hundreds of individuals in the tourism sector will be without jobs.
“For the next six months there will be no cruise ship in the island so the bus drivers who have made their investments will be on the bread line. Small hotels and businesses of all kind in Dominica are facing all kinds of pressure and all of that is going on while people are being told by the leadership of the country that everything is alright,” he said.
He says government should have used the lead-up to the off season to attract Caribbean travelers.
“We need to say to Caribbean people that they need to take a nature vacation in Dominica. It is necessary for us to take a hard look at what is happening to now,” he added.
Businessmen and politicians spend thousands of dollars and several months destabilizing the country; putting fear into investors and visitors alike, just to gain plolitical advantage. We write to foreign governments to re-examine their lending and assistance programs to Dominica. Didn’t we realize that we would all pay the price for maligning the country?
Furthermore, Sandals Hotel chain promote St. Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica in the USA and Europe. Other 5 star hotel chains like Hilton, Best Western and Double Tree promote other islands like the USVI, Antigua, Bahamas, etc. Who promotes Dominica? Private hoteliers expect tax payers to foot the entire bill through our government. Why can’t they spend to promote their industry, with some assistance from government, ot course.
Bear in mind; if you take the country down, we all go down.
The Douglas family have land and money how much do they contribute to development?just a question.
Has it dawned on people that in general more people have LESS expendible income for vacations. A vacation is a luxury not a staple of everyday life these days.
DA should be capitalizing on what it has the ability to do, which is produce food and export it to other islands in the Caribbean.
When oil is sky high, food prices, especially those of imports will be too.
It is time that DA sought another source of oil because currently, Chavez’ oil is increasing incrementally while the Saudi oil has stabilized for the moment and has even gone down.
Why is all that prediction of gloom coming from Mr Atherton Martin. The Cruise Ship industry has its peak time and down time in the region all due to marketing, which can be referred to as the seasons. between May and Sept. ships are moved to Europe not all, so there may be a drop in the number of calls. In Sept. they return back to the Caribbean and so this is called the beginning of the season. This is not new it happened last year and the year before, so why Mr Martin. makes it look like this is something new and that is just happening now, and blaming the Government, the only reason for such statement is to gain political mileage. The stakeholders within the industry knows this and it nothing new.
Why is it Mr Martin does not use his time and focus on getting the bottle water project which he was given a license by the Government to start the bottling of water for export, it is all most two years now and nothing, that is where his focus should be and not making senseless predictions of gloom. his energy is being focused in the wrong direction. Don’t you think by now Mr Martin should be telling us or reporting on the progress he has made towards the bottling of water for export, this is suppose to be an important undertaking, someone given a license to export one of our major resource and as of yet we hear nothing. It seems to me Mr Martin is more interesting in gaining
Political mileage rather than focusing on the big prize of getting this water project off the ground
To One Love
It seems you do not understand or see things as the relate. When the Bus drivers were buying their bus didn’t they know that the business they are getting to is seasonal and that this was to be expected of the business and so make preparations for the down times, Why would i venture into a business that is seasonal and not make preparations for the down times it seems you are programmed to accept news of gloom without looking to see whether there is any truth as to what was predicted. It is sad that you cannot see things how they relate.
you really are ill informed – your comment is ignorant – do some research and you will quickly find that the trend is that cruise lines are moving away from the Caribbean and into Europe – the Caribbean and especially Dominica stands to lose big time –
You people wherever you are do no research you just bump your gums and talk crap. Don’t scold the messenger – tackle the issues that he is raising – with facts.
To evolved
Reach is not what you hear in the News and repeat. I have worked in the Industry, been all over the Caribbean and Major Cruise Destination in the world. The statement you refer to quote “the trend is that cruise lines are moving away from the Caribbean and into Europe” that is very nonsocial . The Caribbean Market is the biggest for the Cruise Ship Industry it accounts for about 45% of the industry and growing, that is the Market that makes most of their revenue and still growing, the Caribbean is the most dominant cruise destination in the world and one of the reason is logistics and climate. Americans account for about 60% of the Market. What is happening now the industry is now trying increase more itineraries in Europe but that does not mean they are pulling out of the Caribbean as you would want to believe.
You know sometimes it is sad that Political blindness can override the truth and keep people in
a box. When you use the phrase do not scold the messenger, this alone tells me how little you pay attention to research as you so boldly accuse me of not doing, but you are willing to listen to
messengers for your facts and of all messengers Mr Martin, well keep listening to messengers and reading news for your source of facts.
The masses opposed to an international airport. How can you get stayover visitors and all year round tourist without an international airport? Maybe allyou state palace will bring more revenue that an airport. Go on Dominicans
It is rather interesting that the people who are criticizing Athie and asking Athie to shut up are the same ones who claim that Tony Astaohan has a right to talk or express his opinion. The issue at hand has nothing to do with whether or not we like athie Martin or not. As compared to Tony Astaphan Athie is making a valid point , one that is directly related to every Dominican and is also likely to affect every Dominican. Tony Astaphan talks only to protect his interest.
As responsible people we should analyze the issue for what it really is. If we don’t allow our conscience and intelligence to be clouded by petty politics we will agree with Athie’s assessment. It only make sense to hold this inefficient government responsible for the status quo and doing so should not make us less of a Laborite or more UWP.
There is no need to attack Athie Martin on his personal agenda . After all who does not have a personal agenda. The very same people attacking athie’s personal agenda and politics are the same ones saying that it is OK for the current members of the government administration and his cabal to become overnight millionaires.
We need to stop this hypocrisy and foolishness and focus on the things that matter politically- like jobs and better quality of life. We are so quick to buy into propaganda and yet instead of moving forward our country remains stagnated while other little islands with half our potential is making significant development strides.
Time to wake up Dominicans and make sense of the stench of the doldrums that exist.
With all due respect Mr. Martin, stop speaking gloom and doom over our country, I reverse this statement in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, there will be no job losses in the tourism industry, the Lord will turn things around. Amen.
Alas stop speaking doom over the country and the people nah.
God help those who help themself. Mr. Martin is in the business of Tourism and is well place to analyze the situation. I have one question; would you prefer Mr Martin says that everything will be alright and you find out otherwise? Maybe you are prepared for the change in situation but what about other people.
Mr Martin is calling a spade, a spade my dear ! ! God is wonderful .. i can tell you this is true but Facts are stubborn things . Just put your Faith to work so that we may experience the blessings of our Heavenly Father who most of us has turned our backs on and are looking to the materialistic world and its …………… leaders for our daily bread ! ! ! !
Oh please stop this nonsense! The man made a prediction based on facts! he didn’t curse anyone or Dominica. Why is it that whenever someone says something like this ppl always accuse them of throwing blight? If you wanna jump off a cliff w/out a parachute and I tell you thats a bad idea and you tell me you rebuke that statement in the name of jesus, i pushing you off eh!
dominica is way behind, people like Martin need to retire. buils smething to attract tourists, a casino, a natural water park with slides, do more than diving a whale watchin, have the chinese or whoever they depend on to finance a touring submarine, make it into a restaurant, so guests would have dinner under water. the gvt dont want to destroy our natural resources then use them wisely. with stuff like that tourist wont even wait for a cruise ship for them to arrive in dominica.
Did you say CASINO?? You young lady, are going straight to jail for saying that…No trial…straight to jail for you..
On a serious note, that might be the best thing for DA right now. Casinos supported by ferry services to and from most of the nearby islands would attract a lot of visitors from the Caribbean. Just imagine a visit to the nature island to relax and visit the nature trails by day and gamble by night..perfect weekend getaway…. But alas..you mention Casino and everybody ready to send you to the the gallows. Oh well, more hard times for Us…
i need to go to jail? wat u rather? young ones seeling drugs on the road? or u open businesses for them to get jobs. what the f**k is wrong with a casino. its better than a strip club, is everytime people want to come to dominica and visiti the same old boring sites. thats why dominica will stay behind, cause of a**holes like u
Hello! the person you called a**hole was only supporting your point, but with a little opening sarcasm.
Artherton Martin and many others like him in Dominica are at the root cause of these very same issues that he is now lamenting. For at least a decade now, he and a small cohort of officials in the tourism industry have been peddling, “niche market toursim, or eco-tourism” as they call it.
They forgot one important component of vacation or visiting a different island, i.e. “fun” and lots of it.
There is a corelation between lack of fun things to do in Dominica and stay-over tourist who spend more money than cruise tourist. Furthermore, we are only now developing some of our tourist sites, thus creating easier access to them.
Furthermore, everything in Dominica has a “rustic” look and feel to it, minus the amenities that seasoned travels come to expect. The potential for tourism development in Dominica is endless, but new leaders are needed with grand visions. Artherton Martin is not part of that vision. He represents the past, a very “staid past.”
I just viewed a photograph of the Rodney’s Rock area in Mahaut as an example. Although this area is in it’s infancy, the picture is undesirable. A promenade with lights, lovely restaurants, beach activities parking and activites for children and adults would bode well for the area. After the history torur snorkeling and lunch, what else is available for someone who is on vacation? The answer is nothing.
Unless there is a fundamental change in the way that we think about our current tourism product, we are doomed to fail.
Bean, you are on terget.
Athie (AM) is a very destructive force sent by whom? His ego and ambition is ultimately leadership of the Country and to destabilise it that is his modus operandi…Fortunately he and will not achieve this wicked plan.
The PM, His Government and Tourism strategists and planners can take some positive notice (for possible adoption) of some of the commentary such as: AM is gone beyond and past his sell by date; he has gazumped many a project of aspiration for his personal ambition. Our French Caribbean cousins can assist in our tourism thrust as a burst in figures to DA; the vision as set very clearly from a commentator whose proposal of Mahaut; as well as the very critical the call for reducing the importation bill and encouraging agricultural exports. You see DA is the Garden of Eden, even the obdurate ‘ Morgan Heritage’ had to acknowledge this, and hence there are fantastic opportunities. Meanwhile, in the interim we need push DA Diaspora populace to come home now and invest in tourism; agriculture; business opportunities as they provide the cash nexus from the West, with interest rates so low (in the West), out there which means they are receiving negligible returns on their investments which are housed in Europe and North America. Thus with right incentives there could be investment opportunities, twinned with DA inherent talent present on the Island.
Finally, we can reach out to Dominicans in neighbouring Caribbean Islands to act as country ambassadors to encourage those who they know to come and see this wonderful Nature Isle.
Athie sounds like he’s so fed up he may have to do something radical. Like sell water
We have a French island to the south of us, a French island to the north of us, and they love Dominica. But there is no-one at the DDA whose job it is to develop this relationship and market. All the emphasis is on cruise ships, the UK and North America. The cruise industry is completely fickle (as we have seen already) and people in the UK and North America STILL think we are the Dominican Republic and have never heard of us (25,000 annual stayover visitors compared to Barbados 500,000 stayover visitors).
We could do with some people who know what they are doing.
Athie at it again. lamenting and lamenting and lamenting. Everything around him is doom and gloom. teh only time there has beena silver lining in things developmental in Dominica is when Athie was in government (with absolutley nothing to show for it) or when supported a particular party (shortlived experiences too) that was in government. Aside form those two situations, notyhing has worked acoording to Athie for Dominica. One time he has concerns about the cruise sector as being detrimental to the the type of tourism Dominica should be encouraging. Today, without even signalling when he changed his opinion abouit cruise tourism, he suddenly becomes a champion of the cruise sector and a low off season. What kind of man is that who laments everything as being wrong in Dominica – a land he says he love. Athie alone has ideas. He alone knows what is right for Dominica. He alone has all the ideas as to how to do what is right for Dominica and who should do it. Apart from Athie, everybody else is wrong unless they support him. Just support his ideas and you will see how incarnate you are.
Athie you must stop crying your country down. When you had the real opportunity toplan the country’s economy, you resigned to go champion the cause of whales, totally forgetting that you were charged with the responsibility to plan Dominica’s development in your capacity then as Ministry of Agriculture and Economic Planning when you serve under Roosevelt Douglas.
Why don’t you form a party and put your ideas to the test during an election campaign? Its not too late
Athie Caribbean people are going through the crunch like everyone else. People are being laid off from work everywhere.
What have you done to encourage visitors?
This where we are – the next level. I am not a fan of Athie Martin however I must agree with him. While the government is creating the semblance that all is well and that we are on the path to the next level the reality of the situation in Dominica is frightening; the near future is grim to say the lease.
While the people are being asked to improve their efforts and focus on tourism the government itself is doing nothing to boost tourism in Dominica.
11 years ago the DLP took control of this country and in my opinion there is nothing substantial to show that the DLP is worth the people’s love admiration . To those of us who travel make an honest comparison with St Kitts , St Lucia , St Vincent and Grenada . I can assure you that within the last 8-10 years these islands left Dominica in the shadow of retardation. What is so disturbing is the fact that we were once upon a time ahead of these islands.
As a ‘local hotelier’ I figure that Athie Martin is going to be affected by the decline in tourist arrivals.
So was Athie Martin leading a push to convince the gov’t to use ‘the lead-up to the off season to attract Caribbean travelers?’
Maybe he did but I’m not aware of it. The last time I heard about him was when he was forming an anti-gov’t group to try to go placard court proceedings.
One would think it would have been in his best interest to push for this, not wait till it’s already too late to come complain to the media.
To me stuff like this is exactly what is holding Dominica back. People prefer to wait for things to go bad so they can engage in cheap politicial point-scoring, instead of working together to aid the development of OUR country. Quite sad…
if it aint the anti-hate again with his negative spin on things,,,, i bet u think that mr martin is happy with the conditions,,, why would he if he’s losing money,,,, but again the red cloth is blocking ur vision
Very well put. I wonder how much does Mr. Martin along with the other hoteliers do for themselves in promoting their property and dominica by extension rather than the wait and see approach that many of them adopt. Too often, we as hoteliers/property owners rely on Govt to promote what is ours for us.
well dominica and dominicans have to feel to learn – so this summer they will feel – and hopefully they will learn. I commend any effort to sensitize, beautify etc – but not at the expense of some of the fundamental issues that plague the industry – the vendors, the beggers, drug pushers, junkies begging for money the list goes on and on. Operator as a tourism professional I think that the ” I am Dominican” campaign could be useful but all will be for zero if some fundamentals are not addressed.
Where is the famous savior of the industry in all of this – the past minister Nassief????? Is he now investing all his efforts and money in the BVI? The demise of the industry started under his watch – he left the remaining a-holes to clean up the mess – the mess they let him create
I wish you luck Dominica – you are going to need it…..
the tourism sector must suffer when cost of energy is too high the govt need to put pressure on domlec to invest in hydro we have all the water source & pressure on the island to generate hydro electricity
victoria and sari sari fall can provide hyro for the entire east coast going back to petite savanne
middleham fall for canefeild and surrounding trafalgar need to be upgrade dat skerrit should do if he want to bring us the next level with hydro energy cost will be cut by 60 % it has been research in long but Domlec say its too expensive so mr skerrit and adviser listen to me i want to hear yur response to me am not political just want see the cost of energy goes down
Where have you been, it seems you are not up to date with what is going on in your Country but quick to comment. Have you not heard of the Government push towards the use of developing Geothermal Energy for the Country, actually according to the Government test drilling is soon to
commence, this is being done with the help of the European Union. You comment regarding
using the water from our rivers, Hydro Energy, well this was looked at years ago under the Freedom Party Government and it was never able to supply the country 100%. I think 40 % was used and rest was made up from Diesel Generation. So if you did not know the next level is Geothermal Energy which the Government is working on. I do understand where you coming from with you concern about cheaper electricity, all Dominicans fell the same as you do, unfortunately
you are not up to date with information as to what is taking place in the Country towards solving the problem.
To Evolved
Why are you so hash and Critical. You know it is very easy to sit behind a computer and just criticize
especially in a very negative way not knowing anything. The tourism industry in Dominica is at it’s infant stage, naturally things cannot be done overnight, bear in mind I’m not making any excuses
for the Government. I have worked in the Industry been to all or most of the Islands in the Caribbean and witnessed their operation, been to Major tourist detonations in the world, the problems you talk about as being fundamental quote “the vendors, the beggars, drug pushers, junkies” is not something only prevalent to Dominica, it is through out the whole industry, the Caribbean and the world, example the drug problem you talk about, can government stop drug dealing or pan handling of course not. so to make a statement like this shows how little you know about the industry. Yes Government can play their part no doubt. I have witnessed much more of what you think is the problem in Dominica in some of the major destinations and still they are rated tops in the industry. In a business like this the Hospitality industry success starts with the people and the service they give, at the grass roots level, people, example the Bus drivers, taxi operators, Hotel workers, Customs officers, even the the person just walking pass by a visitor, a smile and greeting can come a great way, so basically it is everyone business to make visitors happy and welcome to the Country, tourism is everybody business, that is what the fundamentals are about.
Your comment about the famous savior of the industry, i will not comment since i have no knowledge of what you are alleging. I only comment on what i know, so please try to be a little less critical about your Country wishing your people suffering. how cynical you sound..
plan B ??
Lets play GOLF !!
water for the field ? no problem !
Mr. Martin invest in a golf-course!!
Hotel full , in off-season.
….is not mr. Martin ,nuh!! Ask Hon. Douglas what happened to the plans for a golf course for his family’s estate on the east coast?
NUH !!
Ask Mr.”Hon”. E.James, (1995 /1999)
what happened the plans ” Hotel “Los-Nomados” + a 18 hole GOLF COURSE
AT “BELL HALL” Portsmouth ?
Athie, you should be smiling now. Thats what you and your cohorts want. Your wishes coming true, so hooray!!! Why pretend as if you are concerned? Zot Toe twet!!!
They DO REALIZE how EXPENSIVE it is to get here right? You could easily spend up to $3,000US just for round-trip plane tickets!
Then when you get here, you must pay for the hotel, food, taxi or bus or rental car if you don’t take a taxi or a bus.
It’s pretty damn costly to just come and visit here you know!
Agreed 100%.
A return ticket from the UK at Christmas time is 6020.00EC$.
How many of us can afford to do this on a frequent basis.
Exactly. Virtually no body can. It can BREAK YOU to come to Dominica, and I don’t think they realize this.
Its is very difficult to attract Caribbean vacationers to visit other islands as the fares are too high. I recently looked into visiting tow islands in the Caribbean with my three children and the fare was in excess of 6000 Ec dollars. Of course, I am not traveling at all.
The first thing to be dealt with is the increasing fares and the huge cost to travel inter regionally.
SUBSIDIZED Ferry services should be implemented, and later privatized when it has become a standard service; we should be able to bring our cars to other CARICOm islands use them there and leave. We talk about one Caribbean, but none of the islands is willing to do whats really necessary to get there.
Then you have a case of the infrequent and the lack of direct flight into and from Dominica. To get to St. Vincent I have to go to SLU, then to ANU then to BGI and the STV. Does that make any sense? I leave at 7 in the morning and get to STV at 6:30 at night. NO way jose…
R u serious ? To go to SVG you have to do all that hopping. Before it would be DA SLU SVG. Now you have to go to Tigua and B’dos
I strongly agree with this statement. cost of traveling has sky rocketed!! mr martin is saying that the government should have used the lead-up to the off season to attract Caribbean travelers. however now a days if the funds are not there to travel what do u expect…
All the more reason to encourage growth in the aviation sector because if we are so dependent on cruise ship season which only accounts for half the year, we need a ‘Plan B’ for the other half. Continual tourism from air traffic is what we need.
Well Martin what do you expect when you have such dumb ppl running the Toursim Industry. They dont think like us because they have no experience in this industry and think they can easily come up with shit like ” I am Dominica” to get ppl involved in Tourism lol Plzzzzzzzzzz.
a large amount of dominicans a not realizing what is hapening and what is to come in this country ,that is why i will repeat it is we dominicans that is on a cross raod not mr green eddo and spages.