The yachting sector in Dominica is being identified as a crucial sector in the government’s quest to increase visitor arrival and position the country as the premier ecotourism destination in the region.
This was according to Tourism Minister Denise Charles who was addressing the media launch of the Portsmouth Association of Yacht Services (PAYS) Yachting Festival held this week.
The festival is being held in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism under the theme: “Celebrating Yachting in our Communities”.
The activities are set to begin on March 19, and through the 26.
“The Ministry of Tourism is very excited to partner with Portsmouth Association of Yachting Services to launch the PAYS Yachting Festival which takes place during the week of the traditional Yachters appreciation week,” Tourism Minister Denise Charles said while addressing the ceremony. “We have identified the Yachting sector as a crucial sector on our quest to increase visitor arrivals and position Dominica as the premier ecotourism destination in the region.”
According to her, the government is focused on this reset of the growth of the tourism sector and ensuring that tourism is the major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in creating an increase in employment and economic activity in the country.
“Our commitment to stakeholders is to ensure that we facilitate and support your efforts to ensure that we deliver a quality product or service,” Charles stated. “We want every guest in Dominica to have a taste of our beautiful country, an experience that will ensure that they will visit us every year and invite friends to come to share and bask in the wonders of nature.”
Charles commended PAYS and all other yachting associations for their diligence, commitment, and perseverance over a number of years to build this sector in Dominica.
“We have to applaud them for their hard work,” she noted. “You have solidified relationships, traveled to the trade shows, and promoted your country, particularly the historic Prince Rupert Bay.”
She further commended members of the association for growing the yachting community in Dominica.
“I also applaud the commendable efforts of our yachting sector stakeholders and I wish to extend gratitude, success, and best wishes to the organizers, [yachters] participants, and all involved who have consolidated their energies towards this,” Charles indicated.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Representative of the Cottage Constituency, Roland Royer said it’s heartening to see the Yacht Festival grow each year, and that it is now regarded as one of the sector’s premier industry events in the north.
“We expect that this year it will exceed all expectations,” he said.
Royer said also that the festival ‘Yachting Appreciation Week’ aims to strengthen tourist activity, “improve conditions and economic activities for stakeholders such as restaurants and tours, offer opportunities to the local job market, build on Dominica competitive advantage as a yachting destination and offer wider economic benefits.”
He noted that this year the festival will bring together major players in the industry who will not only come to showcase their yachts but to enjoy the Nature Island.
As an alternative to the title “yachters”, or even worse “yachties”, may I suggest “sailors”.
Fifty years ago, to be labeled a “yachty” was considered derogatory to those of us that sailed the Caribbean and further afield.
The yachting festival has grown every year! By how much? In percent in naked figure? What was the benefit to the wider community? Nobody says, nobody knows! Just throwing empty propaganda at us every single day of the week. Let me tell you Denise, you and your team, infact the entire government, could not organise a p..s up in a rum shop!!!
Shame we are yet to have a marina. and i dont mean little makeshift jetties that we see all over the west coast. i mean a proper marina with restaurants and gift shops, proper outdoor seating and restrooms, security, waste disposal etc. I still dont know why we are the way we are. Some fools like lin clown and other will say is the old administration, but that admin is so old we cannot even remember who was in that party anymore. More than 20 years have passed. Children are now grown working adults but yet… Uncle on his 3rd mansion but no marina. no airport, coffee still not producing, exports at an all time low.
Sounds very interesting but we need to look into building a marina . This would serve as a major benefit to the yaughting community. And also locals we have the areas. And also the support. Locals have long been trying to get this on the government agenda.
Mmm. A sailing festival without any sailing events? Not sure I see the connection between the activities and yachting.