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Thursday, July 15, 2004
Outgoing secretary-general of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Jean Holder is worried about the extent of Caribbean dependence on foreign carriers and foreign distribution systems in the regional industry.
Foreign airlines account for the movement of most of the 20 million tourists to the region annually while tour operators, operating in the major source markets, generally control the numbers of holiday visitors to regional destinations.
Regional carriers such as Air Jamaica, BWIA and Bahamas Air have been struggling in an increasingly turbulent environment while more North American carriers have been focussing on the Caribbean, seeking to grow revenues.
With tourism as the No.1 industry for most Caribbean states and main economic engine, Holder suggested that such major dependence on foreign carriers and foreign distribution systems was not in the best interest of the region.
To be sustainable, he said, Caribbean tourism must also be profitable, competitive, safe, acceptable and under Caribbean management and control.
Holder is very worried that crusie ships visit te region but the region does not own a single cruise ship
A regional public servant with the CTO for more than 30 years, Holder expressed his views in an address to international journalists and industry players at the sixth Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEX) recently held in St Lucia.
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