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Ilene Paul is recognised for her years of service to the SLHTA by president Anthony Bowen.
The theme for the 46th annual general meeting of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism which was held Wednesday February 24 at the Sandals Grande, was “from crisis to recovery.” And many of the day’s speakers focused on the impact which the global recession and economic crunch was having on the vital tourism industry.
The director of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board Louis Lewis in his presentation while reporting a 13 percent increase in stay over arrivals in January after a drop overall in 2009, indicated improvements in the projections for this year. According to Lewis, positive visitor feedback on the destination, surrounded their response to the natural beauty of the island and the friendliness of the people.
“Areas of concern however,” Louis said continue to be visitor harassment, poor roads, slow service at immigration, inadequate road signage, limited nightlife and entertainment and poor security and policing.” Through a tourist board survey, however, 70 percent of visitors revealed a likelihood of returning to the island whilst 80 percent indicated that they would recommend Saint Lucia as a holiday destination.
The most revealing of the research and surveys by the SLTB during the presentation, however, was the fact that tourism by all accounts is responsible for 64 percent of the island’s GDP, (2008 figures) contributing in excess of 1.7 billion dollars of the total 2.65, annually. Research by the SLTB also sought to put to rest the argument that the industry provided mainly menial jobs, with Louis pointing out that findings show that tourism paid higher wages on average than the rest of the economy.
Before going into his presentation Guest speaker Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Minister of tourism and aviation of the Bahamas thanked the SLHTA for the invitation saying “I find any excuse to come to Saint Lucia and certainly I get more than I can give.” Basing several of his points on the premise that “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste,” the Bahamian tourism minister pointed out that when things are going good no one wants to listen and that now was the time to start dialoguing on the vital tourism industry in an effort to ride out the crisis.
Several of his arguments also centered on the need for greater participation by the population and a need to make them understand how the industry works and how it impacts them in basic terms.
“You need to tell people on a regular basis what you are doing,” Wallace said. “It is everybody’s job selling the experience,” he went on to say. He also called for greater collaboration in the region, putting forward that the time had come for a “United states of the Caribbean,” adding “unity does not mean unanimity.”
Bahamas minister Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace says a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.
The Minister of Tourism in the Bahamas put forward to the many hoteliers and industry officials that they need to profit the opportunity to make greater use of the internet. “When you take a look at the number of the tools in marketing today most of these did not exists ten years ago. If you don’t understand “facebook” and “twitter” and you think that the internet is something that will eventually go away then you are in the wrong business. There is no business I know that can benefit more than tourism from the internet,” Wallace pointed out.
For his part during the meeting President of the SLHTA Anthony Bowen reviewed the past year and the impact of the economic crisis as it related to various markets important to the industry. While business was down in the US and Europe, Canada, Bowen stated the region had stayed pretty clear and is showing steady growth. He went on to laud the tourism minister’s efforts in getting West Jet to provide additional (and cheaper airlift compared to Air Canada) airlift from Canada.
However Bowen sounded a note of caution. “Improvement does not mean that we are back to the good old days. Our product is woefully lacking, garbage is everywhere,” Bowen said his tone becoming passionate. “What will it take for us to develop a love for country? There is a lack of national pride and appreciation for the environment,” Bowen stated drawing applause from his audience.
He also touched on the growing concern of crime demanding full attention to the scourge and calling on every Saint Lucian to raise their voice in protest against the rise in crime.
On the question of crime as it relates to visitors Allen Chastanet said at last week’s meeting that the proposed audit of attractions was underway which would address security and safety issues. He also noted the implementation of a hotel operating license “which would include issues of security and health.” A task force which included himself, Guy Joseph and Richard Frederick he informed the meeting had been established to look into concerns in the Rodney Bay area and Gros Islet to address matters such as illegal vending among other things.
Wednesday’s meeting which was chaired by the executive Vice President of the SLHTA Mchale Andrew also saw a presentation being made to Ms Ilene Paul, who has served the SLHTA for and will be retiring later this year. The meeting, (as the Star has reported) has also seen a war of words between the SLHTA president and the GM of SLASPA over comments Bowen made during the closed session of the AGM.
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It is not that the product is lacking, it is evolving. Evolution is a slow process. In as much as that there is an expectation of a certain standard, the whole society has to be part of that transformation, otherwise it will always be lagging. Tourism needs to be seen from a more user friendly position. Most St. Lucians feel left out of the process. There is a wound that has to be cured.
you hit the nail on the head …crime and insensitivity to our enviroment…..our people and flora and funa which is all we really have……it sounds so simple but if we do not arrest these problems ….stlucia in for a surprise….the few beaches we have are almost always full of garbage…..our rivers and streams are treated like garbage dumps as they bleed with used car oil….we kill choc bay …destroyed rodney bay and now cocaine dollars is destroying our youth…..some will say i only see the bad things but that is all i am intrested in fixing……..we have to protect our rivers and stream useing heavy fines and jail time……we have to admit the cause way and hess were mistakes,,,,,we have to stop planting fig on our hill sides…..we have to stop and remove where we can hotels from the beach…..we have to make cocaine ,guns and gun crime maditory jail time plus heavy fines…..and start calling a spade a spade for god sake……no nation in history have ever eradicated drugs so why not have ganja phamacies like california,denver and canada so we can at least make some money off of those who sell because right now they pay zero taxes….and stop dressing our lawmen like military men ITs DEFINATELY IS NOT WORKING….and most of all we need a leader who is dirt rich and who does not care about favours…….we need some one who can shock our citizens back to life or stlucia let s sit back shut up and enjoy more of the same because guess what STLUCIA NICE……we need to start enforceing our traffic laws with heavy fines and jailtime for dui and speeding….we need new laws to confiscate money and assets of people who can not show where it came from…….stlucia its time for drastic new way of doing things or accept we going to be worse than some parts in jamaica where even the army dread……and for those who fear legalizeing ganja either ban alcohol and cig ..stlucia your choice…..continue as usual or change…
Although tourism is good for the economy, we cannot depend to much on it because it is so fragile, one wind gust and it snaps in half. Other industries should go side by side with tourism. However, I applaud everyone for their hard work from point A - Z..
Yes Yes Yes this secound comment did hit the nail on the head. I am a soldier in the British Army and in December last year I visited my country and was a bit shock of what I saw. Firstly the immigration department at the airport was very very slow, you could see the fustration on visitors faces in the ques. Most of the employees at the airport have no pride in their duties, no motivation, no zeal and you could see it on their faces.Next the crime situation is very very serious. Back in the UK, I have come across many people who has been to St Lucia and they always told me that their trip has been good which is good to hear but they always said that there was a point in their holiday where they encounter an uncomfortable situation, which is for example a fight or argument which turn into a nasty fight or sometimes. Next yes the POLICE, I am a soldier and a soldier is someone who goes out to fight WAR , and the mode of dress is combat military fatigues which comouflage to blend with the surroundings so that you don’t give out your positions on the battlefieald. So why are the police are wearing military combat fatigues, when they are not soldiers?. The police (SSU) should get some other type uniform like the UK for the SSU, so that to remind them of what they are Police not Soldiers. Next with the crime situation, I think that the police should start an operation Crack Down with raids and more raids of the getthoes all around the country in the mountains, hills and every nuke and cranny you could find. More mobile and foot patrols in the city on the beaches in the getthoes, stop and searches everywhere. A big crack down on MOTOR VEHICLE crime and enforcement on drink driving. When I was on the Island for christmas, most people i came across were drunk and would be driving. The people need to motivate themselves, and take pride in what their have and where they come from. Honestly most UK citizens would do anything to leave in St Lucia,we need to appreiciate it…
My question is what part of the 64% of the GDP involves born St. Lucians? Even if the tourism sector is paying higher wages and salaries, where are the statistics regarding the absolute participation of the local population other than presenting pained smiling faces? How many people are being moved from the poverty and subsistence threshold to better paying jobs in tourism? People are being asked to give fake smiles tourists when they are all the time hungry. See where the criminal elements find justification for their actions?
Someone told me that the new party the LPM, has some very interesting proposals on tourism. Maybe the tourism product will change if they get a chance to be the next government.