Throwing money behind this country’s tourism ambitions will not solve the perennial challenges that confront stakeholders, says Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe. For this reason, the Keith Rowley administration is committed to drafting and implementing strategies that would better link the efforts of the Tourism Development Company (TDC) and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).
Cudjoe talked about plans to develop the sector in her address at the Tourism Awards 2015, hosted by the Trinidad Hotel, Restaurants and Tourism Association at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre in Port-of-Spain.
“My mandate as Minister of Tourism is to ensure that tourism becomes an engine for boosting growth in the national economy. I am committed to ensuring that the Ministry of Tourism develops clear and concise tourism policy objectives in collaboration with all of our tourism partners and that the tourism voice is heard clearly and strongly in the Cabinet,” she said.
“I have mandated my ministry to come up with a tourism growth strategy in short measure, prioritising the major projects that will be undertaken on a yearly basis. This will be a comprehensive action plan that will focus on the incredible economic potential that exists outside of our rich oil and gas resource sector.”
Cudjoe said she wants all tourism stakeholders involved in designing and developing the strategy, contributing their views on what is required to ensure a viable cost competitive and sustainable sector.
“We must develop our tourism product by investing in better infrastructure, improved signage, cleaner streets, communities and beaches, safer neighbourhoods, service quality and more value for money.
“Tourism and transport are very closely interlinked. We must provide high quality consistent airlift into both T&T, as well as to drastically improve the inter-island connectivity to make both of us more accessible,” she said
Cudjoe said she is “fiercely passionate” about the development of T&T and genuinely cared about people and their well-being. She underscored the importance of community participation for the betterment of the country, especially the nation’s young people, in the overall quest for national development.
Two weeks into her ministerial appointment, Cudjoe said she is comforted by the wealth of expertise from the wide range of stakeholders in the sector.
Cudjoe noted that under the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led administration , appointed four different ministers of tourism were appointed, as well as permanent secretaries, in addition to the several and varied changes to the board of the TDC.
“Quite frankly, that situation did not augur well for the industry. This present government is fully aware that tourism can unleash vast opportunities that can play a very important part in driving the economic diversification of T&T. It is against this background that we have identified tourism as one of the lynchpins of this nation’s economic diversification strategy, driven by a strong and effective public-private sector partnership.
“It is an integral part of our economic strategy and is firmly placed as a cornerstone for economic growth and job creation. We intend to work hard to transform T&T into an exciting location for tourism investment,” the minister said.
Cudjoe said she has reconvened the Trinidad Tourism Standing Committee which comprises representatives from various stakeholder groups to inform on the strategy direction of the industry. Its will tackle major issues impacting tourism development such as airlift, marketing, product development, destination management and creating an enabling investment climate.
“Under my direct chairmanship, the tourism standing committee will meet on a monthly basis. Our marketing campaigns now have to really hit the mark. It is a very competitive world out there when it comes to the tourism dollar. Our marketing has to be utterly and absolutely spot-on, so as to increase visitor arrivals and tourisms spend to transform our economy,” she said.
“We want to work with all our stakeholders to ensure that we achieve just that. Moreover, these marketing campaigns have to be based on empirical scientific research rather than trial and error. There is no doubt that if we are to increase our market competitiveness, we must develop our tourism product in such a manner that stands out in a very crowded international marketplace.
“It is for this reason that the ministry intends to guide the TDC towards developing brand propositions iconic and signature programmes that will stand out internationally and give T&T a great wow factor.”