Penny chairs Tourism board

JANELLE Penny Commissiong-Chow is the chairman of the Tourism Trinidad Limited (Tourism Trinidad).

“Having served on another tourism board under the previous government, I have realised TT has not been adequately marketed. So the establishment of two entities makes it easier for our board to focus on what is needed to push tourism further in Trinidad and Tobago separately,” Commissiong-Chow said yesterday at the installation ceremony of the board at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain.

Government recognises the potential of the tourism industry and is shifting their dependence from on oil and gas economy to sustainable opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, environmental conservation, poverty alleviation and generation of much needed foreign exchange, Tourism Minister said at the ceremony.

“With the Tourism and Industrial Development Company (Tidco) and the recently dissolved Tourism Development Company (TDC), the establishment of two new agencies was a difficult decision to make but it was seen as necessary,” said Cudjoe.

Tourism Trinidad will concentrate on marketing and developing products throughout Trinidad. “Tourism Trinidad is charged with three main responsibilities; marketing Trinidad’s tourism offering and facilitating the promotion of TT internationally, attracting investments and promoting educational awareness and corporation in advancing the economic expansion of tourism in TT.”

Tobago Tourism is responsible for marketing and product development in Tobago and is under the remit of the Tobago House of Assembly.

“The Ministry of Tourism appreciates the work done by TIDCO and TDC and we have a duty to build on those contributions to meet the changing demands of tourism today.”

Cudjoe said that this is an opportune time for people to focus on clearly defining the tourism products and developing aggressive and strategic marketing plans to optimise natural resources, abundant wildlife-flora and fauna, the rich and diverse culture and festivals. Our strategies must showcase our people’s warmth and our authentic hospitality, energy and passion of our people, Cudjoe said.

Board members include Commissiong-Chow, Dwayne Cambridge, Thomas Edward Lawrence, Dennis Ramdeen, Heather Mac Intosh Simon, Neil Mohammed, Solange De Souza-Ransome and Sydelle Olivia Marchan-Jairam.

“I am confident that we are well positioned and ready to raise our country to the level it should be on. Our rich culture and history gives us the opportunity to develop tourism in so many ways,” Commissiong-Chow said.