Charles: Booming tourism will enhance the island

THA Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles says the tough economic times must never be seen as a deterrent to the island achieving its fullest potential.

"We are well aware of the current economic difficulties present within our tourism sector. This demands that we get more creative, innovative and aggressive in our sales methods and marketing ideas," he said.

"Tough times are for us to get tougher and not use the current climate as a negative block, but rather as an energizing springboard for new approaches to catapult the industry and island forward."

Charles was delivering the keynote address at the official launch of Tobago's Go To Market Strategy & Destination Imagery, on Wednesday, at Mt Irvine Beach Resort, Tobago.

The initiative, a project of the Division of Culture, Tourism and Transportation and Tobago Tourism Agency, seeks to develop a strategy for rebranding the island as the ideal tourist destination.

Charles said he was especially heartened the rebranding initiative came within a year of the appointment of the board of the agency.

"...We are poised to release to the world, after sharing with you today, imagery that will represent us and this island that we so passionately love and claim as our home. "

Charles said the brand, with its slogan, Tobago Beyond Ordinary, will allow for the capturing of new demographics and markets in the areas of tourism, agriculture, light manufacturing and specialised services.

He said the new Tobago brand would "evolve and advance from a platform of innovation, productivity and integrity; a Tobago held together by an industrious but hospitable people."

Charles said a resilient tourism industry would create tremendous benefits for Tobagonians in the areas of employment generation, increased spending and diversification.

On diversification, he said: "Given the situation with oil and gas, a robust tourism industry will contribute to the diversification thrust through the development of a new form of income. This acts as an insurance policy in case of hard times, because the additional dollars earned can help to support state programmes, as budget revenues come under pressure."

Charles said bringing tourists into Tobago gives it new life and creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to establish new services, products and facilities that would not be sustainable based on the local population of residents alone.

"The additional revenue benefits local governments. It means more tax dollars which allows public projects to be launched or developed. Simply put, we would be in a position to improve our infrastructure – new roads, paved roads, parks and public spaces developed."

He added: "The better the facilities on the island, the greater the opportunity to provide more benefits to locals, which in turn translate into an improvement in both the standard of living and the quality of lives."

Charles said tourism can be a source of pride for communities.

"It allows us to reflect on our history and cultural heritage. This certainly helps in the maintenance and preservation of our traditions and culture, whilst also showcasing it for all the visitors."