'Opening Buccoo Marine Park makes no sense'

Tobago hoteliers are not impressed by the Government’s latest attempt to generate economic activity on the island through a restart of domestic tourism from Monday.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister announced the Buccoo Marine Park, one of Tobago’s major attractions, will be reopened for tours.

He also said daily flights between the two islands will be increased from two to six, but the flights would only accommodate half the number of passengers.

Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association (THTA) vice-president Carol-Ann Birchwood-James on Sunday said members welcome the extra flights between the two islands, especially for business purposes.

“Extra flights will benefit Tobagonians who are going to Trinidad for appointments and other things that they must do in Trinidad.”

However, she said there still are not enough flights bringing people to Tobago “in a way that can impact the current economic situation.”

As a result, she said, the plan to boost domestic tourism through this measure is lost.

Birchwood-James told Newsday the decision to reopen the Buccoo Marine Park made no sense.

She said the marine park cannot be viewed in isolation.

“There are no real benefits to help Tobago. If you go in the Buccoo Reef and you can’t jump in the Nylon Pool, then what is the sense of going?

“If you can’t go to the beaches of Tobago, if you can’t go to the Nylon Pool, then what other attractions are there?” she asked.

Birchwood-James added: “So there is no real reprieve. We have talked to a lot of our members. In fact, people are asking who is advising the prime minister on the tourism industry.”

She said hoteliers are adopting a wait-and-see approach.

“We await the next two weeks to hear what the Prime Minister has to say.”

Tourism on the island ground to a halt since mid-March, when restrictions were imposed banning recreation at beaches and later when only essential workers were allowed to travel to Tobago. The reduction of passengers on flights and ferry service also reduced the number of people seeking to vacation in Tobago. Many hotel owners have suffered tremendous losses and workers have been sent home over the last eight months. Some have benefited from salary relief grants from the State.

Veteran tour boat operator Michael Frank agreed with Birchwood-James and said the decision to reopen the marine park was not carefully thought out.

“We are glad in some ways, because we have not been out there for a while. But the issue is that he did not open an area for swimming,” he told Newsday.

“I know he (Dr Rowley) opened the reef but you can’t actually go to the Nylon Pool.

“So technically, it does not really make sense, because people going on the reef tours to go to the Nylon Pool. That is the key, the Nylon Pool is the key,

“So if you go to the reef and you cannot go to the Nylon Pool, what sense you going out there for a boat ride? I don’t really understand the maths in that.”

Frank, owner of Frankie Tours, said boat operators will now have to come up with their own covid19 protocols to govern their operations.

“Of course, we must have physical distancing and all of the other things in place. But we still have to add some other things to that, because people not allowed to swim, and we have to find a way to control people if they decide to jump in the water.”

Frank, vice-president/PRO of the Buccoo Reef Tour Operators Association, said operators may also have to carry half of their normal capacity of passengers.

He said his boat usually carries 75 passengers.

“So that will now come down to about 45.”