Tourism Consultants Int'l Inc. REGIONNAL SYMPOSIUM ON SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN ON TOURISM SERVICES IN THE CARICOM SINGLE MARKET AND ECONOMY (CSME) –Cecil.

Tourism Consultants Int'l Inc.

REGIONNAL SYMPOSIUM ON SERVICES

• STRATEGIC PLAN ON TOURISM SERVICES IN THE CARICOM SINGLE MARKET AND ECONOMY (CSME)

– Cecil Miller


Importance of Tourism

• Contribution to GDP, employment and foreign exchange earnings

• Linkages and added value to other economic sectors e.g. agriculture, manufacturing and handicraft

• Catalyst for development in several other areas of the economy, including ancillary services and infrastructure - especially air and seaports and roads

• Economic rationale for conservation and preservation of local heritage and culture and improvement of product and service standards, especially in the food services industry


Tourism Industry Concerns

• competitiveness, crime, research, mobilization of investment resources, cost and adequacy of international and intra-regional air transportation, offer of value for money, increase in benefits from cruise tourism, need to diversify tourism markets and threats to the long-term sustainability of the sector


Threats to the Tourism Industry

• Environmental – climate change and sea level rise, deforestation, bio-diversity loss, pollution of coastal zones and rivers, natural disasters (including hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes) to list a few;

• Health – occasional outbreaks of health threats e.g. SARS, bird flu, H1N1 flu virus;

• Economic – currency exchange movements, changes in macro-economic indicators of tourist generating countries;

• Corporate – failure of major partners/suppliers in the business chain – e.g. airlines, tour operators


Legislation, Incentives & Sector Development

• New types of accommodation product rely less on incentives as a determining factor for project success

• The arrangements which facilitate access to incentives are more important than the actual incentives granted

• Incentives must be given to encourage entrepreneurship, innovation and the creation and development of indigenous products and services.


Trade Liberalization and of Opportunities for the Tourism Sector

• Liberalised trading arrangements offer possibilities for attracting investment, business partners and market access into Europe


Pre-Requisites for Sector Growth and

Development • Supportive policy framework to stimulate demand

and ensure tourism continues to generate employment, foreign exchange and add value to other areas of economic enterprise

• Increase and institutionalise training and certification at all levels of the industry

• Disseminate, adopt and encourage use of best practices

• Attract mentor and groom best and brightest for leadership positions in the industry

• Movement of labour within the Regional tourism industry, under the framework of CSME


Pre-Requisites for Sector Growth and Development

• Destination Management - Monitor and manage product quality, service standards, product-market fit, institutional capacity, supporting tourism infrastructure, physical, social and economic environment and safety and security


Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies

for Developing the Sector

• Prepare Tourism Master Plans that are capable of implementation

• Focus on integrated planning, including zoning, adoption of standards and community consultations as part of the planning process

• Conduct airline capacity studies to ensure plans for aviation are in consonance with and support plans for expansion in the accommodation sub-sector


Product

• Promote the adoption of industry product and service standards.

• Take action at the national level to support work being done by CROSQ in the development of industry standards;

• Further diversify niche products, services and tourism segments – eco, adventure - including climbing, hiking, river rafting, diving, sports, yachting; culinary, health, spiritual, meetings, incentives, convention, events;


Product

• Re-define the (Caribbean) product, its components and how we can protect and improve them

• Encourage and promote the Caribbean look and feel in architecture and other products;

• Encourage and promote authenticity in heritage and cultural experiences


Marketing

• Give further definition to the Caribbean brand;

• Pursue strategies to market the Caribbean as a single destination;

• Diversify into non-traditional markets – India, China, South America, Diaspora;

• Promote and facilitate greater intra-regional travel


Research and Development

• Encourage and assist countries in the implementation and use of TSA as a tool to improve the measurement of tourism’s contribution to national economic output;

• Carry out more targeted research, proactive product development, planning and monitoring


Research and Development

• CTO to give greater focus to market research and intelligence, sector and market analysis, trend assessments and advice regarding policy options in regard to emerging opportunities, threats, market developments, industry practices and models of best practice;

• Collaborate with UWI in carrying out industry research, recording industry best practices and serving as a repository for study reports and other industry publications


Air Transportation

• Increase dialogue and collaborate with air transport partners for the purpose of securing efficient and adequate air access into the Region;

• Develop a regional air transport development strategy giving attention to airline capacity and appropriate route structures


Financing

• Review and strengthen regulatory framework to support and encourage foreign direct investment in the industry;

• Use pension and NIS funds in the financing of the industry.

• Create vehicles and instruments for greater local participation in tourism investment


HR and Management

• Develop centres of excellence in hospitality training to improve service standards, opportunities for career advancement and the promotion of tourism and hospitality training as an export service;

• Exploit opportunities for further development and promotion of Pan-Caribbean tourism brands and export of tourism marketing and management services;


HR and Management

• Facilitate regional planning and sharing of lessons, experiences and ideas by convening a suitable biennium forum for technical industry personnel


Information Technology

• Promote the use of IT in marketing the Caribbean;

• Encourage the adoption and use of e-commerce as a vehicle for facilitating business transactions in tourism


Entrepreneurship

• Encourage enterprise and innovation – handicraft, culture

• Enact and enforce appropriate legislation to protect the intellectual property of innovators of products

• Develop value-added products and initiatives e.g. promote the authentic Caribbean experience in all its elements


• The End

Tourism Consultants Int'l Inc. REGIONNAL SYMPOSIUM ON SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN ON TOURISM SERVICES IN THE CARICOM SINGLE MARKET AND ECONOMY (CSME) –Cecil.

Documents

tourism services

tourism consultants

tourism infrastructure

tourism markets

cruise tourism

regional tourism industry

sector slide

food services industry