Barbados to pay up for tourism marketing

Published: Monday July 21, 2008

BARBADOS MAY BE EXPECTED to contribute a significant share to the Caribbean Tourism Marketing Fund proposed by CARICOM Heads of Government for selling the region as a single tourist destination.

This is the indication from Luther Miller, director of finance at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), who confirmed that Caribbean countries were better off marketing themselves in a cluster.

"It has been demonstrated over the years by going to major international travel trade shows, be it in London, Berlin, France or Milan, that given all the clutter in the world today in tourism marketing, the market responds better to the collective image of the Caribbean. . . ."

Two weeks ago, whilst introducing tourism in the 2008 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals, Prime Minister David Thompson noted that some major decisions were taken for the industry in the Caribbean at the recent Heads of Government meeting held in Antigua, "including the commitment to a regional brand".

And, according to Miller, Barbados should be prepared to make a hefty contribution to the US$60 million fund that would most likely be capitalised with each country's input according to their level of tourist arrivals.

"How much each country would be required to put up [would be determined by] the ratio of visitor arrivals as a percentage of the total arrivals for the region, so that the countries with the greatest tourist arrivals would make the greater contribution to the fund.

According to CTO statistics, Barbados ranked ninth among the 33 CTO member countries with 574 533 long-stay arrivals last year, and tenth with 616 354 cruise arrivals from January to December.

Miller said the fund's yearly financing was to come from the 33 CTO members.


Source: Nation Newspapers
http://www.nationnews.com/story/293346539732026.php