CHTA president wants easier travel for Caribbean nationals
President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Josef Forstmayr, says airlift to the Caribbean is still “inadequate and too expensive” despite a collective investment of $45 million by governments in the region.
Forstmayr made these remarks during the opening ceremony of the 30th CHTA Marketplace held at Atlantis, Paradise Island recently.
“Intra-Caribbean tourism once represented 13% of the region’s tourism; as much as Canada. The combined population of Caribbean countries is 40 million,” he said. “However, due to the lack of a competitive and truly regional airline, regional tourism has been suffocated by outrageous ticket prices and a cumbersome and ill-conceived network.”
The CHTA president indicated that travel between Caribbean countries is very difficult for Caribbean nationals as they are not able to travel freely. He said visa requirements, long immigration lines and bureaucratic considerations are stifling the hospitality for which the Caribbean is known.
“We need to establish the very best welcome and farewell to all our visitors as well as returning residents within the Caribbean,” Forstmayr said. “This must be a “call to action” to all governments and airports.”
As part of its mandate to create tourism awareness, CHTA has developed a campaign through its advocacy program in 11 countries called Tourism is Key. The campaign has four pillars which include: advocacy with governments and citizens; linkages of tourism into local industry, culture and services, regional integration and regional marketing.
“There has to be a strong consensus of our leaders and the public so that travel and tourism will receive the full support it needs as the Caribbean’s most vital export industry,” Forstmayr said. “It is the fastest way to create jobs, grow the economy and generate income for all.”
According to Forstmayr, Marketplace is the most important and largest marketing convention in the region. Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2012 was organized and hosted by the Ministry of Tourism for The Islands of The Bahamas; Nassau/Paradise Island Promotion Board; Bahamas Hotel Association; MasterCard International; Virgin Holidays and CHTA.
Marketplace was attended by approximately 1,100 delegates, 350 of them were buyers from 18 countries including delegates from Russia for the first time.
The Caribbean tourism industry’s marketing and business development unit, CTDC is also upgrading its vacation website CaribbeanTravel.com and will re-launch the site in August of this year.
