Submitted by Andrew Nehaul – Tourism Consultant
A lot has been written on this and other sites about the state of the tourism industry but unfortunately most criticism and not solid suggestions to create a vision for the long term.
It is said that to plan the future, you must know your past. I think many will agree that the two major long term successes of Barbados’s tourism were created right in the heart of the Barbados Tourist Board later to become the Barbados Tourism Authority.
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The Barbados Bonanza program was created by Denis O’Leary in Canada in the late 60’s
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Crop Over was created by Julian Marryshaw and Carol Cadogan in the 70’s .
Since then we have tried many things but none seem to have stuck. The Barbados Bonanza led at a later stage to the Best of Barbados. A program meant to keep foreign exchange at home and hotel rooms full in the off months.
The success of Crop Over is that it was created for Bajans. Tourism caught on to its tail and the rest is history. This in itself should say to all that the most successful festivals should be made for Bajans not to influence visitors. If Bajans accept and participate in an event, naturally they will tell their friends and family and this will create sustainability.
If tourism is our business, here are a few suggestions to make it good business:
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Create a system where small businessmen can rent a particular part of a beach. They would be responsible for keeping it clean, and can rent chairs and umbrellas to clients.
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Create underwater art galleries.
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Each year there should be a contest to get the best folk song to be used by the BTA to sell Barbados abroad.
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Open houses. Take this to another level and invite visitors to see houses in all economic levels of Barbados. Get more local people involved!
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Create the world’s largest outside chess competition. Boards 16 X 16 feet in as many parts of Barbados as possible and invite adults and kids worldwide to come and compete.
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Resurrect the Harbour police uniforms to be used by police in Bridgetown only.
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Create a trooping of the colour at Government Headquarters every Wednesday at 12.00
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Encourage the creation of a flying fish and dolphin sanctuary at Worthing. Make the reef and bay area a protected region for snorkelling and free diving. No fishing, and no motor boats of any kind.
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Give mopeds with max speed of 30 km the same status as bicycles (no motorcycle licence needed) . Encourage Bajans and visitors to use them instead of cars.
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Use some of the prison population to clean, paint and beautify the churches and old government buildings.
I do not want to imply that I have the solution to Barbados’s tourism woes but I do believe that together we can solve the problem. My suggestions might seem trivial but as a destination we must ensure that our tourism product and activities stand out head and shoulders above the other Caribbean nations.
David wrote “Encourage the creation of a flying fish and dolphin sanctuary”.
mmmmmm Flying fish and Dolphin are pelagic.
@Hants
This was submitted by Andrew Nehaul.
Impart the social skills required to people who interface with tourists on the beach an be severe in punishing those who behave offensively (brass bowl people and flashers) in the presence of our guests… Lock them up without a guarantee of a trial …!
Legalize topless apparel on the beaches.
Barbados was one of the leading countries that started the annual JAZZ festival, St Lucia followed soon after, today we no long feature prominently in the annual festival, but St Lucia has jumped with leaps ahead, followed by many other countries who have developed their music festivala and are doing VERY well. Why did Barbados fail so miserably?
Every five years or so, I would like to see the origin of the CROP-OVER festival regenerated, the plantation fairs, the street fairs, the country limes with the village activities. Crop -over is becoming just another canival festival without any real meaning. if this is what we want, then change its name; Crop-over has had its glory days and unless we inject new life into it, that too will fall by the wayside.
Scout
Lef Crop Over … it is the most wutless street party in the world BY FAR, and that is the reason why people are flocking to it from all over the world. It wutless … It is net earner of FX from Trinidad of all places. …!
The Jazz festival as with so many others, were propped up significantly with money from the consolidated fund and after eighteen years of operation could demonstrate no real net FX contribution.
For someone who calls himself a ‘consultant’ he has presented a number of slogans. Where is the measurement of the current problems? What are the reasons for the current malaise? Where are the pilot studies that indicate these prescriptions will make a measurable contribution? What is the dollar value to the country of each recommendation? What are the costs, including social costs, for Barbados? If Patrick Nehaul is to be considered an expert in this area he must also be wary of also becoming a demagogue. It is advice like this that has Barbados in a cul-de-sac.
Andrew Nehaul
Someone obviously didn’t get the memo that the tourism Brand of Barbados is one that has been well over touted for decades to a point that it has now become only a mere generic stop in the Caribbean. A place that boasts no resources nor any significant landscapes. If anything, the writer should be calling for the dissolution of the BTA and demand for there to be more domestic ownership in terms of the nation’s tourism sector (ie. more mum & pop as well as family owned businesses).
But seeing as how the writer is a direct beneficiary of the BTA, it would be impossible for him to see it that way. More foreign corporate ownership of our tiny island’s companies seems to be still on the agenda of the gov’t. When will people learn that Bim must shift to becoming a productive economy instead of wasting energy with remaining a service (highly influenced by external trends) economy?
the question is.HOW MUCH OF THE TOURISM SECTOR is willing to inject monies in order to have those ideas move forward i will bet absolutely nothing talk is cheap and just waiting for govt to do all and privathey waiting to reap much of the benefits not gonna happen inthe glory days when much was happening they collect all the sweets for themselves now all of a sudden they are having a”lightbulb” moment with thexpectations that government should do it all.
Here is another issue we are allowing politics and personalities to get in the way. One gets the sense Andrew is putting suggestions on the table i.e let us build a tourism product which is Bajan-centric at its core. We should be mindful that for the moment tourism is all we have and although it represent 15% of GDP is has a hell of a multiplier effect.
everybody has ideas but without out money these ideas would remain as such. the fact is that the andrew is sending signals to those in power hoping that his ideas would generate enough interests from the politico who in turn would seek his advice and help in implementing them .do you really think that andrew would do it all for free. so how can one be so naive to discount politics and its intent from this article for sure the poor public can not invest anything financially to breathe life into any of these ideas so who else would he be appealing to .
You do remember, that the small but wildly successful Congaline, run by private enterprise, grew to such an extent so fast, that Guv;ment took it over?
Then what?
It dead, dead, dead. Isn;t that something???!!!
‘Should this be the new Guv”ment billboard > ”Oh lookie, that thing is working, lets do it too or take it over!”’
But notice, as per BAFBFP’s recent blog, in the early stags guv’ment aint doin a thing to kickstart a new enterprise.
Lotta Long Talk…..that should be the calypso!
Andrew Hehaul-Quote,”It is said that to plan the future, you must know your past.” Why then in the cute little booklet I picked up in Barbados in April does page 8 of ‘Barbados History in a Nutshell’refer to -Quote “During the 17th and 18th centuries, Barbados was established as the nucleus of The trans-Atlantic trade and served as the Headquarters for the British Royal navy and army.” (End Quote) My question is where is the word SLAVE? This was the TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE and without African slaves there would have been no British Royal Navy or Army in Barbados. Do not insult our ancestors. I was shocked at the ommission -one step to cleansing history.Otherwise I had an enjoyable week in Barbados. Claudia Ruth Francis (Antiguan and Barbudan Author)
@ac
Suspect that you are out of order. Andrew comes from a family that has always been close and involved in tourism in Barbados i.e hands on. BU remember when Pat Nehaul was head of the tourist board. You really should discuss the man’s suggestions and leave speculation aside.
@ac
Andrew has the right like you or anyone to air their views.
@ Claudia E. Ruth Francis | June 18, 2012 at 5:45 PM |
Bajans are ashamed of their “slavery past” and would go to the ends of the Earth to deny their ancestral ‘shameful’ links. Black Bajans would totally reject the historical fact that their ancestors were slaves from West Africa, primarily Ghana. The same Christian Church that they so enthusiastically embrace today was at the forefront of their enslavement. It is only within the last 100 years that black Bajans were allowed into the Church and even then only at the back. They were only allowed in the ‘inner sanctum’ when it was in need of a good cleaning and dusting. Prior to then, the clerical recognition of black births, marriages and funerals was the provenance of the very few. On the contrary, the Church on behalf of the plantation owners actively promoted promiscuity among the slaves to create a homegrown crop of labour- an early form of “import substitution”. In return, the clergy was given large tracts of glebe land and financial legacies. The Church in Barbados- and indeed the Caribbean- has a lot to apologise for. But the likes of the current Bishop would never entertain such a quantum leap into the much needed social catharsis. He probably would be in the forefront of denying the sordid history of the same Church he so proudly heads. A good “truth and reconciliation” exercise would go a long way in the first steps to this much needed healing process.
Since you are associated intimately with Barbuda, do you know if the plantation owners and managers in Barbados sourced any slave labour from the breeding pens on Barbuda?
“truth and reconciliation” with the Church … Miller you mad …?
Man I say torch the f#cker … How do you reconcile with a useless dinosaur.
what is there to discuss as head of the tourist Board i think that he would have had ample time and easy access to taking his ideas to the powers that be instead of just floating them here on BU now so because he is a big up he should be immune to criticism.here is a man who was at the top of the pyramid and could not implement such ideas and now i must believe that out of generosity he is giving his suggestions to the govt when at a time he was part of the very industry to whom he could have given the ideas freely.and to think about it public feedback would drive his much touted ideas
Crusoe
Madd got a calypso out now that I believe will be as politically game changing as Gabby’s “Boots” and “T lemme go” in the eighties. The song is called “Na a wunna can get my vote …” and lemme tell yah dah song will be on the campaign trail with the “Vote Independent or Not at all” Tee shirts HA HA HA
Saski Nehaul was the best looking teenage chick in Barbados for the whole of the seventies, and eighties 🙂 … I wonder who she marry now … That girl would make Rihanna look like a sweeper …!
Banny Gun do wah …? You got me frighten now … ha ha ha
there is only one thing for barbados to do and everything else would fall into place create a cultural environment that is hospitable and classy take full advantage of its people and heritage to open venues that would attract tourist to an environment which is totally new fresh and different. tourist like diversity and that is what keep them coming back for more. barbados is sitting on a gold mine from baystreet up to oistin and beyond but for the life of me don’t understand why govts have not been able to explore and exploit such a rich piece of land . imagine everything thing cultural happening there with the backdrop of sun and sea to boot 24hr entertaiment a place everybody wants to be.
did i deny him that right? any how i will give him literary rights on this issue as i see nothing of real interest in his suggestions.
And what do we do about the good for nothing vagabonds that patrol
St. Lawrence Gap, pushing drugs and/or making uninvited and unwanted but very disgusting comments and suggestions of a graphic, sexual nature to females they encounter along the way (according to a relative of mine who recently experienced it first hand).
From Trip Advisor:
locals will try and hit on your girl saying that they having loving’ for them and other disrespectful things to say to your girlfriend when you are with them. They will also try and sell you drugs and if your not interested, will try and sell you vacation excursions or anything else… put a really BAD taste in my mouth and WON’T be returning anytime soon. TOO BAD!!! I always thought of Barbados as upper scale and tasteful.
almost impossible to sleep at night. What passes for music and entertainment is about six nightclubs each trying to outdo their neighbour in the level noise, creating BEDLAM, a place to avoid.a sad change fro the past. The Sunday night “screaming /shouting” session at the Reggae lounge is an embarrassment best avoided. pathetic and sad. under age drunks; drug pushers aplenty…….and a police station right there!
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147262-d547318-Reviews-St_Lawrence_Gap-Barbados.html
Green Monkey.
Do you think the BTA ever reads TripAdvisor, after all its former Chairman descrbed it as a ‘menace’, despite 50 million plus unique visitors per MONTH.
@David
Has it occurred to you that Andrew Nehaul may be campaigning for a job or something? Why is your default position is trusting things that are ‘official’? Or people you perceive to be within ‘officialdom’ or have some type of middle class orientation? You continue to hold this line although the majority of bloggers have theorized that Nehaul is talking nonsense. Light weight foolishness that is not rooted in science and which obviously does not merit generalization to the Barbadian population. We know yuh want activity on the blog but jesus christ man how many Nehauls have we seen come and go after they have delivered their snake oil, cure alls? Your reckless editorial position, on balance, merely sets up circumstances were several years from now you will again be in a position where we would be complaining for the intemperate and misguided decisions that will be made by the country, with your supports.
@Pacha
Have you considered also that his heart is in the right place and his suggestions to stoke discussion can be acknowledge as such?
@David
If we are to have a proper discussion it should be on the basis of truth. In the social sciences, to which Nehaul and yourself, engage there are accurate measurements on which policy is best based. In the absence of those metrics Nehaul is talking shit. And so are you, when you persist to elevate this drivel to the level of deserving public debate. It was you or/and Nehaul who said that Nehaul was a “consultant’. Any consultant worth his onions must used scientific investigative models as suggested herein as the basis for public (economic) policy. That Nehaul resorts to a ‘man in the streets’ approach might suggest to the discerning reader that neither he nor his amateurish prognostications are properly located within a public economic discourse. The end result is that Nehaul may have done more damage to his prospects than first imagined. Meaning that his PR exercise, thanks to BU contributors, may have been exposed for what it was and inadvertently saved the country from this Nehaul being improperly placed in a position of authority within the Barbados tourism apparatus. This is the only benefit from this exercise, this time. But we do not consider that there is likely to be any transformation of your editorial guidance as previously characterized by us.
David,
Please be so kind as to inform all and sundry of the following:
Andrew Nehaul lives in Sweden.
Has no ax to grind with anyone.
Does not work with the BTA or any other Tourism organisation.
Has no political ambitions – in Sweden or anywhere else.
Owns a successful tour operator that sells the Caribbean.
Plays golf as often as he can.
Would like to see Barbados as the top Caribbean destination.
Will continue to air his views like anyone else.
@Andrew Nehaul
@David
Rejoinder! This is one of the problem with Barbados tourism. Well- meaning amateurs have for years believed that because they live amongst white people or have ‘experience’ in tourism that they are experts. If that is so, can Nehaul tell us why we are in this mess after years of trial and errors? It is the well meaning ‘ideas’ of people like Nehaul that must accept the blame. Our point of departure was that no ‘tourism consultant’ can properly start a debate, in an attempt to guide a nation, based on untested notions. We don’t really care who gets which jobs or not. This has nothing to do with Andrew Nehaul personally, we don’t know him and we don’t want to. Again, our point is about determining tourism policy. The wrong people are always more than likely to get the top jobs, everywhere!
Pacha
Nehaul has one attribute that I have the highest respect for, he is in the business of selling, and he has a track record to boot. For me these guys can do NO wrong. Our BTA chief would do well to have a fraction of that kind of experience in his back pocker …!
@BAFBFP
You must known that it is impossible to disagree with your reasoned judgements, on any matter (smile). We share your deep respect for selling, on a practical level. However, we are sure that you also share our dialectical posture. In short, because somebody has a lot of experience in selling or marketing that cannot be a precondition for the acceptance, wholesale, of ideas that are not tested. Especially, when the fate of one’s country hangs in the balance. As Bajans we must require a higher level of public discourse from those who present themselves as having special knowledge. And they must be rigorous rules by which this knowledge is measured if we are to save ourselves from a bitter winter.
@Andrew Nehaul
“Please be so kind as to inform all and sundry of the following:
Andrew Nehaul lives in Sweden.
Has no ax to grind with anyone.”
ALL THE MORE REASON TO IGNORE THIS POOR EXCUSE OF A “PLAN”. You cannot boast that this piece is comprehensive for it has no real projection of promoting LONG TERM real GDP growth for the country.
“Would like to see Barbados as the top Caribbean destination.
Will continue to air his views like anyone else.”
As mentioned before, you OBVIOUSLY haven’t registered the fact that Barbados’ tourism brand has now become generic as we offer no real tourist experience (with our over reliance on foreign owned hotels and resort complexes), no significant landscapes to boast of, no natural resources to readily exploit, and a huge amount of human capital that is not being properly harnessed and equipped BY the government to be globally competitive.
“Andrew Nehaul lives in Sweden…Plays golf as often as he can”
Perhaps it is this same reason of you living comfortably abroad in a foreign country that has led to you vomiting out such half-assed ideas. You make no mention of the government’s need to reassess Bim’s economic situation as YOU OF ALL PEOPLE should be aware that tourism is not and should not be considered a GUARANTEED sector to produce constant revenue. It pays to have an innovative economy as Israel has demonstrated (despite their lack of any significant natural resources and arid lands).
Perhaps it is your good living in a wealthy European country that has incapacitated your ability to offer any real solutions as it is clear that through your absence from Bim that you have developed a form of apathy towards the issue the government’s 40+ year delay in avidly harnessing its human capital through strategic social welfare means (ie. a complete overhauling of the education system by implementing one that is RELEVANT to Bim).
On that note, I suggest that you should continue to focus on your life in Stockholm if you’re not even going to offer any REAL LONG TERM solutions that are economically FEASIBLE and beneficial for the people of Bim.
Just for your sake, to save you (and your family’s name) from further embarrassment.
**Though, it is only my opinion.**
Andrew made a few suggestions to how fuel discussion, why do some feel it was a response to a RFP? Cut the guy some slack and welcome feedback from one and all.
Let us be clear, no suggestion is a foolish suggestion. A suggestion however insignificant at first can be built upon by others. It is how we learn from each other.
Andrews suggestions were not intellectually stimulating and was an assault on ones intelligence.anyone could have come up with those non thought provoking ideas as for one who has had or have an interest in tourism he could have raise the level of content ideas or suggestions a lot higher not even to mention uninspiring. fug goodness sake we are talking about bringing tourist to a country to enjoy and be captivated by a nation and its people , not about having tourist joy ride on mopeds up and down the city with nothing to do.tourism is a 24 hr experience and when people spend their money to come a long way they should reaped all the benefits and reward for doing so,we want these people to be drawn in by our culture all things bajan and wanting them asking and wanting for more.People make this all a big deal but all it comes doiwn to Are PEOPLE! PLACES THINGS Start out with those three stepping stones and the tourist industry would have finally arrived.
Com’n on david you are more intelligent than that. for a person who has been around and about in the tourist industry one would have expected a higher standard of ideas or suggestions from Andrew. those just didn;t cut it. just another excuse on your part David.
@ac
Any time you read BU refers to a suggestion as stupid you know we have been hacked!
Mr. Nehaul now wants the vendors to have a piece of the beach. Would he be so kind to tell us why he was not promoting that when he was a mover and shaker on the rock ! Can he deny that he was very much a part of the tourism big shots when they were chasing the vendors all over the place. Where were his views then ? I guess bajans have short memories.
the govt needs to listen to the little guy on the street whose interact with the touirist on a regular basis and stop seeking the help of the “socalled” experts who don.t know diddly squat about our heritage and culture some of them are like “johnny come lately” justtrying to make a name forthemselves .the average guy on the street is a reservoir of knoweldge and ideas but is being ignored at the behest of those who think they know best while the tourist industry goes to hell in a hand basket
@ William Skinner
Indeed Mr. Skinner, it would seem that Nehaul’s silence pertaining to that issue will only remain as he knows that he is not genuine but in fact what I would call, A FARCE!! A lousy SWEDISH FARCE!
The shift need to community tourism, where more barbadians can benefit. rather than fx persons coming here, obtaining massive concessions and milking us,
@to the point
EXACTLY where I was getting at. DISSOLVE the BTA and transfer ownership of the tourism sector to domestic ownership This Nehaul fool wants to say otherwise. I cannot take him serious at all….
What is domestic ownership?
@to the point!
Why you so smart.exactly! until the BTA understand and weaned their way out of the jaws of foreign interest who has not over all these years proved that with all the benefits given and financial aid by government there approach to tourism has been a failure the BTA is going to keep spinning their wheels while at the same time giving these people with their unproven and failed policies more money, the answers are within the people just look around this country has untapped resources of knowledge within its own people but govts keep knocking on the doors of foreign interest hoping that they have the answers . one would have thought that after all these years government would have gotten the answer by now which is “NO” the answers are staring them in the face but out of stubbornness or stupidity chooses to ignore their valuable resource which is “THE PEOPLE”
@ David (B.U)
Domestic ownership- in context to economics, it pertains to the absence and/or of any foreign corporate presence within a domestic market. This tactic was (and still is) often used by the wealthiest and/or largest economies in attempts to build up their local economies through a series of incentives (such as accommodations through legal policies, subsidies, etc.) in order for them to become prosperous enough to compete in the wider global economy.
It is a tactic that has been criticized and labeled as “protectionist” by international Multilateral organizations such as the IMF, World Bank, as well as the World Trade Organization; and can lead to harsh penalization (though not necessarily detrimental should there be strategic investment is involved) should a developing country employ such a tactic in their own economy. This is due to the fact that the largest and wealthiest economies happen to provide the most significant funding to such organizations, with the U.S. being the largest contributor.
No doubt the issues that David raise in respect of who calls the shots internaitonally is true, but…
In tourism , we need money and volume. I disagree on a ‘domestic’ shift. Volume is by advertising, which the large chains have.
Secondly, no product = no tourism. W need product, a viable and lucrative product.
My soltuion, RAISE, not lower, the levels of hotels. We need Vegas type hotels. Gambling licenses yes. Shows yes.
Gambling = free money. And tourists love to gamble. Any criticism of us giving such licenses would be the uptmost hypocrisy, as USA has Vegas, the mecca of gambling and UK, Monte Carlo both have lucrative casinos.
Of course, as David notes, the playing field is not levels, gambling thus far has been the turf of the big boys.
Gambling = a tax on the stupid, but people love to gamble.
So, open our doors, accept the free money.
We need three or four large 5 Star hotels with gambling, not poxy backstreet seedy gambling houses.
THAT is where we need to be looking. Cottage industres can be developed ALONG WITH the high end gambling market, but NOT instead of.
And, spare me the righteous indignation, please.
PS, and this opens the doors for our entertainers, our singers, our dancers… too!
@Crusoe
If you travel to the thriving tourist destinations of the world ‘Casinos’ is a part of the product mix. At some point Barbados will have to seriously consider gambling gs as you stated.
@ Crusoe
You are mistaken. Having large multimillion dollar foreign corporate entities taking root in a developing economy leaves VERY LITTLE room for there to be any significant development in the domestic market. In short, Bajans aren’t making money because much of the industry is owned by such entities, thus have sway within our political system.
The reason why tourist destinations such as Malta (even down the Airlines for god sakes) are so highly successful is because there is a HUGE presence of DOMESTIC COMPANIES competing within the local economy, thus contributing to REAL GDP growth of the overall domestic economy. However that money is leeched right out when foreign entities enter a local market and DOMINATE the economy through their sheer levels of financial resources.
Any real economist would say the same. It is merely common sense. What the government needs to do is employ a comprehensive and pragmatic approach to this issue, and a shift to DOMESTIC ownership would be most appropriate motion as it would be the nation’s salvation (for Bajans would be able to fully accrue their own profits INSTEAD of receiving the chump change shelled out by grossly rich foreign corporations).
I have heard this Casino argument many times and have yet to be convinced.
Why would high rollers travel the distance to Barbados to gamble when they have a massive number of casinos on their doorstep?
@Adrian Loveridge
Surely you know that the Casinos are nested in amusement areas i.e. it is the bast restaurants, theme parks etc which builds a package.
^^But that cannot happen so long as Bajans are not sufficiently equipped with the right knowledge and skills on how to successfully run a prosperous and competitive business through education. Thus, there will be a complete lag and an eventual slump in our market’s performance as an effect of mass ineptness. Which is why it is crucial for the government to strategically act NOW! We cannot prosper as a nation unless WE Bajans see our worth within OURSELVES. Otherwise, foreigners will continue to have a field day and make a killing off of our self-doubt, which essentially EMASCULATES US as a nation.
NEVER RELY ON THE FOREIGN DOLLAR, FOR IT IS NEVER YOURS TO BEGIN WITH!!^^
@ David (B..U.)
“Surely you know that the Casinos are nested in amusement areas i.e. it is the bast restaurants, theme parks etc which builds a package.”
Foreigners have Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, and Macau for that. Where does Barbados begin to carve out its own Brand within the “Casino market” with such high bidding competitors? Let alone the COPIOUS amounts of casinos that are at their disposal on their own soils?
Its only a cheap avenue that enables foreign entities to come in and reap all the profits and easily back up when the Brand (ie. local economy) no longer is viable as a strategic investment. You should read articles pertaining as to how Macau is at HUGE risk of financial collapse should it continue to lag in diversifying its economy from Tourism and Gambling, which comprises a huge proportion of Macau’s economy.
Antigua has casinos on every street in St. Johns of all different sizes and open to the public.
David,
Theme parks, amusement areas!!
We are already far to tour operator package holiday dependent.
I might be convinced if the entire tax that a Barbadian Government extracted from a casino (s) went in to a marketing fund to promote the destination
and that agency was properly held accountable and transparent.
Casinos in themselves will not drive additional visitors arrivals numbers in any volume.
The attached is part of a much longer article published in the Toronto Star this week which was very flattering to Barbados
http://www.thestar.com/travel/caribbean/article/1214795–trip-to-barbados-with-her-daughters-is-a-luxury-for-jeanne-beker
@ac
“for sure the poor public can not invest anything financially to breathe life into any of these ideas”
No, but the occasional smile and polite demeanor would go a long way….
Andrew has put forward many ideas that would add to the tourism product. Some may work quite well for a small island like Barbados. It is all well and good to try to imitate larger countries with larger economies, however one must remember the scale and size of our island as well as our culture and our weaknesses. Yes we have a problem with our way of treating and communicating with customers. We need to do a major overhaul in that area first. Many are not aware on how to be a tourist on their own island. A good approach is to try experiencing being a tourist and evaluate the service given. Perhaps those who work in the service areas should be the ones to give feedback on how they were treated. This is not just for the hotel sector but for all who work in the service sector and that includes Government employees.
I left Barbados 21/2 weeks ago and as I was going through immigration in the departure area, the Immigration officer looked glum with a blank expression on his face as he dealt with me. So I said to him why look so sad on a beautiful morning like this? His response was that there was nothing to feel happy about and the conditions under which he has to work are not at all good. So I responded that he can change that by changing jobs. He then went on to state that the new rules that he has to work under now are not fair (I gleaned that might be the security checks) to him or his colleagues. It seems that many are opposed to change and that is an uphill battle to improve at any level. I restated that he can change his job and told him to have a nice day. .
Casinos will not bring more tourists to Barbados… no poll has ever been done as far as I know … but we are in competition with destinations that offer these facilities. Why leave things to chance? You are either in the kitchen and bearing the heat are you are not.
Sargeant
Sargeant that was obviously a commercial. What they did not see fit to include was the number of times they were solicited for sex and offered substances that are still to be catalogued by the illicit materials department of the RBPF .. need they mention the times that they were flashed by dread locked bums …! HA HA HA
I’ve grown to be irked by this continued talk of casinos. There is no hope for this god forsaken nation and its children. They would rather FOLLOW othe rinstead of paving their OWN way. It is frigging sickening I say…
And It is clear that the majority of participants on this site have an extremely poor knowledge on how Macroeconomics works…
Brudah-Bim
My man like you is a expert in dreamiology … Paving your own way, exactly how does that work…?
what about the bahamas they have gambling but the dividends gain doesn’t seem to show overall benefits to their economy.
@peltdown
oveworked and underpaid people doesn’t have any thing to smile about!
@BAFBFP
“My man like you is a expert in dreamiology … Paving your own way, exactly how does that work…?”
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ECONOMIES BECAME PROSPEROUS BECAUSE THEY PAVED THEIR OWN WAY. AND I HAVE CONTINUOUSLY ADDED MY INPUT ON HOW BIM CAN DO THAT. IF YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND, NOR FOLLOW THE CONCEPT OF MACROECONOMICS, THEN I SUGGEST YOU EDUCATE YOURSELF QUICKLY.
Calling something that is feasible “Dreamiology” is a weak cop out on trying to come up with INNOVATIVE ways to salvage a situation like Bim’s. In essence it is a Brain fart, one that seems to be gripping a nation. Yet no one else realizes it because they are all suffering from the same condition. SO until I hear you coming up with innovative ideas that are original and applicable to BIM, I will continue to simply dismiss this discourse on “casinos” as WEAK and HAPLESS THINKING…
Back to casinos.
The compromise might be to encourage certain cruise ships to delay their departure at night and allow long stay visitors to gamble onboard. 25 per cent of the revenue going to port improvements. It would also let more cruise ship passengers spend longer in Bridgetown and hopefully spend some money.
when south beach was revitalise it theme was ‘focused on culture and heritage therefore you hear the recurring theme “art Deco” the dried up and dead city started to flourish no CASINOS just the involvement of the people and a new model design to promote its culture and heritage old buildings were remodelled with the “art deco” theme in mind which would give the visitor an experience of having being in a different place today south beach is overflowing with excitement and entertainment and restaurants because a model was designed to give the tourist an experience of ” exotic experience
BTW what does the BHTA have to show for progress with all the million or possibly billions the they have collected through subsidizes by govts.they seem to have been able to collect plenty but have done so little.
Is South Beach a country?
It is part of a product which offers a diverse offering.
I think the focus is building a model or formulating a brand to attract Tourist to a destination which so far Barbados has been unable to do
In fact, budgeting loans aren’t technically meant to be used for lease arrears though I believe
you do not specifically have to say what you need the
money for on the form and I’m positive no one checks!