There appears to be a growing trend of people in privileged public positions lambasting those in the private sector. Only recently on a popular call-in programme an unelected but paid Senator, cast aspersions and innuendo on the elected unpaid President of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), questioning among other things, her political affiliation.
Is it so difficult to understand the head of that organization is a volunteer, who gives up an enormous amount of their time, without financial reward to fairly represent and lobby for the subscription paying members of a private sector trade association.? That individual’s role is not to pay lip service to any Government its representatives or supporters, but to articulate unresolved challenges the sector is clearly experiencing, and if it is felt these concerns are repeatedly being ignored, to step ‘up the ante’.
In her recent report, delivered at the BHTA Annual General Meeting, some of those concerns were expressed in these words, ‘It was recognised and agreed that while we wait for the completion of the Tourism Master Plan, we need to implement immediate action to tackle the crisis now at hand’. It also appears there is an increasing chain of thought that hoteliers are always moaning and demand a level of attention that cannot be reasonably justified.
That may be the case in some instances, but you have to think why this could be. Certainly in tourism hotel owners make the biggest investments and take the highest risks. The public at large seem to be quite happy that millions are ‘given’ to cruise ship companies, who, when the going gets tough, simply pull up the anchors and sail off to more profitable climes. The luxury of this option is clearly not available to their terra firma based competitors.
A recently published report concluded that of all the average cruise passengers discretionary spending, 82 per cent is spent onboard and only 18 per cent on land. This again brings into question the overall net contribution made by this sector and those persons supporting the opening of ship casinos and shops whilst in port, may wish to reconsider.
It too, has to be repeated, time after time, that Government does not generate the monies to sustain the country, it is the private sector that fulfills this function. Therefore, is it so strange that they wish and possibly expect to exert some influence on critical policymaking decisions that directly impact on their investments?
We have all seen what happens when the private sector does not speak up, perhaps typified by the two examples of the GEMS fiasco and ill-fated chartering of Carnival Destiny. Generations, yet to be born, will be repaying the price of these disastrous decisions and the negative consequences they have inflicted on the sector.
By the time this column is published, the last stated booking date for the much vaunted Barbados Island Inclusive promotion will have expired. Our policymakers perhaps will be either thinking of extending the booking window, while carefully analysing if the initiative has driven the predicted additional 15,000 long stay visitors between May and December 2013. The word ‘additional’ is absolutely critical to the equation. Of course it’s a good idea to reward returnees, but this promotion was intended to drive new business rather than dilute the income of repeat visitors.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.