Adrian Loveridge – Owner of Peach & Quiet Hotel
Once leaving August behind, we enter what is traditionally the most challenging period in tourism terms. Historically, the month that experiences the least number of arrivals of the year is September. September 2012 recorded just 27,230 long stay visitor arrivals, the lowest number in any month for the past ten years. A decline of 6.6 per cent over the same period in 2011. Given our already dramatically reduced airlift, with an average of just 907 passengers per day, it will result in flying hundreds of empty airline seats daily, or in fact thousands, by month end. Once the plane has taken off, clearly these seats cannot be sold twice the next day.
From an accommodation perspective, even if all these 27,230 persons stayed in a licensed hotel and the average stay was 7 nights with two per room, that still only fills less than 2,000 rooms against a total that is often quoted of between 5,000 and 6,000. This of course, does not take into account all the apartments, villas. condominiums and any unregistered accommodation providers. It also helps explain why several hotels and restaurants decide to close during September for annual holidays, refurbishment or simply to curtail operational costs. September, perhaps would have been the most logical month to roll-out the proposed APD Voucher but this could have only possibly influenced one main market, the United Kingdom.
As I have to submit this column a few days before publication perhaps details of the voucher conditions will be announced in the interim. So should the industry simply lay down and accept the current trend of falling visitor numbers? Under the current fiscal challenges we cannot afford to, it becomes an imperative to look for other creative ways to achieve a positive difference.
From 7September until 14November, American Airlines through their loyalty programme, AAdvantage has reduced the mileage requirement to 25,000 miles from any point they currently serve in the Continental United States and Canada to/from Barbados. With over 66 million members, it’s a huge untapped market for us. When American merges with US Airways ten of millions more people will have the means to reach us, from many more connecting cities.
Now look at it from a potential visitors perspective. If I wanted to fly from Los Angeles to Barbados, the lowest bookable return fare online is US$1017 for travel in September. Using miles, it’s only US$59.70. This breaks down the huge geographical airfare cost differential and opens up what are considered far-flung price deterrent source markets. How do we reach this massive group of travel ready people? The simple answer is to smart partner with the airline and use their existing channels of communicating with frequent flyer customers, electronically. The destination could also purchase additional miles to further lower the travel threshold and make it almost irresistible.
Already some private sector partners are offering triple miles over this period to maximise opportunities for every part of the sector. Timing is critical, and in this industry there is no longer the luxury for procrastination in decision making. Not that there ever was but we seem to have grown accustomed to apathy and a lack of lucidity. Let us collectively make it the best performing September in eleven years, rather than set yet another record of failure.
David | August 22, 2013 at 9:01 PM |
The harassment of Adrian stops tonight.
IT IS ABOUT TIME DAVID
PLEASE DO NOT BLUFF
No bluffing GP. From where we sit we know more than most. Hants et al will have to trust our judgement. There is a political full court press and BU is aware but it will not descend hyere. Attack what Adrian has to say but threatening him and telling hm to leave Barbados etc will not be tolerated. Attack BU that is fine, it is water of a duck back.
On 23 August 2013 01:49, Barbados Underground
what is so troubling that adrian has singlehandely got barbados caught up in a what appears to be a quarrel with our sister island, one will notice ac have recognized the game adrian is playing and has resist or attempted not to say disparaging remarks about our sister island out of respect that they govt have a country that is dependant on tourism and would rightfully fight tooth and nail for every tourist,
Anyhow i am fully aware that there was a con game being played out and not many of those supporting adrian has been able to connect the dots, however it is most revealing that adrian could divulge such sensitive information to the public especially when it comes to govt matters and heads of govt involvement and interaction with private citizens on personnal matters
Georgie Porgie we should also reflect on the fact that a PM chooses to call someone other than his counterpart in another country.
I guess PM Harper should call one of his American buddies next time he has a problem with the USA.
nobody is harassing Adrian.however if that be the case ,he set himself up in the same manner he has set barbados up to fail.
HANTS
tHE WAY THINGS WORK DOWN HERE MANY PRIVATE PERSONS KNOW PUBLIC PERSONS IN OTHER ISLANDS.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PM OF ST LUCIA CALLING ADRIAN.
I HAVE HAD DEALINGS WITH PM;S AND OTHER HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS IN THE ISLANDS EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION WHEN I WENT TO LIVE IN THOSE COUNTRIES
@Georgie Porgie on a more serious note….you watching CPL cricket ?
Guyana playing Trinidad.
It really doesn’t boast well for a PM who should have free access and staff readilyavailable for him to request and get such information , but otherwise choose to rely on information froman outside source, this picture is not a pretty one, and advisably so adrian could have just as well kept his mouth shut, cause in essence what the PM was asking of Adrian was to give information of a sensitive nature that involve another minister of another country, and that in ac opinion is in conflict with protocol and diplomacy,
No bluffing ! NO bull! how can anyone tae adrian seriously when he says that he has barbados best interest at heart cause given the most of all revealing information as to date coming from adrian seems like he has step into a hornets nest which he might not be able to fly his way out of, by way of STlucia govt and the cozy relationship
To repeat, cyberbullying by anonymous bloggers of Adrian will NOT be tolerated.
this appears to be a double standard! however whatever the outcome a new policy would have been set a in regards to this issue by BU.
Jan-Jun 2013 US long stay visitor arrivals:
Barbados – 63,2501 – DOWN 10.8 per cent
St. Lucia – 67,352 – UP 9.8 per cent
“Some more uncomfortable facts about St. Lucia:–
Barbados murder rate for 2012 8 per 100,00
St. Lucia murder rate for 2012 24 per 100,000”
—————————————————————–
It is obvious that you spend the greater part of your day researching St.Lucia just to justify your hatred, or jealousy, of that poor island.
But somehow, you forgot to mention that St.Lucia with a population of only 165,000 people has the most photograph peaks – the Pitons – in the entire Caribbean. It has the most beautiful harbour in the Caribbean. It has the 3rd most popular outdoor food market in the world – The Castries Market. And don’t forget, it has produced two Noble Laureates.
St.Lucia is a Jewel and that bothers you; so you are hoping and praying for its dimise. One thing is for sure, no St.Lucian feels that negatively about Barbados.
Ole man weighing in.
In times afore when a messenger brought bad tidings he got undone, another word for killed.
Loveridge ‘s sin seems to ensue from (a) being of a color that the black power chest beaters among us associate with oppression (b) he is being outspoken during a time when the incompetent DLP IS IN POWER, and the lead incompetent is Richard Sealy (c) as a hotelier who like any person trying to mek money, he is commenting on those things that affect hi salary/income and (d) he is stating publicly available tourism stats
I must admit that AC can be somewhat infantile at times but when I consider the ragging that Old Onions, Hanys, the sage Miller and Bush tea get, and my buddy Baffy I am inclined to think that you tune out AC UNLESS she or he, I am made to realize that it is a husband/wife team, unless they threaten to kill Loveridge or put out a hit pun him he needs to experience this hazing, it is par for the course
That is why some of us shake our balls in the face of adversity because we are not wusses
I must admit that, given the passion that he speaks with here, I have tried to go to those public meetings where he might have a public encounter with dimwit Sealy.
On every blog dem is got a madmans. I myself is a piece uh madmans.
David[BU], I too feel dat certain people should get mek tuh lef Barbados but I tink dat Fumble, sinckliar headboy Boyce and Sealy shudda get exile fuh whu dem doing tuh we.
Now I does use a nom de plume AND I does be real serious when I meks dese statements but if unna ban AC den unna gine ban me nex.
AC and cocky Locky, me, you and de res uh we, really love our country but sum uh we is got mo’ reason in articulating dat love
Some uh we doan feel, causing a nex body ent agree wid we, dem mus dem toenails pluck out or deport
AC, Loveridge lef cold englant to cum heah to live. He ent selling drugs like ***. And he passionate bout he investment.
One ting bout getting ole is dat whether you is black or white de cold does mek you joints go round. He has made here his home, he has employed bajans who might otherwise be climbing through our windows or pulling dem balls pun broad street and pushing out dem hand in de tourises own
He has earned the right to comment on Dimwit Sealy
@ David
To repeat, cyberbullying by anonymous bloggers of Adrian will NOT be tolerated
*********
So wait…..Bushie takes a short break …and the ground rules on BU changing just so….?
Yuh can’t curse Adrian nuh more?
Wuh Happen bozie….he get ‘nointed or something?
…somebody get dottined and mek Adrian the GG?
Who tell Adrian to use his own name and put up a picture to show that he white?
Who forcing he to post an article on BU every week saying the same …damn thing? (Bushie was going to rhyme there but….)
You think bout this new policy David?
Yuh can’t curse Caswell neither?
How bout Carson C Cadogan….. We can attack he?
…and you done know that Bushie can’t live without attacking ac
Look David ….this is a WRONG TACT…
If Adrian have a problem with getting attacked he should do like others…
– USE a blogging name
– STFU
– Refrain from attacking others
– ignore the attacks.
It seems like YOU are the one with the problem. How come you don’t ban Miller when he lambaste Bushie every time the poor defenseless bushman put finger to laptop…..?
Democracy is not always sweet, but once you start to set arbitrary limits, it becomes YOUR little dictatorship.
Frig Adrian……he should leave St Lucia out of his issues with Barbados’s tourism management. What is the point of these ridiculous incessant comparisons?
Carson…………….if the DLP government of the day wants to stop being harassed, they have two choices, either do the right things or stop taking taxpayers money for doing all the wrong things, no one forced them into wanting power and becoming the leaders, they craved it, lied for it and did whatever else to get it, so it’s time for them to lead, or leave the taxpayers money alone and find other jobs………..that will also apply to the opposition who are thirsty for power as well. Thirst for power means you get to be harassed by the people (taxpayers) who pay your salary, the leaders are not there to do as they like, that nasty party politics at the taxpayers expense you are so used to must also stop.
The point of these articles is to weaken the externals of barbados .However what adrian seems not to understand is that by doing so.he tears down the sectors that he says he is fighting for . it just doesn.t work adrian can.t not have it both ways. the fact that the PM of ST.LUcia is sourcing information from him on internal matters verifies that he has lost control and his beivabilty is questionable in regards to “INTENT” on this matter and he should be held accountable.
St Lucia political party condemns PM’s ‘blame game’ statement on police controversy
By Caribbean News Now contributor
CASTRIES, St Lucia — The Lucian People’s Movement (LPM) has condemned what it described as the “continued blame game tactic” that Prime Mister Dr Kenny Anthony used in his government’s defence in response to the decision by the United States to prohibit members of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force from attending security-related training funded by the US.
According to the LPM leader Therold Prudent, Anthony refuses to take responsibility for his own government’s response to the alleged “extra-judicial killings” committed by an “ad hoc” group of officers within the police force.
“Governance is about taking full responsibility and correcting the preserved mistakes and awful practices of previous administrations. As the leader of our nation, coupled with his profession as an attorney, Anthony should have immediately dealt with this grave issue, knowing full well, there are dire consequences for ignoring human rights abuses,” Prudent added.
The LPM noted one particular point in the prime minister’s address to the nation on Tuesday evening, when he (Anthony) stated: “Yesterday, I was also advised that the United States has gone one step further and suspended all assistance to the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force.”
This suspension could have been prompted by Anthony’s refusal to act after eighteen months in office, Prudent pointed out.
“Also, the minimal attention paid to those human rights violations (by his government), is just as disappointing to US authorities as the [previous United Workers Party administration’s] unsatisfactory response to the crime problem on the island,” he said.
Having noted the failed approach of the current St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration to dealing with this serious human rights issue, the LPM said it continues to be disturbed by some of the strategies Anthony has pursued to solve this problem.
According to Prudent, “How can the prime minister invite the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) to investigate the conduct surrounding the alleged extra-judicial killings when some CARICOM countries have their own issues that potentially violate the ’Leahy Law’?”
An effective step to dealing with this crisis would be to invite an independent investigative unit from Canada or Europe, where a more thorough investigation consistent with international investigative and reporting standards can be expected, the LPM suggested.
The LPM added that it recalled occasions when some local organizations and professionals were ridiculed for attempting to promote human rights laws in all facets of daily activities on the island – initiatives that would have paved the way for a more transparent and accountable government today.
Referring to his earlier message to Taiwan’s current president, Ma Ying-jeou, requesting that former Taiwan president Chen Shui-Bian be provided medical parole – a decision that would meet human rights standards — Prudent again emphasized the need for governments seriously to consider human rights laws.
He said, “As a region, we cannot continue to operate in a bubble with outstretched arms for foreign aid. We cannot continue to arm ourselves with the narrow mindedness of local politics with all of its self-righteousness. And, we cannot continue to ignore the personal sufferings of citizens locally and in distant lands, which daily pay the ultimate price for our chronic dependence on foreign aid.”
@Bush Tea
Don’t agree. We ride interference for Caswell and Adrian is no different. We will shied those who want to use their names from cyber bullying because this is what it is. Attack his statements but this business about leaving Barbados and the rest of it, no dice.
Caribbean Lover
St. Lucia’s population:-
177,504
51.3% female
48.7% male
btw we had a CARIBBEAN LOVER here in Barbados as well. But this was only when he and his Barbados Labour Party were in Government. His name is Owen Arthur.
sOnce a St. Lucian was running for a seat in Parlianment here in Barbados he cursed her stink, he and other members in the Barbados Labour Party.
We have our own fair weather CARIBBEAN LOVERs here as well especially now that they are in Opposition.
@ David
OK
These are two different things.
You have been doing a superhuman job of managing the blog and moderating the excesses. You point about Caswell is taken…but occasionally Caswell opens some foolish doors and invites some fierce counter attacks….Wuh dat is his business!!! It ain’t your job to shield him from such torment….
Take for example when he cuss Bushie’s main Man Jeff B….or draw reference to the PM’s nose……Wuh he deserve whatever storm comes his way…..what protect what?!?
In Adrian case, HE started the St Lucia comparison nonsense – obviously to show how weak the Barbados managers are…..
MISTAKE…..
Wuh um is only obvious that his opponents (and we NEED such opponents in order to have good discussion and deep analysis) will look at the other side of the coin….
SUCH DISCUSSIONS SERVE NO USEFUL PURPOSE. Our poor management can be discussed WITHOUT drawing St Lucia into it…
Both Adrian AND CCC/ac needs to end that nonsense…..but you seem to be suggesting that Adrian can continue, but that the others must be nice in response….
Bushie also sees no malice in suggestions that if Adrian is so unhappy with the way we brass bowls run our tourism he is welcome to return to England where the bowls are ceramic ….and cold as shiite….
@Bushie
The fallible of man we have to always consider.
Bushie & Sargeant
Looking at the best practices of others to benchmark and improve is what smart organizations do every day of the week, market intelligence it is called.
My two cents I don’t know why some BU bloggers get into an ongoing diatribe with Loveridge, if one takes a look at his articles they are consistently the same somebody somewhere is doing things better than Barbados or his suggestions to upgrade the Tourism Industry have been ignored.
Generally the columns generate some responses but this time he seemed to have touched a nerve because he reported that the tourism product in a sister island is better than it is in Barbados and because of the nature of the small island even the Tourism Minister feels obliged to make some idiotic statement about St. Lucia. ( Sealy didn’t take lessons from Barney about Loveridge)
Folks! Calm down, the man will soon move on to Grenada or St. Vincent or the Bahamas or report that they do things different in other exotic locales like Bora Bora or Tahiti. The more you respond with vitriol the more he will continue to milk the mother lode….
He can milk the mother load all he wants however in the progress he is destroying the same sector he claims he is working for not to mention the ongoing war of words between the two islands..Anyhow ac attention at this point is fully focus on the ST.lucian PM who aborted diplomacy and protocol to seek information concerning a Barbados tourism minister from adrian. too many fish floating to the top of thev water
Sargeant | August 23, 2013 at 9:16 AM |
I don’t know why some BU bloggers get into an ongoing diatribe with Loveridge,
THE ONLY PERSONS WHO GET INTO DIATRIBE WITH LOVERIDGE IS AC AND CCC
RE if one takes a look at his articles they are consistently the same somebody somewhere is doing things better than Barbados or his suggestions to upgrade the Tourism Industry have been ignored.
IS HE NOT ENTITLED TO COMMENT AS HE WISHES?
DON’T WE HAVE TO DAILY SUFFER TO READ THE BOVINE EXCREMENT OF AC AND CCC DAILY?
IF FOLK ARE DOING THINGS BETTER THAN BARBADOS……..THEN THEY ARE DOING THINGS BETTER THAN BARBADOS. SHOULD HE SAY THAT THEY ARE DOING WORSE.
HE HAS A RIGHT TO BE PEEVED IF HIS SUGGESTIONS TO UPGRADE THE TOURISM INDUSTRY ARE IGNORED. AT LEAST HE IS OFFERING SUGGESTIONS. AC AND CC OFFERS PORCINE FAECES ALONG WITH THE CESS POOL WATER.
he reported that the tourism product in a sister island is better than it is in Barbados and because of the nature of the small island even the Tourism Minister feels obliged to make some idiotic statement about St. Lucia
BUT IT IS INDEED TRUE THAT THE TOURISM PRODUCT IN ST LUCIA IS BETTER THAN OURS. WHY SHOULD HE SAY DIFFERENT?
ST LUCIA IS ACTUALLY LARGER THAN BARBADOS THE WAY
Bushie I see that you have joined the list of igrunt BRASSBOWLS here on BU. You better behave or else the 2×4 will have to come to your assistance. Why yuh so acid this early mawning? Mrs Bushie withholding her jewels from yuh? Or she put a 2×4 pon yuh rass?
Caribbean Lover | August 23, 2013 at 6:56 AM |
“
It is obvious that you spend the greater part of your day researching St.Lucia just to justify your hatred, or jealousy, of that poor island.
But somehow, you forgot to mention that St.Lucia with a population of only 165,000 people has the most photograph peaks – the Pitons – in the entire Caribbean. It has the most beautiful harbour in the Caribbean. It has the 3rd most popular outdoor food market in the world – The Castries Market. And don’t forget, it has produced two Noble Laureates.
St.Lucia is a Jewel and that bothers you; so you are hoping and praying for its dimise. One thing is for sure, no St.Lucian feels that negatively about Barbados.
WHAT YOU HAVE SAID ABOVE CAN NOT BE REFUTED
ST LUCIA IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND THE TOURISTS LOVE IT
THE YACHTSMEN LOVE THE MARINA AT RODNEY BAY
Adrian Loveridge | August 23, 2013 at 6:36 AM |
Jan-Jun 2013 US long stay visitor arrivals:
Barbados – 63,2501 – DOWN 10.8 per cent
St. Lucia – 67,352 – UP 9.8 per cent
WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO ASCERTAIN WHY OUR TOURIST ARRIVALS ARE GOING DOWN
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH COMPARISON TO ST LUCIA
Of course it isn’t just St. Lucia stealing our thunder. WE miss so many opportunities. Take today as an example – WestJet have a ONE DAY SALE –
Toronto/Barbados/Toronto from CAD$362.51 including al taxes – Travel dates 4th September – 26th October 2013 (some blackout dates apply).
September 2012 and October 2012 recorded the lowest long stay visitor arrivals in TEN years.
@ Sargeant
“………….Loveridge, if one takes a look at his articles they are consistently the same somebody somewhere is doing things better than Barbados………..”
Generally speaking, that’s true and that’s what businesses and industries do. Look to see what others are doing and if they are doing things better than you are, analyse it and try to learn from or improve on it.
“………… he reported that the tourism product in a sister island is better than it is in Barbados…………..”
I challenge you to quote from Adrian’s article and show where he said that. It is in fact about tourist arrivals Barbados vs St. Lucia.
Ac couldn,t care less about what is happening in ST.LUCIA all ac is interested is the cozy relationship thats has now become part of the issue between The PM of st.lucia and a citizen of barbados as much that the relationship have a possibilty of servicing relevant information from one island to another having to deal with internal matters related to barbados tourism. and govt. there is a level RED of suspicion sirrounding this issue which gives cause for concern.
@ GP
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH COMPARISON TO ST LUCIA
**********
You mean that it is ok for CCC to compare crime statistics and police tactics?
…or only for Adrian to compare arrivals?
If you introduce a particular tactic you cannot be upset if your opponent returns the favor.
Perhaps if our police were to dispose of some of the pests we have in Barbados our arrivals may improve too….but at what price?
These simplistic comparisons are not helpful….
It is like saying that Sargeant’s salary is higher that Bushie’s….so Bushie must be doing something wrong….
@ Islandgal
…and a good morning to YOU too sweetheart….
bushie
ccc is not using tactics this ignorant irritant illiterate is just talking ssssssssss…………………….e! he has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO OFFER IN THE DEBATE
@ ac | August 23, 2013 at 11:50 AM |
“Ac couldn,t care less about what is happening in ST.LUCIA all ac is interested is the cozy relationship thats has now become part of the issue between The PM of st.lucia and a citizen of barbados as much that the relationship have a possibilty of servicing relevant information from one island to another having to deal with internal matters related to barbados tourism. and govt. there is a level RED of suspicion sirrounding this issue which gives cause for concern.”
But please, ac, pray tell us how can Adrian be of any value, information wise, to any tourism official in St. Lucia?
According to you lot (ac, CCC and the other character assassinators) Adrian can’t even manage a little rundown inn that relies heavily on handouts from government.
Now how can such a person be of any value to St. Lucia.
A matter of fact you all should be holding the reverse position of encouraging Adrian to proffer ‘sound consultancy advice’ since you guys already know that anything coming from Adrian can only result in abject failure.
But we are glad that you recognize Adrian as a “Citizen of Barbados” so should leave the man alone and stop suggesting he should be deported.
Maybe if the St.Lucian officials were relying on Ralph Taylor or even Carson C. Cadogan you would have had serious cause for concern but not where the fifth columnist (your description of the man) is involved.
What is this sensitive information Adrian has about Barbados’s tourism that the CTO (and by extension the St. Lucian tourism officials) is not aware of other than the obvious observation that the government’s policy of throwing further scarce money at tourism without doing the necessary housecleaning tasks is just like throwing it in Maxwell pond?
Tourism Industry Rule No.1: Do not invite visitors to your house without cleaning it before the guests arrive. Pay special attention to your bathrooms and kitchen.
Barbados is in need of a major overhaul and housecleaning.
@ ac .. for the record the PM of St Lucia also called me on the same matter. He also said that he was unsure when it would appropriate to call our PM as it may disturb his usually long daytime nap.
adruian not dumb. his mission is to disrupt the flow of trAffic and create chaos couldn,t give too hoots about variables in statitics. Adrian is so intent and caught up in this Pillaging of Barbados that he has the auducity to interject the PM of ST.Lucia into his game plan which has now become a raging inferno. man has no scruples about anything.He couldn,t careless if barbados comes falling to the ground. What does he have to lose.
I can’t for the life of me figure out what type of state secrets Barbados could possibly have, what is even more puzzling is why Adrian would have access to such state secrets presuming any such state secrets existed………..me thinks some are taking the patriotic crap a bit too far, probably needs stronger meds.
Madd dog for the record he called me too.and said he doesn,t know what all the fuss is/about. Now there you have it right from another source…
I hope both PM ,s of both islands are monitoring the debate. especially the PM of ST.lucia whose name has been dragged into an issue and as aresult serious damage can be done to his reputation.by some of the information given here on BU by Adrian.which he claims is truthfulness which no person in their right mind would divulge but would see it as confidential.
Seems that the Government is funnying up
Somebody pooped
and somebody else swallowed
Hear the news
5000 public workers not paid
by Barbados Government
Taken off the pay sheet
wham Bam/just like that
wow !
Caswell Franklyn was so right
YAGGA ROWE
YOU CANT POST THINGS LIKE DAT!
IT BOTHERS BLIND DLP SUPPORTERS WHO ARE NOT INTERESTED IN FACTS OR TRUTH
GP…………..when you see this thing hits them, the yardfowls will be the one quaking.
The old Bajans had a saying, “it is better to be born lucky than to be born rich”.
When I saw this statement,”The harassment of Adrian stops tonight” I knew that ADRIAN fell into that class of people.
Just imagine that ADRIAN harasses the BLACK government of this country day in and day out. Yet BLACK supporters OF THE GOVERNMENT are not supposed to point out the folly of ADRIAN LOVERIDGE ways. Is it because he is WHITE, DAVID?
ADRIAN appealed to DAVID for help from people who are constantly pointing out how stupid he is and that was granted. Over the years I have seen BLACK PEOPLE vilified here on this blog and they never got any help from DAVID.
Colour really does matter bout hey!!!!!!
So we are going to kill the messenger just because we can not face the TRUTH!!!! It is time we look a ourselves instead of ADRIAN. We got real issues when we cannot face the truth. We need to take the BEAM out our eyes before we attempt to take the speak out of ADRIAN’s eyes. We have been doing tourism wrong for a while and it has nothing to do with ST. LUCIA or any other destination. We need to exam our tourism to see if my statement that we have been doing it wrong for sometime is true and if so how can we fix it. If we are doing it wrong and it is a habit and killing the messenger would not change that bad habit.
Interesting to hear the PM chiding banks for not lending to the tourism sector which he advised is the productive sector Barbados will need to rel on for the foreseeable future.
So who appointed ADRIAN , “a messenger”?
now that BU has survived another day of misleading and unfounded information by those like adrian who claims to be in theknow . it is really amusing how david bu can run to the frontline of battle to stand guard for adrian who has now played the role of victim. never mind the barbs and threats and taunts he has thrown at the barbados govt, even to the point of humiliating govt for not receiving his Vat refund, This is the guy that David choose to protect while he reloads his gun aims and fire targeting a country point blank who is an economic fight for it life,
Useful information for ADRIAN from FACEBOOK:
Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise. Can you imagine week after week a person taking a part of a statistic and using it as a benchmark for success? His latest posting
“Jan-Jun 2013 US long stay visitor arrivals:
Barbados – 63,2501 – DOWN 10.8 per cent
St. Lucia – 67,352 – UP 9.8 per cent”
Let us examine the statistic in its entirety . Go to http://www.onecaribbean.org/wp-content/uploads/AUG12Lattab2013.pdf
At that site you would see that St. Lucia overall long stay arrivals Jan-Jun show a 4.8 % increase. It has done better than the Bahamas -8.6, Jamaica -1.2, Puerto Rico 4.0, St. Maarten 1.4 and Barbados 6.7. The countries which have done better than St. Lucia are Aruba 5.4, Belize 8.9,
Cayman 6.2, Curacao 6.6, Montserrat 22.5 and Suriname. How on earth can a blogmaster agree with this man’s crap week after week is beyond my comprehension
ac
Bravo!
Interesting to hear the PM chiding banks for not lending to the tourism sector which he advised is the productive sector Barbados will need to rel on for the foreseeable future.
it would have been even more interesting if a similar topicpf interest would have been of focus here on BU instead of the usual constipated overbearing articles written under the banner of Tourism Matters here on BU. No Ac can’t write nothing about Tourism only sit and grazed as the parade marches by.
@ac
BU has dropped you several notches given your recent puerile campaign. BU will even forgive you for being a liar by stating you visited St. Lucia recently. Now try to redeem yourself.
For your information you are free to compose/submit a blog, if you can. Also note that a copy of the PM’s press conference given after his tour today has been posted on another blog but of course you have your head fixated right here so it is impossible for you to escape from your silly little political game you are playing. Rest assured it will not be successful.
On 23 August 2013 22:11, Barbados Underground
For your information you are free to compose/submit a blog, if you can. Also note that a copy of the PM’s press conference given after his tour today has been posted on another blog but of course you have your head fixated right here so it is impossible for you to escape from your silly little political game you are playing. Rest assured it will not be successful.
what political game ? What Blog. No i can”t. But why the Rage,, ,what did ac say that was wrong expect to use a microscopic lenses and gazed real deep into the heart of a tourism matter..
I think we have to go back to the original topic and again ask the question why is OUR tourism industry performing so badly. 16 consecutive months of long stay visitor decline, which must be record across the Caribbean in recent times. Even with airfares of CAD$362.50 (WestJet) and CAD$420.51 (Air Canada) including all taxes Toronto/Barbados/Toronto potential travellers are still largely opting for our neighbours.
Perhaps, rather than attacking the messenger, some of the more verbal posters can answer this question.
It is performing badly because we have a Minister of Tourism whose only claim to fame is that he likes getting around the world playing Cassanova
The fact is that while Barney also played the field he at least had an understanding of how to market a product and unlike the inept Sealy whom Prime Minister Fumble understandably CANNOT FIRE, does not have a clue on how to jump start the lifeblood of our economy as it is currently constituted
Bring on your hounds for the old man, AC and Cocky Locky.
Neither of you is The Harbinger and since I do not fear Him and wonder only what sentience will encounter, you two children cannot rustle me
At what point does PM Stuart hold member of his Cabinet accountable? Or does he. Surely it has reached a point where Sealy should br given a rest and let another try their hand.
Well since Adrian asked about getting back to the REAL issue of why our tourism is performing badly….
The problem is more fundamental than a poor tourism Minister…. …even more that poor management altogether.
Bushie will even go beyond the issue of Tourism being a simplistic philosophy of selling your personal asse(t)s which is identical to prostitution at the individual level….
THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM with Barbados Tourism is that we have a “business” that is owned and controlled by people like Adrian, who reap all the sweets and who parade around in their luxury homes, cars and boats while demanding “productivity, pride and industry” from hordes of workers who are paid pittance and who are expected to wow the clients with love and affection.
Adrian may want to note the OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE in those jurisdictions that he likes to reference.
If Bushie was working in the hotel industry….and anyone thinks that the bushman would readily and instinctively be motivated to see the success of tourism – which benefits only the foreign and select local owners, while barely putting bread on Bushie’s table, ….that person has to be retarded.
Does anyone see the resemblance to the pimp driving the Lincoln Continental, …wearing the overdone clothes …..while harassing his girls on the street to smile and be nice to the johns…?
Quite simply…..
YOU CAN’T PLANT OKRAS AND EXPECT TO REAP SWEET POTATOES.
If tourism is the NATIONAL business then the OWNERSHIP and BENEFITS of success should be shared NATIONALLY.
This should be either through state ownership along with professional, transparent management….or through COOPERATIVE. Ownership.
The damn plantation days are DONE….why the hell wunna think that the fellows used to burn the canes….?
Anyone who expects to replace sugar plantations with hotel plantations and get different results deserve to end up broke….
@Bushie
Have you listened to the PM’s press conference which was posted to the Hal Austin blog?
David, I am doubtful that the PM really knows what is going on in tourism. This was perhaps highlighted by his comments stating how successful Crop Over 2013 was, when in fact the July 2013 long stay arrivals were the lowest recorded in the past eleven years. He rightly states that the hotel sector must invest more in upgrading their plant, but if they cannot see an ultimate return on that investment, would they not be stupid to take that risk?
Plus if Government is being forced to borrow (FOREIGN) money at up to 8.375 per cent interest, which of our banks are going to lend the hoteliers monies at a lesser rate of interest? Try and service that level of interest at an occupancy level of 50 per cent if you are lucky.
In all the analysis and the blame, blame game rhetoric being trotted out on these pages there hasn’t been any deep insight into the kind of tourist we hope to attract. All I read is the numbers keep falling and the Gov’t/Tourism Authorities isn’t doing anything about the situation. For years Barbados was proud to market itself as an “upmarket” destination, politicians were proud to acknowledge that Barbados was one of the few countries with regular service by the Concorde and we welcomed the deep pocket tourists to our shores.
The environment has changed and the Concorde is in mothballs and the Western world has experienced the worst economic upheaval since the 1930’s.However people are still travelling albeit in fewer numbers but one of the key elements in any vacation planning is “how much will this cost?” as most people are wary consumers who expect value for their buck and the sun and sea are the same whether you are in the Dominican Republic, Cuba , Jamaica or Barbados. Barbados has been slow to adopt one of the strategic components (all inclusive) that influence travel to the other destinations mentioned above as the politicians have been loathe to provide permission for the “all inclusive” type of accommodations that are now all the rage in the broader Caribbean because they fear the political and social backlash “the beach belong to me” that this will generate.. Last year my neighbours with two teenage daughters and a young adult son were hoping to go to Bim for their holiday and I introduced them to my Travel Agent who is very knowledgeable of the Island but they opted to go to Jamaica “all inclusive” as they said Barbados was too expensive. I know other people who opted to go to DR and Mexico, this is not to advise that Bim should cheapen its product but if we want to attract Tourists we have to cater to all types.
There may be other influences driving the decline of tourist numbers in recent years and I’ll leave that to the experts to provide their POV, but the Island can’t afford to rest on its laurels.
I am really trying not to forget David’s advice to avoid responding to personal attacks and comments, but I will try and dispel some of the myths people seem to think about owning/operating hotel, especially a small one.
It would be almost impossible to acquire land and build a hotel for less that BDS$250,000 a room today. So a 20 room 2/3 star property would cost at least BDS$5 million. If you had to borrow the money to buy that property at 8.375 per cent interest, that’s BDS$418,740 in interest alone each year. If you could achieve the average for hotels on Barbados of around 50 per cent occupancy annually, that an interest (alone) cost of BDS$114.72 (US$57) per occupied room night. This is before any operational costs, staff, maintenance, insurance, marketing etc., expense. For us, operational costs are roughly 50 per cent of gross revenue, but buildings, especially by the sea, constantly need attention. Then there are the unbudgeted costs, 50 increase in land taxes, 60 per cent increase in water, 72 per cent energy and while the VAT drops to 7.5 per cent from 1st October, it will take months, if not years to absorb the 16.6 per cent previous increase.
Now, if land and property prices are consistently rising, you can maybe see a return on your investment over the long term. That has not happened of course over at least the last five years and reflect the real stupidity of hiking land taxes during that period.
Then compound the situation by a cash starved national marketing agency
unable to promote the island properly and you start to get a real feel of the current situation.
It’s alright to say the hoteliers should do more and they are right, but you cannot change a business model overnight. Higher costs, lower rates and occupancy has created a working capital starved industry and this is going to take some time to change.
It is clear that the current administration does not have expertise or is willing to acquire it, to revive our tourism industry. How much longer, we as a country can go on rewarding people for failure is a mute point.
Personally, I think we have already gone past that point.
@Bushie
The damn plantation days are DONE….why the hell wunna think that the fellows used to burn the canes….?
*************
And you call yourself a man of the people heh heh heh….. that analogy is flawed, it is obvious that you didn’t know any cane cutters. They didn’t burn the canes because they wanted to destroy the Plantation it was simply economics, they received more money according to the tonnage and it was the same whether the canes were burnt or not. If canes were burnt they could cut more canes.
As a young lad I used to listen in on some cane cutters and they would discuss the next field they were going to cut, sure enough later I would hear the sounds of canes “popping”
@ Adrian
“….It’s alright to say the hoteliers should do more and they are right, but you cannot change a business model overnight.”
*********
If we are unable to adjust our business model in response to market taste (overnight if necessary) then we will just go out of business….
Your constant refrain that ” the current administration does not have expertise or is willing to acquire it, to revive our tourism industry” is NOT helpful…. Those days are GONE….
The REAL question is WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE BUSINESS MODEL AND WHAT CHANGES ARE NEEDED?
…as Bushie says, the fundamental problem is tied to national motivation and involvement – which is impacted by our current ownership models, and by perceptions about the disproportionality of benefits.
Bush Tea said:
“If we are unable to adjust our business model in response to market taste (overnight if necessary) then we will just go out of business….”
_____________________________________________
It’s kinda late in the game to be blaming the present, past or future governments for what has or will transpire going forward. If the hotel players cannot see a way forward, find another revenue stream and leave the taxpayers out of it, the taxpayers will find a way to survive, necessity is the mother of invention and will always be the mother of invention.
Diversifying is not just a word, it’s also an action, no use trying to continue using people for their labor just for self-enrichment, that period is over, move on, find another way to survive, everyone has now come to the realization worldwide that they have to tackle that beast called survival and without using others to realize their own personal goals, time to use the gift of brains.
five new comments, providing engaging thought and counters, diatribes absent, respectful of opinions, offering possible solutions.
This is what we need.
“Barbados is too expensive”
Loveridge ‘ comment gives an insight in the real cost of owning and running a hotel successfully and maybe, the merchants who sell their products 10 to 15 times as high as a visitor can get it elsewhere, can probably provide a similar picture of the “cost of doing business” that causes them to utilize such heinous prices
Why is it that the same merchants can set up shop in adjoining T&T and sell cement, milk, PineHill dairy juices cheaper on shop shelves in NY but charge such iniquitous prices locally?
Can someone tell this illiterate ole man, if a government acknowledges that manufacturers/service providers/hoteliers claim that it is all the taxes that they levy that makes Bajan produce “so expensive” why, for a limited time only, government could not decrease these taxes, on these inputs, having agreed on the prices that the merchants can levy and monitor that program by a price control regime to keep de merchants and hoteliers honest
what are the basic inputs which are currently so heavily taxed that make tourists cry out Barbados is so expensive?
I ent no cuntputer man but is it possible to put a software ting in place which monitors inputs/cost prices and sees if this public/private sector collaboration gine mek cuming to we cuntry less expensive?
I ent de brightest body pun dis blog, in fact I real ingrunt but I wonder if careful structure of a package of incentives cud result in it mekking more sense fuh a tourist tuh spend dem money and forex heah in BIM dan to buy an all inclusive and all de money lef outside Barbados
Jus asking the experts here and I beg forgiveness from the economists for this ole man monkey economics but I remember King James at Martindales Road becoming rather wealthy using volumes and throughput as opposed to getting rich quick.
The problem that we have lay in this philosophy of “getting rich”. There are more than adequate resources for all of us (and more) to thrive…but when everyone, and every identifiable group, is consumed with accumulating as much “things” as they possible can, WAY BEYOND any reasonable needs…. Then we must have stress on the system.
IT IS THE SYSTEM that we have planted that determines the kind of FRUIT that we will reap.
When the new plantation owners make their admittedly huge investments and expect their reasonable returns, what the hell do they think that the poor workers who are investing their WHOLE LIVES into these businesses will feel (and behave)… when it becomes clear how little they are valued….?
WHO EXACTLY determined that a $5 million dollar investment in a hotel is valued at more than a lifetime commitment as a maid in that same hotel? ….or as the Chef? Or a barman? ……it is our outdated SYSTEM.
Why is an investor (who is really “investing” money borrowed from some bank that largely belongs to the collective workers anyway…) more influential than the employees in the overall scheme of things?
The Cooperative model EASILY addresses these systemic weaknesses…while adding transparency, involvement, openness and opportunity…
As Pacha has been preaching, the era of the CAPITAL driven economies are done….a new model is needed ….
Bushie wrote “The problem that we have lay in this philosophy of “getting rich”. There are more than adequate resources for all of us (and more) to thrive…but when everyone, and every identifiable group, is consumed with accumulating as much “things” as they possible can, WAY BEYOND any reasonable needs…. Then we must have stress on the system.
IT IS THE SYSTEM that we have planted that determines the kind of FRUIT that we will reap.”
Well said Bushie.
We have been conditioned to acquire BIG. Big house,Big Car,Big bank accounts.
Bajans were not taught to share but to try to become rich.
Now the country is in financial trouble and almost every Bajan will feel it.
Wunna betta do like Owen Arthur and work a kitchen garden. Wunna can say wunna doing it because fresh fruit and vegetables are better for your health.
We have now entered the era of consciousness…
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DD sees the same ad that has been running for some time in the Advocate for the Rihanna Concert on 11/01/2013.
That suggests to me that her overseas fans are not scooping up the tickets and flocking to the island to attend the concert.
And why would they, when there are at least six dates in southern USA venues in November.
It is a nice gesture by Rihanna’s managers to agree to stage a show for her home town fans; but if the concert is going to be a sell-out, it will have to be up to the ordinary Bajan consumer to scrape together the money for the concert tickets, the hairdo, the nails, the new dress and shoes etc. to attend the ultimate fete.
Those are the same people having trouble scraping together the money to pay for 20% of the cost to attend UWI, to pay the rent, and to put food on the table.
DD wonders how much BTA chipped in to have the tour stop off in Barbados, and to promote it overseas. And what ROI those taxpayer dollars will generate
DD,
when was the last time you saw the BTA publish the ROI on any of their activities? I asked at least four times ( Board Meeting minutes) about the ROI on the Best of Barbados promotion when I briefly sat on the board. Never got an answer.
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