THE ECONOMIC and social development of Caribbean nations may depend on the lifespan of the new private-public sector campaign to market the Caribbean as a single destination.
A new trust, established to administer the programme, met in Miami last week to formulate strategies for addressing unprecedented declines in tourism arrivals and expenditures that threaten the tourism-dependent economies of the Caribbean.
According to the World Tourism Organisation, the international tourism industry shrank 2.6 per cent last year because the September 11th terrorist attacks "severely aggravated" the effects of the global economic slowdown. For the Caribbean, declines in 2002 are already in double digits, forcing industry officials to discount products and services to unsustainable levels.
Typically, around this time of the year, airlines, hotels and tour operators offer 35 per cent "discount" sales to stimulate travel in the soft fall season. Today, consumers are taking advantage of 50 per cent sales to certain destinations in the summer season, and the trend is likely to continue into September.
"It is absolutely critical that this campaign (dubbed 'Life Needs the Caribbean') and planned for US television launch next month is not a one-shot punch," said Ralph Taylor, chairman of the Caribbean tourism trust.
He said quick approval is needed for a sustainable funding mechanism, to be tabled at this week's CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Guyana.
Proposals include an airline ticket and cruise passenger tax.
Members of the trust this week hailed CARICOM for its commitment to the US$16 million ad campaign which runs until winter.
