Caribbean Tourism Needs to Focus, say Regional Leaders
Caribbean travel sector leaders believe that two key missing factors for sustainable growth of the region's vital travel and tourism industry are greater dialogue and mission-focused collaboration, according to TravelTV.Com

"Caribbean governments have a fair understanding of tourism and the challenges facing the industry. (but) there needs to be better dialogue between the governments and the private sector so we each understand those challenges," said Ralph Taylor, chairman and chief executive officer of the Barbados-based Almond Resorts chain, during an interview with United Nations Radio.

Taylor has been an early and active champion in the movement to promote the Caribbean as a single destination. His vision is shared by many regional leaders from both the private and public sectors, including Allen Chastanet, a St. Lucian hotelier and first vice president of the Caribbean Hotel Association..

Taylor believes the Caribbean is on the verge of explosive growth, citing the World Travel and Tourism Council's prediction that Caribbean tourism will grow by about four percent per annum over the next several years.

According to Taylor, the Caribbean is the number one warm-weather destination in the world. “We have the best weather, some of the best beaches, and friendly people (so) there is a greater opportunity for growth than there is in most of the countries in the world if we can get our act together," stated Taylor.

The Caribbean has a huge advantage when it comes to tourism. It has the three most essential ingredients to success - location, location, location. In most consumers' minds, when they talk about that pristine place that they want to go, it's that island with beach and coconut trees, where you can hear reggae music or steel pan music.

Chastanet, on his part, said tourists want to go somewhere where you meet innovative and fun loving people and the Caribbean has that. What the region has not been able to do is to parley that into a global success, he said.

Chastanet supports Caribbean brand differentiation efforts and wants to see the Caribbean amongst the top five world tourism destinations. "I think what Sandals and SuperClubs did with all-inclusives in the 80s and 90s was innovative and we got world attention, but since then Asia has been stealing our thunder," he said.

Taylor believes the impact of the all-inclusive hotels to socio-economic development in the Caribbean is also misunderstood. According to him, all-inclusive hotel properties are one of the most successful elements of Caribbean tourism at the moment, generating major activity in the regional economy.

Chastanet, a former senior executive of Air Jamaica, believes that the time has come for governments to craft a regional policy towards aviation if they want to see the survival of their indigenous carriers.