Stakeholders Unite to Safeguard Tourism

Contact: Rose Marie Harris

Wednesday, September 19, 2001 – The Saint Lucia Ministry of Tourism, hoteliers and other tourism stakeholders are putting their heads together to come up with an action plan to ensure the survival of the island’s no.1 foreign exchange earning industry.

The deliberations follow the devastating blow which last week’s deadly terrorist attacks on America have had on international travel. Adding to the uncertainty is the prospect of a lengthy war which US President George Bush has vowed to fight as part of an international coalition  to “smoke out” terrorists around the world.

Saint Lucia and other Caribbean countries whose economies depend heavily on tourism, are already feeling the fall-out. Against this backdrop, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Menissa Rambally, convened a brainstorming meeting with tourism stakeholders on Tuesday.

She said the deadly terrorist attacks had occurred just as Saint Lucian tourism was implementing a strategy to stimulate business for the coming winter following a sluggish summer caused the global economic downturn. The attacks, therefore, represented a major setback for the anticipated recovery, she added.

“If ever unity of purpose was required in the tourism industry in St Lucia, it is now,” the minister stressed.

She pledged that the challenges facing tourism would be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting and assured that Government was prepared, within its existing means, to offer whatever help was necessary to help the industry to stay afloat. Government was particularly concerned about the welfare of hotel workers and  was interested in saving their jobs, she stressed

“You, in turn, must also demonstrate the strength and resilience to stand and fight in the face of adversity,” she urged stakeholders, mostly members of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA).

SLHTA President Berthia Parle said the industry would require support during this challenging period, mentioning public utility companies – LUCELEC, WASCO and Cable & Wireless – and commercial banks.

“I think they have to look at what is happening now and the implications … as well as people will be unable to meet their commitments in the short term,” she said, adding:  “So we’re looking at putting some kind of a package together, three to six months, to assist the hotels that really want to keep their doors open because it’s going to be more difficult if you close to be able to reopen.”

Parle also called for support for the region’s air carriers given the fact that global aviation industry is under severe stress. She said there was now an urgent need for the Caribbean to come together and agree on a Regional Aviation Policy.

“As a result of the crisis, we are going to see major consolidations taking place in  the market place between airline companies and tour operators and at the end of the day, the part of the world that is probably going suffer more than anybody else would be the Caribbean,” she said. 

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