Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine will not be part of the THA team heading to Berlin, Germany, today for ITB 2024. Augustine has decided to remain in Tobago to oversee the oil spill clean-up operations. Instead, the team is led by Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation, Councillor Tashia Burris.
“I was supposed to be on that team because this was being planned for a while now, but I cancelled because I think this was more important to treat with.”
Augustine said the team has been asked to present on the oil spill’s impact on scuba diving in Tobago, an integral component of the island’s tourism product.
“Because people, out of excitement, carried some of the news the wrong way out of context, did not give what was totally truthful, and for a period, some thought that it was the whole island affected, and no beach was ‘bathable’.”
He noted that dive sites in Tobago are protected, notwithstanding the oil spill and its impact. The Chief Secretary said the THA Berlin team is well prepared to market destination Tobago.
The ITB Trade Show is a catalyst for business within the travel and tourism ecosystem and brings together the global travel, tourism and hospitality community. The event runs from Tuesday 5th to Thursday 7th March.