Chief Secretary Farley Augustine is urging tourism stakeholders to confront the issue of touters at Store Bay and Pigeon Point. During a recent town hall meeting in Bon Accord, he emphasized that their attempts to solicit business from visitors and their behavior during glass-bottomed tours are negatively affecting Tobago’s tourism reputation.
Augustine underscored that while such behavior is not a new phenomenon and can be found in other countries around the world, it should not be tolerated in Tobago.
He pointed out that due to Tobago’s small size, such negative behaviors have a more significant impact on the island’s tourism product than they would in larger jurisdictions. The Chief Secretary called on stakeholders to be more professional in their dealings with visitors.
On a positive note, Castara’s community tourism product is gaining international recognition. On Tuesday, representatives from the Castara Tourism Development Association joined the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Best Tourism Villages event in Italy. Castara is renowned for its rich culture and beautiful ambiance, which allows visitors to immerse themselves in community life while on vacation. Castara, chosen among 130 countries, is participating in the Best Tourism Villages’ Upgrade Programme. The village has been recognized as an exemplary rural tourism destination with accredited cultural and natural assets, a commitment to preserving community-based values, and a dedication to innovation and sustainability.
In more good news, Mount Irvine Bay Resort has been awarded the LUXlife 2023 Resorts & Retreats Award at the 30th World Travel Awards (WTA). This occurred at the Americas Gala Ceremony 2023 held at Sandals, St. Lucia earlier this week. Mount Irvine Resort, one of the many popular hotels on the island, has been collaborating closely with Leve Global which supports small tourism organizations in building their brand through digital marketing and cultural narratives. The General Manager of the Resort, Alpha Lorde, expressed his joy at the resort’s achievement and emphasized the importance of sustainability to the establishment.
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