Friday, September 10 2010

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Tourism Minister Dr Rupert Griffith...

GOVERNMENT wants to expand the nation’s tourism sector in fiscal 2011 to create sustainable jobs and increase this sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). During his budget presentation on Wednesday, Finance Minister Winston Dookeran spoke briefly about Government’s tourism plans but failed to mention how much money had been allocated to the sector.

The actual amount – $24.6 million – is listed on the ministry’s website www.finance.gov.tt under the Public Sector Investment Programme 2011 heading. The agenda includes promoting TT as a sport tourism destination and offering existing facilities for use as off-season training camps. Government intends to make this available to foreign national teams, university teams, professional teams, clubs and high schools. The Tourism Minister is Dr Rupert Griffith.

More traditional routes will also be utilised; festivals and TT’s cultural diversity will anchor a significant year-round tourism development, upgrading existing sites and attractions and establishment of a Sugar Heritage Village and Museum at Sevilla House in Caroni.

Due to the lack of details by Dookeran, tourism stakeholders were unable to give a proper comment about Government’s tourism plans. President of the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Association Kevin Kenny said: “It’s very hard to determine if we should be excited or sad because we don’t know the extent of the funding for tourism.”

Kenny said he was happy to hear about the sports tourism thrust. “It’s a huge revenue potential for Trinidad and Tobago’s hotels, guest houses and restaurants. Compared to our Caribbean neighbours, we have definitely benefitted from hosting several sporting events,” he said.

According to the Finance Ministry’s Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) 2011 document, $9.3 million has been allocated to the Tourism Development Programme to establish the National Tourism Quality Service Improvement Programme; Community Tourism Development Programme; the Trinidad and Tobago Convention Bureau and incentives for upgrading of Hotel and Guesthouse Room Stock in Trinidad.

Three million is to be used by the Tourism Action Programme to enhance the Las Cuevas, Manzanilla and Vessigny beaches, the La Brea Pitch Lake and implement a community tourism project in Maracas.

The Tobago House of Assembly gets $12.3 million to implement 13 programmes including the purchase of equipment and furniture for the Buccoo Beach Facility, rehabilitation work at Mt St George Sugar Mill and Fort Moncke as well as construction of perimeter fencing, park benches and gazebos at Fort Granby Beach Facility.