Let’s shake up tourism

THE EDITOR, Sir: THE TOURISM Product Development Company needs to embark on initiatives to get visitors off home-ported ships/hotels and into the attractions. Constant advertisement of attractions has a direct correlation to visitor throughput.

Visitor interests are varied. Visitors should have the option of indicating their preference – cultural tourist, eco-tourist, historical tourist, music and entertainment, health and wellness with cannabis-infused as an added value, crafts, and sun, sea and sand. The different groups can then be transported to their respective preference.

The local sites would benefit greatly from the volume of visitors passing through their establishments. Have we ever thought of the many tourists who would like to visit the Blue and John Crow Mountains just to see the flora, fauna and native birds? Holywell Park is already an ideal getaway.

Think of the many tourists who relish the marine environment and would enjoy boating out to the Pelican Bar, about 2,000m off the shore of the Parrotee Bay, just to sit amid coral reef, meditate, enjoy a Red Stripe, or play a game of dominoes/cards, smoke cannabis, or swim under the watchful eye of stingrays. It’s all about rest, recreation and wellness!

Also, why not establish a wax museum in a reggae entertainment village portraying our heroes, sports personalities and others who have contributed tangibly to nation building?

Imagine the pull this revenue would have on the tourism sector! CARLOS PIPHER carloslindsay1@yahoo.com