ON THIS CHRISTMAS Eve, children will not be the only ones looking forward to the goodies the season brings. Taxi operators working from the Bridgetown Port, will certainly be looking for a drastic change in their fortunes.
The continuous complaints from port taxi operators that they are not getting a fair share of the cruise ship passenger business, is something to which we have grown accustomed.
But, their pleas for a better deal must not fall on deaf ears. We cannot boast of a bumper cruise ship season, yet some of the vital players can get the crumbs only.
The 225 or so operators are small business people who have taken up the challenge to work for themselves. They provide a valuable service and can often influence whether or not people want to return to this island following a one-day visit.
The cruise industry has changed tremendously in recent years. It has long ceased to be the mode of travel for a limited set of well-to-do people. Today it seeks to attract anyone desirous of taking an affordable all-inclusive holiday.
Passengers are offered value for their money so even shore-based activities are coordinated long before ships dock at any port. There is also the growing interest of walking tours to nearby port cities, especially when it is a safe destination such as Bridgetown. The visitors would have been informed by their onboard cruise director of what to do and what to avoid.
These are issues taxi drivers at the Bridgetown Port must understand and therefore strive to meet the changing requirements of their clients.
This means adopting new approaches, from lobbying to marketing and including the use of social media. They must have a presence at annual events such as those organised by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association.
They must establish relationships with cruise directors and even develop direct links with such major operators as Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The taxi operators through their associations need to become active members of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) as well as the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
These are important avenues to make their voices heard and also get some lobbying power behind their causes.
By being on board with any of the major trade associations or the umbrella private sector organisation would make a big difference. They would no longer be seen as the little boys at the gate. They could even suggest that the BHTA invite Mr Arnold W. Donald, president and chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation, to Barbados to address one of its quarterly meetings. This could provide meaningful insights.
The port taxi drivers should not depend on a politician nor wish for Santa Claus to bring good news. They need to be proactive to solve their problems.