Long-term tourism planning: a national obligation

Since January of 2008 tourism planners and policymakers at the public sector level have been promising to deliver to the industry and the people of Barbados the much anticipated Tourism Master Plan (TMP) which, in a nutshell, is meant to guide and inform the development of our number one industry well into the future.Almost three years later, I am reliably informed that the task force that will be charged with the oversight and ultimate delivery of the TMP has not even been constituted. Why the delay? The importance of such a document, especially in context of the precarious economic environment in which we find ourselves, cannot be overstated as it sets out for practitioners, investors and potential investors in tourism a framework to not only guide all future decision-making but also to determine the demands on the sector as they relate to foreign exchange earnings, accommodation mix, sectoral linkages, environmental considerations, employment demands, marketing strategies, investor initiatives – to name a few.StudyOur neighbour to the north, Jamaica, is somewhat out of the gate on this one as the tourism minister there has appointed a task force to oversee the execution of a study that will determine what the future demand of their tourism sector is likely to be for goods and services in that country. In January of this year, the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA) presented to the Government a comprehensive study on the competitiveness of our tourism sector. The document – A Study On The Competitive Tourism Environment Which Barbados Faces: Its Challenges And Solutions – is designed in such a way that not only does it give a clear indication of the myriad challenges the sector faces but also provides opportunities by way of short-, medium- and long-term action points needed to reposition our tourism product so that the sector, as the No. 1 foreign exchange earner, is given the best opportunity to improve its foreign exchange-earning capacity while, by extension, providing a better life for all Barbadians.This study provides Government with an excellent opportunity to include the recommendations and action points in their macro plan and policy document. But more than this, action is needed, and quickly. ChangesIt is unacceptable that almost nine months can be allowed to pass since the delivery of the BHTA study and the private sector is yet to be invited to the table to open real and meaningful discussions on the way forward.It is time to “walk the talk”. The world around us continues to change and it is really anybody’s guess as to what it will look like when the major economies of the world emerge from the recession. It is, therefore, imperative that we position our No. 1 “bread and butter” industry to take full advantage of all new opportunities in the ever competitive global tourism and travel industry.The current inertia just will not cut it.• Wayne Capaldi is managing director of The Sandpiper Hotel and director of the Coral Reef Club. He is also former president of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association.