Analyse of the sector 30/11/2010
Business capital of the Caribbean

The Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association (THRTA), the Tourism Development Company and the Ministry of Tourism have developed a strategy to make Trinidad the business capital of the Caribbean. Business tourism looks promising to the country, as it seems to be increasing even in the face of the world economic downturn. In 2008, the Tourism Development Company cabinet developed a Conventions Bureau in order to increase the number of events, conferences and meetings to be held in Trinidad and Tobago. It is estimated that the bureau will generate TT$110.206 million in revenue.

 

Summits and Conventions

 

While hosting high profile events is a good way for a country to attract attention, it will require a lot of investment. Trinidad and Tobago has hosted events and will continue to host major events in an attempt to boost arrivals. Trinidad and Tobago are expected to see a boost in tourism arrivals in 2009 because of the hosting of the Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference. Over 10,000 tourists are expected to arrive in 2009, specifically for these summits.

 

Trinidad business, Tobago vacation

 

The idea that the government has is that people have their meetings in Trinidad and then go to relax in Tobago having pre and post tours which have proven to be lucrative aspects of meetings and conventions. Moving between Trinidad and Tobago is a low cost journey and has a short transit time which may make the business and vacation getaway concept work in this region. The Tourism Development Company hired Marketing Challenges International (MCI), a sales, marketing and public and media relations services firm to lead its promotion campaign. The campaign aims at getting more people to attend conferences by offering bonus features such as exclusive attractions, programs in which spouses are encouraged to join, activities schedules such as shopping excursions and sightseeing tours to keep spouses busy while their husbands are at a conference.

 

Crime

 

Crime is one of the top reasons not to do business in Trinidad and Tobago according to the Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 written by the World Economic Forum. The report shows that 21.9% of business executives thought crime and theft were the most problematic issues when doing business in Trinidad and Tobago. A recent upsurge in crime contributed to the decline in tourist arrivals in Tobago in 2008. Visitors in the United Kingdom were advised to be careful because of the number of robberies against tourists and residents in Trinidad and Tobago in 2008. The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a travel advisory on Tobago after the brutal murder of Swedish couple Ake Olsson and Anna Sundsval in October 2008.