When Ministers attend an industry conference, it is usually formal and decorous and just for an hour as to show that they have other more important things on their mind. And their short attendance comes over like a favor. They may even attend the lunch. But then they sneak out.Last week at CARIBAVIA on St.Barth I experienced something noteworthy, seldom, and had the privilege to meet someone distinctly else: Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez – Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Invest...
Passenger or tourism taxation is ‘swamp taxation’ because no one besides the tax receiver wants it, and it sucks. Tourists may opt for visiting a different island destination that doesn’t have the taxes, yet does have the same sun, the beaches and the palm trees. Plus, the new discovery may even have more to offer and is worth a repeat visit. Competition in double degree. The taxations were done in several locations, not just the Caribbean. The tax was expected to raise a high amount of governme...
The USA and Canada are the major tourism source markets for most if not all the Caribbean destinations. A trade war that most likely results in rising consumer prices may impact on the tourism industry. Vacationing is not something that one needs but rather something that one wishes and wants. Rising costs of living and increasing inflation results in having less funding for what one wants or wishes for and therefore in order to afford what is needed, the cost of living. Slowing economies in maj...
The stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry may have to do some rethinking. AI may significantly change the way tourists look for a destination and which hotel to choose. Tourists may not spend a lot of time anymore checking out websites to read there what is offered there. AI skips the biddly-boo. They may not use the websites of on-line travel agencies and compare one with another. AI makes the process easier. Just provide specifics what one is looking for in a vacation and...
There is an alarming ongoing trend at EBACE. There was a time that halls were filled wall to wall and several major aircraft manufactures had exhibits that looked like an estate with a palace on it. Not anymore. Some major players in the industry are not even exhibiting. The costs are too high and the return on investment too low. There is competition from smaller but more specialized and targeted events and where the costs of participating are lower. It may be high time for the organizers to pu...
Ever went to an exhibition at a convention and you had the feeling that the looks of the people on the exhibition floor are trying to figure out how much money you have in your offshore bank account? Here are some valuable hints how to get an extra glass of orange juice or champagne at a booth even if don’t have such a banking mechanism for excise savings at your avail. The following tips will result in exhibition sales staff with that typical muscle spasm on their face bending backwa...
