The Caribbean Society of Hotel Association (CSHAE) Meet to focus on Media Relations and Advocacy

The Caribbean Tourism powers that be still think its about media relations and how to manipulate marketing campaigns to travelers. You may want to rethink this one.

the meeting in Barbados this week for a two-day workshop on media relations and advocacy.

One wonders if you are even capable of implementing your stated goals of “enhancing the flow and substance of accurate and timely information to the media on the tourism industry.” Do you people not understand that declines in tourism have nothing to do any more with “timely spin” that tourism associations put out as to writing fluff pieces on an island’s tourism. In a post Natalee Holloway tourism world in the Caribbean its about safety. Its also about trust. Tourists need to know that their safety and prosecution of crimes is even a concern.

 Tourists are more worried whether they are going to be robbed, raped, attacked or murdered while paying to be in the Caribbean on vacation. They want to know whether when they go on vacation prior to college, they will actually return safe and not vanish and have their disappearance covered up as in the case of Natalee Holloway. Tourists want to know whether local police have the competence to solve crimes or even the where with all to even care to.

If the Caribbean Islands cannot instill any confidence into the paying traveler that they will be safe or cronyism will not play a part in the investigations of crimes, then the Caribbean has a huge problem. It is all going to depend on how each island in the Caribbean handles itself. There are too many places for people to travel, people will make up their own minds as to safety and respect. All this conference needs to do is take a look at Aruba and use it as a “what never to do” example.

… designed to guide chief executives and presidents of national hotel associations in the Caribbean in enhancing the flow and substance of accurate and timely information to the media on the tourism industry. “The media, the Fourth Estate, shapes public opinion,” said Susan Springer, Executive Vice President of BHTA and President of the region organization CSHAE. “It behooves the industry to be an effective facilitator that stimulates comprehensive coverage of tourism-related issues in order to sensitize Caribbean residents about the huge role of tourism to the development of healthier and wealthier communities.” (Hospitalitynet)