Wednesday, July 15, 2020
The Tobago Tourism Agency Limited (TTAL) has decided to eventually reopen its borders and prepare the island for increased activity once again. Work centres on product development initiatives focused on collaboration, health and safety has also been established. During the time when the COVID-19 pandemic brought the global tourism industry to a standstill around March, the tourism authorities of Tobago grasped the opportunity to prioritise the developmental needs of the travel and tourism industry that was hit hard by the pandemic.
The TTAL recently conducted an online consultation series with tourism stakeholders from mid-June to develop a COVID-19 Tourism Health & Safety Manual alongside the ongoing dissemination of a Tourism Accommodation Relief Grant totaling approximately £5.5 million. The manual will provide the tourism industry with the most adequate measures that can be implemented to reinforce destination safety and underline the trust of tourists, workers and residents.
Narendra Ramgulam, Director, Product Development and Destination Management, TTAL said in a recent statement that the purpose of the manual is to work together with industry stakeholders to develop actionable and harmonised processes and procedures that are in line with global and local public health instructions. He informed that stakeholders have already shown their commitment to help TTAL position Tobago as a safe destination moving forward, by sharing their feedback and ideas for improvement and making the necessary recommended changes.
He shared that most recent indicates that travellers are looking for safe destinations and products as opposed to ones that are price influenced. He mentioned that hotels, restaurants, and other businesses within the industry have already responded to the pandemic by enhancing cleaning and sanitation, staff training, and bringing innovative changes to their business models and infrastructure to allow for social distancing and customer safety. He concluded that with Tobago’s residents, tourism stakeholders and industry workers on board, everyone can work together to establish Tobago as a safer and healthy destination.
