No price on $8m in advertising and marketing

Information

Newsday Reporter

Friday 27 May well 2022

THA Secretary of Tourism, Lifestyle, Antiquities and Transportation Tashia Burris has said Tobago is not acquiring benefit in return for its marketing of the island. She was talking on Thursday as she introduced a drop in the global arrivals figures for Tobago. She also gave a comparative effectiveness for airways working the route for the period January 1 to April 30, 2022, when compared to the exact time period in 2019.

In reaction to a query from Minority Chief Kelvon Morris at the sixth sitting of the Assembly Legislature in Scarborough on Thursday, Burris explained that there are at present two airlines working as it relates to immediate intercontinental flight to the ANR Robinson Worldwide Airport.

British Airways, she reported. resumed operations on January 10, and Virgin Atlantic returned on January 29.

For the period January to April, she explained there were a whole of 2,392 passenger arrivals to Tobago, which represented an 80.8 for each cent decline in global passenger arrivals from the overall of 12,445 for the same period of time in 2019.

“In January 2019 we had 3,129 passengers – in 2022 we had 400.

“February (2019) we had 3,689 passengers – for 2022 we experienced 832.

“For March (2019) we experienced 3,215 travellers – for 2022 we experienced 610.

“In April 2019 we experienced 2,416 travellers – in 2022 we experienced 550.”

She mentioned British Airways was dependable for 80.1 for every cent of the arrivals from January to April 2022 with 1,916 travellers. She claimed when as opposed to the very same interval in 2019, there was a 44.5 for each cent drop in their arrivals from 3,450 in 2019.

Virgin Alantic was accountable for 19.3 for every cent of arrivals from January to April 2022 with 462 travellers arriving on the airline. She additional that when in comparison to the same time period in 2019, there was a 76.5 for each cent decrease in their arrivals from a full of 1,968.

She stated the covid19 element and the ensuing limitations, together with worldwide border closure, should be regarded.

The intercontinental border was reopened in mid-2021 following becoming shut considering the fact that March 2020.

“During the January to April 2019 time period, Tobago was also directly serviced by Condor, Sunwing and Caribbean Airlines, whilst Thomas Prepare dinner operated from January to March 2019. It is also instructive to observe that throughout the period of time March 2020 to December 2021, when this administration took workplace promoting devote for the destination continued in spite of the fact that our border was shut and we were being not able to receive any worldwide flights or passengers.”

She said the then board of the Tobago Tourism Company Ltd (TTAL) ongoing to rubber-stamp payment to worldwide businesses for the total period of lockdown.

“In the last yr by yourself, the total internet marketing invest was shut to TT$8 million. Figures do not lie and it can be clear to me as secretary that we are not presently observing returns on investments and these investments had been carried out by the prior administration.”

She extra: “It is essentially disheartening to know that these flights that are at the moment working out of the Uk are leaving practically on a weekly foundation filled to ability and the the vast majority of travellers disembarking in Antigua and Barbados.”

She stated that the advertising arrangements are at present staying reviewed by the new board, led by Alicia Edwards, who she is particular will make sure that Tobago sees an raise in direct airlift from worldwide destinations and improve in global passenger arrivals.

“A assessment to our recent contractual arrangement with these airlines is finished to make sure that we are receiving worth for dollars and also that we review and revamp our marketing endeavours throughout all supply marketplaces to be certain that brand name Tobago receives the focus that it deserves, and we can start to abruptly reposition ourselves in the minds of travellers as the biggest very little island on the planet.”