The marketing budget for tourism upgrades across Dominica has been raised to $13 million, said PM Roosevelt Skerrit. The budgetary allocation is necessary for enabling relevant ministries with upgrading the top 10 most visited sites in Dominica, and with creating tourism products that will make Dominica one of the top 10 destinations to visit in the Caribbean.
“Dominica has some of the most unique and diverse offerings in the Caribbean,” Skerrit said. “We are consistently ranked by many international tour operators, travel writers, and media houses as one of the top 10 destinations to visit. Dominica’s tourism product has the potential to become one of the main economic pillars of a resilient Dynamic Dominica.”
With the financial boost for the tourism sector comes the commencement of works on the vendors arcade at Wotten Waven, Skerrit said. This will boost the tourism ranking of the island and also facilitate the return of several airlines to the Dominica route. He said Air Antilles, WINAIR, Inter-Caribbean, and Silver Airways have agreed to resume flights to Dominica, and that two other airlines may provide direct flights from Florida and Trinidad and Tobago.
The prime minister disclosed that the government will finalize agreements with the airlines when COVID-19 pandemic dissipates and borders reopen fully. He said his government is also supporting the reorganization of LIAT since this will ultimately increase airflights to Dominica. Whatever will increase the traffic of tourists and visitors to the island via air travel will be supported, he stated.
Skerrit also added that cruise lines will be returning fully to the country when port security and tourist infrastructure are upgraded, and that the cruise ships will equally bring in loads of stay-over visitors to enjoy the lodging offerings of hotels and leisure resorts on the island.
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