Tourists are evolving, and all tourists no longer come to Dominica for the same reasons they did 10 years ago, said Minister of Tourism Denise Charles. And to cater to the changing demographics of visitors and tourists to the island, a Tourism Task Force was established with a view to creating the new normal for everyone, the tourism minister said.
Charles said the realities of the coronavirus pandemic and the travel and health restrictions that resulted from it have changed the tastes and travel preferences of many people. In fact, many tourism destinations have developed new tourism products as well as implemented new protocols that visitors must adhere to, further impacting the options that visitors have and the extent of their leisure activities at such destinations.
“All tourists no longer fit into the same category,” Minister Denise Charles said. “All tourists no longer come to Dominica for the same reasons they did ten years ago. The demographic of the tourist is also changing; therefore, we must develop and diversify in tandem. With this in mind, the Ministry’s focus in the short term will be on agro-tourism, aqua-tourism, health and wellness and community tourism.”
The new tourism task force will be creating short- and medium-term solutions that include COVID-19 travel protocols, identifying improved access routes to leisure attractions, developing operating standards for service providers, and providing stability and reassurance to stakeholders among others.
The tourism minister explained that the task force represents the wide interests of public and private stakeholders, and that their work covers four main areas which include air and sea access, product development, standards and protocols, as well as marketing and promotions. With the gradual defeat of coronavirus in the Caribbean and the reopening of national borders, it is expected that tourists and visitors will begin to return to Dominica and other choice destinations before the end of the year.
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