BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER OF TOURISM the Hon. Lindsay Grant believes that more people should become entrepreneurs in order to further enhance the tourism sector.
This call comes as the Federation continues to depend heavily on Tourism as its major economic pillar, while many cruise vessels are currently making calls to the St. Kitts.
That was evident with the recent docking of the world’s largest cruise vessel –Harmony of the Sea – which is expected to make calls to the St. Kitts on a bi-weekly basis until September.
Grant, while addressing reporters recently, explained that people need to begin thinking outside the box when it comes to the development of new products for the tourism sector.
“We as a people, especially entrepreneurial as we are, need to think outside of the box. They need to think outside the box in what they may want to do. The cruise ships are always looking for new tours, so somebody needs to come up with a bright idea or bright tours that could make some money and deliver new service.”
The Minister noted that cruise vessels are “begging” for something different in the industry, which is primarily taken up with the one dimension tours.
“People need to start to thing,” he emphasized. “What can we do to attract the numbers to have a great tour? Nobody knew years ago that the sugar train tour would be significant. It is one of the premier tours out of the 35 jurisdictions; it is just a bright idea.”
Further, the Minister intimated that the he wants stakeholders to understand that there is a lot of money to be made within the industry, and that “there is ample room in the industry and everyone should get the understanding that they do not need to go and work for someone”.
When asked if the Ministry is willing to give assistance to those who are willing to develop themselves in the sector, Grant definitively said “no”, pointing out that the “Ministry is there to regulate the sector.
“We are not here in business and are here as policy makers and to regulate the industry. Persons need to get into the private sector and partner or whatever, not with the Ministry…that is not our job.”
If those tours are to come to fruition, it would greatly benefit the sector which is currently eyeing more targeted passengers.
According to Minister Grant, the government is eyeing some 1.2 million passengers for the next season and a further 1.4 million for the following one.
