Shawn Seabrookes
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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| A tour guide speaking to some Tourists. |
(Basseterre; St. Kitts): The outlook for the tourism sector in St. Kitts continues to look very positive, especially as the island makes the transition from a once sugar dominated economy to a service oriented sector.
Various stakeholders in the tourism sector have been commended regularly for their intense commitment to improving the sector in a society that is said to have been a relatively late bloomer in the industry compare to other regional territories.
Mr. Wendell Pemberton, Marketing Officer with the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, says it is evident that the appeal of the island has been reaching to the far corners of the world, thanks to an initiative where a number of film crews and media personnel have been entertained on the island.
He revealed that a film crew is presently on the island to shoot a movie, which is expected to be released in the near future.
Scenes will be shot at the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport, Caribelle Batik, Ottley's Plantation Inn, down town Basseterre, Turtle Beach and Frigate Bay.
The film crew consists of nine persons and the title of the movie is "For the Love".
"Evidently, the scenes shot on location in St. Kitts will reach a wide audience and this is one of the avenues we are hoping to use to reach potential visitors, luring them to our beautiful little jewel- St. Kitts," Pemberton said.
He envisioned the tourism sector increasing steadily over the next few months, especially with anticipated new developments on stream, including the Ocean's Edge project, the Auberge Development and the Dolphin Park.
He said he could not give an indebt report on the cruise tourism sector for 2006- 2007 but noted from his standpoint it was successful.
The 2006-2007 cruise season was projected to yield 206, 500 visitors, on 153 ships, representing 23 cruise lines.
A comprehensive report of the number of visitors could not be provided as yet as the information was still not available.
There has been mixed reaction from taxi drivers and other stakeholders about the present cruise tourism season.
Several taximen have expressed dissatisfaction with the present season, saying that they are still waiting for the anticipated increased number of visitors.
On the contrary, others have expressed their delight and are salivating at the prospects for increased revenues.
Michael B, a popular tour operator and taximan says there is so much potential in the sector but chided his peers for not being proactive and taking stronger initiatives.
"A lot of the taximen just stand there and wait hoping for the visitors to come to them. They can't do that, they need to be proactive and find creative means to lure the visitors to their product," he noted.
Minister of State with responsibility for Tourism, Hon. Richard Skerritt, says he is very excited about the direction that tourism in St. Kitts is headed and noted that the expected increase in direct flights from the US mainland by American Airlines and confirmation of a significantly busier cruise season are testimonial to the expanse of the local sector. ~~adz:Right~~
