Comment

Comment by Jordan Simon on June 5, 2010 at 5:59pm

Chelle's right. And it dates back as far as I can remember. During the first Gulf War U.S. tourism to Western Europe plummeted 50% -- and that was well before 9/11 and the economy made the public even more reluctant to travel outside their comfort zones (in more senses than one). Yes, the Net has opened possibilities for more "enlightened" or certainly adventuresome travelers, and that's wonderful. Anil, I've no idea about bottom lines. I suspect Lonely Planet readers don't help the economy that much, but they do interact and are likely to extol the virtues of a lesser-known destination to people who might spend more moolah... But I also think AIs have destroyed many parts of the world, and not just simply via over-development. They may seem like a great short-term fix, but they also destroy individual local entrepreneurship -- restaurants close, cabbies can't get fares, etc. And Melanie, I really didn't mean to suggest that promoting Jamaica as a Jewish tourism destination is ludicrous (Patricia, I first read about it via ETN a few months back), but honestly how much is really there beyond one or two days of exploration? Now I could see organizing a tour of several islands with Jewish roots, say Jamaica, St. Thomas, Nevis, Curacao, etc, just as it would be fun to craft archaeological tours of islands with well-excavated Taino/Saladoid/Arawak ruins, et al. I'd love to see inventive programs targeting various niches that will bring more income and exposure to several islands, from religious to recreational. And exploring one aspect of similarity might help get the word out about the islands' differences. But only if the groups interact meaningfully with locals at some point, unlike a "if It's Tuesday This Must Be Barbados" cruise...

Comment by Anil on June 5, 2010 at 5:45pm

Jordan: Cookie-cutter-all-inclusive tourist !! Are they good for business or is the gruffy-backpacker-type LP-in-hand pension type ? An intelligent and savvy traveler might not be a high-margin. I dont know, but in a way sometimes any news is better than no news.

Comment by Melanie Reffes on June 5, 2010 at 5:24pm

RE: Jordan Simon's comment - Yes, indeed Jamaica has a rich wonderful tourist-worthy Jewish history, who knew ? I have done considerable coverage on this most vibrant sector of Jamaican society and I suggest everyone visiting JA make a side trip to KIN to see for themselves !
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Comment by Chelle Koster Walton on June 5, 2010 at 4:31pm

How can we expect the public to be able to distinguish the subtleties of Caribbean geography when our media can't get it right. I reference the weatherman who told viewers Hurricane Andrew was about to hit Naples when in fact it was coming ashore in Miami.

In the Caribbean, there's an old calypso song about public perception of one relatively small crime and its impact on the whole region. Wish I could remember it. But the point being, it has always been a huge problem and Kingston has always had its upheavals. I stayed there quite safely 16 years ago when supposedly there was political rioting in the streets.

It's no different now with the oil "spill" - it has only just brushed Pensacola but tourists have been cancelling as far away as the Keys since it all started.

Comment by Anil on June 4, 2010 at 9:16pm

Folks: Caribbean Islands are marketed differently depending on the region, demographics, as well as desires.

Repeat clients/tourists/visitors are different than first timers. Yes, a typical packaged tourist maybe geographically unaware; however any 15-days a year vacationist does not want his/her 15 day botched. You (the packager) have sold it to them.

Outside of the large cities in US, news is normally the 6PM news. If caribbean news negative, a small fraction might cancel - But you'll know your clientele or market - Barring natural calamities, most tourist islands make sure that their cash cow (tourists) are well protected...


[I'am glad a discussion on caribbean tourism has picked up :) ]

Comment by Patricia Borns on June 4, 2010 at 6:28pm

Jordan, I didn't suggest the net is a substitute for reality, just that it's a bigger, more diverse window, inacurracies et al.. Nor a "huge" backlash, just some, My friends read travel guides (maybe yours), surf the net and otherwise do their homework to travel off the radar. Debbra Brouillette says it best - some are, some aren't (informed).

Where did you read about Jamaica as a Jewish destination?

Comment by Jordan Simon on June 4, 2010 at 6:01pm

Patricia, I agree that the savvier PR/marketing folk are utilizing social media creatively. And they're also targeting niches, from sports to religious tourism (though admittedly it can get a little silly, as when I read of a Jamaican initiative promoting the island as a Jewish destination!).

But experiencing something on the Net is not the same thing as being there. Viewing the Mona Lisa on a laptop ain't the same as seeing it in person (well, at least 20 years ago before all the ropes and crowds, LOL... However you can still commune with Raphael's sublime Coronation of the Virgin at the Brera or Goya Cinco de Mayo series at the Prado in surprisingly deserted rooms).

And while I support the democracy of the blogosphere, information is also often confusing or inaccurate, lacks crucial evocative detail, and blurs the important distinction between knowledgeable experienced travelers (experts, for lack of a better word) and Joe Blow....

I don't necessarily see a huge backlash---and news such as Kingston only reinforces the need for some to stay in "safe" compounds, preferably brand names where they can get rewards points. I have many very intelligent pals who stay at cookie-cutter all-inclusives devoid of a true sense of place that could be plonked down anywhere in the world. Why? Because most Americans generally get 1-2 weeks' vacation a year and understandably want comfort and convenience, one-stop shopping. I love my country but I hate to say it: as a nation we ARE less curious, more demanding, less receptive to cultural interaction. Which isn't to say that there aren't horrific cliche tourists from every country, LOL...

Comment by Patricia Borns on June 4, 2010 at 5:47pm

Americans may be less curious and geographically aware than other travelers as a general rule. But on the positive side, the net is connecting them to the world in new ways and giving them much more textured, specific windows on places than traditional media -- and tourism -- than they've had in the past. No offense intended, but Caribbean tourism organizations have to some extent themselves to blame for dumbing down their offerings to the sequestered, all-inclusive level they thought Americans wanted 20 or 30 years ago. Does anyone else see as I do some consumer backlash to that (even as the cliche American tourist is still out there and will always be)? Yes or no, it's refreshing to see tourist boards, PR reps and media engaging in more meaningful dialogues about place, using twittering, blogging, and streaming media for market education.

Comment by Debbra Dunning Brouillette on June 4, 2010 at 5:38pm

I, too, have found that Americans who haven't done a lot of Caribbean travel, and some who have... but only from cruise ships, have little idea where various islands are located. Even those who have gone to Jamaica may not know where Kingston is in relation to Montego Bay, for example, and people who go on cruises often don't remember the islands they visited afterward. (Hard to believe, but I've asked...)

Caribbean travelers who take time to research their destination possibilities SHOULD be better informed than to lump all islands together, or to think violence in Kingston could affect how safe they would be to fly in to Montego Bay to spend a week at the all-inclusive of their choice. Some are, some aren't...

Comment by Jordan Simon on June 4, 2010 at 5:10pm

I'm afraid I agree with NN. We know, sadly, how deficient most Americans are geographically (many studies bear this out, wherein schoolkids often can't even identify their own state on a map). The Caribbean is viewed as a monolithic entity. Hence, the concern among all member nations and the rush by individual Jamaican resort areas like MoBay and Negril to distinguish themselves. Unfortunately, Patricia, most tourists don't know the difference between various parts of Jamaica, especially if they've never been there.... Allan Chastanet was quoted not so much because he's the St. Lucian Minister of Tourism but as former CTO CEO. He's been a major player regarding tourism for the entire region for years (including stints as Marketing Director for Island Outpost and Air Jamaica---another reason the Observer would seek him out for perspective).

We all know the differences from one island to the next, historically, topographically, culturally, linguistically, gastronomically, etc. It's never been easy conveying the Caribbean's heterogeneity to our readers. Now in these times when outlets want 47-word Twitter-esque write-ups (that fit on a typical cell phone screen), it's well-nigh impossible.

And while the Caribbean nations try to cooperate on larger PR initiatives, they remain competitors, so don't be surprised to see some islands subtly capitalize on the Kingston problem, just as they did after Natalie Holloway's disappearance on Aruba (which impacted overall tourism to the region!)---or just as the ABC Islands take pains to point out that they don't suffer major weather events, the promotional equivalent of hitting below the hurricane belt.

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