As the high season opens, are we ready. or will the take cost more than the gain? The question of Tobago’s carrying capacity remains unanswered. Yet it is an issue in the making. Each year we observe the pileup on the local fast ferry and the airbridge. We note the ongoing pandemonium for taxis when the cruise ships dock. We dread too the spike in food prices along with the general trend to shortage of other goods especially building material.
This unending quest to have even higher numbers of visitors each year is counter-productive. Surely someone must recognise that limits apply. Already as noted, the transport framework seems is under stress but what of the natural environment itself? Buccoo Reef is almost gone in the areas tourists pay to see. The tour operators that take punters are fighting (literally) for space to anchor on Nylon Pool and No Man’s Land - and the latter is showing signs of urbanisation like; garbage, congestion and noise.
Indeed, if we were to list the full litany of woe that unplanned and unmanaged tourism causes, there might be no room for our suggestions. Still, real solutions are called for. Things like budgeting for education strategies for the local workforce to be able to benefit from the desecration to their island.
Figure 1: Leading by example
The Tobago House of Assembly on the other hand - has money. Money to supposedly pay staff to One; do work on the destination. Two; educate the working public on customer relations, food prep and other matters that all sectors use. So no, money for Tourism can be sourced from the standing Tobago budget in instances where the results benefit the widest group.