The Tobago Tourism Agency is preparing the island for increased activity and the eventual opening of its borders.

Work centres on product development initiatives focused on collaboration, health and safety.

While the onset of Covid-19 ground travel to a halt to the island in mid-March, the tourism authorities grasped the opportunity to prioritise the developmental needs of the travel and tourism industry that was hit hard by the pandemic.

In addition to the ongoing dissemination of a Tourism Accommodation Relief Grant totalling approximately £5.5 million, the TTAL conducted an online consultation series with tourism stakeholders from mid-June to develop a Covid-19 Tourism Health & Safety Manual.

The manual will provide the tourism industry with the most adequate measures that can be implemented to reinforce destination safety and underline the trust of tourists, workers and residents.

Narendra Ramgulam, director of product development and destination management at TTAL, stated: “The purpose of our manual is really to work together with our industry stakeholders to develop actionable and harmonised processes and procedures that are in line with global and local public health instructions.

“Our stakeholders have shown their commitment to help TTAL position Tobago as a safe destination moving forward, by sharing their feedback and ideas for improvement and making the necessary recommended changes.”

Hotels, restaurants, and other businesses within the industry have already responded to the pandemic with stepped-up cleaning and sanitation, staff training, and innovative changes to their business models and infrastructure to allow for social distancing and customer safety.

“Current research indicates that travellers are looking for safe destinations and products as opposed to ones that are price influenced,” Ramgulam stated.

“With Tobago’s residents, tourism stakeholders and industry workers on board, we can work together for a safer and healthy destination.”