By Herman Silochan

My colleague in this newspaper, Jasminee Sahoye wrote early in December about a new initiative of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, called the “Total Visitor Satisfaction Program” where comments from returning tourists plus in-depth surveys of the host destination authorities combine to improve the travel experience.

To recap a few high points: a) to engage the public and private sectors in improving attitudes to tourism: b) to heighten the visitor’s sensitivity to the efforts of each destination: c) enhance and improve the tourism environment.

For example, the treatment of an arriving visitor at a foreign destination , especially at customs and excise, can determine for the rest of the stay the level of comfort to be expected. A rude or terse airport official is a big turn off and that single experience can mean no more future visits. When this is broadcast by word of mouth to friends and family over the ensuing months, it will have a damaging effect on the local tourist industry. Crucial when you have to recognise that tourism accounts for almost 15 percent of the Caribbean region’s Gross Domestic Product -- much higher where there are no local natural resources.

CTO executive director, Hugh Riley, said at that December news conference that he was committed to this program. “It’s a work in progress”, he said, adding that “no other region in the world has it.”

I am not too sure about the last claim, because many popular international holiday destinations have something similar, including calling theirs a “visitor satisfaction program”.

That said, to implement this across the diverse Caribbean will require enormous co-operation, collation, even standardising data to share with travel agents and regional governments. You cannot compare apples with mangoes if you want to carry forward a local initiative. More so, when the thinking of locals might not be on the same “wavelength” as that of the visitor. This is not to fault Riley and his ambitious undertaking.

Right now, there is a revolution of sorts in the international tourism trade where a visitor/traveler is of different educational calibre compared to his or her counterpart fifty years ago. Even twenty years ago. After all, now is the age of the Internet, Flickr, Facebook and a host of social educational websites. Your local friendly travel agent is no longer the final arbiter of what is the best to see and experience. For example, there was a time when the National Geographic Magazine determined what was exotic, adventurous or even forbidden. Today, we are less fearful, more adventurous, money in our pockets as never before, and even healthier. This, in spite of the ongoing international economic downturn.

With the continuing integration of the global economy, even the high flying Europeans and North Americans are now rubbing shoulders with Chinese and Indians travelers. Then too we are seeing new wealth from South America beginning to have an impact. You might want to visit Brazil, but Brazilians want to visit Toronto. Second generation Caribbean/Canadians and Americans, might want to go to the Caribbean, but not necessarily to their parents’ lands of birth. Given their broader perspectives, they might opt for Cancun, or Cuba or the Dominican Republic. Close to the original home, but still exotic. Then there are those all pampering mega cruise ships.

Global travel, either for business or pleasure has an inestimable social and financial impact on every aspect of international society.

In this context I had a chat with Dr. Lloyd Waller of the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. Dr. Waller is at the Department of Government. His area of qualification is, “understanding the methodological tools for integrating technology, business, government and society.” He is about to undertake a study of the factors that brought about last week’s change of government in Jamaica.

In spite of the narrow economic straits that that country faces over the next decade, he is optimistic there are qualified people who will assist the new Prime Minister, Portia Miller, in doing what is necessary.

He did say that there is “an awareness of an emergent culture of economic accountability, and the population as a whole is quite capable of taking up the challenge.” Even in the face of economic uncertainty. This is perhaps the first hint as to what brought about a new government, not so much the heavy publicised Christopher “Dudus” Coke scandal, but demands for accountability.

In the context of Jamaican tourism, while he is aware of tried and true operations, there is also awareness that there is much more to Jamaica than sunshine and fine beaches. How that will morph into a new mat to the new intrepid visitor remains to be seen.

The term “eco-tourism” is now becoming fast overworked, even over simplified, and not fully beckoning the moneyed adventurer. Still, countries like Guyana, Suriname, English speaking Dominica, have many unbeaten paths to hidden gems. One hopes that the Caribbean Tourism Organization will provide more tools to gain access to these beauties, as I am sure they will.