Managing visitors key challenge to tourism
Stingray City, Grand Cayman
(CNS): Managing visitor numbers at specific attractions like Stingray City, as well as along Seven Mile Beach and downtown George Town, is a key issue for the tourism ministry to address, according to the draft Cayman Islands National Tourism Plan (NTP), which was published this week. Officials are seeking public input on the document, which reveals some striking contradictions and challenges over seasonal surges in guests, largely from cruise ships, that are taking a toll on the islands. But the plan makes it clear that growing cruise numbers through the development of berthing facilities is still a policy priority for government, even while it is pursuing strategies to attract more overnight guests, despite the conflict between the two sides of Cayman’s tourism coin.
The draft document reflects the input gathered from stakeholders and the broader public during a consultation period, as well as research undertaken by the Department of Tourism. Throughout the plan the issue of visitor numbers and managing the growth in a sustainable way is a key element. But at the same time increasing cruise numbers is a stated ambition, even when the document acknowledges that is a threat to the far more lucrative overnight market.
Officials set out the purpose of the NTP at the beginning of the document, indicating that it is meant to define, through consensus, a road map for enhancing the competitiveness of the Cayman Islands as a destination as well as protecting the islands’ cultural and natural assets and to spread the benefits of tourism to all.
“We must ensure that any future tourism growth is managed and developed while taking full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, Caymanians, and residents,” the document states.
But it highlights the challenges this presents and makes it clear that visitor numbers are currently being badly managed and the destination is struggling to cope. It points to a failure to spread the social and economic benefits of growing numbers of tourists, which is having a “negative multiplier effect”, as well as the problems created by overcrowding.
“The Islands have also been experiencing the worsening effects of unsustainable tourism practices such as overcrowding of popular tourist attractions, environmental degradation, poor visitor management, increased negative social and digital media coverage of the destination, increased social issues such as crime and poverty, and more uneven distribution of wealth,” the plan reads. “The inability to adequately address tourism industry challenges and threats and take advantage of strengths and opportunities limits the success and future growth of the Cayman Islands.”
While the authors stated that the tourism plan aims to address those challenges, it seems to offer contradicting solutions. The plan points out the positive factors of Cayman’s tourism product and the fact that people want to visit but also highlights weaknesses, such as the seasonality, high operating costs, the management challenges of cruise ship calls, a lack of training, awareness and interest from locals to work in the sector, as well as a negative attitude from some Caymanians about the impact of tourism on the country. Poor environmental management and poor public transport are also noted.
But the plan suggests this all presents “opportunities”, and upgrading the cruise port infrastructure with the development of piers is cited as a solution, as well as developing new markets, such as medical tourism, cultural heritage tourism, nature and adventure-oriented travel and targeting visitors in the Asia-Pacific markets.
Despite repeatedly noting the problems that cruise numbers create for some of Cayman’s leading attractions, such as Stingray City, Public Beach and even the Cayman Turtle Centre on high cruise days, the plan states that “without the cruise berthing facilities, the Cayman Islands cannot guarantee a consistent level of cruise arrivals and the ability to create long-term agreements with the main cruise lines”.
Yet the plan clearly states that the “over-reliance on coastal and marine attractions” as the main offerings to visitors is presenting considerable stress to those attractions.
The main solution in the plan appears to be to introduce a visitor management programme with designated staff responsible for the planning, monitoring, and coordination of visitors, who would liaise with individual attraction managers.
Check back to CNS next week for a closer look at the challenges the tourism sector faces.
See the draft NTP in the CNS Library
To give feedback on the NTP, click here
The Divers are the biggest problem. They over crowd everything. Should shut down shore dives.
Better still: shut down boat dives.
The arguments from the pro-port people just don’t hold water…it is all about scaremongering, no facts at all. Anyone with half a brain cell can understand that overnight tourism is far more sensible, more people staying and spending more just has to be good for Cayman.
I see in the other publication this morning there is a huge advert from CIG telling us how transparent they are and perpetuating the “if we don’t build they wont come” myth. Of course, no figures, facts, environmental impact studies to be found anywhere…pathetic.
Bull$hit
I am unaware of any managing of tourism that is done by the government. My understanding of their management philosophy is, “More is Better”. This is not joking I see nothing from government in this area. Along with policy of More is better, for hotels, taller is better. The cruise ship berthing facility fits perfectly into their mindset, regardless of what the people want.
An area as large as the North Sound is large enough to have more then 1-2 stingray cities. There is other places where we could start other SRC’s.
The same for different beaches beside 7 mile beach for Cruise ship tourists. This island has beaches on 4 points of the compass.
The new pontoon boat was an excellent way of putting people in the water without going to SRC. They said they would be 4000 feet away.
They is more opportunities for new attractions to start up.
It has been obvious to me that there is a lot of jealousy and envy against Tourism operators that are Caymanians by foreigners who now have residency and status. They found a place in the sun that they could exploit at their pleasure and don’t want anybody to profit or share it. Obvious by the set price of Restaurants menus. Other indicators like the cost of living to destroy the middle class.
I have seen tourist who enjoy Turtle Nest Inn, Spotts beach,East End, Time Share Resorts that stay at 100% occupancy, Rum Point, etc. So the East is ripe to push the extra Cruise ship passengers that way. Its obvious isn’t it.
With one hand we are told the sea level is rising and we are in trouble and with the other hand, it won’t destroy the beach or flood the swamp? What a bunch of confused people.
We will build the dock because we need it for two things, cargo and cruise ship.
Cayman seems to have forgotten the threat of the Cruise Lines if you don;t modernize your port we will not continue to visit. Cruise ships do not like tendering. becareful you might loose what you have now!
Scaremongering…they keep coming in increasing numbers…you guys stoop pretty low these days. Stay over tourism would reduce the stress on our beauty spots. More quality, more spending and all Cayman benefits not just you miserly shop owners.
The “empty threat” you mean? The cruise lines will continue business as long as it is their economic interest to do so. Does a massive cruise pier in Falmouth, Jamaica threaten Cayman’s cruise industry, when the customers dont want to go there due to crime and harassment?
The greatest threat to our cruise industry is the type of populist bullshit hustling that Mckeeva Bush allowed to become established at our ports and public beach. Every dollar those hustlers make is at the expense of the good people of this island.
The Truth
7:11 am , The Islands forgot it , but the people didn’t hear it to remember it . The cruise lines needs destinations , they just don’t go around making those kind of threats . Would you want to go on a cruise and don’t get off the ship ? Think about it .
Give it up.
‘The main solution in the plan appears to be to introduce a visitor management programme with designated staff responsible for the planning, monitoring, and coordination of visitors, who would liaise with individual attraction managers.’
And here lies the problem.
Stingray Sandbar already has a so called monitoring programme, its called the WIZ Permit. Every single commercial vessel is required by law to hold and display the permit for inspection. By the DOE? The regulations require operators to have boats annually inspected by the Port Authority and restrict the numbers on board, restrict the number of vessels on the Sandbar at any one time and ensure full compliance with the NCL. However, like most regulations on Cayman, they are not enforced. In this case the ‘attraction managers’ would or should be the DOE, who according to rumour are the issuers and enforcers of the permit regime. But this isn’t happening and you only have to visit the SB to see this dereliction of statutory duty in full swing.
As a long term commercial owner I have to hold a T&B Licence, pay for my inspection and ensure I am fully equipped with the legal safety equipment and that my boat is named, insured and fit for purpose. I then have the required documentation to apply for my WIZ Permit. I can guarantee that only a fraction of my fellow operators conform in the same way with many of the large operators failing to operate within the law. And who is to blame, yes you’ve guessed it, the ever disappearing DOE Enforcement team who don’t or can’t police the system they are responsible for. It would seem that their management have surrendered to anarchy, (as they have in other areas such as Rum Point, Starfish Point etc..) and failed to ensure their duty is fulfilled appropriately. Whilst this week has noticed the eventual return of an old doe boat and newer jet ski, it is obvious that future of this vital and most famous asset is being ‘managed’ by incompetent fools who cannot or will not understand the importance of enforcement. I understand from other operators that there are no modern or serviceable doe boats available or meaningful recruitment of enforcement staff due to a lack of apparent funding, yet we are told that millions are being spent trying to kill iguanas that are already out of control. What is wrong with that picture? I also recall the permanent presence of an officer at the SB and understand that their pay came from the permit fee. So where’s he/she now and where is that money? What did the government expect would happen when the system fails so badly?
It is a fact that the SB is is vastly overcrowded with both registered and unregistered, (illegal) boats. It is way over subscribed with visitors, especially during the pre-lunch hours, gallons of poisonous sunscreen and human urine (overcrowded boats) is being introduced, as is foul bilge water and fuel leakage from poorly maintained vessels on a daily basis. Untrained, inexperienced and just plain greedy and incompetent boat captains are causing chaos and putting lives at risk, (as we heard about at Rum Point dock last week) and nothing is being done, especially by doe managers who are allowing permit revenue to slip through their fingers.
Will someone wake up and see what’s happening here. Where’s the money going and why aren’t visitors and legitimate and lawful business owners being protected?
This is a thoughtful and challenging post. CNS – why not repost it as a article in its own right? The greater visibility may put DOE under some pressure to actually address the issues.
Someone needs to explain what “cultural heritage tourism” would encompass as we sold our culture & heritage a long time back, and are now closer to Miami culture than the Caribbean.
“who would liaise with individual attraction managers” so who are the managers of our main attractions of Seven Mile Beach & Stingray City?
Tinted windows, extremely loud crappy music in public places, sexsexsex, and pants on the ground. It’s the new cultural heritage. Get with the times my friend.
Anonymous 6:13am , that’s not the point that , Anonymous 9:14pm is making . If you want an Island experience, why would you go to Miami, vs the other way around. People needs to stop the copycat way of life , and be yourself .
When Cayman become the same as Miami , Cayman has then lost that special unique attractiveness. I always thought that it’s better to be one of a kind , which separates you from the rest , which is better to be different, then you have no competition .
Have any of you checked out a certain beach bar on NS recently? Some moron has decided that the monotony of Miami is the way forward for a Caribbean beach bar. It has become a bland, pseudo South Beach copycat, and not a good one. Food is expensive, small portions and as far from local as you could get, as are the so called chefs.
This is a prime example of what happens when a simple concept is turned into some corporate nonsense that relates to no one, especially tourists who save all year to experience the Caribbean vibe and atmosphere, not a bad rip off of some South Floridain hipsters hangout. I thought Id left that behind when I moved from there to the islands in the early 90’s.
Get a grip on your core business and those who plan to visit, not those you wished would come in some delusional vision thought up by corporate flunkies. Cayman is fast losing its identity to overseas ideals and business plans, we’ve already lost most of the SMB beach bars, don’t let the bland take over from Cayman’s uniqueness and character.
I know the one ya mean, bland doesn’t cover it. Sad shame to see another Cayman beach bar turn into a soulless hole. And what is that damn music?
Wa happen to reggae, calypso and soca?
Ibiza went down this route 20 years ago, and descended from an exclusive, beautiful, wild paradise into a beer-soaked, debauched, eyesore with a ruined reputation.
I was there 45 years ago and it was as LSD soaked
Throw as much common sense at this as you want…look who’s running the show…still no willingness to implement Standards in Public Life Law, and actively campaigning to reneg on National Conservation Law that took over two decades to formulate…
It is a human right to vote or is this country ran by rocket men who suppress human rights?
The worst overcrowding is happening by the Scuba Diving Community.
The United Nations states that there should not be more than 6,000 divers on any single site PER YEAR and many shore dive sites, Dive hotels and operators place more than that number in a week.
The private sector is going to mess up our tourism product.
Tourist are going to wreck tourism.
2:53 pm , and why are the UN doing mingling in the diving business to make such a rediculios recommendation ? The UN don’t even know that there’s such a thing as water and diving , all they know about is money and corruption.
2:53 pm , I just want to let you know that , I am not a kirkbot , but I had to thumb your comment down .
Please post a link to the UN stating what you said it does. Otherwise …FUUD!
Just Another Day in Absurdistan
An issue with long term strategic plans is that they can divert attention from matters that need immediate action and that could be addressed without material cost or delay. Take these two buried on Page 20:
21. Taxi Standards and Professionalism – Taxi standards are not enforced, vehicles are often rundown, and rates are not posted, nor meters used. Taxis could also benefit from adoption of new technologies, including ride hailing apps and payment with credit cards and mobile phones.
# What possible excuse does the PPM Government have for not enforcing the requirement that taxis use meters (as is standard elsewhere)? The number of Caymanian taxi drivers surely isn’t enough to swing an election? And there is no legitimate reason for taxi drivers to be against the use of meters – they give customer comfort, and should actually should make the driver’s job easier. Large sums can be invested in other tourism related initiatives but the simple fact remains that if a visitor feels they have been ripped off by a taxi driver that taints their whole experience and they won’t come back (and will comment negatively about Cayman to others). Overcharging is a small one-off gain for an individual that leads to the loss of significant recurring revenue for the jurisdiction.
22. Codes of Conduct should be Established for Boat Captains and Guides – Boat captains and guides require training and adherence to regulations established to minimize their impact on the environment
# Absolutely. Aside from safety training (the lack of which has been exposed recently) a large proportion of the boats being used for tourist activities were not designed for that purpose and are not safe for such use (especially when overcrowded, as they frequently are). And these very same boats are the ones that are causing environmental and noise pollution in our most sensitive areas. Why is the government allowing a few operators to profit from failing to meet appropriate safety and environmental standards and leaving Cayman to suffer the consequences?
# Anti-social behaviour also needs to be addressed. On a recent Sunday visit a large two-level tender type party boat was sitting at Stingray Sandbar bar blasting out music. The people on the boat weren’t even going in the water (it made no difference to them where they were), but their inconsiderate behaviour was spoiling things for everyone else that was there, and the same happens at Starfish Point and off Rum Point. Visitors won’t return, or recommend Cayman to others, if that is their experience of our top attractions.
Anonymous 1 :51 pm , I completely agree with your comment, and it is shameful that government doesn’t see that those issues you pointed out pertains to the biggest pillar of the economy, and had needed to be addressed long time ago .
That shows where the government priorities are , in protecting the product of Tourism . Look at what they/government has done in Fianacial Sector , vs the Tourism Sector in past few years .
They should know that it’s more to Tourism than building hotels , and supporting CAL , and building a cruise ship pier . I think they are too corrupt to think outside the box.
Can anyone see why they would pay more attention to the Fianacial sector , than Tourism. It’s called follow the money .
I implore all politicians and members of the CPA to study the words “sustainable development” this weekend. They haven’t got a Scooby-doo!!
I wonder if all of this today bla bla is not to throw off the pier referendum. We also heard that there’s no more off season Tourism in Cayman too . In my over 25 years experience in Tourism I have always known that the off season started by the end May and was dead as door nail .
There’s now very little difference between the summer and winter schedules the airlines operate, which tends to suggest that the difference between peak and off-peak may not be as significant as it used to be. However the type of tourist probably differs e.g. high income who can afford a winter vacation (plus others) and people who visit in the summer when it is cheaper.
Temporarily, at least until Eastern Caribbean gets back on line. We’ve been extraordinarily fortunate (regrettably due to other’s great misfortune) and we need to be very mindful to that. Only idiots presume this will last.
1:03 pm , the shedules of airlines doesn’t mean a whole alot today , look at the population of the Island today . Do most of the people on the Island like to get of the Island in the summer too , when airfares are cheaper . I know it was that way when the population was much smaller .
What is a kirkbot and dartbot ?
I don’t know what a Kirkbot is but a dartbot is a person/robot that sees only the gaining of more money as the answer
to anything. Though they claim to be driven by quality of life and ‘doing things right’ they are actually driven by fear of an uncertain future. But of course they can’t see this cuz we’ll, it’s too scary.
The BOT term is meant to refer to automated systems that place comments on sites to try and sway perceptions of public opinion. In recent years bots have been replaced by rooms full of people with scripts told to use the web and social media to advance a particular line- the Chinese and the Russians are famous for it.
In the CNS world the suggestion is that on the one hand the Kirkconnells have their staff do this in favour of the port, and that Dart does the same thing in relation to any commentary on him. Of course it’s an easy excuse people can use to comfort themselves when it appears that not everyone shares their view.
Fred The Piemaker , you made a good pie , thanks for the explanation of definition . I thought it was something like that . So one could also believe that they are like buffoons. That’s sad when you can’t think for yourself and see right from wrong.
I have an idea let’s build a dock to accommodate 2.5 mio cruise passengers per year then try to regulate numbers at stingray city and sand bar. *face palm*
So the solution to over-crowding and unsustainable tourism practices and placing undue stress on the “Over-reliance on coastal and marine attractions” is to build a dock and berthing facilities to bring in more tourists? Umm that is not how fight fire with fire works guys.. That has to be the most asinine thing I’ve heard all week. I literally felt my IQ dropping reading this.
If we are having all those issues, maybe a drop in cruise tourism is the answer and yes I have just set the bait for the kirtbots and darttolls. Let the thumbing down begin.
Another contradiction from the ppm leaders that fought against Big Mac for decades now attempting to do exactly what he wanted to do. Moses, Alden and the cronies have got to be the dumbest or greediest set of people. The NTP points out real issues about the infrastructure and overcrowding but their solution is a dock built by CHEC to bring more people. SMH
Welcome to whose country is it anyway where the stories aren’t made up and the people don’t mean a thing..
In answer to your question: Dart’s.
@12:00 And as you and I both know, that right there is the perfect example of the majority of the many things wrong with Cayman.
And to build a dock and berthing facilities which will eradicate some of the coastal and marine attractions currently available – just to top it all off.