DoT to spend $40M promoting Cayman
(CNS): The Department of Tourism will be spending close to CI$40 million over the next two years in an effort to attract back the more than half a million stay-over guests that were visiting the Cayman Islands before the COVID-19 pandemic struck and the tourism sector collapsed.
Tourism Director Rosa Harris has said she doesn’t expect the number of visitors in 2022 to exceed more than 40% of those who came to the destination in 2019 before the borders were closed. Appearing before Finance Committee on Monday, Harris said the predicted air passenger numbers for 2022 are just over 200,000, largely due to problems relating to airlift.
She said the new variant has already impacted the first quarter when it comes to flights, and while there is high demand from travellers who want to return to Cayman, the difficulty for them is finding a seat on a plane.
Things should start to improve in the middle of February with the return of American Airlines, she said, but her department would be monitoring the return of tourism on a month to month basis, as the pandemic will still be impacting the situation.
Harris said that almost all of the money that will be spent trying to attract wealthy travellers over the next couple of years will go on digital advertising because of the need to be flexible and targetted using the data collected over the years from previous travellers.
“Our investment of these promotional dollars will shift from very traditional print, radio into a full digital mode,” she said, noting the need to change where money is spent with little notice because of changes caused by COVID. Most of the money for TV ads will go into addressable TV, she said, as she explained the targetting of audiences based on their viewing.
To address the up and downs throughout the year, some money would be spent on attracting guests from new markets, such as Latin America, where winter is opposite to North America, and Europe, where people travel for longer. DoT will also be working with Cayman Airways to connect to new US cities.
She confirmed that the ‘Dream in Cayman’ promotion and related advertising is continuing and the creative agencies are currently filming a new digital video for that.
The tourism ministry will be sucking up a significant amount of the near CI$1 billion expenses in the first year of the 2022/23 budget, given that Cayman Airways will be getting a $9.1 million cash injection and the Cayman Turtle Centre will be getting $2.5 million to cover some of its losses.
The CTC will also be taking out a new CI$7 million loan due to the collapse of tourism.
Watch the Dream in Cayman video ad below:
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Business, Government Finance, Politics, Tourism
While ARK and their donors and volunteers rebuild the dilapidated homes of the abandoned indigents.
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The Comment of The Month!
CNS you need to implement the Best comment button. The award 🥇 this time goes to 6:52pm
We are indeed dependent on charitable acts of so called kindness in these Cayman Islands, but from whence it arose. Some will say oh generous cayman loving immigrants wishing to contribute positively to their new home, others will say somebody put it first into unwritten law that if you bought raffle tickets, walked dogs, cleaned up the beach : went to their churches, and carried food to the poor, sick, elderly and shut ins you would get a leg up for residence and yes that coveted STATUS , then it became well almost Law😝. What a mess.
So until the natives us the Caymanians start to really look at how we have allowed others to control and change our narrative by so called acts of kindness which really and truly are not as such but tools of colonial bombardment and apartheid , we will continue to be second class citizens in our islands. Time we really look within and stop fighting against each other and really take stock of who controls who and what they control and how they control it.we have high rises and multi million dollar homes being built that retired or semi retired parents will never be able to afford, what less the younger folks. Cost of living through the roof. Food safety non existent, a bloated civil service, Tourism on the wane, people unemployed and losing homes and the beat goes on and on.
Yet we think we are first world because somebody from out de tells us we are. We are and will continue to be at this stage until a social and cultural revolution occurs here that addresses our future in a pragmatic and holistic way embracing us and all who truly need to be here because of generational/native ties, investments that are conducive to profit and growth for the country and its people , continuation and maintenance of first class education systems, wage distribution parameters that are not just equitable but also in line with best market practices, the culling of hoity toity charities and wealthy patrons who think of us a bunch of disgruntled natives who work for them who they constantly berate under their breath or in private settings. We are hearing you, we know who you are. Live peaceful amongst us and we will live oeacefully with you.
We shall overcome Cayman, but only if we have the same ambitions, hopes and the wherewithal to make the neccesary changes. Stand by Better must come it has to come!.
Whoever thought this inappropriate garbage up needs to get a job far, far away from tourism. It is so pathetic.
The people’s money is being wasted by individuals with no sense of fiscal responsibility.
Really don’t know why we constantly talk about attracting European Tourists here when we really don’t understand European Tourism. Europeans dine later than we do in these islands, their interests are in many cases nocturnal, night clubs, discos, gambling, the Thestre etc. our accommodations are more geared to the American Traveler, there is a lack of local hotel talent Tharp can engage European tourists in their native language and the list goes on.
Quite frankly the Tourism strategy being employed needs to be turned on itts head with ptproduct content and target marketing being more closely aligned. It is all good t say that we are targeting high end visitors but if our product content is inferior then it’s a wage of advertising dollars. That is the crux of our efforts right now. If the Minister and his cohorts don’t understand this then it’s all over for our market.
Consider that not only did a clueless Ad firm pitch seriously this in a GoT storyboard, but the DoT decision-makers loved it so much they approved it and wired funds to “go ahead”. Echoes of Moses continue.
What kind of add it that seriously? Avitar 3?
Why not get drone footage of 7 mile beach in slow motion, the beautiful emerald waters, stingray city, rum point, turtle farm. Diving trips, etc etc this is what people want to see, what the island is really like or could be like lol.
Not a stupid add like this seriously
Please check out some of Bermuda’s tourism ads. Jamaica’s, too. They make me want to book a flight especially when it’s snowing outside. Upbeat, island music, scenes of the sea, smiling faces etc. upbeat tempo style videos! Scenes of islands that want me to be there. Personally, I don’t want to be in a dark ocean riding on top of an iguana. How about a beautiful 7mb sunset to take us out of the cold? Dancing to some local bands ( like at Royal palms- I know it’s gone, but there must be somewhere that those bands still play). The airport band, the island view as we land, flowers? So much could be shown to make us think Cayman Islands…. Not dark and dreary- sun, happy, smiles!
It is high time that this sort of advertising should be created by one or more of a number of local companies in the business. They are here and know how to put the best foot forward to promote the merits of a vacation on our Island. Keep the money here, Staybusiness!
Well said Mervyn.
Why?
You all need to really look around and see what is going on!
Cayman is being ruined by the nano second by you and your chums.
It has nothing to do with Caymanians will do the job better – you guys are ALWAYS in charge and LOOK!
Almost 2 years of pandemic closure. There should be the advertising campaign of the century for Cayman.
Instead, what? A recycled campaign to the tune of $40mil. You’re a dollars and cents guy, doesn’t that hit you between the eyes? What a waste of money.
Stop the massive building. The island is ruined.
You don’t have nice things to even take nice pictures of for your brochures anymore.
It’s an iguana, in the dark with flying stingrays.
Caymanians don’t do things better, that’s an old cop out for when things go boobies up for you guys, blame others, except us.
Cayman is the laughing stock of Caribbean marketing.
2 years of tourism closure…. what was everyone doing?
Mervyn and Chris, Do you guys realize that it is Caymanians who developed the new system which forces tourists that now come here to go through so many hoops?
That is not talent that developed the system. Where else in the Caribbean has such a dumb system been put in place where tourists are already vaccinated and have had a negative test 24 hours before coming here?
Can we not learn from what others have done?
If this is an example of “the best foot forward” then there is no hope. Believe you have now both been on island too long and have become delusional. It is your sort of thinking on issues like this that is ruining this place.
Tourists are pissed off with all the testing they have to now get here and we look foolish as a tourist centre.
Tourists are waiting and waiting and waiting for their travel declaration. Soon come?????????
Uh… you know there is a huge DoT that signs off on and pats for the overseas marketing they are too lazy to do?
Seems better to do a clean sweep and start over but then that would mean friends and family in the DoT becoming accountable and losing their job…
How many pictures of the same overpriced hamburgers can a local put on their FB page? Go count. I’ll wait. Same concept.
They all do it because they can get away with it.
Yes Mervyn, the same Caymanian people who came up with the system to get tourists in here for a vacation. We are a truly brilliant people.
It was Caymanians who built the walls to keep tourists out of here.
You need to look closely about what is going on.
Mervyn , ( & Chris).
You need to consider that until the Archaic Travel Cayman application requirement is abolished , that any hope of a future proper Tourism return to Cayman is done-for , its over, gone clear.
It has single handedly destroyed one of the thing’s that made attractive coming to Cayman as a tourist & living here as a local : Hassle free, easy travel by a multiple choice in the commercial airlines that served us.
Travel needs to be easy & hassle free . Now flying to Cayman is anything but easy & hassle free.
There you go , just saved the DOT spending the $40 Mil.
I would suggest spending some of that money on cleaning up the island. On just about any beach that doesn’t have homes / condos / hotels with maintenance or landscape workers cleaning up there is so much garbage. I did an extensive tour of the island last week: Barkers is a disgrace. I sat and watched a couple tourists on s horseback tour and I felt embarrassed. Barefoot beach I had to CLIMB over the garbage to find the water. Rum point…well I was afraid to enter that area, it looks like a zombie apocalypse. I saw a couple dozen beer bottles for every bird at the Bird sanctuary in spotts. Not to mention all the trash that is along every road, every empty lot, EVERYWHERE. What happened to Cayman being a first world nation? Looks a lot more like the Dominican Republic right now.
The beaches and the peaches are far better in the DR😍
Prices are much better in Dominican Republic too.
Millions of peaches, peaches for free..
I’m movin to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches
Exactly. Bike lanes. Pots with flowering bougainvillea. A sidewalk on the East side of the Hotel Tourism Zone. Things that matter to everyone.
Instead we have Rosa Harris, orchestrating this Mother of Dragons nightmare…this is worse than Sponge Bob, the ice cream giveaways, the stupid subway sand…DoT is a bad idea machine that needs to be over-hauled, starting at the top.
All too busy trying to be something they are not, showing off, bragging in their big green chairs, new suits, showcasing raffles and actually do nothing on their home ground. Sadly, Cayman has deteriorated into a disgrace and that is being polite.
I showed the video to my wife and she honestly thought it was a practical joke… unfortunately not
My reaction after watching the ad..Huh?
One word explains all of this nonsense…clueless.
Come to Cayman! even though you are fully vaccinated we require you to have a PCR test 3 days prior to arrival, like many other destinations. Oh ya, also we want you to apply for permission, and spend a couple hours 3 times during your stay to get further nose violated, at a cost of $375 USD for your family of 4,,, except you can’t bring your kids.
Yet we are happy to welcome some cruise ships starting Dec 28. Mr Bryan has assured us that the same protocols are applicable to cruise ship passengers, except they don’t have to apply for permission, and they can take an Antigen test instead of PCR and it can be up to 5 days prior to arrival. (2 days prior to cruise departure)
Tourism doesn’t need $40M, it needs to let the people come with similar rules as other destinations.
Sack whichever company produced this ridiculous advertisement. What a croc of . . . $40M trying to bring back the stayover tourists? Forget the cruise ships. Pedestrianize and beautify (Really beautify not just a few plant pots) GT. Install a boardwalk along the seafront. Then, once it looks nice, make a few infomercial featuring LOCAL people. . .not some cartoon woman on a giant Iggy. Come on, smarten up.
It’s only a giant Iggy becasue your from here to outsiders it just looks like a dragon with some sea monsters jumping out of the sea!
That is Selita Ebanks, a Caymanian model sitting on top of the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana.
This was supposed to be a dreamlike state…hence “Dream in Cayman” tag line.
It doesn’t hit the mark now because this is an old advert launched in 2019. The Director did state they were creating new content.
Cool. This one, or a different one?
https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/battling-beauties-fight-man-leads-lawsuit-article-1.1120505
Why is Rosa Harris getting away with re-using that horrifically depressing advertising from three years ago?!
Doesn’t $40 million entitle tourism in Cayman to something NEW from these advertising firms?
Here’s how you do it:
Buy a drone
Fly over the one beach chair left on the last grains of sand on SMB
Then
A, literally, breathtaking aerial panorama of the 30 story dump
Over to dark Rum Point that has grown over in tickle-my-calves sea grass
Another straight shot down the WBR corridor that doesn’t see sunlight or the sea thanks to the wall of high rise builds – don’t miss a cruise through the ridiculous tunnels
Shoot over to Sting Ray City where even the those little smoochers have left for better places
Fly that drone through the local hoods where people can’t afford to paint their homes or fix the derelict cars out front
Notice the garbage that isn’t being collected
Notice the dump grounds on empty lots in those subdivisions
Notice the brown scrub
Notice the gang signs
Video the roundies with multiple car crashes and wrecks per day
Stop in at some atrociously over priced restos, white space on a plate is art and, therefore ladeeda expensive
How bout the obligatory shot of a giant onion ring, atop a gimmicky too-big-for-your mouth diner hamburger, at an exorbitant culinary Capitol of the Caribbean, only in Cayman, fine dining price
Do I need to go on?
Rosa Harris should be fired. Allowing a spend of $40mil on some washed up, non-sensical and oddly sci-fi campaign is lazy and uninspired.
Cayman deserves more … or does it? Harris is just working with what she’s got, nah? Ya…
Why do people let the DoT continue to get away with such embarrassing marketing initiatives?
Travel Cayman is now doing a bang up job shaming the product before visitors even arrive, the stories are going viral on social media so congrats on that publicity feat
Well done, well f-ing done.
Of all the years the DoT should be batting it out the park, having visitors salivating for the moment they are lucky enough to hop on a plane, they use a 3 year old recycled crap campaign.
People/visitors are hopping on planes travelling all over the world – lucky enough not to be salivating to hop on a plane to Cayman for nothing.
That burger is horrible! And oh so 1980 cuisine! Culinary capital my…….
Back to the drawing board with this ad.
If that is the complete ad, it is less than inspiring or motivating.
Unless your target market has changed drastically, people from northern climates still crave sunshine, warmth, some adventure, outdoor dining, safety, and warm welcoming smiles.
This clip misses all those imo.
As a former tourist, when I think of dreaming about a Caribbean island vacation I picture the sand, sun, beaches, azure seas etc.
Not once have I dreamed of a dark moonlit beach.
When I think of a dark moonlit beach I think of what happened to tourists and expats in Bahamas, BVI, Aruba, St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua…
Yeah, not a dream of mine.
Looks more like they are promoting animal abuse to me.
Have any of the Ministers driven around this Grand Cayman without their Rose Colored Glasses? There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING special about Grand Cayman. It is dirty, colorless and filled with poorly designed and constructed roads.
Stop sitting in air conditioned offices and administer government from the real world of noise, unkept lots, neglect-ruined highway landscaping (Camana Bay Tibbitts Extension), Lawrence Blvd, not to mention Poinsettia Rd destroyed by the Water Company’s truck traffic.
It looks like no one in Cayman has ever heard of maintenance! We just build and build and build, then let everything fall apart, and rebuild again. There are many ways to get low cost road and landscaping maintenance. Adopt A Highway, Prison workers (paid a daily stipend) general volunteers, “The Governors Committee to Beautify Cayman”, and on an on.
Think Outside The Box to Make Cayman Beautiful.
If they don’t act soon there will be no more box
Where will your campaign office be located?
No, I’m not being sarcastic. If we knew nothing else about you, those ideas you just mentioned would be enough. Think about it.
Oh wait. I just noticed. You can’t run for office here. I wish that weren’t so. Being Caymanian should be enough.
Rodney
To restore the beach that is gone-21M
To promote the beach that is gone-40M
Where can I ride a flying Blue Iguana and how much will it cost me?
The Never Ending (inept Cayman government) Story.
What a waste of the public’s purse.
Put half that amount into the Financial Services Industry (international promotion) for a quantifiable/verifiable 10 fold return…..
In my experience, good products sell themselves, like honesty, integrity and value for money. If you have to spend money to say you have the above, chances are…you don’t.
Have you ever known a politician to have any of those qualities?
So that video really sucks.
It would also be good to know what was being spent pre-pandemic on similar advertising and initiatives. An increase after we are actually open, you know with children able to come without house arrest, might be warranted. But it would be good to have numbers to compare to.
$40M bomboclat! How much did it cost Kenneth to make his deeply moving and emotional covid video? Maybe the Minister of Tourism could just voiceover all of the old TV ads. That would save us a lot of money. I’m sure he would do it for $20M.
A 40million dollar marketing campaign – it costs less than that to win a US Presidency
Fix the damn dump!
Anarchy is alive and well in Cayman. There is no future and DoT’s dreaming
I see what you did there 🧷
Yay – let’s borrow $350m and spend 40 of it on useless shite that will deliver diddly squat revenue in return.
Way to go, lads. Way to go.
Do unto others and what happens? Look around you now at what your hatred and mistrust of expats have created from a fully functional tourist attraction. Georgetown is a ghost town. Restaurants and bars closed and gone. Seven mile beach is now maybe three mile beach. Hotels are still closed because they are not allowed to hire skill and experience needed and the Dump is spewing toxic smoke across the middle of it all. Checking all the boxes to insure that once again you will not fail to fail. Not all cultures are meant to survive.
Your post is wrong in so many ways, starting with the fact that George Town is two words. It just goes downhill from there.
Sure but George Town is still a ghost town and much of what else was said is sadly correct.
We do not run this place very well.
I believe it is the narrative the OP (quite poorly) is attempting to frame that was being referenced to.
We do not run it at all. We have outsourced that role to persons from a bunch from other Caribbean islands and they are doing all they can to turn us into their homelands.
No. Our own people are doing a good job of that all themselves, Bobo.
Maybe getting rid of that chip on your shoulder will lead to a different mentality, translating to you being appreciated more.
I am driftwood to you. You are disrespectful to me. I would rather be respected than appreciated. Hopefully someday you will understand this.
Truth hurts?
Would be better off spending the money promoting the financial services sector – that generates substantial income for Cayman and well paid jobs for Caymanians.
But as we all know, windbag panton hates the financial services sector with a passion, and the rest of CIG are too dumb to do the arithmetic.
It doesn’t need promoting
You are clueless.
More importantly, the FS industry needs saving from CIMA overreach……..
Like all things of high quality, they promote themselves. Word of mouth, consistency of service, and a mutually beneficial arrangement will always continue to grow business. Unfortunately we are increasingly rude, overdeveloped, obstructive and expensive – hence the perceived need to promote ourselves to persuade others to buy our product. Madness.
Well now…..isn’t that just precious.
Good luck with that while you’re banning their children.
Muppets
I get the fantasy art approach to the Caymanian features (CGI notwithstanding) of the new marketing campaign and some are likeable but the blue iguana image featured will not connect with the North American or European markets. It might look downright scary to many people. DoT would have better promoted an image like that when a Hollywood “monster movie” is trending…next Jurassic Park or Godzilla franchise perhaps?
Wannnabe be media professionals who don’t have a clue! Wonder who pockets a share of the 40m for making non sensical promotional videos. Sigh!
Imagine Kenneth Bryan being in charge of way over $40 million (Tourism + Transportation + Ministries/Departments costs, travel, soirees (Kenneth there’s one for you), consultants, hangers-on, slush and flush (that’s the waste)!! Closer to $60-70 million by the time all is said and done. A man who has never held a job!!
Unna thought it was bad when high-school drop-out MacKeeva was mowing and trimming yards when he first ran in West Bay and now he’s a big OBE, JP, Hon. Speaker of Parliament and allegedly owns at least one Ritz Carlton Residence condo and ’nuff other cool stuff! Watch Kenneth B!
Wha’ a mess!!
Well Kenneth can’t waste it on his travel as I heard he can’t travel to The States as he has a criminal record !
A Tourism Minister who can’t leave Cayman!
LMFAO
You can’t make this stuff up.
I think he can go to Jam and most likely Honduras.
11:18, Cayman has the most stupid foolish voters in the world, only idiots would vote for convicted criminals.
Can you imagine what changes we could effect if that $40 million was invested in jobs and resources to repair our infrastructure, starting with a decent public transportation system, bike lanes, dedicated pedestrian areas, etc.? It is just so dangerous on the roads, even without tourists.
40 million into proper education…..
Wouldn’t help. Funding is not the problem. Cayman already spends more per student in the public schools than is spent per student in the truly world class education available at Prep, Catholic, and CIS. We have to look deeper to understand what is wrong, and there is plenty wrong, starting with the fact that the syllabus and qualifications have nowhere near the respect and standing in our job market that the alternatives. Given a choice between igcse, IB, and CXC, no bank manager is going to prefer a CXC.
Another huge wedge of cash to that money pit known as CAL. Why oh why?
It looks like the whore of Babylon riding the beast.
We love our Lucifer here in Cayman.
Nobody is coming until the stupid restrictions are lifted. Ironic to waste all that money when for a few thousand the CIG could have flown to the USA – watched everyone packing into stadiums, restaurants, bars, and churches. No one screaming for LFT, no one clawing at their unvaccinated neighbor’s throat, and maybe a quick tour of the hospitals using all kinds of CV treatments instead of just betting the farm on just the vaccine.
But hey, its a cool video but unless that giant iguana is available for rides where tourists won’t have to wear a mask – it would be prudent not to hire on any extra help.
I have friends and relatives that would very much like to come here. They are put off so much by the restrictions as the uncertainty of the US, UK and our system. People are genuinely concerned they will get stranded or otherwise detained here.
They are all vaccinated, and wouldn’t mind a PCR both ways. I think DoT is working on the “if we build it, they will come” theory, and I don’t see that working.
My opinion is that we need to stabilise our requirements and systems and make everything streamlined; if and when things appear to be reliable from outside, then tourism will resume on a larger scale.
Why is a tourism industry seeking thousands of work permits holding a job fair promoting only around 200 potential jobs for Caymanians and Permanent Residents? Why is not every vacancy one that could be potentially held by locals?
This is how the industry behaves and we want to spend $40 million promoting it? Who is this all for, exactly?
Don’t simply vote it down. If there are over a thousand tourism jobs available, why are only 200 being openly promoted to locals? Explain the disconnect!
To all the tourists, we no longer have the world famous 7-mile beach, our government, against the advice of our Environmental Department allowed hotel, see the Marriott Hotel, which no longer has a beach and other condos, to build too close to the water and or build sea walls. The result is that 7 mile beach is now more like 4 mile beach, and we have lost approximately 20 local beach accesses to our beaches because of the closure of a main road to accommodate Ken Dart (Dart Styrofoam);Beach access is almost impossible for locals now.
Camping at Easter has been a longtime tradition for locals, however our government gave up our beach and beach access to Ken Dart on the promise they he would build a camping site and a dog park next to the Kimpton Hotel, which he owns.
Needless to say, a hotel is being built on the site which was supposed to be camping grounds for the locals, we have very limited beach access and there is no sign of the promised dog park.
I hate to say this, but Cayman has nothing to offer tourists as to our culture or way of life. You could vacation here for 2 weeks and never meet a Caymanian. Prices are outrageous and besides water sports and bars and restaurants, we have very little to offer. The island is not eco friendly and the government is slowly destroying what made Caymanian attractive to our visitors. Ask any long term visitor. We have lost what made us special.
If you want to see high rise hotels, spend $15+ on a drink, over $100 on a meal, not including alcohol, well come on down. If you’re looking for authenticity, an island that time forgot, driving along the road and being able to see the ocean instead of 7 – 10 story buildings. Go elsewhere.
There are cheaper, safer and nicer places to visit. Cayman is not what it used to be. Save your money and go elsewhere.
A Caymanian.
Yep. SMB corridor is a sh*thole. As is Camana bay.
East of Savannah is still nice though, but no doubt Voldartmort has got his eyes on that also (already owns a bunch of land).
…and how much does he own in total….?
My lil brother tells me Bodden Town is world class. Check it out and you might see John John there too.
Spot on! Sadly, very well said! More and more Caymanians looking to leave, especially the generation coming up now, there is nothing here for them, just to come back and visit for a few weeks a year. Reverse driftwood.
Yes. Come to cayman. Just don’t bring your kids. We won’t accept them without a 16 day quarantine. Yep $40 million bucks flushed down the toilet.
I really hope you see the damage you are doing to your own economy. You are counting on real estate and construction? Those both depend on happy tourists.
1) no kids
2) 3 LFT tests per visit (btw, mine took 40 mins the other day due to lineups!!)
3) no flights
4) Travel Cayman DISASTER
Sorry cayman, but word spreads quickly. Nobody will be buying your multi million dollar condos, and construction will plummet. Say bye bye to your economy.
What do people in Travel Cayman do all day?
May I suggest they put all scheduled flights to Cayman for January into their system.
Make it the activity for the day tomorrow. Surely 125 people can put this into the system in one day.
Milking the Govt’ cash-cow , for one. Travel Cayman service is so retarded, yet you can wager we are stuck with that ‘Travel Protocol’ for life now here in Cayman, as shutting it down would put the people employed in it out of work, and we cant be putting civil servants on the dole. By the way , they are all due their salary hike.
Tourism generates $25 million in government revenues, employs almost no Caymanians in meaningful roles, requires the importation of thousands of foreign nationals at derisory wages working for foreign owned businesses, stresses our environment and infrastructure, and we are going to spend $40 million to promote it?
We must have gone mad.
7:59, Well there sure are a lot of Caymanians at Travel Cayman. Building walls for tourists.
That’s what visitos would get – depression.
Southern Stingrays doing belly flops? If it were real, the producers would be charged with animal cruelty. These people are so tone deaf it is insane.
The video needs to be brighter, happier. Show sand & palm trees. ( even though the island is turning into mostly cement). Show some island music and dancing ( although there’s not much night life). Show iqunas(no comment).
Bright colors!
It’s a dream!
It’s a nightmare. The reverse of dragging puppies under water while scuba diving, so they can see the fish. I literally cringed at the impact. Of course if you do not understand the animals you are portraying, or the educated market you are trying to entice, you will make these mistakes.
The blue iguanas are not even blue. Barely at all!! I laughed when Walker’s had sponsored the art at the airport (immigration?) with the beautiful fantasy blue iguana.
I have never seen a blue iguana that shade of blue. Are they that color right after shedding or something?
10:22, You need to go to Specsavers ASAP.
It may be a dream, but the dream that the tourists who visit every year is entirely different. You know – available flights to and from, being greeted by smiling faces instead of drill sergeants in space suits, being processed without having a folder of paperwork, not having to take CV tests, being able to bring their children, and I will stop because everyone already knows. Somehow I feel like listening to a Christopher Cross song while looking at my Cayman Islands photo album.
“Sailing”, I bet. Good times.
Shouldn’t have stayed closed for so long or made it so damn difficult to come now that we’re “open”. Then, they wouldn’t need to waste this kind of money!
Better off spending it making CIMA fit for purpose
Close the Turtle Farm NOW.
It would a huge tourist and local draw if it was repurposed as a water park. However, the turtle farm will continue to farm until there is a grass roots campaign to protest the consumption of local endangered species.
We used to have seven mile beach as a great waterpark, until it was destroyed in parts by greedy developers, and we were chased off the remaining pieces by foreign dominated tourism interests that would not even allow us meaningful employment in their hotels and businesses. We are done with attractions, and with foreigners telling us what we can and cannot eat despite us raising it in a sustainable manner.
Was in Grand Cayman last week.
I didn’t see a single iguana. Not even squashed on the road.
Guess they will have to import some for the promotions planned…
That’s because the government pays people $5 for each dead one they bring in. So they’ve all been shot.
Botanic Park Grand Cayman. Little Cayman and Cayman Brac is where the iguanas can be found. Especially Little Cayman.
Not for long. The Humane Society protected killer cats are finishing off the last ones now. We use something to promote us that we are not even willing to protect. Our souls are truly lost.
While I agree with you that there is a turbid discussion going on between the Human Society and DOE regarding feral cats, and that feral cats are an enormous problem, I do NOT agree that “the last ones” [iguanas] are being finished off.
I believe we will soon realise a feral cat cull, which will be a difficult thing, given than even domestic cats that are neutered roam. I don’t believe there should be a bounty for them; I don’t think we should hunt THAT hard. Just enough to change the odds in favor of the iguanas and native birds.
DOE and volunteers have done a stellar job on the Sister Islands of battling the invasive Green Iguanas (who challenge native Rock Iguana’s habitat) and they are realising a regrowth of SIRIs — Sister Islands Rock Iguanas.
Great numbers of invasive Green Iguanas have been culled from Grand Cayman, and while it is doubtful that we’ll ever get them all, the cullers, DOE and the program in general have done wonderous things for the Blue Iguanas, along with the incredible and careful work of those at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.
ALL native iguanas — SIRIs and Blues — are protected by law.
I think you care a lot, and thus your last line about ‘lost souls’. If you have not done so already, consider joining one of the volunteer groups who thanklessly give their own time to help foster the welfare of the Iguanas. There is a constant struggle going on, and all efforts are underfunded, but it may help you feel less hopeless as it has me. And……. it’s good for the soul.
I have already volunteered and am culling any stray cat I can. They are an invasive species and they are destroying the last iguanas, as well endangered and protected bird species. It would be preferable to be able to trap and euthanize, and more humane to shoot them, but the humane society has blocked any such efforts. Trucks and rocks become the available options. Outdoor cats should not be allowed at all in Little Cayman.
Cool. How much will Ken spend to teach all locals the new narrative?
Ie How should we now act and react to mass tourism?
And once you get here you will be greeted by disgruntled residents and shamed on CMR #caymanunkind
and by ever burning toxic dump
The disgusting burning, smoldering and garbage smell today and still is has made us almost vomiting today as it seeps through the air vents into the house, without the AC being on. The government or Dart need to reported to the UK and sued by Cayman citizens. After all these years and it is just getting worse, this should not be happening in nearly 2022, there is no excuse-so much for COP 26! Who would want to come here on ‘vacation’.
Cancer kind
What a joke. I have been trying for the past few days to register with the Travel Cayman portal to fly in on January 1 from Tampa with Cayman Airways and give all my data but I still cannot see my flight listed.
Less than a month to go. Total frustration. Why make life hell for tourists to want to go to the Cayman Islands.
This is a total joke. Tourists don’t need this level of hassle.
Or make believe
I’m leaving in 2 1/2 weeks and waiting for travel certificate. Worried about all the testing. Bought the expensive medical insurance. Not sure I’ll ever return after this trip… if this trip even pans out.
Because they can and people like you are enabling their BS behaviour.
Tell them by taking your hard earned dose elsewhere.
11:07, Believe me people are taking their big tourist dollars to other markets in the Caribbean and Mexico.
Sad but true.
Go to Mexico and get killed over there by drug gangs. Great option.
Why does the Travel Cayman portal list none of the flights for Cayman Airways for January?
I have friends with CAL tickets from JFK and Tampa to Cayman next month but no luck with the portal. What is going on?
Is the idea to make life hell for tourists to Cayman?
Steve, I am convinced that CIG is trying to make it as difficult as hell for tourists to come here with all the hoops they must go through.
Surely being fully vaccinated with 3 shots this year and a negative test before arrival here is enough.
Friends today from NYC cancelled their trip here in January because they still could not find their CAL flight in the Travel Cayman portal.
Said “it is just not worth all the hurdles”. They are going to Costa Rica instead which requires full vaccination and negative test 24 hours before entry.
And their slogan is “Pura Vida”, you can’t get more real than that. Ours is more like a bad acid trip.
Does Travel Time answer phone/emails? I am getting very worried that I will need to cancel family trip. Don’t want to waste more money calling down if they don’t answer phones. Anyone know?
Why, there’s nothing to come here for?
Correct. SMB is gone. Beach edge bars are gone. Small island atmosphere is gone. The Dump is taller, larger and stinkier. What else to attracts the visitors?
Main attraction – criminal government officials.
21M to save the one and only tourist’s attraction – SMB and 40M to promote practically disappeared SMB. Makes sense.
Was in Grand Cayman last week.
I didn’t see a single iguana. Not even squashed on the road.
Guess they will have to import some for the promotions planned…
The video for tells of giant mutant blue iguanas emerging from the dump. This might have been a more realistic narrative.
Somewhere….. but certainly not here.
We do not want green iguanas here, they are invasive.
Tourists love iguanas. Green, blue or brown.
That video is so depressing! Wouldn’t inspire me to book a trip, that’s for sure.
Pure make believe!
Eat some mushrooms instead that will elevate your mood and probably make the advertisment more believable