Tourism Minister: T&T hosted 8,000 Indian visitors in 3 years

The Government is seeking to have an air passage agreement between Caribbean Airlines (CAL) and Air India in an effort to improve tourism relations between the two countries. Tourism Minister Rupert Griffith made the announcement yesterday during a tourism forum hosted by the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Tourism. Griffith said that the India travellers were experiencing a number of difficulties in trying travel to T&T, a major one being the long and tedious delay in acquiring a transit visa to T&T. Griffith said it was proving quite difficult for the India travellers and that the Government was engaging in discussions to help improve relationships between the two countries.
He said the India tourist will no longer undergo such a tedious task as the air passage agreement is in its advance stages and a draft is already completed.

The route from T&T to India will include three transit points, but only two Griffith could confirm: Miami and New York. This initiative is part of a broader plan to narrow the gap between the two countries, Griffith said. After undertaking tourism promotional missions to India in January, Griffith said, the T&T delegation successfully promoted the country and, consequently, India has expressed great interest in investing in a number of areas in T&T. He said the ministry intends to build on the 8,000 Indian tourists who have visited T&T between 2005 and 2008. While these visitors have been predominantly small business entrepreneurs, he said there was great potential for widening the scope and attracting other segments of the market namely, spa, health and wellness (medical tourism).

According to international research, business travel segment, inclusive of meeting incentives and conventions, is expected to be the biggest growth area for India’s growing trade and investment.
Griffith said the mission was quite successful and there were a number of plans in place to maximise on the opportunities. These close relations, he added, will also seek to foster good business and trade relations, while applying some of India’s benchmark strategies to improve T&T’s tourism product.

Investments
• India is looking at hotel investment, about 20 potential leads have been identified.
• T&T pursued a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the State of Karnataka to benefit from training ad technology transfer in the area of product development, eco-tourism and tourism promotion
• Indian investors expressed interest in spa and wellness centres in T&T.
• The Tourism Development Corporation will host one of the largest hospitals in India, Fortis Hospital, to discuss medical tourism with a view to setting up facilities as well a training centre in T&T.
• Apollo Hospital, India, is concluding discussions with the Health Ministry, TDC and other health institutions in signing an agreement with a prominent private local medical institution in T&T.