It was with some excitement when I downloaded the “Cayman Islands NTP – National Tourism Plan 2019-2023.

I was going to learn how and when our
government was going to get us all back on track to the recovery of
our tourism product.

I am mistaken.

The document was written well before
COVID-19 hit our shores and the great lockdown to our borders began.

It hasn't even been updated.

The Hon. Deputy Premier and Minister
for Tourism, Mr. Moses Kirkconnell, admitted this in the press
release we received with the NTP:

“The NTP was adopted in February of
this year, just prior to the onset of pandemic response in the Cayman
Islands which effectively ceased tourism operations in March.
However, both the RB5 and the NTP were designed with the same
principal goal: to lead tourism effectively, safely, responsibly, and
sustainably, now and into the future.”

With so much that has changed since the
NTP was written I can only wonder at what everybody was doing at the
Department of Tourism during all the months they were employed?
Surely, not all of them were ex-pats who have been returned to their
homes?

“The RB5, developed through extensive
collaboration with private sector stakeholders, government partners
and in-depth market research, identifies four priority areas that
will guide the tourism sector to its return as a major pillar of the
Cayman Islands economy. This tourism recovery strategy addresses
methods to stabilise businesses; create new opportunities for
displaced tourism employees; and creates a plan for the next two to
three years, focusing on four priorities:

“Reinvent for Readiness: identify
current stakeholder challenges and develop the best methodologies to
reactivate the tourism sector in an effective and efficient return to
be a top pillar of the economy.

“Stimulate the Domestic Economy:
identify strategies to positively impact the country through domestic
tourism as the Cayman Islands transitions through the phases of the
COVID-19 crisis to recovery.

“Regain Global Market Confidence and
Market Share: extensive global marketing and promotions of the best
practices and methodologies put in place to ensure the Cayman Islands
tourism products and services are operating with the highest safety
and sanitation standards for accommodations, events, dive, tours and
attractions, transportation, and culinary experiences.

“Bolster Future Tourism Sector
Employment: this adaptation strategy will develop new definitions of
roles within the industry, including the necessary retraining of
tourism professionals to adapt to a new way of operating in the
tourism market.”

However, when you wade through all the
nearly fifty pages of the NTP there is nothing in it explain how we
are going “to positively impact the country through domestic
tourism as the Cayman Islands transitions through the phases of the
COVID-19 crisis to recovery.

Yes, we have an outdated four year
tourism plan that needs much change because the whole world has
changed since this NTP was written.