Ministry of Tourism - Haiti Observer Blog

This will hurt the Haitian economy and also some who thought they were immune from the the current political problem. Royal Caribbean has decided to cancel another stop for one of its cruise ships in Labadee. Navigator of the Seas cruise ship will not be going to Haiti until local authorities are able to guarantee that there will not be any protests. This recent incident is likely to inflict long term consequences to the image of Haiti. Cruise ships tourism represents more than 60% of all visitors in Haiti.

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This can not be good for Haiti. Even worst, this will likely stay with he country for years to come. Royal Caribbean cruise line ship canceled its scheduled visit for Tuesday January 19, 2016 at Labadee after some Haitian protesters in small boats staged a protest. Royal Caribbean was obligated to find an alternative for its 3,634 passenger of its Freedom of the Seas that were headed to Haiti. Although the protest by the Haitians was peaceful; however this is not what the company wants to offer to their precious clients and visitors in Haiti.

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Stéphanie Balmir Villedrouin, the Haitian Minister of Tourism and Creative Industries visited Boston and Brockton on Wednesday, June 3 on a national tour, accompanying a team of tourism officials and hoteliers. The main purpose of her visit was to boost the tourism trade in Haiti from the United States. Mrs. Villedrouin made a presentation to an audience of Haitian American activists at the Thorny Lea Country Club in Brockton on Wednesday evening. She has pointed out the significant increase in the number of visitors to Haiti in the last two years. The 2013-14 has shown an increase by 11% in the visitor number. Her trip was luckily coincided with the milestone launch of JetBlue's first ever direct flights between Boston and Port-au-Prince on June 17.

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The government of Haiti (GOH) wants to rebuild the island by developing its hospitality infrastructure to increase tourism. Haiti, at one time, had a thriving tourist industry, but the 2010 earthquake changed all that. Now GOH is banking on foreign investors to resuscitate Haiti's ailing tourist trade. It has signed contracts with private investors, giving them tax breaks over a 15-year period to develop resort projects. To sweeten the deal, GOH is also extending exemptions for import duties, so 11 hospitality projects can be given the go-ahead. The total sum of the proposed projects amounts to $160 million USD. Another $100 million in in-progress ventures is also on the books.

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Stéphanie Balmir Villedrouin, Haiti's Minister of Tourism, has been promoting Haiti as a popular tourist destination in the U.S. and Canada lately. Now in another effort to make Haiti a comfortable travel destination, she is proposing a Tourist Police force to monitor streets and sidewalks, adjacent to restaurants, hotels, and other tourist spots in Haiti. Recently, she held meetings with airport o¬fficials to deploy an escort service to deliver travelers from the airport to the front steps of their hotels.

Villedrouin wants the Tourist Police to keep panhandlers at bay, when tourists are visiting any tourist spot. Why she asks, should tourists be asked to subsidize our homeless on Haiti's streets? The begging for money has got to stop, she insists.

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