Travel and Tourism

Can you believe this? People in Miami are talking about Haiti but not mentioning problem of post-quake recovery effort, tents or cholera. They are not talking about Haiti's government still being disorganized or involved in the latest corruption in date either. Haiti is advertizing its beautiful beaches and sun, inviting tourists to come and "Live the experience. Seize the Opportunities"

The imposing billboard is located east of Interstate 95 and 79th Street. The Haiti's Ministry of Tourism and Haiti consulate in Miami put up this billboard to bring tourism and business back to the country.

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What's going on with American Airlines and Haitian passengers at Toussaint L'Ouverture Airport after Isaac last weekend?

From what I heard, it was not a pretty picture at the Haitian airport in Port-au-Prince. I was told that many of our brothers and sisters who were scheduled to come to the US were unable to.

Hey, it happens all the times and every airport! so what is the big deal?

From what I understand, it was a problem of attitude and lack of respect for Haitian customers. Several people reported that after American Airlines had its flights cancelled to and from Haiti due to Tropical Storm Isaac, many passengers were left without any information about their options. Many people who live and work in the United States were not able to determine when they would be able to comeback to work. They also have the impression that American Airlines was not making any efforts to accommodate them as they were stranded at the Haitian airport.

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Souvenirs remind the receiver that we have been thinking about them while on holiday. It's the equivalent of a "wish you were here" postcard.

Be thoughtful when considering a souvenir gift for someone. Avoid the tourist trap souvenir shops that produce a lot of meaningless junk. If you are a talented photographer, take pictures of interesting landmarks, historical spots, and architecture. Take photos of the local citizens you've enjoyed sharing an experience with. Take shots of local parks, beaches, bays. Snap shots of the colorful and lively neighborhoods you visit.

Is there a local or national holiday being celebrated? An annual festival, a food stand selling local fare, like knishes in New York City? Is there a special or exciting event happening, like the Blue Angels Exposition Show? Is the local population celebrating St. Patrick's Day, Columbus Day, or Bastille Day with parades and pageantry?

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The Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has selected five top students, who have graduated from the Hotel School of Haiti (HSH), to train front-of-the-house hotel employees, in a three-month long vocational program. They will instruct well over a thousand hotel service employees in Les Cayes, Camp-Perrrin, Jacmel, and North Departments. The classes will be conducted in Port-Salut. The new trainers have all received degrees in Hotel Management and Tourism and will continue their studies at Dominican University in Fall 2012.

The HSH, shuttered since the January 2010 earthquake, began classes again in January 2012. To raise the training program standards, the MOT, in an on-going partnership with the Institute of Tourism and Hotel of Quebec, will introduce new study materials at an August conference for instructors and school officials of the HSH.

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Caribintair had serviced local and international flights to and from Port-au-Prince. Its fleet consists of four British Aerospace and Let Kunovice airplanes. Its parent company was Caribair, which was based in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, with its headquarters located at the La Isabela International Airport.
One of the good things about Caribintair is that you can book a ticket online. This way, you do not have to personally buy your tickets. You can already do it in just a few clicks. Moreover, you can even find deals and promos that can help you save up money.

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Haiti, in the aftermath of 2010's earthquake, has been struggling to rebuild. Despite millions of dollars pledged to the island's repair, bureaucratic obstacles, mis-management, and lack of monetary commitments have Haiti leaning on other resources to generate revenue. One of them is tourism, a neglected area of revenue income. In a recent report conducted by the Travel and Tourism industry, Haiti comes in last in competition with 139 other nations in attracting tourism.

A review of factors that contribute to the dismal state of Haiti's tourism is disheartening. Fourteen primary areas give reasons as to why Haiti is dead last.

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Delta Airlines on April 7, 2012, launched flights from Atlanta to Haiti. The airline started operations at the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, with a weekly flight on a Boeing 737-800.

The inauguration ceremony took place at Hartsfield-Jackson airport Atlanta, where Delta Airlines was pleased to announce its newest Saturday flight on a comfy aircraft. It will connect business people and aid workers travelling to Haiti from Atlanta.

Georgia is the home to an estimated 5,000 people of Haitian origin. Delta Airlines will thus connect the people to their families. The Delta flight 685 will depart from Atlanta airport at 11:15 am and arrive in Port-au-Prince at 2:21 pm. The flight 684 will leave Port-au-Prince at 3:25 pm to arrive in Atlanta at 6:49 pm. It will strengthen the process of internationalization of investment in Haiti.

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Haiti has been gaining favor from many tourists but the current tourism sector state has been playing to its disadvantage. Despite the fact that there are several Hotel, Institution and Tourism Training centers in the country, it's evident that they need to undergo some evolution to keep up with the pace of the dynamic tourism industry.

Two programs, HEAT project which was pioneered by Yele Foundation and the other project under Ministry of Tourism, have been running in collaboration to create an overall positive impact on Haiti's tourism industry through Hospitality, Hotel and institution management. The Hospitality Education and Training project was initiated to offer highly professional training to students in various Hospitality training institutions in Haiti.

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Tortug' Air plays a key role in Haiti's transportation infrastructure. Founded in March 2003, the airline is the country's national flag carrier, with over 200 employees. The road condition in Haiti is quite poor, giving people a difficult time to travel by land. With Tortug' Air, however, air flights to local and international destinations are made easier. Being one of the largest regional airlines also allows Tortug' Air to greatly contribute to the country's transportation industry.

The airline offers local flights to five destinations, which are Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Jeremie, Cap-Haitien, and Port-de-Paix. Not only it services local flights, it also has international ones. Passengers can book air tickets to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, as well as the Bahamas' Nassau, Provo, and Turks and Caicos. It also has charter permits to fly to other Caribbean islands.

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There are several airlines in Haiti, one of which was Haiti Ambassador Airlines. It was established in April 2002 and was based in the national capital of Port-au-Prince. Though it was formed in 2002, it was not until 2003 that it started operations. Haiti Ambassador Airlines was privately owned, with shares held by four businessmen.

Christopher Doyle owned 48% of the airline, while Georgemay Figaro had 48% of the company too. Figaro also served as the airline president. It was under him that the airline operated for years. Other owners of the Haiti Ambassador Airlines were Jean-Philippe Padern and Kathleen Buteau, who both held 2% of the company.

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