CDB President calls on the Region to explore Virtual Tourism

Montserrat and the rest of the Caribbean are too dependent on arrivals for tourists to engage in their tourism offerings and it is time for regional territories to explore the possibilities of virtual tourism.

President of the Caribbean Development Bank Dr. Hyginus “Gene” Leon delivered this analysis during a presentation on Transforming Regional Connectivity: The Role of the Private Sector in Financing Intra-Regional Travel on Caribbean Aviation Day.

Leon said the Caribbean had to come up with alternative and creative ways to maintain the demand of their tourism product and stop solely relying on the traditional arrival model to generate revenue from the industry.

He called for an entire new brand of digital tourism, a space of virtual reality, where people from all over the world are teased with virtual reality products.

Leon added that the cruise ship industry also needed rejuvenation, and the Caribbean experience should be simulated by sharing literature, and culture, through the medium of writing.

The CDB head said regional governments could explore areas in education tourism as well.

During his presentation he also highlighted the need for sustainable investment in the tourism industry and a greater commitment by Caribbean states to improve intra regional travel.