Tour Operators Prepare for Influx of Visitors to Harvest Caye
Valdemar Andrade
Supporters of the project cited job opportunities and economic benefits to residents and villages in the immediate area as sound reasons to support the mega tourism project. Director Andrade says that systems are being put in place and that tour guides and operators are being prepared to deal with the expected increase in the traffic of tourists.
Valdemar Andrade, Dir., Cruise Tourism & Destination Planning
“From the preliminary conversations that we have had, we are expecting that there will be some activities on Harvest Caye itself. The mainland tours will be taken to the hub at Malacate and from the hub; they will have different tours that they will take from there. But yes, we also expect that guests will come off in Placencia where they will be an independent tour operations and independent activities for them to do as a nearby destination. And so we are working with the Placencia Village Council to look at how we plan a Placencia Square and ensure safety and security; that there are bathroom facilities, there are destinations for them to go to and the proper signage and safety and security matters.”
Reporter
“Sir, when we speak about operations and huge projects like these, opportunities for the locals are always questions and concerns. How many job opportunities, if you can say at this point, will be available for the independent tour operators or local tour operators?”
Valdemar Andrade
“In terms of jobs on a whole, my understanding from the job fair that was recently held; there were over a thousand people who interviewed for jobs. From that, I was reliably informed by BIHL that just over five hundred people will be employed out of those depending on what their skill level was and that kind of stuff. I know that some of them have been made job offers already but that will coincide with the timing of when the port will actually open. In terms of tour operations, I won’t be able to give you an exact number, but what we are looking around is I would say anywhere between fifty to a hundred guides will be needed initially and so the guide community on a whole in the south have been preparing themselves and we are also looking at how we are helping them to prepare at the best level possible.”
What a big lie…people open your eye, this cruise company are here to make monies(NCL is now in the stock market and they are not investing to make a lost, they are here to make monies), they do not worried about the middle man, once again we are being lied to by this cruise company and government, they are all bull$#&#, its truth they did interviewed over a thousand people, but they are only hiring only 50 employees whom will be working full time in the island for basic salary wages…and a few concessionaire were invited to this party with very strong ties to government. Overall this is a huge lie and please do not make the same mistake we keep making again and again “white man comes to our country giving a way a few dollars,(taking away our resources for next to noting) making believe he is here to invest and make us part of his future investment to better our life, not right think this will improve our life and generating more revenue in this area, only one or two private companies will be making all the monies here and none for the poor man. I know it best cause I been in the cruise industry for over 15 years and seen it all, poor country being taking advantage of by this cruise companies.
Last year I remember we were in Cozumel Mexico, running tour with a very know excellent tour company, and after years dealing with them, we were told that we were long making business with this company, cause there was a new tour company in town and they were offering cheaper rates close to 50% off from the other tour company used to tax us, just like that we drop the bomb on our long servicing tour company in this area, being great friend with staff and operator here we had to say goodbye and deal with the other tour company( the sadess thing here is being many year working with them and the investment in equipment and saftey they made to keep us happy). Too much greed…Most guest whom will be doing this itinerey will be warn that they are on there own if they wish to explore Placencia making the guest feel unsecrue so they would be force to book a very expensive tour with them…no chance for local tours.