"Unfriendly" Tobago

[John H Fox]

A reflection on our 5th visit to Tobago -

The Tobagonians in the front line between the island and the tourist really are letting the island down and I worry that this will impact on their tourism future.

The check out ladies at PennySavers just do not speak. Even when all the products have been scanned they can't/won't tell you how much the total is - instead they just sit back and wait for you to give them money!
Similarly the staff at the bar in Pigeon Point found it difficult to be friendly. They just look at you and wait for you to give your order. Even the lady providing the sun loungers at Pigeon Point refused to take 4 25c coins toward the cost of renting 4 !!

Even the traffic police outside the Buccoo Goat Races seemed to go out of their way to be upsetting. Having driven all the way back up to the main road X roads I was told by a police woman to turn round as it was one-way only for the day despite no signs and despite us passing a policewoman on the way! While I had to turn round and work my way through the village roads locals who had followed me were allowed through the X roads.

A bit of a rant about what I suppose are trivialities. But when this unfriendlyness was experienced nearly every day it starts to become less trivial. Especially when we compare it to our previous 4 visits (our last was in 2006) when we found virtually everyone so friendly. Needless to say we still had a great time and would certainly recommend the island as being a good a place as anywhere.

[GervaisAlkins]

I'm from Tobago, but would have to agree with you about the lack of true hospitality given there. Funny you spoke about this because U have some friends whose been coming here for 15 years and have traveled to all 5 continents and love Tobago not only because if the nature and beaches but because if the lack of hospitality! They find it funny and like the idea that some locals could'nt give a damn if they were friendly or not.
Alas all this too shall pass, I think, when the oil in Trinidad runs out and our people stop gettin money for little or no work. When the Gov'nt and THA stops giving our people handouts only then they will realize the real value of a smile and tourism.

[Ronald]

I feel for write something here too, John

"The check out ladies at Penny Savers just do not speak", some do speak some do not. One reason is these new machines they now a days are using, everyone can very clear see the cost by them self as they see the screen. But they are basically same nice peoples as normally.
One day I was teher ot but food and much more, but I forget to take the bag with shaving gel when I left Penny Savers. At home I deside to go back and see if the gel was there. Once the lady, the one who put items into bags, did see me coming in, she told me "oh, you did forget the gel, I´ll get it for you". She went to the office and came back with my shaving gel. Does that happens into every shop in UP or the rest of the Europe? NO!

"Similarly the staff at the bar in Pigeon Point found it difficult to be friendly", they are not unfriendly, but they do not act as they do in Europe, that´s hoow it is.

"the lady providing the sun loungers at Pigeon Point refused to take 4 25c ", would it be a problem for you if you instead gave these coins to the cashier at supermarkets? They like to have coins. The lady on the beach is a person I know since early 90´s, she is running her business, and it´s up to HER and not up to YOU, how she want the payment!

"unfriendly peoples", well Tobago is hard hit by problems all over the Word, many, many do depend on the visitors and now they have a hard life. Hotels, shops, taxis and so forth have all major problems here.

Diffferent countries has different ways of action, I´m sure if you are travelling around i Europe, you will sometimes meet same problems. Are ALL persons in UK ALWAS nice?

But John, when you are abroad, you can not expect peoples to act as you are custom with at home, you have to adapt. I you feel down because how they act, talk to them about it, they very well see if you feel bad and than they response, naturallly, will not be nice all the time.
Peoples who come to Europe also face problems, different attitudes, rules and so on. The answer is always, ADAPT to localö rules, as you no longer are at home!

[John H Fox]

I must respond again to you, Ronald. You are certainly correct about the people of the UK and, I suppose, elsewhere. Please understand I am not comparing "customer service" in Tobago with the UK or anywhere else. I am comparing it with what I experienced on each of my last 4 visits spread over the past 10/15 years.
We spoke to a resident of Tobago who is in the tourist trade and she said it was an issue frequently raised at meetings she attends. So I think it fair to say I don't think it's me!!
The reason the lady at Pigeon Point was handed a dollars worth of coins is simple. It was our last day - it was the only money we had on us to pay her. We are talking about 1 dollar of coins in an 80 dollar transaction. She made us go over to the bar and get it changed. I don't care what country you are in - that is hardly customer service and she certainly did not speak in a friendly manner.
When people can't say hello or even respond to a "good morning" or "hello" then I find that being unfriendly.
The point I am making is - Tobago, at the front line of tourism, has changed in the last five years. I would not like to see their tourist industry suffer because of it. Tobago and its peoples deserve better than that.

[Richardus]

Maybe it was just a bad time. Sometimes things like the weather can affect people's moods. I notice that here at home. It's been cold, dark and icy wet here for months and it's put people's moods down considerably. Once the sun comes out again and we get a warm day, so do the smiles and the cheerful hellos.

With that said, I have noticed on our weather reports that the weather has been unusually rainy and gloomy for the past month. More than normal. Just a thought, but maybe that is affecting people's moods overall.

[John H Fox]

Good point Richardus. We got back from Tobago to find the opposite here in England. While we had been away the weather had been nearly as hot as Tobago. So we spent a fortune getting a tan that our friends got for free by staying at home!!!! Still the rum and cokes never taste the same in the UK!!

[Andy K]

The "government" bar at Pigeon Point (NOT the privately owned one in the back) is known for it's
terrible service and very limited variety of drinks. I spoke about it years ago with the former
chief administrator of the local government and he asked me "Andy, you want to lease it and run it ?
Call Mr. Soandso at the XYZ authority and get a contract". I probably should have done that
Honestly, if you want something to drink there, use the "trini" method. Bang on the counter and shout:
"Does anybody sell drinks here in this business ?"
Don't stand up and be upset because nobody asks you what you would like to drink.
Who vex loss

[John H Fox]

Andy, if I was younger I would say "get that contract, lets go in to partnership as I'm getting the next plane over"!!! You know, we sometimes have to use the "Trini Method" here in the UK. At least in Tobago we enjoyed the sunshine while we waited in silence!!

Despite all my comments, which were meant to be constructive critism, I'm missing the island already and I ain't been back a week!

[FrankC]

We have been to two other carribean island's- St Lucia and Antigua-. The "unfriendly " nature of some people can be an issue. Our experience was that local people going about their daily business were pleasant enough. We always try to use local buses to meet people and ask about the best shopping stores. Sometimes the whole bus would join in with lively banter and views. On the other hand the grumpy people we met were in customer service positions. Bar staff/reception/waiter's and anybody stuck in a dull job. Some of the worst eperiences we had were at an all inclusive resort in St Lucia. The staff had lost their focus on what they were there to do. The seemed to resent having to wait on people who were paying for the privelidge. I could relate a tale of a room change that went badly wrong. The guy on reception lost the plot and what ensued was worthy of a Brian Rix farce If you think we get hacked off then spare a thought for our american chums. They certainly do not take any prisoner's. I remember an american chap threatening to sue the hotels donkey or was it thier ass. He had had enough of being backchatted every time he made a simple request. By and large we dont expect a song and dance routine or to make lifelong friends just a little bit of mutual respect.

[JoanneCoburn]

Having lived here for the past 5 years, previous visitor for 5 years, I have to say Tobago is much less friendly than it used to be.... or is it that I was so engrossed in the beauty of the place initially that i didnt notice the reality. The wife of the bar tenant at Renmars Bar in Pigeon point is so rude its unbelievable, I frequent this place very regularly and the party we were with had to have spent over $2000TT on this particular sunday. As my daughter went to use the bathroom the bar man's wife rushed up and told her not to use more than one piece of toilet paper as"'its expensive and we have to pay for it". Later as we packed up to leave the beach I took my 3 year old grandson(local Tobago born and bred) to the tap outside the bar to wash his bucket at the hose. It was spread out all over the sand by a previous user so we picked it up and wrapped it up properly......she was standing at the step and said in the loudest voice "these damn tourists they got a nerve she using our stuff and leaving it all over the place" I immediatley retorted that as she had been watching my every move she would have seen that I had in fact gathered the hose up and put it properly away and that no my grandson was not a tourist but a pure bred Tobagonian. I object to being subjected to such bad attitude and that I am supposed to be doing them a favour by liming and spending money at their bar....such is life! Sad fact is PPoint is a beautiful place but for the ignorant bar staff. They recently fired the best barman they have ever had, Dave, on the grounds he was being too pleasant with the tourists!

[Hugh S]

I had a similar experience and it will only happen once. I will not do business with them again.

Such a shame, as you say, a little respect is all we need.

Hugh

[Lisa Keith]

Hi Joanne (and everyone!),

I was going to post a while ago, but didn't want to stir the pot. Having just seen your post, however, I felt that I should!! I completely agree with what both you and John have said - not just about Pigeon Point, but about Tobago in general. We lived there for seven years, arriving in 2003 and leaving a year ago. I will always love the beauty of Tobago, my youngest daughter was born there, we made some great friends there, and have some good memories. That said, obviously we saw lots of changes during that time, and - sadly - very little of those changes were for the better. Tobago HAS definitely become more unfriendly. I suppose if there was such a thing as paradise, we'd all live there... and it wouldn't be paradise for long. My guess is that for most tourists, who come and see it for a few weeks, the beauty of the island and the friendliness of the majority of people will be the great memories they take home with them, and that's how it should be.

Lisa.

[Andy K]

Not everybody is talented to run a business in the tourism industry and some people should definately
refrain from starting anything what has to do with customer service.
Unfortunately, there are no mandantory qualifications for bar / restaurant owners, worse yet for waiters or
bar tenders.
Renmar's bar appears to be such a case and i want to second Hugh's statement. I had my second visit there some months
ago, which was certainly the last one too. A ten minutes wait for a rum drink and a charge for it more than twice as much as i pay for the same product here in our marina bar in Trinidad, is not acceptable, but the good thing about is,
i don't need to buy their drinks.
Again: Who vex loss

[Pupuce]

Hi all,

I'm happy to have found this post... Because I thought there was something wrong with us. We were in Tobago last year for the first time. One of my friends is from Tobago and we stayed at his house. I waited for an overwhelmingly friendly experience after what I hade read on this forum...But the first day when we went grocery shopping in Pennysavers in Canaan, I came back to the villa almost crying. Nobody said hello back, no smiles, everyone seemed so hostile...I've traveled quite a lot and I always go to places with an open mind and smiling. My husband and I never want to make a number of ourselves, we just want to observe and adapt...

The same day at Pigeon Point was the same: no smiles, no hello's or thank you's etc. But we continued being ourselves during the 2 weeks: always smiling, saying hello and asking how people were doing. at the end it paid off and people started to come to us and talk. We met some wonderful people and have been in touch with them since.

In 1,5 months we are returning to Tobago. This time we know how it is, how the people behave and normally it will not shock us. We will go back to see our new friends that we made last year and it will be so nice. Wonderful even. Can't wait. So I agree with Ronald on the fact that you have to adapt. You need to dig a little deeper to see how people are and be patient. But the first impression is not friendly..

[Andy K]

Pupuce,

i like that attitude. Enjoy what you have learnt about Tobago.
The cashiers at Penny Savers are not ambassadors of the tourism industry in Tobago.
Let alone that they cash groceries for certainly more than 90% of local customers.
Observe how they (not) communicate with the (local) people in front of you. Just the same.
I say "good morning (good afternoon)" and usually hear "good morning (good afternoon), sir".
(The "sir" been added because of my gray hair).
That's just good enough. I just want to buy groceries

Enjoy your holidays in Tobago !

[Pupuce]

Thanks, Andy! We will!

My husband and I work in my husband's family business (hotel-restaurant) 8 months per year non-stop without days-off...Our vacation is Tobago is vital and keeps us going during all these months! We discovered paradise last year and we need to get our fix every year now!

[Andy K]

Pupuce,

again, i like your attitude. Tobago is paradise, if you approach it with tolerance for the fact, that the sense
for customer service in some people has room for improvement.
I live in Trinidad most of the time but i NEED to come across to Tobago at least once a month for some
days to relax. Even if i have to work in Tobago, it is so much nicer there and easy to chill out after work,
sticking my feet in the sand or take a drink at my favourite beach bar