myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

I will reserve a bottle of Port for this highly charged occasion and then we can defer to the Caribs and Rum Punch when the Port runs out

We can then drink to the death of Castara ...

Regards

Thanks Paul für your honest post and I fully agree.
I had a wonderful 3 weeks holiday in Castara and can not say, that it was worse than any other holiday I had there before.
Even the women at the beach bakery were friendly. When I picked up my bread the second time I did not even have to say my name to get it. How is that? I had my birthday party at the boathouse on wednsday 13th with drums and bom fire and noon of the tourists I met complained about it. (it was my 50th birthday by the way). There were some Bar-B-Q's with music but I never got disturbed by music in the whole three weeks after midnight. More from the dogs barking or the roosters crying in the night.
For me Castara is the right place. If not for others - like Paul - I appreciate that because the less tourists are there the more space is left for me.
All my love to all the people of Castara
Gisela

Hey Gisela

Congratulations on your significant birthday! The best is yet to come...........

Jane

Hey Jane,

thank you! now that I made it half....

Cheers
Gisela

Gisela,

happy belated 50th birthday. I see you enjoyed your holidays
Sorry i didn't make it to Tobago while you were there. I left the island the day before you arrived and
only came back last Tuesday.

As for the noise around ...
Roosters, yard foul, Cocrico, what we do with that ?
Well we ignore the roosters, we cook the yard foul and for the cocrico we use 12-gauge

Where was I when all this was going on? Sorry for being late to the dance but I just had to chime in .
It seems that Paul's wishes may have come true and this Sam character may have retreated to some five star ,luxury
tourist trap ,never to be heard from again but let's not be too hard on the poor fellow because he did raise some valid concerns and highlited problems that tend to plague the island's tourism sector. We all have been frustrated by it, in some form or fashion at some point in time ,however, Sam really did deserve the severe tongue lashing he got because he just went too far.

I especially enjoyed Paul and Andy's comments because they delivered them so perfectly, with insight , facts, accuracy and a passion for the island that runs deep. I feel proud that nationals from other countries-not Andy- will stand up and defend Tobago like it's their own. Thanks to all of you . I couldn't have done it better. People's cars Sam, really ? .Wake up man ,anyway not much more to add, you guys really straightened him out or as we Trini's like to say ,"you fixed him well". I love it

Thank you Alex

But ... the less said about Castara the better.

It will never be a 'resort'.

It will always be a 'haven' for those with wisdom, knowingness and a sense of where you should be when you shouldn't be elsewhere ... if you get my drift ?!?

Castara is a gem ... it will only suit the few ... and the fewer that expect the red carpet treatment the better ... few will understand.

But here is a clue ... the sound of the the bass and the bling would surely have been drowned out by the majestic sounds of those hefty waves crashing on the beach all night ... that ambience is something that, sadly, only rings in your ears for a few weeks after you have left, then you have to resort to your dreams.

I feel sad about the conflicts in Castara but I think the balance is right ... it is vital that us visitors do not spoil it ... equally, it is vital that the people of Castara start to value what they have and to protect it ... from us !

May Castara always stay the same and may I always feel accepted there

I just love the place ... it should be reciprocal

Regards

Well said Paul. Well said.

Best Regards.

I have pasted a copy of this post in 'Return to Tobago' here as it is relevant to this topic.

I know what Steve is on about and even I made a protest at the post although I clearly was not aware of the situation ... neither could I believe that this was going on.

I apologise to this visitor.

I must also say that it seems a Committee has been formed to deal with these issues and that can only be positive.

I hope it gets sorted out and we can start smiling again.

Regards

My family and I have just returned from a two week trip to Tobago followed by a week in Trini visiting family where although we had a brilliant time (the curfew partys were great) I can only but agree with the majority of Sam,s observations and experiences. I found the aggressive level of criticism levelled at the original poster as unnecessary, after all this is what the website exists for.

Castara is a lovely place and we only experienced very friendly people and good accommodation on the whole and believe that the problems, which affect Castara, are common to the Island generally, the tourism figures speak for themselves.

On one hand the owners of businesses island wide complained that tourist numbers are on the decline however I saw no proactive effort to improve the quality of service in these establishments which at times bordered on the incompetent and lets remember that some are charging top rate, we stayed in budget to so called 4Star, hahahah what a joke. In many instances I found that some businesses were more than ready to take the ‘buck’ then not deliver what should be the best of best services, this included a tour operator based in Castara which I shall not name, I have left appropriate feedback.

Tobago cant have its cake and eat it, the locals will have to learn to become a service industry and deliver what is needed to get desperately needed revenue into the country. I was talking to some prominent business men in Trinidad and they believe an investment drive is on its way to start developing a greater and more efficient tourism infrastructure on the island, lets hope its not just hot air and Tobago gets what it deserves.

I refrained from comment in this topic: initially because I could not fault Sam’s post; then subsequently because I was left speechless by the reaction of readers. Richard Hubbard’s post has made me appreciate that I was remiss in not publicly apologising to Sam, on behalf of this website, for the disgraceful treatment she received. To be honest, I was so disappointed, saddened and angry that I decided to do nothing until I had cooled down.

‘Sam’ contacted me some weeks before making her post, asking if I was aware of the problems. I have to admit that I was aware that noise issues have been an increasing problem in Castara in recent years. During the months before Sam’s post, I had been contacted by half-a-dozen Castara holiday accommodation property owners and several returning visitors and ‘regulars’. Let us make no mistake – there WAS a problem. A problem serious enough for visitors to leave before their expected departure date and accommodation owners to have to make refunds and/or offer compensation packages. I am just very saddened by the fact that none of those who were affected and/or who contacted me rose to Sam’s defence. I do, however, accept the sensitive position that foreign-owned property owners, in particular, are in.

I totally endorse Sam’s point: it is up to Castara (and Tobago generally) to decide whether they want tourism or not. They are the ones soliciting business - nobody is forcing them. If Castara wants to become a Trini nightspot, with all that entails, then so be it. Just as Castara can choose, so can holidaymakers - with their wallets.

May I also just say that Sam’s comment about vehicles seem to have been taken out of context. I don’t believe she was criticising villagers for having new vehicles – just pointing out that it was foolhardy of them not to nurture the source of income that enabled the purchase of those luxuries.

Anyway, from Castara's perspective, I must thank Sam for her post. It was not something any of us wanted to read, but she put into words what everyone connected with the village knew. I accept that her post was possibly borne out of frustration at my reply, telling her that the problems were known but little or nothing was being done about it. Castara is a complex village with undercurrents and social complexities that defy analysis. However, the early departure of visitor, and visitor complaints, were bringing things to a head even before the adverse publicity of Sam's post.

The post seems to have been a wakeup call; the catalyst that the village needed and which has prompted business owners to come together. It has led to the formation of the Castara Tourist Development Committee, which will meet every two weeks with the objective of analysing and discussing how tourism issues and facilities can be improved, and putting remedial action into place wherever possible.

There appears to be wide acceptance of the problems and a genuine desire to resolve them. The Committee is doing far more than just ‘talking’ about the issues. They are taking active steps to keep the beaches clean and have already started operating Sunday “Cook Ups” to overcome the problem of restaurants being closed on Sundays.

I offer my congratulations to the Committee and wish them well in their efforts. Let’s hope they can do everything possible to ensure that Castara remains the most popular overseas visitor destination on Tobago.

Castara aside, however, please let me be very clear to readers of this forum. This site is run by, and provided for, overseas visitors to Tobago. The island’s tourism industry has taken a huge hit in recent years – and, frankly, the attitudes expressed here will do little to help convince first-timers to visit the island. If visitors are to be crucified and hung out to dry for voicing criticism or opinion - then I want no part of it. It just makes it ten times worse when someone is crucified for telling the truth - and then have Trinis gloating about "fixing them good". Frankly, I was one step from switching off the forum.

From the bottom of my heart, thank You Steve,
for having decided to continue
for all the wonderful work done
for being who You are
and
for reminding us all that this is a forum for everyone,
where every opinion should be allowed
even if that opinion differs from ones own.

Steve, I too am relieved that you are continuing the excellent work and commitment you make through this site. We refer many people to this site for an honest and current update of all things Tobago.

You know that as a family we know the island well. We have just returned from a highly successful time on the island meeting up with many old local friends.

Although we love the island and will continue to stay there on a regular basis; it is obvious that there are tensions regarding tourism. Inconsistency in standards of service and value have been a problem over a number of years.

From my viewpoint, it may well be that some Tobagonians are indifferent to providing a quality of service we would expect in other 'tourist hot spots' around the world including islands not that many miles away i.e. Grenada and Barbados. However in the main, we have found decent and friendly service over the years and accepted that part of the island's charm lies in the fact that it remains largely unspolit commercially. I'm not sure that there is a will amongst the people and politicians to become another Barbados and so maybe we should accept the island as it is from a tourism point of view.

My main worry for Tobago, as a state of emergency was imposed during the last part of our stay, is that of future safety both for locals and visitors. Our local contacts confirmed their own fears and shared their opinions on the cause of the increase in crime on T&T. For certain, if the Government do not tackle the underlying issues, I'm afraid that the good intentions of such people involved on the Castara Committee will be lost. The bottom line is that tourists and particularly potential first time visitors will not risk an holiday at a destination where serious criminal activity is on the increase.

I haven't written this lightly and don't want to over dramatise the current situation but like many others on this site who love the island and its people, it would be so sad to witness the decline of Tobago as a very special place to visit.

As a visitor to Tobago over many years, I am SO pleased that Steve is going to continue with MY TObago, as he has worked very hard over the years to give visitors very helpful and up to date information, it is a wonderful site.
I am also pleased that it looks as if Castara will still be a nice place to visit and stay.
Thank you Steve.

The three posts above are very humbling and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart – and must express the same appreciation to the three dozen or more people who have written to me over recent weeks after I voiced my concerns in another thread.

May I please qualify a sentence in the closing paragraph of my post above. Where I say “This site is run by, and provided for, overseas visitors to Tobago.” I was stressing the point that I – as owner and administrator of this site - am just a visitor to Tobago and that the entire focus and perspective of this site is to discuss Tobago through the eyes of, and for the enlightenment of, overseas visitors. I am not, in any way, suggesting that we do not want the input of locals, whether they are Tobagonian or Trinidadian.

The needs, requirements and expectations of international travellers are very different to those of the domestic market. It doesn’t make our expectations RIGHT but if Tobago wants sustainable tourism, surely it makes sense to listen to and to understand what the market wants and needs? I always prided myself that this site achieved that goal. However, all too often “posters have been run out of town when they give their honest opinions of Tobago”, as one valued contact said in an email to me only this morning. This is simply not acceptable. I will be the first to “run someone out of town” when they decry Joe Blogs Budget Guesthouse and then rave about the service they got having moved to the Ritz – but not when visitors express opinion on known problems and situations.

One of the saddest parts of running this site is the apathy and lack of interest by most of those involved in the Tobago tourism industry. Virtually ALL the information that appears on these pages comes from visitors – both domestic and international. It is almost unheard of for businesses on Tobago to inform me of closures and/or incorrect information on the site. Is it surprising that the island’s tourism industry is in serious decline and tourists flocking elsewhere?

So, may I please stress that I truly value the contribution of residents and visitors alike. However, please remember the focus and viewpoint of the site. Please understand and make allowance for the fact that visitors often have a limited perspective of Tobago. After all, most of them are only there for a couple of weeks. That is part of what makes tourism such a hugely difficult industry. You get one chance to get it right. It’s no use bleating to a tourist that you have staff sick or on holiday, or the pool man hasn’t turned up – the visitor is going to decide whether to return or not based on a very short experience. Every surly face in the street; every slow waitress; every mediocre over-priced meal; every sleepless night because of loud music, is shortening the odds.

Bob White wrote:I'm not sure that there is a will amongst the people and politicians to become another Barbados and so maybe we should accept the island as it is from a tourism point of view.

I remember a statement made by a good friend from the tourism industry, probably 15 years ago: "We don't want Tobago to be like Barbados". I strongly believe that still applies today and it seems to be a good approach to just accept it.

Good point Andy ... I can understand that and we don't want to be renting all the beaches ... so far only Canoe Bay and Pigeon Point charge.

I have read through this thread again and, although I have already apologised for stamping all over 'Sam' I think there are still many things to say ...


Steve suggests that the community/businesses of Castara should take on board what we (the visitors) say ... or at least listen to us ... it is also suggested that most of the feedback to this forum comes from visitors and little comes back from local businesses ...

To be fair to Tobago/Castara ... I think these guys are just about starting to understand what responsibilities they are taking on by having tourism ... they only need look at the massive potential of Buccoo Reef that is now long gone to understand what damage tourism can do to their Island.

As soon as the Tourists have spoiled it they will go elsewhere ... so ... I think the buck has to stop with those in Tobago, only they can control their destiny and no website, myTobago, or newspaper review should be allowed to cloud their judgement ... we can only offer opinions, as Steve says.

I wonder what the THA has to say?

Regards

thats fair enough, I don't think that anyone would disagree with not wanting Tourism on the scale of Barbados with the negative environmental consequences that entails. My argument would be that after talking to businesses in Tobago and they ranged from the small to the very large, is that they want and need greater numbers of people to the island in order to survive. The managers of the businesses I spoke to expressed their sheer frustation at not been able attract tourists to the island due to the negative press that Tobago has attracted in recent years, one general manager went so far as to say ' if Toboggans don't want to work in the industry then they should let me bring people into the country who do'. Its no point covering old ground we all know about the poor service etc ect, however surely as Tobago's main source of income is tourism they have to sort themselves out. Sure I love having the beach to myself and siting in empty bars every year but that does nothing for the businesses which are about to close. Tobago has enough hotel capacity however they need to fill the rooms and the only way that is going to happen is with a change in attitude to the industry.

Just wanted to add, in refrence to the reefs of Tobago, a close relative has been conducting scientific research on Bucco reef and up at Speyside for the past 30years and campaigned for marine park desigination at Bucco and up at speyside and the sisters which has not happened due possibly to the clash between socio economic and natural resources management. Even without the tourists these reefs would be destroyed (although the Grafton hotel with its broken sewage outfall and the golf course have probably had an impact on Bucco and Mount Irvine reefs). Just look at the long liners queuing up off of Castara and taking up all the live bait fish in the bay that the local fishermen can catch, thats not sustainable. The sisters are/were a world class diving site however they are heavily fished as are the reefs around Speyside.
A good example of how it could have been is Sipadan island off Malaysia which is a world heritage site and you only get a maximum four day pass to dive the island and local fishermen are recompensed not to fish, in fact many now have diving businesses. The last time I dived Tobago the damage was shocking, tourists did not do all of that.

The bottom line is that local and national government really needs to get a handle on things. Any way on a positive note already looking forward to next years holiday and I am sure things will work out for the best.

Richard is perfectly correct, of course. I have heard this time and time again in numerous discussions with business owners on Tobago.

May I take this discussion back to basics and clarify the role of myTobago, and in so doing, stress the perspective I hope and expect contributors to adopt before responding to comments or issues raised here.

Firstly, myTobago is not a social or political medium. We are simply a tourist information site.

Tourism is a product. The cardigan-wearers may expect us to consider socio-economic and sustainability issues before every purchase (humour doesn’t mean I discount these considerations) but the truth is that the average punter doesn’t care a toss. They want an enjoyable, safe holiday. Where shall we go? End of story!

Now, regardless of whether ‘Tobago’ WANTS tourism or not, the government of Tobago, both centrally and locally, actively encourage, promote and advertise tourism (tongue in cheek). Therefore, like any product, they must accept and understand that criticism, and comparison with other products, is par for the course. If a product is not to the consumers liking, they choose another. The average consumer doesn’t care one jot WHY the product is lacking or sub-standard, they just choose another. And why should they?

It’s no use saying “it’s more complicated than that”. Of course it is – but in consumer decision-making terms, that’s exactly what it boils down to. So, let us stop arguing about WHY and get stuck into HOW the product can be improved.

Tourism is Tobago’s choice. They will never get 100% support, no matter what they decide. However, those who do NOT agree with tourism should not be involved in it. Nothing gets me angrier than those who take money with one hand while slapping you with the other.

On that basis, Steve, it would be nice to have some input from some Tobago businesses on this matter. There hasn't been much recently.

Richard's post is very interesting but although he does address the Grafton Beach Hotel problems, in my opinion, tourism has had a much larger impact ... just think of all the shampoos, shower gels and various other toiletries that tourists use that are washed down into the sewerage systems and expelled over the reefs ... Tobago is not really designed for this level of wastage.

Buccoo Reef, when seen from the air looks like a pudding bowl when the tides come in and go out ... alot of the rubbish deposited in this area does not filter out into the open sea and sits in the bottom of the 'bowl' ... us Visitors should be mindful of our own responsibilities.

It does not happen now (to my knowledge) but 11 years ago tourists going on glass bottom boat trips were given sandals and encouraged to stomp all over Buccoo Reef ... this practice has stopped and that's a positive.

Much of the destruction of the natural environment can easily be linked to the increased tourism over the last 20 - 30 years ... do not forget that Tobago was blessed when it's rainforest was protected ... look at what has happened in other Caribbean Islands! ... so it's relatively positive.

The localised issues concerning Castara are a drop in the ocean for Tobago so I say, again, it would be nice to hear from Tobago businesses with an interest in tourism and, no matter how futile it may seem, to see some petitions put to the THA to encourage and protect the longer term interests of the tourism industry.

Regards