History of Tobago Tourism?

Nick Lambert · Post by **Nick Lambert** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:57 am

Hi everyone!
What about a little look back in Tobagos history of tourism? Does someone know how, where and when it all started (and than developed)? First travelers, first hotels...? Or some sources, to read more about this?

with curios greetings
Nick

David Watkins · Post by **David Watkins** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:05 pm

Nick,
Columbus!?

David

Nick Lambert · Post by **Nick Lambert** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 8:13 am

Thank you, David, so mutch - you saved me getting my first zero-answer-posting in history! Until that I had had the feeling of an history-teacher in front of his game-boy playing pupils

So, now where the very early tourism-decade is completely describen by David, - someone else there to report a later epoch?

Nick

Ray Vanner · Post by **Ray Vanner** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:59 am

Nick

Yes, Columbus first, closely followed by Hilton

Ray

Nick Lambert · Post by **Nick Lambert** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:15 am

Ray, you mean Paris Hilton? She already has been on the island? That probably explains the present condition of Pigeon Point - caused by people running away.

Nick

Roland Siebenhorn · Post by **Roland Siebenhorn** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:45 pm

After Columbus came Rita Hayworth and The Beatles

No, seriously: As far as I understood the first hotel was the Blue Haven, built in the late 40's. Tobago was in this age a destination only
for millionaires and reachable only by boat.

Greetings,

Roland

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 3:12 pm

You are right, Roland, in that the Blue Haven was probably the first "quality" hotel. There were a number of smaller hotels.

To be honest, I tried to write a brief history of the hotels about a year ago but found it virtually impossible to get factual information. Pretty much all the hotels have changed hands at least once since they are built and not one of them could give me really factual information about when they were built and who else was around at that time. The one exception was Carlos Dillon, GM of the Mount Irvine Bay Beach Hotel, who is a true 'Gonian and really knows the business. Sadly, time has prevented me from sitting down with him and trying to put it all together.

As well as the Blue Haven there was the Crown Reef hotel - now called the Coco Reef. Its arguable whether you would consider it the same hotel as it was virtually rebuilt after John Jefferis bought it from the previous Trini owners.

The development of tourism on the island has been an extremely slow process until the past three years. The Blue Haven opened in the '40s. The Mount Irvine Bay Beach Resort opened in the early '70s, together with the golf course. It was followed around 1979 by the Turtle Beach Hotel (now the Rex Turtle Beach of course). I believe the Crown Reef may have been open around the same side, but it didn't appeal to the international market. The Grafton followed around the late '80s and sister-hotel Le Grand Courlan about 1994. New kid on the block is the Hilton, of course, which opened in 2000.

Nick Lambert · Post by **Nick Lambert** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:50 pm

Thank You Steve,
that is perfectly the direction my question was mentioned (at the beginning). Seems to be a little difficult to talk about this times without seeing the pictures.... anyway: More informations ar wellcome...

Nick

Bryan Guignard · Post by **Bryan Guignard** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:59 pm

The Arnos Vale resort is certainly one of the older establishments on the island (with some crumbling infrastructure to prove it). According to many sources, Princess Margaret stayed here in the 1960's (her honeymoon). I once read on a tourist brochure (I don't have it anymore) that the hotel was built in the late 1940's.

It's sad to see it fall by the wayside lately, and it would certainly improve their business if they were a bit more competitive with their prices, but it's still my favorite place on the island, a nature lover's paradise. I spend an afternoon there during each trip, bird watching, photographing, playing with the parrots, eating, sipping rum, and getting totally relaxed as the sun sets. I don't know of another place on this planet that has the majectic ambiance of this place. It's heavenly.

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:32 am

Hello Bryan

Here, here - I total agree with you about the Arnos Vale.

If you look in the Accommodation/Medium-Sized Hotels/Arnos Vale Hotel forum, you will see a thread started in March 2003 by Simon Cooke, the son of the first managers of the Arnos Vale Hotel. Simon says that the hotel opened in 1954. His parents eventually purchased the hotel themselves and stayed there until 1976. What a wonderful place to be brought up in.

Simon is currently in the Far East. I haven't heard from him for a few years, but it is still his ambition to return and show his wife and children the wonders of the Arnos Vale plantation. In some ways I'm not so sure it would be a great idea, given the way its been kept.

Bryan Guignard · Post by **Bryan Guignard** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:26 am

Hi Steve,

I know I'm getting off the historical nature of this thread now, but while on the topic of Arnos Vale, I hope that despite the negativities being expressed, people won't shy away from the place. From my perspective, none of the problems being experienced by the resort are things that would ruin my vacation (unless you go to paradise to work or hibernate in a hotel room), because for each negative there are many positives to the place. It has one of the most pristine beaches on the island, with a great shallow reef that anyone can visit. You can even catch glimpses of it by walking along the beach. That's how close it is. There's also a pair of the friendliest dogs that hang out on the beach. If only some people's kids were that well behaved...

You can go to the best theatrical performance in Longon or NY, but none of it compares to sitting at the pool bar and watching the bananaquits feasting on the sugars around the tops of the liquor bottles lined up on the bar. They can put a smile on even the most stone cold faces. World class entertainment can come in small packages.

There are so many first class photo ops that you can drive yourself crazy trying to shoot them all, and I've never been anywhere that has so many hummingbirds. The feeders always have about a dozen at once feeding, and the trees around the restaurant patio deck are full of them them too, but it takes a keen eye to see them through the foliage. The best part is that you can literally put your face mere inches away from the feeders and they are not the least bit disturbed, and they seem to love the camera lens.

There's a pair of wild oranged winged parrots that roost on the patio, a male and female that are very much in love, and the female will befriend anyone who indulges her in a good head scratch. She's the kindest creature. You would expect this from someone's pet, but not from a wild bird. It's amazing. Watch out for the male, he bites.

The peace and tranquility of the place is beyond description. How many high end restaurants do you know of that don't have walls or doors?

So despite the peeling paint, occasional broken thing, and loss of its heyday polish, it's still a world class experience for many other reasons.