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'Verunica' Park? Very creative, Brasco Lee
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Former parliamentarian, Brasco Lee, is to be commended for an innovative initiative which seems, on the face of it, to have the potential to boost this country's tourism product.
According to the back page lead story in today's edition of the Observer West, Lee's "Verunica Park", that plays on the name of our own sporting great, Veronica Campbell-Brown, is to be the take-off point for hot air balloon tours across the Cockpit Country.
Nice.
We appreciate Mr Lee's initiative, because it represents the type of attitude that is needed on the part of many more of our citizens to collaboratively lift this country from its current economic doldrums.
For if there's one thing our country desperately needs at this point in its development, it's ideas and programmes that showcase our indigenous side.
And Lee's initiative, the initial outlay of which would cost some $25 million by his estimates, has to be seen as a rather courageous risk, given the very sensitive nature of this industry which is so vulnerable to a range of factors, not least of which is the agressive competition from other destinations that have capitalised on the phenomena of globalisation.
Like Lennie Little-White's "Outameni" attraction which offers a live virtual trek through local history, Lee's experiential ride will be hard to simulate and by extension easier to sell, if the approriate marketing strategies are utilised. And there, we think, is the rub.
For the issue of funding to appropriately market this country's tourism product is a traditionally thorny one which, if unresolved, remains so to our detriment.
We think many a tourist would consider an environmentally-friendly tree-top ride across the Cockpit Country an unforgettable experience well worth paying for again and again.
Couple that with the lure of the nostalgia that surrounds the Veronica Campbell-Brown from-country-girl-to-world-athletic-superstar story and the result is an educational experience that demonstrates respect for the environment as well as an exhilarating experience.
Yes, there's a lot happening in the parish of Trelawny, what with the advent of the Multi-Purpose Stadium in Daniel Town, Outameni and Verunica Park.
And it would be a crying shame to see these efforts frustrated by a failure to throw the right type of support behind them.
Maybe it's time to rethink and rework the traditional sun, sand and sea advertising concept to include (scenery?) other aspects of the environment such as the magical lure of our scenic Cockpit Country.
At the same time, we need to prepare ourselves to handle the influx of visitors, whom we expect to appreciate what Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett likes to refer to as marquee value to the product.
This will mean quality training for the guides who will usher the visitors across the western landscape.
So let's support Mr Lee's dream and ensure that we do everything in our power to ensure that it materialises into far more than hot air.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Former parliamentarian, Brasco Lee, is to be commended for an innovative initiative which seems, on the face of it, to have the potential to boost this country's tourism product.
According to the back page lead story in today's edition of the Observer West, Lee's "Verunica Park", that plays on the name of our own sporting great, Veronica Campbell-Brown, is to be the take-off point for hot air balloon tours across the Cockpit Country.
Nice.
We appreciate Mr Lee's initiative, because it represents the type of attitude that is needed on the part of many more of our citizens to collaboratively lift this country from its current economic doldrums.
For if there's one thing our country desperately needs at this point in its development, it's ideas and programmes that showcase our indigenous side.
And Lee's initiative, the initial outlay of which would cost some $25 million by his estimates, has to be seen as a rather courageous risk, given the very sensitive nature of this industry which is so vulnerable to a range of factors, not least of which is the agressive competition from other destinations that have capitalised on the phenomena of globalisation.
Like Lennie Little-White's "Outameni" attraction which offers a live virtual trek through local history, Lee's experiential ride will be hard to simulate and by extension easier to sell, if the approriate marketing strategies are utilised. And there, we think, is the rub.
For the issue of funding to appropriately market this country's tourism product is a traditionally thorny one which, if unresolved, remains so to our detriment.
We think many a tourist would consider an environmentally-friendly tree-top ride across the Cockpit Country an unforgettable experience well worth paying for again and again.
Couple that with the lure of the nostalgia that surrounds the Veronica Campbell-Brown from-country-girl-to-world-athletic-superstar story and the result is an educational experience that demonstrates respect for the environment as well as an exhilarating experience.
Yes, there's a lot happening in the parish of Trelawny, what with the advent of the Multi-Purpose Stadium in Daniel Town, Outameni and Verunica Park.
And it would be a crying shame to see these efforts frustrated by a failure to throw the right type of support behind them.
Maybe it's time to rethink and rework the traditional sun, sand and sea advertising concept to include (scenery?) other aspects of the environment such as the magical lure of our scenic Cockpit Country.
At the same time, we need to prepare ourselves to handle the influx of visitors, whom we expect to appreciate what Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett likes to refer to as marquee value to the product.
This will mean quality training for the guides who will usher the visitors across the western landscape.
So let's support Mr Lee's dream and ensure that we do everything in our power to ensure that it materialises into far more than hot air.