National Tourism Management Policy Status Report and Future Outlook

1. National Tourism Management Policy Status Report and Future Outlook

2. AGENDA • NTMP Background • Status Update on Existing Management Plan • Draft NTMP 2008-2012 • Consultation Process • Survey Findings • Draft NTMP 2008-2012 key Objectives • The Way Ahead

3. NTMP 2002- 2007BACKGROUND

4. History on Current NTMP • May 2002 The Tourism Company, based in the UK, was chosen to undertake the project • November 2002 Final Draft of Policy was completed • February 2003 EXCO approved the Policy • April 2004 The Policy was official launched • September 2004 Hurricane Ivan Interrupts the implementation process • November 2004 Policy reviewed. Progress assessed and revised implementation strategy endorsed by the Steering Committee. • September 2006 A policy renewal was called for by the Ministry of Tourism • November 2006 The Project was sent out to competitive tender • January 2007 Initial meeting to review situation; update by Steering Committee.

5. NTMP 2002 – 2007 Background • A five-year policy designed to provide framework and clear vision of the sustainable development of the tourism sector. • There are 7 implementation committees. • 1 Steering Committee charged with overseeing the implementation of broad action items and • 6 Sub-committees that with more focused plan development for the scores of action items. • Following Hurricane Ivan, implementation strategy revised in recognition of the facts that volunteers were preoccupied with their own recovery and that decision making and financial resources were vested in government agencies. Committees now in more of a monitoring and advisory status.

6. REVIEW AND UPDATE PROCESSCurrent NTMP Implementation

9. Why the NTMP Review and Update? • The life of the first five-year plan had come to an end • Need to determine where we are now and the direction in which we want to be heading over the next five years • Need to re-engineer the implementation process so that the policy could be put into effect as efficiently and quickly as possible.

10. Current Process Currently – a review and update exercise of the NTMP 2002 – 2007 is being undertaken • February 2007 The Tourism Company won the bid to undertake the exercise • March 2007 Public consultation began. Public opinion were captured via online and hardcopy surveys • March 2007 First round of face to face public consultations and meetings were conducted by Consultant with stakeholders, DOT & MOT • June 2007 Preparation of first draft of document by Consultant • September 2007 Second round of consultations with stakeholders

11. Current Process cont. Next Steps • October 2007 Final draft document to be completed and submitted for ratification by Government • November 2007 Cayman Islands Government to review and approve. • January 2008 Commence implementation

12. CONSULTATION PROCESS • Surveys (online, newspaper insertions, supermarket venues) • Face to Face Interviews (with key public & private sector agencies and individuals) • District Meetings (Bodden Town, East End, North Side, George Town, West Bay)

13. Survey ResultsRespondent Profile by Sector

14. Summary of public consultation survey Greatest priority should be given to Objectives 3, 1 and 4 in the previous NTMP i.e: • Adopt a sustainable approach to tourism development; • Provide a high quality product for the visitor; and • Protect and enhance the marine resource The current major tourism issues/challenges are: • Control of cruise numbers; • Preservation of natural resources; • Control of costs and prices in the Cayman Islands; • Cost of access to Cayman; • Getting more Caymanians into the industry; • Control of development; • George Town; • Quality of service; and • Control of crime and safety. The main opportunities identified were: • Focus on sustainable development; • Promotion of Cayman culture and heritage; • Developing new and alternative forms of tourism; • Improving air access.

15. Summary of public consultation survey In answer to some specific issues: • 84% felt there was a need to control cruise ship arrivals to reduce negative impacts. • 81% felt there was a need to control new accommodation development. • Strong support for more education, better pay and increased awareness to encourage more Caymanians to enter the tourism industry; • Strong support for law enforcement and management as a means of protecting the marine environment; • Support for a range of initiatives to manage and protect sensitive sites on land including law enforcement, raising awareness of the need to protect and development control; • There was less certainty about the need to re-organise tourism with a large proportion of respondents unsure.

16. KEY FINDINGS • The environmental objectives were considered to be the most important policy objectives. • Large majority saw need to control the number of cruise ships. • Large majority saw need to control new accommodation development in order to avoid over development. • Smaller proportions saw human resources as a top priority but there were strong views on improving training and raising awareness of the industry amongst Caymanians.

17. STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION Participants included (but were not limited to) : • MOT & DOT • Public Sector Agencies • DOE • Planning • CIIB • Agriculture • Cayman Airways • CUC • Water Authority • Hazard Management • TAB • National Trust

18. STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION • Private Sector Participants: • Chamber of Commerce • CITA members • SITA members • Recycle Cayman • More than 14 individual companies • Attendees at 6 district public meetings

19. What are the changes? According to The Tourism Company, based on initial consultations, it would suggest that much of the policy still stands….. BUT one over-arching change is the new agenda for sustainable development.

20. The NTMP 2008-2012 Objectives The original nine policy objectives have been restructured to provide a new framework for a range of detailed Action points. The key policy objectives, with some inevitable overlaps, are to: • Sustain the quality of the environmental product; • Manage the visitor and their impacts; • Provide a high quality, sustainable Caymanian tourism product; • Manage the Sister Islands as destinations for nature-based tourism; • Develop a highly skilled, Caymanian tourism workforce; • Attract a more discerning and higher spending visitor; • Research and monitor tourism more effectively; and • Organise tourism in the Cayman Islands more effectively.

21. Policy Objective 1: Sustain the Quality of the Environmental Product Policy Priority Areas: • To develop a new approach to planning • To prepare development guidelines for tourism zones • To institute environmental impact assessments for major tourism projects • To initiate protection for Environmental Areas • To develop a Cayman design guide • To prepare a regeneration plan for George Town • To review the quality of the public realm

22. Policy Objective 2: Manage the visitors and their impacts Policy Priority Areas: • To manage cruise arrivals • To manage air arrivals • To facilitate access around the island(s) • To develop a marine tourism management plan • To enhance the visitor experience at the main attractions

23. Policy Objective 3: Provide a high quality, sustainable Caymanian Tourism Product Policy Priority Areas: • To create a leader in sustainable practices • To upgrade accommodation • To enhance local attractions • To provide access to arts and culture • To enhance interpretation of heritage and culture • To establish a Cayman Pride initiative

24. Policy Objective 4: Manage the Sister Islands As Destinations For Nature-Based Tourism • To prepare a sustainable development framework • To develop and promote nature based products • To provide essential infrastructure

25. Policy Objective 5: Develop a highly skilled Caymanian tourism workforce • To initiate a human resource strategy for tourism • To encourage more Caymanians to enter the industry

26. Policy Objective 6: Attract a more discerning, higher spending visitor • To attract high value stayover visitors • To work with the cruise sector • To develop the domestic market

27. Policy Objective 7: Research and Monitor Tourism More Effectively • To review data requirements, data gathering and analysis procedures • To develop and broaden market research • To develop an economic impact model for the Cayman Islands

28. Policy Objective 8: Organize tourism in the Cayman Islands more effectively • To consider a new structure for tourism organisation in the Cayman Islands • To provide institutional support for representative bodies • To review public consultation processes

29. THE WAY AHEAD • NTMP 2008 – 2012: Staying the Course but with new priorities • Results in visitor arrival trends, accommodations inventory recovery and resilience to natural disasters such as Hurricane Ivan demonstrate this is a solid plan. • The Implementation Process will be a key area for continued discussion with the steering committee. • Confirming the understanding of the research with a final round of consultation is also paramount and commences immediately.