In the current economic climate and Global warming one must not be penny
wise and pound foolish when it comes to targeting a user group.
Large Trade Shows does have the advantages of bringing suppliers and
consumers together, but the resources spend should be valuated against
income potential.
The corner fish and chips shop has no business at the annual Tourism
Indaba yet it is an integrated part of the service industry in St. Lucia
and its existence cannot be denied.
Since a symbiotic relation ship is functioning and no one can operate in
a vacuum the question arises on the sanity of attacking your symbiotic
partner or his target market.
So many establishment owners have said that they do not need this type
of user group or that type of user group but the short sightedness of
this is frightening. One can only imagine the resistance they will
render when cost calculations would be directly relevant to square meter.
Roughly estimated one should think that the B&B's would have a rate and
taxes increase off about 60 - 70 % just to bring them on par with
current commercial rates and taxes.
If they cannot carry such an increase in cost it is clear that their
economical viability is in question. Since St. Lucia Estuary was founded
on the Domestic Tourism it is clear for all services providers to be
economical sustainable that more attention should be given to this
segment for the survival off all.
