To Whom It May Concern

Greetings,

I am writing to ideas4barbados@barbados.gov.bb with hopes that Trekking will get some consideration & get implemented so that it can add to the nation’s GDP. This is an ideas that I had submitted to The National Innovation Competition  sometime back in 2008/2009. The ideas however failed to place within the competition. Not deterred, I did submit the idea to the Ministry Of Tourism but the response I got would not make it worth pursuing as a project.

What Is Trekking?

Trekking is a fairly simple idea. Individuals would rent Recreational Vehicles(RVs) & they would then be able to island hop(via a ferry service) to multiple islands where they can enjoy the scenery, go shopping or indulge in other activities. 

One can imagine this project being set in the Windward Caribbean, initially among a few countries such as Barbados, St. Vincent & St. Lucia, where tourists & locals can rent an RV from one island, get ferried to another island where they can partake in business or pleasure activities. See Fig. 1 & 2. 

Fig. 1) Islands with Ferry

Fig. 2) RV park with Recreational Vehicles 

For this project to work the first thing that has to be done is putting the infrastructure in place. The main part of this infrastructure is to have a ferry transportation system in place. One which is capable of transporting large vehicles in addition to passengers.

A fleet of Recreational Vehicles(RVs). These are basically mobile homes that can be driven from location to location.

RV camps: These are the rest stops for the RVs. Some cabins can be constructed for long stay visitors.

Costs

It can cost anywhere from US $2,000,000+ to build a 100 site RV camp & approximately US $10,000,000 - $22,000,000 to build a 100 room hotel depending on location.

The price of a used ferry capable of transporting 25 of the largest RVs starts at US $5,000,000.

RVs come in various class type & can range in price from $5,000 - US $2,000,000+. Car rental companies can get in on this venture.

Some upgrades/infrastructure will probably be needed at some ports of entry to accommodate RV transit passengers.

Why This Would Work?

The cruise ship industry is more than enough proof that this concept will work. Guest who travel by cruise ships can pay over US $1,600 to book a cruise & go island hopping throughout the Caribbean. However there is a very limited amount of time that these guests can actually spend on an island before having to depart for the next destination. Some guests will go on a short tours or take a walk into the city & spend a few dollars but it is unlikely that businesses in Sergeant Street St. John or Drax Hall St. George will benefit from this because of time constraints. Another thing one must realize about cruise ships is that they are constantly adding stores & attractions such as casinos, waterslides, rollercoasters & other distractions so  as to keep the guests onboard the ship so that they too could capitalize on the tourists dollars. In essence, the cruise ship destinations also have to compete with the cruise ships as well.

The presence of a ferry service, RVs & RV camps will be a very positive thing for the Caribbean because of the impact it will have on Caribbean economies.

Here are a few examples:

Students & Expats

Whether they connected while in college or at work in America or Europe, this group will surely love to be able to give tours of their countries of origin to their friends or fellow students who tag along with them.

Sporting Events

Sports such as cricket, football & surfing have very huge fanbase. Just imagine supporters by the hundreds traveling with their favorite athletes as they tour the Caribbean. This could be a major boost for the sport & the local economy.

Back Packers

Every year back packers head out in droves to countries in Europe, South America, South East Asia, Indonesia, India, Australia & parts of Africa. They are generally in their late teens or early twenties, & looking to explore the world before getting tied down by occupation & relationships. They will fly to a country, then travel by bus, rail, bike, scooter or even hike their way across long distances, often crossing many countries to do so. They will stay at very inexpensive lodging while patronizing local businesses. They are young & adventurous & are enjoying their young lives.

The true value of the back packers is that they are an investment. Like all young people today, they will unwittingly share their experiences thru social media via HashTags such as #The_Country_I_Am_Having_The_Most_Fun_In & they will also tag their traveling companions as well. Their friends will click on the hashtag & see the photos & videos of others who have visited the same location & will likely consider the hashtag location as a possible vacation destination. In the future, some of these back packers will more likely return to the locations where they had their best experiences & bring their fiancé(e), spouse & later their children & will stay in much more comfortable accommodations. The HashTag also presents a great to target these individuals & convert them to use other tourism products.

Tourists

During the summer months, owners of RVs throughout America, Europe & Canada take to the roads for a much needed vacation. In the winter, these RVs are in the garage or left in lots. Proper promotions could have people already familiar with RVs traveling to the Caribbean for an experience where they can see the most exotics beaches in the world. This is something that isn’t possible in the countries where they are from.

Carnivals

Countries like Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada & St. Lucia schedule their Carnivals on dates very close to each other during the height of summer. This presents a great opportunity to create an incredible Carnival atmosphere like no other, where thousands of locals & tourists alike get to experience this non-stop party atmosphere. No doubt thousands of Caribbean expats from Canada, Europe & America will descend to join in on the celebrations. This influx of people will only make these Carnivals generate great value for the artists, audiences & small business owners alike. Businesses can sponsor events or have pop-up shops at various locations further exposing their brands to much wider audiences.

Entertainers

Entertainers will be another group who will greatly benefit from this. They will now be able to travel easier & cheaper, get more exposure & reach new audiences they never could before. This will surely bring about a new type of promoter who sees the possibilities of multi island tours up & down the island chain, traveling with their own sound equipment & backing bands that they are used to. And of course lets not forget some of their fanbase will tag along as well. Artists can benefit from the exposure & use that momentum to propel their music into Labor Day in New York City(early September) & Miami Carnival(October).

I can go on & on with various scenarios for the need to transport people & vehicles via ferries  & cheap RV camps on various islands. Overall Trekking is a Low Investment/High Reward type of venture which is sure to be an economic boom to all parties involved in this venture & that is the bottom line.

My name is George Abakah. I lived in Barbados from 1977 - 1989 & returned briefly from 2008 - 2011. I attended Society Composite & The Lodge School in St. John, & I also went the the Barbados O’ Level Institute before leaving in 1989 to be reunited with my family in NY. I believe that Trekking is something that can takeoff & have a big impact on the economies of all countries that signon to the venture.

Regards,

George Abakah