Tobago Tourism Taking Blows: Virgin Atlantic Pulls Out.

Tobago Tourism Industry is on the verge of collapsing as the British owned Virgin Atlantic Airlines announced a pull out from Tobago in March 2013. Tobago tourism has been spiraling downwards within recent years and this latest debacle is now threatening to further sabotage and damage the fragile industry. This pull out would result in a lost for local business men, for taxi drivers, the cottage industry,  lost of employment for its employees and the list can go on and on. 

Meanwhile, Minister Cadiz has cast blame on the Tobago House of Assembly for the impending pullout. He stated that on November 5, at a meeting at the World Travel Market in London, Virgin Holidays represented by Gaizka Fraser and Amanda Wills signaled the airline's move to withdraw its service from Tobago.

"At this meeting, Virgin Holidays indicated they were considering the reduced load factor and excess capacity into Tobago and the need for an increased marketing support. No decision was taken at the meeting, however, in discussions with Williams, he said, 'THA had it under control'," stated Cadiz in his letter to London. In defense, Tourism Secretary, Oswald Williams said Virgin Atlantic made no new demands of the THA before its pull-out for the summer, but requested the subsidy for the winter season.  He stated that  the airline’s decision was based on economic concerns, because its summer market in the Caribbean has been dwindling while the winter traffic proved to be more thriving.

The "blame game" between the Minister of Tourism (PP) and the Division of Tourism (PNM) continues, while the the Industry we call Tourism burns and plummet to the ground even as the Tobago economy and families depending on tourism suffers. The Tobago population particularly those concerned with Tourism hopes that THA has some timely intervention planned so as to mitigate this fall out.  

Information meeting tobagodaily is that Virgin Atlantic would now move its service to Cancun Mexico.