MORE TOBAGO HOTELS TO CLOSE

COCO Reef Resort, Grafton Beach and La Courland Spas are among several hotels and guest houses in Tobago that have closed because of low occupancy. 

Other hotels and bed-and-breakfast villas places around the island have also temporarily shut their doors or are likely to do so within the next few weeks. 

One report said that three-quarters of hotels and guest houses would close down operations until the industry improves. 

The Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association said the industry is in a most precarious state, with the absence of foreign visitors and limited inter-island flights. 

The closure of the beaches is another deterrent to travel to Tobago. 

The condition of the hospitality sector is in spite of funding allocated by the government for the development of hotel plant and equipment. 

At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley said $50 million was allocated for upgrade of Tobago hotels. 

Further allocations were made in subsequent months. 

But the industry has seen occupancy as low as 20 per cent for major hotels and villas. 

The only recent bright spark was last Easter, when occupancy peaked at 79 per cent. 

Dr. Rowley had invited nationals to enjoy that weekend in the sister isle. 

But the mingling of thousands of people was said to have led to a spike in Covid-19 cases. 

Tobago hoteliers and the island’s business organisation say this is the worst occupancy crisis they could recall. 

Proprietors are grousing about their inability to pay salaries and to meet other monthly financial commitments. 

Coco Reef’s owner John Jefferies said his resort would reopen “as travel resumes, as vaccinations increase and as new hospitality initiatives are embraced and implemented.” 

Restaurants throughout the island have also been enduring poor business.