1 October 2007 - Lindsay Thompson

Once a destination of choice in the Caribbean, Haiti is implementing a master plan – a Code of Investment – to attract foreign investors and tourists back to its picturesque mountainous terrains.
The 25-year plan calls for a multimillion-dollar road project, the creation of national parks, development of small and large resorts, upgraded airports, and making artwork a focal point of the tourism product.
The plan further calls for development throughout Haiti to encourage residents to live outside the city Port-au-Prince where more than two million Haitians live. Out of Haiti’s 8.5 million population, more than half (57%) are below 25-years-old.

Director General of Tourism in Haiti Daniel Fouchard said that following years of political and economic unrest, Haiti’s tourism sector declined considerably, leaving negative images worldwide.
But he noted that after elections in 2006, which seemingly ushered in a peaceful period, Haiti now has the opportunity to reposition itself as a destination of choice.
Mr. Fouchard was addressing the 17-member delegation of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce at the Ministry of Tourism in Port-au- Prince recently.

The group of businesspersons was led by executives Dionisio D’Aguilar, president; Philip Simon, executive director; and Bahamas Ambassador to Haiti, His Excellency Dr Eugene Newry.

The group’s aim was to explore avenues for developing trade arrangements between Haiti and The Bahamas in agriculture, poultry, telecommunications, construction, souvenir and craft making and other areas of commerce.
Mr. D’Aguilar noted that The Bahamas has approximately five million tourists annually, and that the country’s tourism product is enhanced with large and small resorts, mainly on the Family Islands.
He also pointed out that The Bahamas has attracted large resort developers such as Kerzner, Atlantis, Four Seasons, Hilton, Sheraton, Sandals and SuperClub Breezes. The Bahamas also boasts of having a stable political and economic climate, the right climate for attracting foreign investment.
Mr. Fouchard said that interest is mounting from foreign investors to establish large resort chains in Haiti. He said his country, however, was being careful not to become like the Dominican Republic with 66,000 rooms and a 70% occupancy rate.

“We are planning it and we want to direct the investors into some specific areas,” he said.
Mr. Fouchard said that Haiti is also seeking to develop a multi destination concept, whereby tourists can choose to visit any of its islands and those in the Caribbean during one vacation trip.

“This is why we want to work with the Governments of other islands to find out the possibilities, within our countries to have such an agreement,” he said
A challenge would be to have small airlines to establish routes to accommodate the traffic between the islands to generate the revenue
He noted that as with The Bahamas, his country is also seeking to develop agreements with other Caribbean islands to assist Haiti redevelop its tourism product.

“Haiti is no more isolated. There is a huge demand for rooms but we don’t have the investments. Now we have to hurry. We are proposing to the government to develop tourism in the north,” Mr. Fouchard said.
He said that Haiti’s tourism sector suffered through a loss of rooms resulting from violence, which forced the United Nations to step in to maintain peace.
In the area of foreign investment, Mr. Fouchard said that no investor can buy an entire island. The policy calls for local access and that Haitians be involved in the development.
“Locals must be involved in the development. Any sustainable development of tourism means involvement of the people,” he said.

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