Tourism- Agriculture Linkages

•A Working Model of Hotel - Farmer Cooperation - St. Lucia

•

Eustace Vitalis (Sandals Resorts)

TOURISM SECTORTOURISM SECTOR

The tourism industry on the other hand The tourism industry on the other hand has increased its activity significantly over has increased its activity significantly over the years surpassing in GDP contribution the years surpassing in GDP contribution of the once dominating agricultural sector. of the once dominating agricultural sector. In the wider region, the tourist industry In the wider region, the tourist industry forms 31% of GDP, employing over 1 forms 31% of GDP, employing over 1 million people. Investments within the million people. Investments within the industry have been significant and plans industry have been significant and plans are for further investments in a number of are for further investments in a number of OECS countries. OECS countries.

[1] [1] Caribbean Tourism Organization (2005)Caribbean Tourism Organization (2005)

IssuesIssues

• Inappropriate organization in the Inappropriate organization in the sector;sector;

•Reduction in the level of Reduction in the level of financing; andfinancing; and

•Absence of a formalized business Absence of a formalized business approach to agricultural approach to agricultural production and marketing. production and marketing.

ConstraintsConstraints

•Limited knowledge of the market place Limited knowledge of the market place by producers;by producers;

•Limited access to suitable lands, high Limited access to suitable lands, high cost and low productivity of labour, cost and low productivity of labour, inadequate supply of quality planting inadequate supply of quality planting material, infrastructure, etc.;material, infrastructure, etc.;

•Constraints in the air and sea Constraints in the air and sea transportation systems; andtransportation systems; and

•Weak institutional capacity at all levels Weak institutional capacity at all levels within the sector.within the sector.

OpportunitiesOpportunities New and Ongoing InitiativiesNew and Ongoing Initiativies

• Culinary – Food festivals (Fish fries in St. Lucia, Culinary – Food festivals (Fish fries in St. Lucia, Dasheen festival in Dominica)Dasheen festival in Dominica)

• Farm-based tours (eg. Organic farming at Farm-based tours (eg. Organic farming at Exotica, Dominica)Exotica, Dominica)

• Protection and preservation of traditional Protection and preservation of traditional practices and lifestyles – particularly with practices and lifestyles – particularly with indigenous peoplesindigenous peoples

• Herbal usage in spas and by productsHerbal usage in spas and by products• Agro-heritage (eg. Mamiku and Fond Doux in Agro-heritage (eg. Mamiku and Fond Doux in

St. Lucia, Belmont Estate in Grenada, etc)St. Lucia, Belmont Estate in Grenada, etc)• Sharing of experiences between countries of Sharing of experiences between countries of

Latin America and the OECS through farmer’s Latin America and the OECS through farmer’s exchange programmesexchange programmes

• Increase intra-regional tradeIncrease intra-regional trade

ThreatsThreats

• Globalisation and trade liberalizationGlobalisation and trade liberalization• Vagaries of natureVagaries of nature• Insensitive approach by hotel purchasers of Insensitive approach by hotel purchasers of

local producelocal produce• Failure to comply with market requirementsFailure to comply with market requirements• Absence of effective information systems Absence of effective information systems

about needs of market and production about needs of market and production capacitycapacity

• Lack of appropriate policies and an Lack of appropriate policies and an institutional base to nature and sustain institutional base to nature and sustain linkages between the two sectorslinkages between the two sectors

• Absence of appropriate infrastructure (pack Absence of appropriate infrastructure (pack houses, storage facilities, etc.)houses, storage facilities, etc.)

ThreatsThreats -- Continued Continued

• Failure to implement appropriate policiesFailure to implement appropriate policies

• Changing government policiesChanging government policies

• Praedial larcenyPraedial larceny

• Hotels, especially small properties, Hotels, especially small properties, struggling under high cost and fierce struggling under high cost and fierce competitioncompetition

• Regional airlines under threatRegional airlines under threat

• Environmental costs due to undesirable and Environmental costs due to undesirable and unregulated practicesunregulated practices

• Establishing formal relationships between Establishing formal relationships between the agriculture and cruise sector.the agriculture and cruise sector.

SELECTED TOURISM STATISTICS

  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 p

TOTAL ARRIVALS 563,632 629,598 621,001 726,254 746,466 648,364 683,005 719,151 719,844 669,154

TOTAL VISTOR ARRIVALS 253,369 257,530 269,768 282,703 256,554 261,184 289,765 309,872 325,480 309,561

STAYOVER/TOURIST ARRIVAL 278,406 252,237 263,793 269,850 250,132 253,463 276,948 298,431 317,939 302,510

NUMBER OF ROOMS AVAILABLE 4,014 4,077 4,125 4,428 4,428 4,428 3,749 3,974 4,556 4,737

NUMBER OF BED-PLACES AVAILABLE 7,546 7,705 7,768 8,236 8,236 8,236 6,748 7,153 8,201 8,681

VISITOR EXPENDITURE (MILLIONS EC$) 766 765 740 752 629 567 762 879 961 768

Source: St. Lucia Tourist Board

STAYOVER/TOURIST ARRIVAL

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 p

YEARS

TO

UR

IST

AR

RIV

AL

S

VISITOR EXPENDITURE (MILLIONS EC$)

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 p

YEARS

MIL

LIO

NS

EC

$

BANANA PRODUCTION (TONNES)

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 p

YEARS

TO

NN

ES

BANANA REVENUE FROM UK (EC $MILLION)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 p

YEARS

EC

$ M

ILL

ION

S

Agriculture Tourism LinkagesSaint Lucia (W.I)

Presenter: Eustace Vitalis

SANDALS - LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED

RESORTS IN ST. LUCIA

Name # of Rooms

Sandals Regency Beach & Spa 327

Sandals Grande Beach & Spa 283

Sandals Halcyon 170

TOTAL 780

SANDALS AGRICULTURAL NEEDS (weekly)

FruitsWatermelons 2500 - 3000 lbsCantaloupe 2200 – 2500 lbsHoney dew 2200 – 2500 lbsPineapple 3000 – 3500 lbs

Grapefruits 600 – 800 lbsOranges 800 - 1000 lbsPapaya 300 – 350 lbs

Vegetables

Romaine Lettuce 2200 – 2500 lbsCabbage 600 – 800 lbs

Squash Zucchini 600 – 800 lbsGreen Bell Peppers 540 – 600 lbsYellow Bell Peppers 450 – 500 lbs

Red Bell Peppers 540 – 650 lbsTomatoes 1770 – 2000 lbs

Roots & Tubers

Yams 800 – 1000 lbsDasheen 800 – 1000 lbsSweet Potatoes 900 – 1200 lbs

Sandals Agriculture Programme

Program started in November 2002

Total # of suppliers/farmers -50 +

# of Farmers Organization - 2Over 75% of farmers are women

Activities Undertaken

Training for Purchasing Clerks and Receivers by CARDI & MAFFTopic: Post –harvest Handling of Fruits, Vegetables and Root CropsAreas coveredWhat are fruits, vegetables and root cropsClimacteric vs Non Climacteric fruitsMaturity IndicesComponents of QualityMinimum Quality Standard Requirements for HotelSelectionTransportation and HandlingPackagingStorageFood Safety Issues

Activities Undertaken

Regular Visits to Farms by Chefs and kitchen staffDiscussions with farmers/suppliers on issues of traceabilityPreparation of Project Proposal for funding from the EU – PendingKey Issues of concern:Production SchedulingAgric-Business ManagementDeveloping and updating a Farm PlanRecord-KeepingGood Agricultural Practices/OECS GAPQuality Standards and HACCPCrop Estimating/Forecasting ProductionEstimating Cost of Production

Activities Undertaken

Farmer Appreciation Luncheon (Dec 2003)

Total of over 50 farmers with spouse/partners attended along with Minister of Agriculture, Rep. of Ministry of Tourism and Representatives of key Agricultural Agencies (CARDI. IICA, SLAA, etc).

How a farmer incorporates into the Sandals Agricultural

Programme?

FARMER SHOWS INTEREST IN PROGRAMME

MAFF CERTIFICATION

SANDALS AGRI OFFICER

VISIT TO FARMS

CLEARENCE TO JOIN PROGRAMME

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

QT

Y (

Lb

s)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Fruit and Tree Crops

MONTHS

PURCHASES OF FRUIT & TREE CROPS BY SANDALS RESORTS INTERNATIONAL JAN - DEC 2003 - May 2007

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

PURCHASES OF NON TRADITIONAL VEGETABLES BY SANDALS RESORTS INTERNATIONAL JAN - DEC 2003 - May 2007

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

MONTHS

QT

Y(L

BS

)

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007GRAPH 2

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

QT

Y (

LB

S)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

MONTHS

PURCHASES OF TRADITIONAL VEGETABLES BY SANDALS RESORTS INTERNATIONAL JAN - DEC 2003 - May 2007

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

GRAPH 3

PURCHASES OF CONDIMENTS BY SANDALS RESORTS INTERNATIONAL JAN - DEC 2003 - May 2007

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

MONTHS

QT

Y (

LB

S)

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 GRAPH 5

PURCHASES OF ROOTS AND TUBERS BY SANDALS RESORTS INTERNATIONAL JAN - DEC 2003 - May 2007

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

MONTHS

QT

Y (

LB

S)

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 GRAPH 4

TOTAL QUANTITY OF EGGS PURCHASED BY SANDALS RESORTS INTERNATIONALJAN - DEC 2003 - May 2007

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

MONTHS

QT

Y (

LB

S)

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007Graph 7

TOTAL QUANTITY OF SUCKLING PIGS PURCHASED BY SANDALS RESORTS INTERNATIONALJAN - DEC 2003 - May 2007

0.00

100.00

200.00

300.00

400.00

500.00

600.00

700.00

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

MONTHS

QT

Y (

LB

S)

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Graph 8