Seabridge Woes Cost Tobago Hoteliers Millions

Inter-island Seabridge Woes Strain Tobago’s Tourism and Community

The uncertainty surrounding Tobago’s inter-island transport has reverberated beyond hotel bookings, touching the island’s Muslim community and local businesses that rely on timely cargo deliveries. Hotelier Kameal Ali, manager of Blue Horizon Resort and a director at the Lowlands Mosque, said travel disruptions are driving cancellations and squeezing supply chains for essential goods.

Ali explained that tourists are canceling plans and many remain unsure about securing tickets. “We are losing bookings for Carnival; we are losing a lot of bookings. And why are we losing bookings? Because people are not sure to get a ticket and then when the schedule came out, remember all the ferries are not operating. The day that the schedule came out for February, tickets were sold out in a day’s time, so when other people want to come to Tobago now there is no ticket.”

The continuing transport challenges are also impacting the Muslim community’s ability to participate in religious and communal activities. Ali highlighted issues at the mosque-supported meat shops, where supply stocks are depleting due to cargo and ferry delays. “The mosque…we have members of our mosque who have meat shops, and so, at two different meat shops right now the stocks are depleted and they have to wait because when you don’t have the cargo boat running. It is very hard to get on the fast ferry. You have to wait now because, remember, these storage trucks are very big. Yesterday, I spoke to one person from the mosque who normally waits for their meats to come up from Trinidad, and the next thing Ramadan is coming up. The person is worried because they have to get full stock of meat to supply the Muslim community.”

Ali acknowledged the broader economic impact, noting that the crash in inter-island travel has forced travel decisions toward air travel to destinations like Miami and London, instead of Tobago. He stressed the need for both short-term relief and medium- to long-term strategy to stabilize the sector.

In terms of remedies, Ali urged policymakers to pursue measures that would restore predictability and affordability to inter-island transport. He called for reductions in airfare between Trinidad and Tobago and for additional steps to ensure more reliable and affordable ferry service, arguing that a stable seabridge is essential not only for tourism but for the daily needs of Tobagonians and the functioning of local communities.

Despite the setback caused by the vessel Blue Wave Harmony’s damaged status, Ali remained hopeful that targeted interventions could buffer the sector. He remains optimistic that practical, multi-year solutions can be implemented to help Tobago weather the current disruptions and emerge with a more resilient inter-island transport system.

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