00:00And I know Mr. Crookshank have been in touch with Caribbean Airline. It's something we want to work on because this have been happening year after year.
00:08So we need to have a closer conversation with Cal Executive and the sole proprietor of Cal, which is the Minister of Finance.
00:16And so we could have an understanding of all these events happening in Tobago, especially Tobago Carnival,
00:22and how best we could really sit around the table to make this thing work.
00:26In an immediate response, Vice Chairman Demijohn Crookshank encouraged visitors to head to the Port of Spain port if they wish to come to Tobago's Carnival.
00:37I must commend Mr. Lyle Alexander and his team at the port. They've been doing an excellent job.
00:42So my message to everybody in Trinidad and Tobago who wants to get to Tobago, I think the port is your first option.
00:50You should head to the port because Cal is reporting 100 percent in terms of bookings for the flights that they have.
00:59And I also spoke to the officials at Cal this morning, and they gave us some stats.
01:09Caribbean Airlines did not leave back anybody yesterday. Everybody was brought up to Tobago.
01:15Standbys and confirmed passengers came up yesterday.
01:19Mr. Crookshank is pleading with Cal pilots to delay their protest action this week.
01:25And the bookings going into Christmas, we are seeing a number and number of bookings taking place.
01:31So I just had a plea from the Tobago division to the pilots, please.
01:36I know I know you have your industrial issues with Cal, but put them on the back burner this weekend and make sure that the flights come.
01:44They come in from the schedule we have. It's like every half an hour.
01:48Head of the Tobago Hotel and the Tourism Association, Alpha Lord says more visitors want to come to Tobago, but the air bridge remains a challenge.
01:58This year, most of the hotels, small, medium, large and the villa sector, I think are reporting figures in the vicinity of 75 percent and higher,
02:07which is a significant improvement on the last two years.
02:12We still face some challenges up to this morning.
02:15This morning I had phone calls from persons who want to come.
02:18I spoke with a band leader this morning.
02:21He has persons now calling him.
02:23They want to come because they're seeing the hype.
02:25They're seeing the thing that they didn't see necessarily in the last two years that says the event is on.
02:32They're feeling the energy.
02:34But the getting to and from has always been a challenge.
02:39Additional vehicles from Trinidad will be arriving via the ferry as most of the car rentals on the island are booked out.
02:47The chamber is also calling on criminals to stay out of Tobago's carnival or feel the full brunt of the law.
02:54Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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