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LOCAL TOURISM SITES NOW MORE ACCESSIBLE TO VISITORS
Booking tours to three of Trinidad and Tobago 's top tourism sites - Brasso Seco, Grande Riviere and La Brea - is now easier with the recent installation of direct hotlines at the respective visitor facilities. With the introduction of this service, visitors are now better able to communicate directly with the local tourism experts and tourism action committees (TAC) in these communities.
Brasso Seco, Grande Riviere and La Brea are three sites and attractions identified for development by the Tourism Development Company Limited (TDC). The TDC is working together with these sites with a view toward sustainable development and the TDC has been particularly involved in mobilising the tourism resources of these communities, primarily through training and maintenance of visitor facilities. The TDC is also developing appropriate literature for each site, for promotional and educational purposes.
Brasso Seco, located in Trinidad's Northern Range , has been identified as a premium ecotourism destination, owing to an abundance of diverse and rare plant and animal life, as well as nature trails and hiking options for adventure seekers. This site is also one of the few vantage points for bird watchers wishing to catch a glimpse of the endangered Pawi or Piping Guan. Brasso Seco is also well-known for its preservation of indigenous cooking methods and recipes, hence the staging of the Annual Indigenous Culinary Cook-Out, hosted by the Brasso Seco TAC, with the assistance of the TDC. Interested persons can call 669 6218 to speak to any member of the Brasso Seco TAC.
"Brasso Seco has so much to offer,'' said Felix dos Ramos, president of the Brasso Seco Tourism Action Committee," and this hotline is a welcome service for the development of tourism in the area. Visitors now have a direct link to us and with such improved accessibility, we are confident that arrivals to the area will increase and many more will come to learn of the exciting attributes of Brasso Seco.''
Grande Riviere is world renowned for turtle watching and the visitors who frequent this site are mainly ecotourists, environmentalists and researchers. This turtle- nesting spot, on the northern coast of Trinidad , is the world's second largest nesting site for the endangered leatherback turtle. Grande Riviere also offers challenging hiking trails, waterfalls and beaches. Interested persons can contact certified tour guides through the Grande Riviere Visitor Facility by calling 670 4256.
The world's second largest natural deposit of pitch is in La Brea. Located in South Trinidad , this naturally-occurring phenomenon also features several water-filled fissures or sulphur pools which are said to have therapeutic benefits to bathers. The La Brea Pitch Lake Tour Guides Association operates from the La Brea Visitor Facility, which is being refurbished and expected to be fully operational by the beginning of June later this year, in time for summer vacationers. Refurbishments include upgrades of the tour guide office, washroom facilities and vendor booths. Tours to the La Brea Pitch Lake can be booked directly with any member of the association, who may be reached at 651 1232 .
April 5, 2006 |
Media Center
