KRALENDIJK – The Partido Demokrátiko Boneriano (PDB) says in a response to a campaign by the Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB) that they consider that working in the tourism sector currently cannot be seen as  ‘sexy’ at all.

The TCB’s Turismo ta Sexy (Tourism is Sexy) campaign aims to encourage people on the island to  start working in tourism. However, the PDB believes that, as long as the working conditions are not improved, the sector cannot be seen as an attractive employer. 

According to the PDB, so far there is a lack of reasonable wages, no pension scheme, lack of childcare for people who work shifts and weekends and a lack of (affordable) public transport to travel to work. 

In addition, the PDB is of the opinion that much better training options should be available, so that people can, for example, also follow training in the tourism on a University level. 

Questionable

“The effort to encourage more locals to work in the tourism sector is appreciated, but instead of using a questionable slogan to create a positive image, it would be more appropriate to actually make the sector really attractive to the young, so that they can have a successful career and a bright future,” said the PDB in a letter sent out on Thursday.

The PDB sees a parallel with the launch of the so-called Blue Destination as an effort to rebrand something in positive sounding words, but with no content at all. “The same has happened with “Blue Destination”, a name with an open meaning and free to interpretation. The definition of the word sexy is sexually attractive or being sexually aroused. We of the Democratic Faction simply conclude that this slogan is wrong.”

Concrete

The PDB also state that they believe that a simple slogan is not enough to make working in the tourism sector more attractive. “It would be appropriate to talk about concrete action, which will  lead to actual progress for the workers so that they can lead a dignified life with enough free time to recreate with their families,” the red party concluded its press release.