TDC Company Profile
Who we are
The Tourism Development Company Limited (TDC) is a state enterprise of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, mandated to develop and market Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism product and improve the local tourism sector.
Formed in May 2005, the TDC is the implementation arm of the Ministry of Tourism, dedicated to realising the vision for tourism in Trinidad and Tobago. This vision is guided by several long-term goals and the intention is for tourism to contribute to Trinidad and Tobago’s attainment of developed nation status by the year 2020.
TDC’s objective is to establish Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism industry as a significant economic sector, contributing strongly to the nation’s GDP, through job creation (indirect and direct) and increased revenues to the treasury. The idea is to emphasise the uniqueness of the two islands, to provide an internationally-competitive tourism product, complemented by a comprehensive, fully-functional physical infrastructure and a modern, competitive institutional framework which is supported by the people of Trinidad and Tobago. The sector will be anchored by flagship products with brand names that are globally
recognised.
What we do
The TDC is committed to establishing and implementing standards for the development and maintenance of tourism infrastructure and amenities, as well as standards for all identified tourist sites and attractions. The agency is also responsible for the rationalisation of the ownership of all beach facilities, tourism sites and attractions and maintenance of these identified facilities and amenities.
All elements of tourism marketing and promotion are the exclusive responsibility of the TDC, including the promotion of hotel investment opportunities. The agency is mandated to manage the State’s interest in all new hotel development and facilitate applications from tourism investors for concessions under the Tourism Development Act or similar legislation. The TDC is also mandated to upgrade the reception and information service facilities at the destination’s official ports of entry, in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders.
Where the functions of the TDC relate to Tobago, all activities are planned and accomplished in consultation with the Tobago House of Assembly
(THA).
TDC Representative Profile
Cornell Buckradee—Manager—Investment Promotion
Mr Cornell Buckradee has been associated with the tourism sector in a developmental role for just under a decade. His qualifications include a BSc, with honours, in Industrial Management, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Diploma in Marketing, and a post-graduate Diploma in Environmental Management. Starting with a stint in banking right after university, he moved seamlessly to the public sector into a special unit set up by Government to manage projects funded by the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.
Over the course of his career, he has held several senior professional and managerial positions in Government and the State sector, including Senior Project Officer; Industry Specialist - Tourism Investment; Manager - World Bank and Special Projects; and Manager - Facilities Development and Special Projects. He has served on several Government and Cabinet-appointed committees dealing with tourism and other related matters. The principal part of his career was spent at the country’s former tourism agency and it is this broad institutional knowledge together with his sound qualifications and wide experience that allow him to offer a unique global perspective on tourism development.
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