Dear Sir,

With regard to your editorial comment of October 14, 2009: “Second, if the visitors are in fact still coming, then they must be unwilling or unable to spend money on local attractions, which seems to us unlikely given that we are a relatively expensive destination in the first place and people spending several thousands of dollars to travel and stay here are unlikely to be sufficiently financially constrained to economise on spending a few dollars on local attractions and entertainment.”

I just returned from a dive vacation in Cayman and would like to comment on your above statement. It may help enlighten you somewhat. I can only speak for myself and the family and friends that I associate with. Yes - Cayman is relatively expensive but not everyone traveling there to enjoy the diving, beaches and attractions is “wealthy”. We save all year to be able to get there and have a little bit of paradise for a short time.

Yes - we do cut back on attractions. The smaller, more affordable hotels are slowly fading from our reach and with the cost of the “high-rises” and the very unaffordable condos - it’s only a matter of time before our budget will force us to find more affordable islands in which to travel.

My heart will always be in Cayman with the people, beaches and love that I always feel when I am there.

Ina Parker, California