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The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter offers travel, tourism, Caribbean and global news weekly. To share stories, information or intelligence, contact us at info@marketplaceexcellence.com. | |
WTTC says it’s time for a regional airline | |
From left: Julia Simpson, President, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC); Vanessa Ledesma, Acting CEO and Director General, Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA); and Nicola Madden-Greig, OD, President, CHTA, at WTTC’s Sustainability & Investment Summit in San Juan in June. | |
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Julia Simpson, the president of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), believes it’s time for the Caribbean to have its own airline.
“I know it’s been discussed for many many years but the Caribbean needs to act as an entity to build capacity (that will) benefit everyone. Demand is there and I believe investors are there too,” said Simpson, while delivering a special message to attendees of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Caribbean Aviation Day in the Cayman Islands last week.
Simpson also called for lower air taxes to drive business and investment. “We know that this stimulates customer demand while making it more commercially viable for the airlines to operate,” said Simpson as she showered praise on the Government of Antigua and Barbuda for announcing a 50 percent reduction in taxes on airline tickets for travel within several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.
“More countries need to follow in these footsteps. In fact, by the Caribbean adopting some common policies, it will make the whole of the region much more powerful,” she stated.
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Barbados upbeat about tourism rebound | |
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From left: Senator Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport; Dr. Jens Thraenhart, CEO, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI); Permanent Secretary Francine Blackman; and BTMI Board Chair Shelly Williams in the Cayman Islands last week.
Credit: Cayman Islands Department of Tourism
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Senator Lisa Cummins, Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, brought energy and optimism to the recent Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) meetings in the Cayman Islands, where she updated the media on the island’s tourism progress following a difficult pandemic period.
The minister reported that despite global airlift challenges, Barbados is forecast to return to 80 percent of 2019 visitation levels by the end of this year, a conservative estimate, she explained.
While all of Barbados’ source markets have shown a relatively consistent recovery pattern since traffic began returning in mid-2021, the U.K. has been the strongest performer this year.
Ensuring that resilience is built into the destination’s recovery strategy, Barbados is making a push into emerging markets such as Latin America, while continuing to strengthen lift from traditional markets in Europe and North America.
The minister reported that Wyndham Sam Lord’s Castle will open this December and spoke of the impressive performance of the Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados properties.
The Barbados tourism minister announced the cruise sector was returning in a meaningful way, with a promising winter season on the horizon.
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OECS well represented at CTO gathering | |
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Eastern Caribbean tourism teams showed up and showed out at the CTO’s Business Meetings in the Cayman Islands last week.
Pictured above are (from left): Kevin Hope, Head, Economic Development Unit, OECS Commission; Colin Piper, CEO, Discover Dominica Authority; Devon Liburd, CEO, Nevis Tourism Authority; Ellison “Tommy” Thompson, CEO, St. Kitts Tourism Authority; Petra Roach, CEO, Grenada Tourism Authority; Charles “Max” Fernandez, Minister of Tourism, Investment and Economic Development, Antigua and Barbuda; Maria Fowell, Tourism Specialist, OECS Commission; Glen Beache, CEO, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority; Denise Charles, Minister of Tourism, International Transport and Maritime Initiatives, Dominica; and Haydn Hughes, Anguilla’s Minister of Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities, Housing & Tourism.
Photo Credit: Cayman Islands Department of Tourism
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Tobagonian wins CTO Youth Congress | |
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J’nae Brathwaite (left) is congratulated by Sharon Banfield-Bovell, CTO’s Director of Resource Mobilization & Development.
Credit: Cayman Islands Department of Tourism
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J’nae Brathwaite of Tobago is the winner of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Tourism Youth Congress, held at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman last week.
In her winning presentation on Experiential Tourism, the 17-year-old “Junior Secretary for Tourism” pointed to immersive museums, digital marketing of user-generated content, and augmented reality tours as initiatives which could further market Tobago and enhance the visitor experience.
Seventeen-year-old Marika Baptiste of St. Vincent and the Grenadines placed second, and 16-year-old Kelvin Archer of The Bahamas was the third-place finisher.
The forum was sponsored by Sandals Barbados and the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism.
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The power of digital
For the entrepreneur and the activist alike, digital marketing is a powerful tool.
Digital platforms offer a place to have your voice heard, whether it’s telling your brand story or galvanizing a community to take action on important societal issues.
For startups and entrepreneurs, digital marketing can open doors that might otherwise remain closed. It provides a platform to share your expertise, attract an audience, make sales and maintain customer relationships.
While there are many compelling arguments about the negative impacts of social media and digital, there’s still a lot of good in this space, especially when we look at how social media and digital can be used to empower marginalized voices, support small independent businesses, create movements, raise awareness and organize like-minded individuals to effect change.
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World Heart Day 2022
Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, is the world’s leading cause of death, claiming 18.6 million lives each year.
World Heart Day is a global campaign celebrated annually on September 29, when individuals, families, communities, and governments worldwide participate in activities to take charge of their heart health and that of others.
The Theme of World Heart Day 2022 is “Use heart for every heart”, and the challenge is for people to walk, run or bike a heart-shaped route in their city, either alone or in a group, understanding that every step counts for heart health.
World Heart Day activities inform people around the globe of the realities of cardiovascular disease and highlight the actions individuals can take to prevent and control it.
The day of observance aims to drive action to educate people that by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, at least 80 percent of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke can be avoided.
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MPE Caribbean Report caught up with Wayne Panton, Premier of the Cayman Islands, who believes the recent Caribbean Tourism Organization meetings in the Cayman Islands will help to accelerate tourism growth across the region. | | | | |
