Stakeholders: Packages the way forward for SVG tourism

The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with tourism stakeholders, has identified Tourism Packages as the way forward in increasing SVG’s regional and International visitors. This makes us one of the last islands in the region to get on the bandwagon – something the Minister of Tourism Glen Beache branded as “ridiculous”, whilst speaking at a Press Conference, at Grenadine House earlier this month.{{more}}

Beache spoke about the changes that the Ministry of Tourism had gone through in the past year, saying that there was a need to find more creative ways to promote SVG, despite having a limited budget. He also identified the Caribbean, North America/Canada and the UK as being the biggest target markets, with North America/Canada being the biggest challenge due to size. The Minister further stated that SVG has a unique product and it is imperative that we identify our marketing mistakes and remedy them as quickly as possible.

Minister Beache reiterated the need to educate everyone on the importance of tourism packages and to act quickly, as it may take up to 3 years to see significant results.

President of the SVG Hotel and Tourism Association Bianca Porter spoke of the challenges that Tourism in SVG faces: most of them being beyond our control. Some of which are high airfares in the region, world economic factors and financial market issues. In spite of this, she encouraged persons involved to “…aggressively, and in a timely manner, take advantage of all marketing opportunities that come our way”. Everyone involved in the tourism industry needs to be open to new and innovative ways to market our properties and businesses, she said.

Porter further stressed that, “The fact that SVG has not been fully discovered, by persons on some of our neighbouring islands, can actually prove to be a plus in marketing us as a relatively new and unspoilt nation”.

Lonsdale Saatchi & Saatchi Representative Ken Attale gave a presentation on the importance of tourism packages. His main focus was on the Tour Operators’ and Travel Agents’ preference to sell packages, as well as the fierce competition that is taking place in the Caribbean for tourists. Jo Johnson (BGB Communications) and Graham McKenzie (Responsibletravel.com) gave a presentation on improving distribution in the UK, whilst Chris Spring (Spring O’Brien) and Alex Capucci (Caribbean Travel network) presented about working with Tour Operators in North America. (JSV)