St. Kitts Carves a Niche with UK Media and Travel Agents
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| The St. Kitts Tourism Authority and local partners hosted seven British media at an authentically Kittitian breakfast in London. |
| (BASSETERRE 17TH JUNE ., 2019):The Hon. Minister Lindsay F.P. Grant and the CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, Racquel Brown, have just returned to St. Kitts following a successful and productive week in the United Kingdom, where they dedicated their time to networking and educating top-tier UK journalists and travel agents on St. Kitts’ tourism offering. The week’s events began on Wednesday 22 May with an intimate breakfast briefing in Central London, hosted by Minister Grant and Racquel Brown. This was attended by seven hand-picked journalists from publications specifically interested in St. Kitts’ ever-growing range of on-island activities and tourism products at a specially-selected venue with a tropical Kittitian vibe. Top-end superyacht title Boat International was briefed on the appeal and successes of the new Christophe Harbour superyacht marina, whilst Woman & Golf magazine was briefed on the appeal of combining St. Kitts golf courses with St. Kitts’ authentic Caribbean experience. A writer for My Wedding Magazine and Destination Weddings & Honeymoons Aboard was given the inside line on the island’s many wedding venues and special honeymoon offerings, whilst National Geographic Traveller was told about how St. Kitts offers many ways of getting off the beaten track, whether it’s trekking one of the Caribbean’s highest peaks in Mount Liamuiga, riding the Sky Safari Zipline or exploring the rainforest by quad bike. Minister Grant said: “The growth of tourism in St. Kitts is an undeniable success story, which we must share in order to attract more visitors, more investment, and boost the international profile of our beautiful island. Having positive relationships with the media in each of our source markets is vital in delivering our tourism strategy.” The Tourism Authority also hosted key trade publications including Travel Trade Gazette, Selling Travel and ABTA (the Association for British Travel Agents) which are read by thousands of travel agents who sell St. Kitts daily.The agents thoroughly enjoyed the dinner with SKTA and NTA and learnt a lot about the islands.Racquel Brown, CEO of St. Kitts Tourism Authority, said: “Hosting and inspiring the media and travel agents about the authentic Caribbean experience that St. Kitts offers is vital in driving more tourism. During this trip to the UK we’ve been boasting about all the niche activities St. Kitts offers that will inspire people to visit us, whether it is quad biking, history, adventure, boating or golf.” The next event was a travel agent dinner hosted in collaboration with the Nevis Tourism Authority, on Thursday 23 May in Surrey. A total of 19 agents attended, including homeworkers and directors/senior managers of independent agencies, representing Travel Counsellors, Traveltime, Travel Dream, Scuba Travel, Not Just Travel, Symphony World Travel, Godalming Travel Company, Brilliant Travel, Hays Travel and HolidaysPlease.Ms. Racquel Brown networking with UK travel agentsThe evening featured a presentation on both islands and also a prize draw which was won by Antonia Cochrane from Designer Travel – a twin-centre accommodation prize of four nights at the Park Hyatt St. Kitts and three nights at the Four Seasons Hotel Nevis. Marc James, the British Airways representative, highlighted 2019 as the airline’s 10-year partnership with St. Kitts, achieving growth in visitor numbers and trade partnerships. This event was the first of a series of joint 2019 St. Kitts and Nevis travel agent events. The next is confirmed for Edinburgh, in July.Minister Grant speaks to agentsThe following Tuesday 28 May, Minister Grant hosted a trade dinner in Wimbledon, London with 11 agents, including homeworkers and directors/senior managers of independent agencies – The Ultimate Travel Company, Travel Counsellors, Swords Travel, Travel Designers and All Dream Holidays. The evening’s highlights include a comprehensive update on St. Kitts’ tourism offering by Minister Grant, and a prize draw for a pair of flights from London to St. Kitts with British Airways. The lucky agent was Sonia Murray-Smith, from Travel Counsellors.The dinner was attended by 11 agents from London and surrounding areas: Seated -Nicholas Mckay, Wendy Morton, Minister Grant, Ann Mitchell, Catherine Murphy Birchall, Kamau Grant and standing – Katharine Childs, Lisa D’Souza, Maryna Shcherbakova, Gillian Young (SKTA), Guy Johnson, Amanda Barrett, Mark Swords, Sonia Murray-Smith and Lisa Elmes-Bosshard (SKTA).Minister Grant and Racquel Brown also met with top-producing travel agents Karen Alexander, Laverne Walker, and Lizzie Kempson, to personally congratulate and thank them on behalf of St. Kitts for their dedication to selling the island to UK travellers. “Hosting regular UK media and trade events is paramount to the success of the St. Kitts tourism growth strategy. We are dedicated to ensuring we keep all our source markets fully up to date with our unique, authentic tourism offering, to help achieve our overall objective of more people booking holidays to St. Kitts,” said Minister Grant. |
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