ST.GEORGE’S, GRENADA W.I. – The Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), hosted a successful destination marketing reception in Barbados for the first time since 2016. A large contingent of travel agents and media turned out for the Pure Grenada, Spice of the Caribbean promotion at the Savannah Beach Hotel on Thursday April 25, 2019. The GTA along with hotel partners and tour operators were on hand for an evening of food, drink and entertainment by Grenadian born Leigh Phillips followed by an in depth presentation on the unique selling points of the destination.
From left to right: Jalil Moore, Kalinago Beach Resort; Maria Bennette, Point Salines Hotel; Marie Fielden, True Blue Bay Resort; Patricia Maher, CEO GTA; Shanai St. Bernard, Marketing Executive GTA; Francine Stewart, Marketing Manager, GTA; Nicki King, St. James Travel and Tours and Nasha Bailey, Sandals Grenada Resort & Spa.Senator Rudy Grant, CEO of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), William Griffith, CEO of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Soni Kessuram, Chairman of Intimate Hotels of Barbados and Johnson Johnrose, Communications Specialist of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) came out in support of their neighbouring tourism colleagues.
Chief Executive Officer of the GTA, Patricia Maher, started the evening off by saying to the gathering, “We are blessed to be representing the naturally beautiful, Caribbean region where we have so many similarities in culture, heritage, food and music.” She said the evening would be a showcase of what makes the tri-island state of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique unique as a destination.
Ms. Maher also highlighted to the media, the importance of Barbados to regional tourism as it was the second largest Caribbean source market for Grenada in 2018. Grenada’s overall double-digit growth performance of the destination in total visitor arrivals for cruise, yachting and stayover in 2018 (528,077) was also highlighted. In addition Maher confirmed that the first quarter stayover visitor numbers from January to March 2019 (45,151) were 5.11% ahead of the previous year’s strong performance.
Marketing Manager, Francine Stewart delved into the details of the tri island destination’s unique traits from Carriacou’s boat building tradition to the world’s first Underwater Sculpture Park. With 2019 being the CTO’s official year of festivals, she highlighted the annual calendar of events that draw visitors from Barbados including the Billfish Tournament in January, the Chocolate Festival in May and the annual SpiceMas carnival in August. Ms. Stewart also announced the line-up of artists for the newly formed Grenada Music Festival in Quarantine Point from June 7 – 9, 2019 which includes headliners Keri Hilson, Freddie Jackson and Ky-mani Marley.
GTA Marketing Executive, Shanai St. Bernard, drew business cards to select winners for prizes at True Blue Bay Resort, Kalinago, Point Salines Hotel, Sandals Grenada and St. James Travel & Tours. Both Ms. Stewart and Ms. St. Bernard made appearances at Television and radio stations on Thursday.
