Jaime Derbyshire and Robin Danes of Bermuda
Ambrose Morris, Bahamas Tourist Office with his PR colleague Olga Petrycki
Happily promoting the dual charms of Saint-Martin & Saint Maarten:
Emile Louise & Cyndi Miller
Salut! De Georgie Vernes &
Antoine Omère of Martinique
For a room with no windows, there sure was a lot of sunshine. I guess that’s what happens when you have reps from 10 Caribbean tourist boards convening to share their wares (and their good news) as part of the annual Caribbean Tourism Organization event in Montreal.
Held at the swish Omni Hotel in the heart of elegant Sherbrooke Street, the event proved a great opportunity to get a mini-update on what’s happening in the sunny south.
The Bermuda ladies continue to grin from ear to ear thanks to the recent accolade from Condé Nast readers naming it their favourite island in the Caribbean and Atlantic. And the current Capture Bermuda Sale gives folks the chance to get a 3rd, 4th, or 5th night free at selected hotels.
Ambrose Morris of the Bahamas Tourist Office is pleased to report that the revitalization of Cable Beach is progressing apace, with the beach road that many of you have travelled along being completely rebuilt.
Brent Carnegie, wearing his USVI hat, was happily promoting the non-stop (ex YYZ) AC service this winter; while Dale Pusching of Anguilla was happy to speak of the variety of accommodations on “her” island, from friendly B+Bs to the snazzy Viceroy (where Paul McCartney and his now-wife vacationed last Christmas). In Martinique, the big news is the revitalization of the capital of Fort de France, with a particular emphasis on green spaces, parks and public art.
As the CTO’s Sylma Brown Bramble told the group over lunch, “Quebec – and Montreal especially – is very important as it is the largest area of tourism growth to the Caribbean in Canada.”
So… bring on the snow! Nice to hear even more Montrealers will be swapping their shovels for sunscreen this winter.
