DECEMBER 12, 2022

Anticipating 2023 travel trends

Business leaders agree that the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most difficult challenges they have encountered, and sadly, many enterprises did not survive the lockdowns and massive disruptions to our way of life. 

While we have emerged from the peak of the crisis and public health measures have enabled a safe return to our daily affairs, labor shortages, supply chain issues, the war in Ukraine, and the rise in interest rates have dampened forecasts for a sustained recovery of the global economy.

We believe that despite these concerns, people will continue to place a premium on travel, for example, which is largely regarded as a right and not a privilege. In fact, the pandemic has renewed and deepened the desire of people to see the world and experience life to the fullest.

We have observed that:

• Travelers want easy access to destinations offering authentic experiences. 
• They want to experience ways of life outside traditional tourism areas and to meet local residents. Indigenous culture and heritage are highly desired elements of the travel experience.
• People want to spend quality time with their families while they discover new destinations; they want to savor different foods, dance to local music and hear diverse stories. 
• Visitors want to escape the confines of resorts and discover remote beaches and mountain areas of the destination. 
• Travelers are interested in sustainable travel and tourism developments that are kind to the environment and the communities that deliver service to visitors.

Next week, we will take a look at the top marketing and PR channels we recommend using in Q1.

CHTA VPs ready for service

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is heading into its 2022-2024 biennium with a new slate of vice presidents in support of current President Nicola Madden-Greig of the Courtleigh Hospitality Group in Jamaica.

The newly appointed leadership team includes:

• First Vice President – Sanovnik Destang, Executive Director of Bay Gardens Resorts Group, St. Lucia

• Second Vice President – Gregor Nassief, Chairman & CEO of GEMS Holdings Limited, which owns Secret Bay and Fort Young Hotel, Dominica

• Third Vice President – Federico Moreno-Nickerson, Vice President of Development for AMResorts/Apple Leisure Group

• Fourth Vice President – Paola Rainieri de Diaz, Chief Marketing Officer, Grupo Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

• Fifth Vice President – Bill Clegg, Regional Director, Franchise Development, Best Western Hotels & Resorts

• Treasurer – Jim Hepple, Proprietor, Tourism Analytics

Madden-Greig, who has served the association with distinction over the past year – including leading CHTA’s production of the 40th Caribbean Travel Marketplace in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as well as mounting the first annual Caribbean Travel Forum – said emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic there is greater recognition of the need to embrace continued learning, collaboration and innovation to take Caribbean tourism to the next level. 

“It is the intention of the CHTA Executive in 2023 to forge new partnerships towards tackling the climate crisis, leveraging technology, and shepherding more Caribbean entrepreneurs along the path towards sustainable wealth creation across the region,” Madden-Greig stated.

St. Thomas native lands marketing role at Coral World

Marketing professional Desireè Wilkes has taken up the role of Marketing Director for Coral World Ocean Park, one of the leading attractions for both visitors and residents in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).

Having recently served as Manager of Media and Leisure Travel with the USVI Department of Tourism, Wilkes brings a wealth of experience in sharing stories and experiences of the Virgin Islands’ rich, complex history and culture with journalists, influencers and travelers from around the world.

“As a daughter of the soil, I have a deep passion for the Virgin Islands, and I am deeply gratified to have this opportunity to bloom in the industry I love. I can’t wait to use my ideas and unique cultural lens to promote and market Coral World,” stated Wilkes.

The native St. Thomian returned to the Territory after earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing and began her professional career with the International Capital & Management Company (ICMC)Accelerated Career Development Program.

Wilkes also has extensive experience in public relations and social media and has worked with tourism-related entities – ranging from tour operators and attractions providers to lodging and marine/yachting enterprises – throughout the Virgin Islands.

She steps into the role previously held for more than 15 years by Valerie Peters, who is now Operations Director for VIP Destination Solutions, a destination management company specializing in corporate and private group events.

Coral World’s mission is “to inspire and educate visitors to protect our worldwide ocean by providing meaningful and fun experiences with marine life”. Through park experiences, exhibits and events, visitors can get close to the beauty and wonder of Caribbean marine life in a stunning setting.

Welcome to our new “Diversity in the Diaspora” series where we put the spotlight on movers and shakers across the Caribbean and African Diaspora. 

In our debut installment, we feature Elliott Ferguson, who serves as President and CEO of Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC. 

A 30-year veteran of the travel and hospitality industry, Ferguson, whose father is from the Bahamas, leads DDC’s efforts to generate economic opportunity for the District through meetings and tourism, overseeing the organization’s convention and tourism sales, marketing, finance and business development operations. 

Ferguson began his tenure with DDC in December 2001 as the Vice President of Convention Sales, became Senior Vice President of Convention Sales and Services in 2005 and has served as President and CEO since 2009. Prior to DDC, he was Director of Sales and Vice President of Sales at the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau and Director of Sales at the Savannah Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Ferguson was National Chair of the board of directors for the U.S. Travel Association from February 2019 to February 2021, where he guided the board and association’s efforts to advance policies that facilitate more international and domestic travel. He is currently chair of the compensation committee. 

In January 2021, he was named Board Chair of Tourism Diversity Matters, an organization focused on creating diversity, equity and inclusion opportunities at all levels of the workforce. He has been instrumental in advancing conversations about race and racism throughout the hospitality industry.  

Digital Digest

Content that connects

We all know that “content is king”, but constantly coming up with great content – especially content that connects organically with the target audience and generates strong engagement – can be challenging. Here are a few ideas to create content that connects.

• Celebratory Posts: A calendar created around celebratory occasions and brand messages leaves a positive impact on your target audience. The Oreo brand team, for example, is skillful at successfully linking branding messages with specific occasions.

• Functional Benefit: Every brand or service provides a benefit. How that benefit is communicated to the consumer is the difference between choosing or not choosing your product. Make the message personal and put it against the competition (tastefully) to communicate brand or service superiority.

• Product/Service Interaction: The human brain can process images 60,000 times faster than text. Therefore, while words are important it’s usually the creative that attracts attention. Use images and videos of users interacting with your brand to register higher brand recall. For example, happy guests at the hotel, a satisfying bite from a hamburger, kids enjoying on-site activities, etc.

• Faces: Ads and creatives with faces of human beings are 11 times more likely to get noticed compared with creative featuring just product. Showing real people with real emotions creates a stronger brand recall and also creates a level of trust in your brand.

Medical Moment

December is designated Constipation Awareness Month by the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD).

People who are constipated may experience one or more of the following symptoms: reduced stool frequency, hard stools, difficulty passing stools, painful bowel movements or the feeling of incomplete emptying after defecation.

Lifestyle strategies to prevent constipation include: 

• Eating more fruits, vegetables and grains, which are high in fiber
• Drinking plenty of water and other liquids
• Getting enough exercise

Constipation can also be prevented by establishing a regular time for elimination – this should be at the same time each day. A good time is after meals, and preferably at a time that is unhurried.

Individuals who have had longstanding constipation symptoms or a sudden (acute) onset of symptoms should seek medical attention.

MPE Caribbean Report

This week’s MPE Caribbean Report features Curaçao’s Minister of Economic Development and his vision for the tourism industry.

Marketplace Excellence Corporation (MPE) is a global public relations, marketing and media company.