The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter offers travel, tourism, Caribbean and global news weekly. To share stories, information or intelligence, contact us at [email protected]

OCTOBER 31, 2022

Caribbean counsel joins Miami visitors bureau

Caribbean-American attorney and community organizer Marlon Hill is among 15 professionals to join the board of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB).

Hill, who received a 2019 Leadership Award from the Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx), is an attorney with Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman and represents businesses, entrepreneurs and local and international governments in corporate, intellectual property, and government matters.

“I am honored to serve in this leadership role to elevate our Miami destination brand locally and internationally and to open new doors of opportunity and inclusion,” said Hill. 

“Greater Miami and the Beaches and the Caribbean region share a mutual interest in nurturing a vibrant ecosystem for hospitality and tourism. We both endeavor to create similar authentic experiences for our visitors and to stimulate economic opportunities for our industry stakeholders,” he added.

Also joining the board is Michael Hooper, who has Bahamian roots and currently serves as the general manager of Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon; and Felecia Hatcher, CEO of Black Ambition Opportunity Fund, who is of Jamaican heritage.

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official accredited destination sales and marketing organization for Greater Miami and Miami Beach.

“It is incumbent that we continuously recruit and develop a board that is representative of the sectors and constituents we promote and serve,” said GMCVB Chairman of the Board of Directors Bruce Orosz.

“This group joins an already outstanding team of board members and I look forward to collaborating with them as we strive to maintain the outstanding momentum our organization and our industry is experiencing,” he added.

For more information, visit https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/press-room/miami-press-releases/gmcvb-2022-annual-meeting.

Cayman Islands lands T+L cover story

The Cayman Islands was among the last destinations in the Caribbean to fully reopen its doors to leisure travelers, and tourism officials aren’t wasting any time getting back to the business of marketing this marquee destination.

The tourism team is led by accomplished marketing professional Rosa Harris, who serves as Director of Tourism, and Minister of Tourism and Transport Kenneth Bryan, who simultaneously holds the role of Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Minister Bryan has brought both vision and action to his role to aggressively promote the destination’s tourism pillar in the marketplace.

The team scored a big win when the Cayman Islands landed November’s cover story in the prestigious Travel + Leisure magazine, written by prolific Caribbean-American journalist Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon. 

“I’m so thrilled to have my first feature and first cover story in the November issue of Travel + Leisure, on newsstands now!” the author commented on social media.

“Back in January I was the first journalist to visit the Cayman Islands after they reopened to tourism. And as I delved into Grand Cayman’s arts scene, I was so happy to discover a new side to the island. Trust me, it’s so much more than Seven Mile Beach! Pick up the issue for all the deets …” she added.

You can read all about it here: https://www.travelandleisure.com/cayman-islands-art-galleries-museums-6752405

Route du Rhum Transat Race sets sail to Guadeloupe

An expected 138 competitors will set sail from the historic port of Saint-Malo in Brittany, France to Guadeloupe on November 6 at 1:02 p.m. Central European Time. 

The event is the 12th edition of the ‘Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe’ sailing race.

Established in 1978, the event takes place every four years and is one of the leading transatlantic single-handed races in the world. Skippers will sail alone, crossing the Atlantic to Guadeloupe over a period of up to one month.

The race will culminate at Guadeloupe’s Mémorial Acte, a landmark at the bay of Pointe-à-Pitre that acknowledges the history of the slave trade that once took place along the same route.

Numerous festive activities are taking place at the port of departure in Saint-Malo, France through November 6, and similarly in Guadeloupe from November 11 when the first winners of the transatlantic sailing race are expected to arrive.

For more information, visit https://www.routedurhum.com/en.

Getting your story “write”

The ABCs of writing for the media

A: Authentic

When writing for the media, one of the most important things to do is to be authentic. Journalists can smell a sales pitch a mile away, and they aren’t interested in printing ad copy or using a quote from a source who is just trying to plug their product. Journalists want to talk to knowledgeable people who can speak about newsworthy topics, who can offer different perspectives and who have a good (authentic) story to tell.

Present your clients as experts in their field who can speak about issues relevant to their industry. Be honest when you’re communicating with the media, tell the truth about your clients and what they are working on or promoting. If a journalist wants to interview your client about a topic on which they’re not well versed, let the journalist know it might not be a good fit and suggest an alternative topic. You’ll be doing both the journalist and your client a favor.

Ultimately, journalists are looking for a good story – but it must be a true story. Encourage your client to share a media-appropriate story about how they discovered their passion for music or how they began their business, but make sure they never embellish or make up anecdotes. If both you and your client are honest and authentic, you will be able to get your stories told.

Digital Digest

Collaboration Tools

Choosing the right collaboration tool for your organization is one key to efficiency in today’s fast-paced work culture. While many offer “one-stop” solutions, an organization should understand all available options before making a decision. Here are some common collaboration tool types:

• Shared & Task Calendars: These tools keep all members and cross-functional teams synchronized with ongoing tasks, meetings, deliverables and deadlines. Ideal for large teams working virtually. 

• Conferencing Tools: The basic function is to support virtual meetings via video and audio communication. With features like connected storage and whiteboards, these solutions offer great value-added bonuses.

• Whiteboards: Ideal for creative teams and project managers. Multiple people can drop, edit, share and work on ideas via a virtual canvas. Whiteboards offer a great solution for creative brainstorming and task management.

• Project Management: The most popular and well-rounded solutions offer multiple services under one application. These tools are used for project tracking, task assignment, meetings, file sharing and offer more via plugins. They are ideal for any organization of any size.

Drop us a line if you need to learn more about available options.

Medical Moment

World Diabetes Day takes place on November 14, 2022.

Diabetes is one of the most common non-communicable diseases (NCD) worldwide. It is characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. The most common is type 2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn’t make enough insulin.

According to the Caribbean Public Health Agency, type 2 diabetes can be prevented. The effects can be avoided or delayed with diet, physical activity, medication and regular screening and treatment for complications.  

With the right treatment and care, persons living with diabetes can live a healthy life, and complications from diabetes can be prevented by:  

• Taking medication as instructed by a health care provider
• Having regular screening and treatment for complications
• Practicing a healthy lifestyle

MPE Caribbean Report

In this week’s MPE Caribbean Report, we feature an eco-pioneer’s call for the Caribbean to take urgent steps to mitigate the impact of climate change. Click here to learn what Ewald Biemans is doing to advance sustainability initiatives in Aruba.

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