DDA makes sales pitch in Guadeloupe

Colin Piper

Director of Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) Colin Piper has been promoting  Dominica in Guadeloupe upon the invitation of the Institut de Cooperation Franco Caraibes, (ICFC), an organization which promotes the implementation of cooperation between Guadeloupe and the countries and territories of the Caribbean.

“The primary purpose of the visit was to deliver a couple of presentations, one on eco-tourism and sports tourism in the Caribbean, given a Dominican perspective during a breakfast meeting and the second one was to give a presentation on cultural tourism in the Caribbean, again with a Dominican perspective to the public,” Piper explained.

He said another purpose of the visit was to promote the upcoming World Creole Music Festival (WCMF). “The secondary purpose was to meet with a number of stake-holders here in Guadeloupe, including the Dominica Guadeloupe Association, to meet with Air Antilles Express in respect of potentially an air chatter to Dominica for the World Creole Music Festival and also establishing service later on …to meet with the French press to discuss with them what is happening in Dominica from a tourism perspective so that the island can continue to benefit from the brand awareness and call to action for persons to visit Dominica,” Piper said.

The DDA director said that he was very impressed with the response and interest that is shown in Dominica in the French island. He said the press coverage was encouraging, receptive and interested in what Dominica is doing regarding sports, cultural and eco-tourism.

He added that the discussions held with Air Antilles Express were positive and he hopes that they will bear fruit in terms of air service into Dominica from the French West Indies.

Also on the visit to Guadeloupe was, Marketing Executive of the DDA, Daphne Vidal who attended a press conference and fund raising event organized by the K’NAWA Association of Guadeloupe.  The Association is organizing a kanawa (Canoe) crossing to Guadeloupe starting in Portsmouth on October 20, and Dominica was invited to attend the press launch of the event in Belle Plaine, Abymes on October 7.

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9 Comments

  1. Malatete
    October 10, 2012

    Commencing 28 Oct. AirFrance will commence a trice-weekly service from Paris to St. Lucia (Castries) in collaboration with Air Antilles, which will connect with the AF flight from Paris. Passengers will be able to book their flight- and check their luggage straight through to St. Lucia from any European airport served by Air France/KLM. We can only dream of this. There is not even a scheduled air service between Dominica and Martinique!

    • Anonymous
      October 13, 2012

      Interesting comment but it is not clear. Is it Air France or Air Antilles that is coming to St Lucia? Is Air Antilles like a back-up if Air France is having difficulty? I do not understand. Please explain. Thank you.

  2. Malatete
    October 10, 2012

    Not before time!Guadeloupe and Martinique, our immediate neighbours,represent a market of some 900,000 people, 50% more than the entire OECS. We share a cultural, linguistic and historical background. This must be our first market of choice, not only in terms of tourism but als with regard to trade. I applaud any effort to strenghten our ties, especially since the advent of the EPA, but this should be on a sustained basis.

    • Bluuuuhhh
      October 11, 2012

      100%.

      I think that will be the last we hear of it though. It will be all WCMF and nothing else.

      It is way sexier in the minds of DDA and DHTA to fly to NYC and try getting 4 divers than it is to go next door and grab 100,000 tourists.

      They spend SO much money on USA. It is just donkeyness. get over to Martinique and Gwada and do this properly.

  3. es zort la
    October 10, 2012

    are you guys there… well, well, well, colin piper, waste of tax payers money… u just dont seem able to bear fruits. u barren garcon

  4. Peace
    October 10, 2012

    The DDA should also try to build relations with Trinidad, promote World Creole Music Festival in that country and work along with Caribbean Airlines to create packages for these people to visit Dominica. Caribbean Airline have Dash 8 and ATR planes that can do the service. Bahamas is another potential market exchange of culture from junkanoo in the Bahamas to WCMF in Dominica. Bahamas Air has Aircraft like Eagle that can make the flights to Dominica we have the potential, use it. I want to be apart of DDA, how can I join?

  5. Bluuuuhhh
    October 10, 2012

    Great news. But more effort please. The Creole festival is great, but only once a year … we need affort for year round.

    The FWI are THE best place for us to promote our island. Easy access and high populations. 1.3 million people in the 2 islands. A few adverts in the paper and … easy.

    That air access is OK news. But if the Gwada tourist is going anywhere except Marigot, it’s almost quicker to swim. 30 minute to airport in Gwada, 1 hour in Gwada airport, 10 minutes flight, 30 minutes in DA airport, 1 hour taxi ride to Possie or Roseau. 3 hours. eek.

    Work with the ferries to operate a better schedule that works for international passengers (extra afternoon departures from Guadeloupe and Martinique?) then no overnight there. There are direct flights to Paris, Miami, Montreal and Santo Domingo and other places from there.

    Work with the customs here to move quicker to get the tourists OFF the ferry and spending in DA and not standing around for 2 hours (In December/Jan) waiting while they look at every returning Dominican’s boxes of presents for the grandchildren.

    That is affordable and will work.

  6. shakespere
    October 9, 2012

    you joking,,,i have been hearing about closer relations with our french bros for years ,,,when we have nothing else to say we seem to keep brining up this subject,,,,,,yes the french islands are our un tapped resource deeeeer,,,,we are piggy in the middle of two euoropean countries yet we always look to the west and cry about access well guess what eienstien the forest is the trees infront of you,,,how much are you getting paid to go in circles and do NOITHING,,

  7. river
    October 9, 2012

    Act like a manager if u say u are one check your staff background before they travel

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