As Dominica continues to make strides in its post-Maria recovery, stakeholders in the tourism industry are going out to promote the island as “open and ready for business, though not as usual.”
Director of Tourism, Colin Piper, along with Hervé Nizard, Dominica’s representative for the French West Indies Market, held a press conference in Gosier, Guadeloupe on Tuesday, February 27, 2018, to update partners in the tourism business in Guadeloupe on the situation in Dominica after Hurricane Maria.
“It is not business as usual, it is slightly different, and we want to be able to communicate in the best way to the public here in Guadeloupe, and also what we learn from here, to the people in Martinique,” Piper said.
Nizard made reference to the government’s decision to make Dominica the first climate resilient country in the world, saying it is a very good move which he said. brought three distinct personalities to Dominica: the United Nation’s Secretary General, António Guterres, Britain’s Prince Charles and former US President Bill Clinton.
He said, these personalities expressed interest in Dominica’s recovery, which serves as a boost for the Island’s tourism industry.
He also stated that 19 of the 23 main official natural sites of interest are presently accessible with almost 400 hotel rooms presently available among the hotels which have recommenced operations. He stressed that they are open for business, but not as usual, meaning, they are not able to offer all the luxuries of a normal operating hotel.
Nizard also encouraged the tour operators in Guadeloupe to speak the truth to their visitors who wish to visit Dominica, by not promising them all the luxuries that they will find in a well-furnished hotel.
He said efforts are being made to prepare the island’s main hotels to be ready for the 2018 edition of the World Creole Music Festival.
Dominica, Nizard said, is not only open for persons who want to visit and to have a good time, but also for those who would like to come to make a contribution in areas such as cleaning of sites or assisting on the rebuilding process.
At the press conference, there were representatives from Air Antilles, Carib Holidays, Navitour Voyages, Espaces Evasion, Express Des Isles, France Antilles, Guadeloupe Premiere, Tropical Tours, Passion Outremer, among others.
Piper dont you have marketing officers who can go promote for you?
Piper need the travel money to sewo… that is why his marketing officers must stay home while Piper travelling
Dominica is a mess. we need businesses that can come in and help us rebuild better and add some kind of value to what Maria left dominica with. not tourists to come and walk around debris and mud and broken homes and communities.