Dominica, with a new brand and tourism outlook, is aiming to differentiate itself from the neighboring Dominican Republic.
With the launch of its new brand and logo earlier this year, tourism officials from the Caribbean’s “Nature Island” are focusing their marketing efforts on promoting five pillars – Adventure, Agrotourism/Cuisine, Health and Wellness, Aqua/Water Adventure, and Events and Entertainment – to establish a bolder identity for the island, minimize confusion in the marketplace between the two destinations, and illustrate the island’s rich attributes.
Addressing the fourth estate during last week’s Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s Destination Media Briefings in the Cayman Islands, Colin Piper, CEO of Discover Dominica Authority, said “the elephant in the room is the Dominican Republic, the same name with much more resources to spend. And so every time Dominica goes out to advertise, people think it’s the republic. And so we have to be novel, we have to be creative in the way that we go out and market and make sure we tell a story that resonates with people.”
A key destination initiative is the signing of an agreement for the construction of a new international airport with an anticipated completion date in 2025. The facility will be built on 411 acres of land near the existing Douglas-Charles airport.
Property updates for the island include the soft opening of Coulibri Ridge Eco-Resort in December 2021; Secret Bay’s plans to expand from 12 villas to 42 by 2025; and Fort Young Hotel & Dive Center’s plan to grow from 41 rooms to 101 by mid-2023. In 2023-24, anticipated new properties coming online will be Anichi Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection, and Tranquility Beach Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton.
Describing a visit to Dominica as akin to visiting an “outdoor gym and spa”, Piper also touted the importance of culture in Dominica, which is celebrated in many ways, including Carnival, Jazz ‘n Creole, and the ever-popular World Creole Music Festival, taking place October 28-30, 2022.
Piper reported that the island, which is served by nonstop American Airlines flights from Miami, has largely recovered from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017, and stayover visitor arrivals to the island are on track with projections for 2022, with the U.S. being the primary source market, followed by intra-regional Caribbean travelers.
In addition, nearly 150,000 cruise passengers arrived via 206 cruise calls, and the 2022-23 forecast calls for just over 200 port calls bringing 280,000 passengers.
“As a people, as a country, as a destination, we’re moving on and we’re more about the future than we are about the past,” he said.
You can present all kind of Catholicism crap about Dominican dominicanfriars; even in Kindergarten in Wesley we were taught Columbus named Dominica; “Dominica” because that was the day he first saw Dominica.
I do not agree he discovered Dominica; or any other part of the Caribbean!
How can one discover a place that was long inhabited by a native people: if you study history, you will remember in our school curriculum, it taught ” Columbus would stand on the docks, and watched the ships come and go.
I believe I read that in Caribbean Readers “Book llll” (four!) If anyone have a longer memory than I do, and remember in which it is written, disclose it.
I think that book was written by Harold Telemaque, EDO of Schools In San Fernando Trinidad.
Note: if he saw the ships come and, he had to know where he was going, besides Columbus Navigator was a Black man; African.
The history is already distorted, and you are distorting it even more with this Roman Catholic lie!
Before you all say I lie:
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Yes; before you all say I lie about what I said about Harold Telemaque, take a look at the following, and discover who he is or was, I don’t know if he is yet alive or dead, but I know when I was in Elementary School in Dominica, he was involved in our educational curriculum.
Perhaps that will help to shut my critics mouth, all those who claims I google; I don’t google squat; I born smart with my inherited intelligence
terary Encyclopedia — Harold Milton Telemaque
https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4340
Trinidad & Tobago, Trinidad (Birth) Trinidad & Tobago, Tobago (Primary Activity) Activities. Poet (Primary) Other Resources. … 4340 Harold Milton Telemaque 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary …
Harold Telemaque Profiles | Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/public/Harold-Telemaque
View the profiles of people named Harold Telemaque. Join Facebook to connect with…
Have you been on that nasty Nassief rum again. It’s playing havoc with that grey matter of yours, well the little bit that’s left. Please spare me a medical lecture now, Dr. med. Telemakak-Dods Etinne.
The indigenous Dominicans named their country “Waitu’ Kubuli!
How did Dominica get the name Dominica?
When Columbus ushered in the era of colonization to Dominica in 1493, the same fate that befell the Arawaks would threaten the Caribs. Ignoring the Carib name of “Waitukubuli,” Columbus renamed the island Dominica as he first made landfall on a Sunday.
The first time I heard the word (name) Waitu’Kubuli; I heard it spoken by my late uncle Sentieve Valmond to my late grandmother his sister.
As a matter of fact they were communication in the indigenous language!
Believe it or not my grandmother’s mother the late is from the village of Sinekou on the Carib Reservation!
Whereas I believe the name Dominica comes with a curse on our people and country; perhaps we should reinstate the indigenous name of our country, “Waitu’Kubuli.”
I am not sure what Colin Piper’s background is except as the head of DDA. But I have been in the sales/marketing arena long enough to know that knowing your competitor is crucial to beating them.
As I said earlier, DR is not our competitor.
For example in the industry where I work, there is another company that does what we do, but we do a few things that they don’t. Years ago we transitioned from the run of the mill commodity items to higher margin, higher end products. However that other company still thought we we competing against them. They continued to keep their prices low thinking they were protecting business from us. The fact is we had left that space years ago.
We only found out of their mindset when we hired a guy who was affiliated with their company.
We had increased our profitability 6 fold while they were just breaking even.
Knowing your competitor is marketing 101.
It’s not new branding that’s required Colin but improvement, uplifting to use the govt’s latest terminology, of the product itself. Crap in a new wrapper is still crap. And this philosophy of five pillars, has the same ring to them as the five theses expounded by Bernard Wiltshire, little understood by the average Dominican.
I am disappointed by these utterings if that’s all you can come up with after running Discover Dominica for the best part of twenty years and visiting all these international trade shows but maybe we expect too much from someone, who excites no one and has the image of a wrinkled prune. Wake up man and get some real life into this place. Maybe you could persuade Skerrit to ask the U.N. for a vote to get the Dominican Republic to desist from using our name because we got that first from Columbus, way before the D.R. used it. Now, that would cause a real razzmatazz and give us worldwide exposure at little or no cost.
I doubt that there’s confusion in the minds of the select clientele that should be the focus of our tourist initiative. They are able to differentiate between between “mass market” and “niche market”.
And “niche market” need not necessarily equate to multi-roomed five-star hotels nor international airports. But it does equate to a pristine and peaceful environment.
The problem lies with Dominica’s indecision as to which market it wants to attract. You can’t have it both ways.
Not many tourists wanting to visit Dominican Republic will mistakenly visit Dominica, and not many wanting to visit Dominica will mistakenly go to the Dominican Republic. Why? Two different markets. Dominica has nothing comparable for the tourists going to the Dominican Republic for two weeks all inclusive which usually costs the same as flight only to Dominica! We are not competitive in the Dominican Republic all inclusive budget tourism market. Most tourists flying to the Dominican Republic are on allinclusive packaged tours with airline, hotel, activities and tours included. Dominica is not in this market! Simply sell Dominica in its own rights. Promote and market Dominica in its own rights. And include our arts, artistes, culture, literature and well known international Dominican personalities to sell brand Dominica, it is all about the branding differentiation not about competing markets.
One visit to godominicanrepublic.com will immediately show you that the DR has all these attributes and many more. If there’s any differentiating factor at all between Dominica and the DR it’s the Kalinago – who are not included in his ridiculous ‘pillars’. Far fewer ‘real travelers’ confuse the two countries nowadays. But DDA doesn’t aim any kind of strategy at ‘real travelers’ – principally because not a single employee in that office has any experience of it. Piper seems to think that travellers are all as clueless as he and his staff are. But they are not. Piper has been so ineffective for so many years because he fails to understand his island properly and he doesn’t know what it’s like to put on a backpack and get under the skin of the world. It’s time he was replaced by someone who does.
It is the administrative duty of the community to support this endevour. To bring light to what we may achieve, and a new standard to grow into. This venture will bring physical and mental health to new Dominicans.
What you talking about Benton? Is not the community that administers the country. That is what we vote and pay a government for. You have this back to front my boy.
The other thing is we are nature island and have how many vegan and vegetarian restaurants? How many fresh fish 🐟 restaurants. How many organic juice bars .action speaks louder than words. Do it .put Dominica on the map as an natural orthentic experience in a paradise setting.
More night life I heard somebody say .yes I agree but be creative with it is what I ask .I would say expand on the night spa with musical entertainment. Create a roller disco in different parts of the island 🏝 bagatelle area would be a good choice in my opinion .regionally this would be probably the first roller disco .more use of the beaches ⛱️ for a Dominica 🇩🇲 experience music 🎶 fish or vegan natural drinks non alcohol and alcohol. Think outside the box .
What’s in a name. That which we call Dominica by any other name would smell just the same.
(After William Shakespeare’ Romeo and Juliet)
Same old story.
“Dominica, with a new brand and tourism outlook, is aiming to differentiate itself from the neighboring Dominican Republic.”(Colin Piper).
Colin, why don’t you simple shut up, and try to survive on your paper pedestal?
There is nothing you can do different in Dominica to compete with tourism in the Dominican Republic. In the first place there are numerous more sandy beaches in the Dominican Republic, white and fine sand not in Dominica.
That is a pull for visitors to that island: Colin even Dominicans go to the Dominican Republic on vacation, simple because of the beaches; I have relatives who go to that island for that purpose; secondly, they have direct international flights from around the world taking tourist to that island on vacation, from as far as Germany.
Here is some human saliva in your face; Americans go to the Dominican Republic on vacation, buys Condos and houses there, and make that island their home.
Have any American you know done that in Dominica?
Boy…
You Colin are so delusional, years ago you said on DNO that you were going to Nevis to get help getting more flights into and out of Dominica, not realizing that Nevis, is a small island dependent on St. Kitts.
There are no Airlines which are registered in Nevis, as far as it went while you were running your mouth talking out of your delusional mind LIAT was the airline taking people into Nevis.
Even when they arrive in St. Kitts on internationals flights. Piper, St. Kitts do have an International Airport, it was built by a Dominican in the 1960’s a man born in Castle Bruce from Antiguan parent he is the late Paul Southwell, former Premiere of St. Kitts Nevis, and Anguilla at one time.
There is an International Airport in the Dominican Republic, that is the difference you that know nothing has to deal with; scumbags in Dominica always try to compare, looking for competition, when Dominica is the most backward place on the planet!
Where is Dominica International Airport…
it is Fing amazing that Colin Piper is still employed as CEO after all those years of decline in tourism which are celebrated as success… from 206 calls last season with a projected just over 200 calls this coming season, yet he is saying that there will be an increase from 150,000 passengers to 280,000 passengers… 206 calls is just over 200, so how is the same amount of calls going to have an augmentation of 130,000 passengers when the ships remain the same? SMF… are we so gullible? all these people do is complain about having to do their jobs with nothing innovative just copy what other islands are doing…
What Piper mentioned as branding is not going to make any difference in differentiating between Dominca and the Dominican Republic. It’s simply bragging about things which are in the pipeline. When I tell people in Philadelphia that I’m from Dominca and they think it’s the Dominican Republic I simply inform then that we don’t speak Spanish. They then want to know where am I talking about is. I show them on my Yahoo weather map the location of Dominca relative to other islands that they have heard about and that peaks their interests in wanting to know more about that place. Emphasizing that we don’t speak Spanish is a simple first difference to emphasize in the branding redo. Most people know that the Dominican Republic is Spanish speaking.
Sooooooo the only tangible thing is a new logo? Building a new hotel is NOT a brand new idea that will be so amazing.
Either some new fresh ideas or DDA needs a new head cause that head haven’t brought any thing new except talk. I mean, just google DDA on DNO and you will see the same promises going yearsssss back.
If they really wanted differentiation then they would have dropped that damn Columbus word “Dominica” and replaced it with its original name “Waitukubuli”. This would have made headlines in other countries and no one would mistake Dominica for the Dominican Republic, but whatever.
On rare occasions, when I tell people I am from Dominica, they ask whether I am referring to the DR. The issue is not so much confusion between the two countries, but more so, they had never heard of Dominica. The thrust should not be to differentiate between the two, but to highlight the fact that we exist in the first place.
Let’s face it, DR and Dominica are two completely different tourism markets. A person wanting a relatively inexpensive all inclusive vacation, even if they know about Dominica will not be visiting our shores even when they know a thing or two about the two destinations. DR is not our competitor. So to spend money to differentiate between the two places is not money well spent. We need to increase exposure of the place to make more people know we exist.
We should focus our marketing effort on creating awareness of our exixtence.
@zandoli, I am not surprise most Americans are hopeless on geography anyway, having said that, I fully agree with you even on my European driving licence in Spain they put place of birth Dominican Republic, I believe we should have a name change!!
If someone does not know the difference, Dominica from the Dominican Republic, it is simply ignorance on their part. You are entitled to your opinion but you if you do not understand something do not be quick to condemn. Highlighting the fact that Dominica exist does not necessary attract visitors to the Country for a vacation. To suggest that DR is not our competitor shows you do not understand what Tourism is, they are our competitor aren’t both Countries seeking the same thing, getting people to visit and vacation boosting their economies, bottom line.
People choose to visit a Country for a myriad of reason, but in the end it is what appeals to them, and that’s where a marketing plan comes in. This Government has done more to improve our Tourism
industry than any Government in our history. I have always questioned why it has taken us so long to understand the importance of Tourism when other Countries had done so before us, now we are trying to catch up.
Let me give you a quick lesson in marketing. General Motors and Rolls-Royce both make vehicles that take you from point A to point B, but they are not competitors.
They do not cater to the same market. The same applies to Dominica and DR.
We need to carve out our own space based on our strengths.
DR offers mostly mass tourism and has the resources to support it, we don’t.
When I said we need to increase awareness of our existence, it is just another way to say brand exposure.
So you have become a marketing Guru who wants to give lessons, lol. Now you are going from Product Tourism to Car Manufactures. General Motors and Rolls-Royce both make vehicles which compete against each other brand, and that makes them competitors https://www.thestreet.com/technology/gm-has-its-herm%C3%A8s-car-to-take-on-rolls-royce
Back to Tourism, it is not about we need to carve out our own space based on our strengths as you believe, that is not how Product Tourism works, it is not about us and our own space. Doesn’t Dominica have mass Tourism, of course we do, isn’t that what Secret Bay prides itself off and win awards, so what are you talking about. DR does the same thing with their resorts, so is Cuba and Jamaica all competing. What you need to understand, Dominica is a late player in the game, and this Government must be complimented for what they are doing, considering
where we were in Tourism 20 – 30 years ago.
Of course you are right, spin doctor!? For everyone’s benefit, do qualify your bold statement: ‘This Government has done more to improve our Tourism industry than any Government in our history’. I have been informed that the number of visitors has constantly declined over the past 10 years. All your CM has done, give CBI money to his hotelier cabal friends to either fund or improve their places. In case of the Anichi Resort, which was to open in autumn 2019 all building activity has stoped all together but one question remains, what happened to the money??? Could you remind us who the developer for this project is? Does this developer have any experience to tackle a project like that? Is that what you mean when you state that this government has done more to improve our tourism? More hotel ruins on the nature isle? Gary, I suggest you just haven’t got what it takes to be taken seriously. So long, Sucker!
What is bold about my statement, “This Government has done more to improve our Tourism industry than any Government in our history” that I need to qualify for you, lol, be satisfied with your ignorance, unwillingness, and partisan political beliefs which prevent you from seeing things as they truly are, and which makes you not worthy of the truth. What is it that makes me a sucker, because you say so, lol, you got such a childish imagination to call someone a sucker.
Your statement “More hotel ruins on the nature isle” really, it is minds like yours that ruins our nature isle, it seems you want us in Dominica to be still in dark ages. As to the rest of your comment, be content with making assumptions and not knowing the facts, that tells me you are the typical CULT follower of the political agenda swiping through the Country. The people of Dominica have elected a Government, and it is working for them.
Ok, your statement wasn’t bold. It was a boldfaced lie. Is that better for you? Seriously man, you are as crazy as they come!! What’s happening to the Anichi Resort? You can’t answer or you refuse to answer. As said before, you just haven’t got it. Stay out of here with your school boy mentality!
“If someone does not know the difference, Dominica from the Dominican Republic, it is simply ignorance on their part. ”
Gary, I will try not to say anything that might seem insulting to you; but on many occasions people from the United States, Canada, and Europe have mailed parcels, and letters to Dominica went to the Dominican Republic prior to getting to Dominica.
So, who do you suppose is ignorant, the post office official or the sender?
Once for a whole week it was advertised on Television that there was going to be a presentation (documentary) on Dominica, I suspect every Dominican from Dominica in the United tuned in on ABC to view it; I did only to discover the documentary was on the Dominican Republic and not backward Dominica.
Blame our backwardness!
After Independence, Patrick John named Dominica “The Commonwealth of Dominica, which clearly distinguished Dominica from the Dominican Republic, how many times you saw a Dominican mailed a letter to Dominica as…
It looks like every month Dominica is re branding. I have a idea, why don’t we change the name of the island of skero island 🤣😂 land of many thiefs and rivers
Change the name to Chinica. Dominica can be easily categorised as a colony of China. We already have China hospital, China State College, Roseau becoming a China business zone, and not too long Mandarin will be the official language.
Before you rebrand Dominica “gason”, the plural of “thief” is “Thieves”.
It doesn’t make any difference, a thief and thieves should all be all in Stockfarm.
Change the name to Waitukubuli if you want to differentiate it from the Dominican Republic plain and simple….
Dominica needs to adhere to a governance agenda to be an economic, viable society. Beautiful words from an underperforming, decadent government won’t change anything.
The things will attract strangers to Dominica are friendly people, clean, pristine environment, good governance, a low crime rate, good medical facilities, etc.
Sweet, sounding lies, a damaged environment, and an ailing economy would not sell.
Why don’t you think before you make an informed opinion https://jis.gov.jm/jamaica-earned-us3-64-billion-from-tourism-in-2019-welcomed-4-3-million-visitors/ now tell me is it friendly people, clean, pristine environment, good governance, a low crime rate, good medical facilities, etc. that truly accounts for such income for the Country Tourism. The Country you love to bash China https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/CHN/china/tourism-statistics do you think that people go there because of what you perceive based on political partisan beliefs.
Man I hate to be a party pooper but until Skerro and his gang takes serious interest in cleaning Roseau and there is more night life activities we are just belching hot bubbles. Yes, Roseau literally stinks, smells, santee and after 5:00 Pm there is really nothing happening in capital where most people would expect night life activities except for a few rum shops selling Bwa-Banday, Chook-chook, Nanny and bakes with fry chicken.
On another note, we need to see more police officers on the Beats for security instead of at Morne Daniel. Why do we need all these officers at Morne Daniel every night while criminals are roaming the streets of the capital freely. Only the brave dare to walk in certain parts of Roseau and environs after nightfall.
A wholesome approach is needed not just blah blah blah! If you ask me, Pipe-her has ran out of innovative ideas and change is needed at the helm. Send him to run the Palace on the hill at Morne Daniel.
You know, as a strategist I have learnt that there are many solutions, choices and options towards solving the same problem, but not all are equally efective, only one is!
The most effective, innovative, efficient and dynamic solution to differentiate Dominica from the neighboring Dominican Republic is to get rid of the “Dominica” name and rename our island of Dominica completely!
We could debate the name, hold referendum, have a naming competition, vote on a name, but we can change the name, several countries did this after independence, we can do this.
This is where Dominica got its name from, nothing to do with the coincidental Sunday discovery:
“The fifteenth century was the age of exploration, and the Dominicans became active missionaries to the newly discovered lands. An important advocate of Christopher Columbus’ great venture of 1492 was Bishop Diego de Deza, the Dominican bishop of Palencia, whose own goal was to establish missions along Columbus’ proposed route. Diego persuaded local Dominicans to plead with Queen Isabella for financing for Columbus’ expedition, this securing his own objective as well. Isabella I of Spain (1451-1504) was known as the Catholic Queen because of her strong faith. Her confessors were Dominican friars, and she ensured that Dominican monasteries and convents in Spain were protected from attack. Isabella’s patronage of Columbus made possible his discovery of America; this great legacy is noted by Columbus’ ship in the background.” https://dominicanfriars…
Saint Dominic and the Dominican Order of Friars Preachers where the Caribbean island of Dominica got its name from. https://dominicanfriars.org/dominican-pleading-with-queen-isabella/
My brother, whenever research/truth is presented and being disseminated to our people, they kick a.s and throw a fit because they feel comfortable in their European skin. They can’t even keep their accent away from Dominica because they are ashamed. Who are the best people to teach and write our Story? We have learnt and lived the way of our slave masters
and it’s difficult to let it go.
Peace to you, my brother and keep up the great work. You also enlighten me sometimes.
@Truth Be Told, after suggesting to get rid of the name “Dominica in your first post, you come back again, saying that “the name has nothing to do with the coincidental Sunday discovery” Do you know what Sunday means “Domingo” in Spanish?
Then you went on and on about Christopher Columbus and Isabella of Spain, how is the name “Dominica”, which Columbus discovered on a Sunday, coincidental?
Just so you know that Domingo is Spanish, Dominicus is Latin, and Dominique is French, all three means Sunday, the day that Christopher Columbus Discovered Dominica.
Also the people whom Columbus met on the Island were Caribs and Arawak, what are you talking about some Bishop Diego de Deza, (person) persuading local Dominicans to plead with Queen Isabella for financing for Columbus’ expedition”? You are not making any sense.
Just to mention that the people (Caribs and Arawak), whom Christopher Columbus met on the Island of Dominica, are now referred to as the Indigenous Peoples’
Liz they have always been the indigenous; they are indigenous to Dominica, and not only Dominica, but the entire America’s which includes the mainland America.
Indigenous peoples, also referred to as First people, Aboriginal people, Native people, or autochthonous people, are culturally distinct ethnic groups who are native to a particular place.
Simply, they are called indigenous because they are first people to inhabit the Caribbean!
Saint Dominic and the Dominican Order of Friars Preachers where the Caribbean island of Dominica got its name from. https://dominicanfriars.org/dominican-pleading-with-queen-isabella/
Oh hell no to changing the name of my beloved land!
We already have an additional name Waitukubuli and some don’t even want to consider it so why even go through such exercise.
On another note if we ever try that it will give the Dictator the perfect opportunity to name it after his wife. I can see the world laughing at us when we say we come from BOOWICNICA.
.
The DR is not Dominica’s competition. It’s as simple as that. This lame excuse of confusion between the two countries is long played out.
Before Dominica markets properly to the world, the country has to ready.
Dominica is not ready for what it is asking for, absolutely no nightlife, honest infrastructure, reliable private and public transportation, assessable modern healthcare, none of theses basic needs are existent, try with these first please.
Bang on brother. Our so called taxis don’t even have a meter so how do you truly know you paying the right fare and are not being chiselled. I’m not saying we are all crooks but we could be more professional. Colin wake up from your slumber if it not already too late.
We already have a name “Waitukubuli”
Clean up Roseau, break down all those dilapidated houses, cut the grass on all those vacant lots, like the lot in front of the guesthouse in Goodwill. Nice place but a broken down house next door and a jungle across the street. Really start by beautifying Roseau. Good start, remove all those derelict vehicles that’s scattered all over the place.
Learn from the other islands that have been successful at marketing the country. It’s not brain surgery.
Poly Sye, It’s a pity your single brain is in your ahole and not your head as nature intended to.
My god, what an incompetent man. Read carefully through the article, nothing but pie in the sky. Apart from one, none of these hotels he mentioned are not even completed yet. Soft opening, my food!
Also he states: ‘Caribbean’s “Nature Island” are focusing their marketing efforts on promoting five pillars – Adventure, Agrotourism/Cuisine, Health and Wellness, Aqua/Water Adventure, and Events and Entertainment – to establish a bolder identity for the island, minimize confusion in the marketplace between the two destinations, and illustrate the island’s rich attributes’. Piper, which adventure, which agrotourism, which health and wellness… and cuisine? The food on this island is as mediocre as the accommodation. Thanks, but no thanks!