Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) continues to promote staycation as a way to increase business for the sector during the summer months.
This was according to Director of Tourism, Colin Piper while addressing the launching ceremony of staycation 2021 on Friday.
Staycation 2021 is expected to run from June to August.
“Staycation is an opportunity for nationals and returning nationals to experience the tourism product of the destination,” he said.
Piper revealed that promotions for staycation started in 2012 and for 2020, “we saw the greatest participation.”
“At the end of October 2020 there were over 700 bookings for accommodation and over 900 persons participated in total,” he stated.
This he said was a great source of revenue for the local tourism service provider during the time when the traditional tourists were unable to travel.
Piper encouraged participants to discover the many activities that include hiking, diving and snorkeling, canyoning, whale watching, waterfalls, rivers and beaches.
He went on to say that one of the things the DDA relies on to promote the destination is user generated content.
“During the Pandemic many things were lockdown, we were not getting as much content as we did previously,” Piper remarked. “Participants of staycation 2021 are therefore encouraged to take loads of pictures, videos and to post on social media.”
Meantime, Marketing Executive of Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) Samantha Letang said this year a total of 9 accommodation partners and 4 tour operators are participating in staycation 2021.
She said these partners are (NISE) certified; these are the Nature Island Standards of Excellence certification that is being done by DDA.
“They are also Covid-19 certified by the environmental health department,” she said.
According to Letang, these 9 accommodation partners are Secret Bay, Fort Young Hotel, The Champ located in Portsmouth, Atlantique View Resort, Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski, Jungle Bay, Rosalie Bay Resort, Sea Cliff Cottages and Picard Beach Cottages.
The four tour companies are Extreme Dominica specialized in canyoning, Waitikubuli Adventure Tours who will be doing both land-based and water-based activities, Decide on Dominica also doing land-based and water-based activities and Sheppee Fun Tours.
Letang said many of the properties and tour operators intend to extend their promotion beyond these 3 months.
She encourages all Dominicans to take part in staycation this year
Staycation – on an island that’s about 35 miles by 15 ? Why would anyone do that ? Who can afford it ? These DDA people and their bosses in the MOT have seriously lost the plot.
Where is the money coming from for this?
Garcon, Staycation 2021 will be at my home
New shirts, new tourism strategy.
How many people have signed up for Work In Nature ?
How many people turned up to the DDA’s vaccination drive ?
How many people think DDA is effective and worth paying for ?
How many people think Samantha has perfected the art of learning how to sleep with her eyes open when Piper talks ?
How many people who work in DDA and the Ministry of Tourism go hiking, scuba diving, or indeed do anything outside of putting on fancy clothes and sitting in an office feeling important ?
What a waste of time and money.
Staycation is for those who have extra money or savings. Only the few elites and the politically well connected have that ‘loose change’ on hand at this moment in time. This may work if all sectors of the economy are white hot.
Incentivize the economy by giving a stimulus package using some of the billions of dollars of the CBI money one foreign contractor is in control of. Give very low interest loans (1%) and grants to entrepreneurs with a proven tract record. Revitalize agriculture. Give special incentives to local agro-processors. Bring back light manufacturing.
It just needs astute and visionary leadership and a caring and people-centered government. The major problem with our political leaders Is that self comes 1st, 2nd and 3rd and the people are seen as just mere votes.
Every year the same, talk, talk and more talk. That’s all we ever get from these people. I just hope none of them earns more than EC$500.00 per month. That’s all they are worth. Sad but true! Mediocrity rules Dominica.
Need I remind mr. Piper that apart from it being the hurricane season, Covid restrictions are still in place for visitors coming from overseas. As far as the U.K. is concerned, Dominica is a red zone country and quarantine
, which can cost £1,500 per person, is compulsory upon return and this applies to everyone, Dominicans not excepted.
Y u telling tales?