CHA official urges aggressive marketing of Caribbean now
MIAMI, Florida — The increasing possibility of war between the United States and Iraq has triggered renewed calls for Caribbean tourism authorities to aggressively market the region as a safe haven.
The latest call has come from the new director-general of the Caribbean Hotel Association, Alex Sanguinetti, who urged industry officials to join regional tourism efforts to position the Caribbean as a preferred, peaceful haven.
“Our life really needs the Caribbean,” said Sanguinetti, while noting that the Caribbean was “politically stable, safe, close to North America and is a more strategic choice for those who want to spend quality time with their loved ones”.
According to the director-general, even in the face of war, North Americans still consider travel an essential part of their lifestyle.
“So despite concerns about international travel,” he stressed, “now is the time to hit the pavement and aggressively pursue business.”
Sanguinetti who is also a senior representative of the Caribbean Hotel Association Charitable Trust (CHACT), pointed out that the new ‘Life Needs the Caribbean’ regional marketing campaign is helping member destinations through difficult market conditions.
“Our marketing and advertising efforts are stimulating demand in a tough market,” he said. “But we’ll need all hands on deck to make it through the winter season.”
Last fall, CHACT launched the US$16-million campaign to market and promote the Caribbean as a single destination. The trust, a public/private sector alliance, united major hotel chains, airlines and credit card companies with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, Caricom and non-Caricom nations for the extensive US television campaign. The second phase of this TV campaign has just been completed.
There are 18 destinations participating in the CHACT campaign: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Maarten, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos and the United States Virgin Islands.