29 JUL 2019: It was a beautiful evening, perfect for a cruise on Lake Ontario with the good folks from St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Not that our lake, or the beaches of Toronto Island as lovely as we may think them, can begin to compare with what our Vincy friends are used to – in fact we were pretty cheeky to even show them off – but then, they were kind enough not to scoff.
Our cruise mates included Glen Beache, CEO of St. Vincent and The Grenadines Tourism Authority, along with director of sales, Shelley John, assistant director of sales, Andrew Phillips and Rose Gonzalez, director, product development at Air Canada Vacations. Susan Webb president of VoX International who made it all happen, along with her colleague Hannah Choat. The skipper of the ‘Insomnia’ was Captain John Marraffino president of VCM Media.
We cruised past the Island airport, stopped at the Amsterdam Brewery for a delivered-on-board pizza and then sailed over to the Island where we anchored and enjoyed a spectacular view of the Toronto skyline.
The group was relaxed after a lunch event at the Boulevard Club earlier in the day.
Beache was appreciative of the Canadian market, which has helped his destination off to a quick start this year.
This summer St. Vincent and the Grenadines has seen a 99.6 percent load factor and while Beache attributed that to several factors, at the top of the list is the debut of the first international airport (SVD).
The construction of the US $250-million Argyle International Airport is a game changer for the tourism industry in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Air Canada Rouge was the first global airline to offer nonstop direct service two years ago, and ever since Canadians have been arriving to enjoy this off-the-beaten path Caribbean destination.
“It’s a relatively new destination,” Beache said of the 32 islands and cays, admitting St. Vincent and The Grenadines was one of the last ones to come to the tourism table.
“We’re late compared to some of our competition. But that comes with its pluses and minuses. In the world of marketing its always good to be the first on the scene to have your product marketable whether you perfected it or not. I think because we weren’t first, we are able to look at some of our neighbours and make sure we don’t make some of the same mistakes.”
And, why is Canada doing so well?
“We are putting much more effort into our marketing and advertising here in Canada,” said Beache. There is the
Canadian tourism office with Shelley John and Andrew Phillips, along with the addition of VoX International for Canadian PR/marketing representation.
St. Vincent and The Grenadines has seen a 16.9 percent increase in Canadian visitor arrivals and forecasts 10,000 more Canadian visitors by the year end.
“For the past two years we have had a bigger presence in Canada than ever before,” said Beache.
“We couldn’t do it without travel agents, which is why they are one of our main focuses throughout the year,” said Shelly John, reminding us that product launches and road shows will take place in October in Kitchener, London and Toronto (Ontario) as well as Vancouver.
“We’re definitely focused on engaging travel agents and trying to get them down themselves and build more awareness of the destination.”
While St. Vincent and The Grenadines is actively attracting tourism, Beache said it is not interested in “mass tourism.”
“It’s not our cup of tea. At present we have approximately 2,200 rooms. If we can get it to between 3,500 and 4,000 we would be really good there.
“I don’t want any Canadians, or any visitors, to come to St. Vincent and The Grenadines and look around and see so many visitors you feel as if you haven’t left home. We want you to come and experience what our culture is. About what it is to be in the St. Vincent and The Grenadines.”
Beache notes the unique islands and beaches, “I consider St. Vincent and The Grenadines the most diverse product in the Caribbean.
“I always say the perfect posters of the St. Vincent and The Grenadines would be ‘black sand that merges into a white sand beach: St. Vincent and The Grenadines choose one.’
“We’re the only destination in the Caribbean that really can offer this. It’s something we’re really proud of. St. Vincent is a volcanic island the rest of the islands are coral islands.”
And coming soon new hotel openings and more rooms:
- A 99-room Holiday Inn Express
• A 250-room property by the Library Hotel Collection
• A Soho Hotels property on the island of Canouan
• The reopening of Buccament Bay in 2020
• A major 250-room all-inclusive resort
There are 32 islands and cays, unspoiled natural attractions and luxurious hideaways – the destination is clearly ready to impress and embrace visitors. The Tourism Ministry reports four niche markets:
- sailing/yachting
• diving
• romance: weddings/honeymoons
• ecotourism/adventure
Yachting and sailing enthusiasts come to St. Vincent to enjoy the secluded bays and lagoons, and some of the best marina facilities in the world, including the US $250 million Glossy Bay Marina on Canouan.
A favourite for under water enthusiasts is Tobago Cays, comprising of five islands (Petit Rameau, Baradel, Petit Bateau, Jamesby and Petit Tabac) surrounded and shielded by an enormous horseshoe reef – some of the most colourful and diverse ecosystems of undersea life you can find anywhere in the Caribbean.
For adventurers there is hiking along the mountainous Vermont Nature Trail, kite surfing on Union Island, diving in a bat cave, and swimming in a crater of the La Soufriere volcano.
Glen Beache says, “I think the Canadian travelling public are more adventurous and have a greater appreciation for the diversity and different cultures throughout the world. I think St. Vincent and The Grenadines is exactly the kind of destination Canadians really want to see.”
And getting there has never been easier thanks to Air Canada Rouge’s direct service twice weekly from Toronto, during the peak winter travel season and once weekly year-round.
St. Vincent and The Grenadines – time to try something different.
A beach in St Vincent & the Grenadines and one on Toronto Island.