DOING IT DIFFERENTLY: Agents get – and give – the goods on Guadeloupe

By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ In late March, the Guadeloupe Tourism Committee (GTC) hosted five accomplished travel advisors from Ontario to help them get to know the Caribbean islands intimately and in person – and to share what they learned as the French-Caribbean destination continues to make inroads in English-speaking Canada.

A long-time favourite for the Quebec market, Guadeloupe for the first time this winter saw direct flights from Toronto courtesy of Air Canada, which has renewed the service already for next winter. (In the meantime, visitors can still connect through Montreal and Quebec City with Air Canada and Transat).

Travel Industry Today accompanied the agents, who spent a full week in the destination, visiting three of Guadeloupe’s six primary islands. And here is what they had to say:

TAMMY MORGAN – Maritime Travel, Pickering, Ont.

“I think Guadeloupe is a very, very different destination compared to the normal Mexico and Dominican Republic that most people travel to in the Caribbean. It’s not your typical all-inclusive destination and is not overrun with all-inclusive hotels, one after another on the beach. And it is French, and I don’t think we have enough of those that people want to try it out.

The hotels and resorts we saw are very different, you have a lot of kitchenettes. I love adventure travel and I think you definitely need to rent a car for the destination – people need to get out of their comfort zones of the all-inclusive scenario. The roads are fabulous, the people are fabulous. I think you need a little bit of French, even if you use Google Translate. I absolutely loved it.

I think Guadeloupe (For English Canadians) is absolutely undiscovered. In my 30 years as an agent, I don’t think I’ve had anybody asked me about it – except recently when this “Death in Paradise (a popular British TV show on streaming) has come up, and people are becoming more aware. I can’t wait to tell people about it.

Favourite thing: Going to Les Saintes (secondary island) is absolutely amazing. It reminded me of taking the ferry to Isla Meujueres (Mexico). Totally different. You rent golf carts, we saw the Fort of Napoleon there – there is lots of history. It was probably the highlight of my trip. And the snorkelling was amazing.”

JULIA BENEDICT – Shades Travel, Peterborough, Ont.

“Guadeloupe is beautiful. I love the colour of the water and the palm trees, lots of sand. I love the island for the culture, it is very refined. The snorkeling was amazing, and the people were very friendly. Everything is clean and there are no scrawny animals all over the place that look like they need care.

I think English Canadians will take to Guadeloupe. One of the reasons I think is, sadly, their choices are getting limited. There’s only so much Mexico you can do, and Puerto Vallarta scared some people, and Cuba is off the list right now. But people are getting tired of the same old.

If they get beyond the fact that it’s not the all-inclusive if they know, and it’s more European, then I think that it would be a good sell and people will enjoy it.

Some people with mobility issues may have some challenges (at some of the properties). And for some, Club Med is a good choice.

Favourite thing: The catamaran trip was probably my highlight. It was a great experience. And the trip over to Les Saintes was nice.”

The butterfly effect: Clara Powell and Tammy Morgan channeling Guadeloupe’s ubiquitous symbol (for the shape of its two main islands)

TAMMY BEAMISH – Tripcentral.ca, Barrie, Ont.

“I think it’s going to be a bit of a challenge to sell (Guadeloupe) to Ontario clients, but I think it is because it’s new and it’s different. I think people who have been to most places are going to love the idea because it is new and different. But they will have to get over the all-inclusive aspect as there is only one or two.

I think it’s undiscovered and I’m happy I’ve been here. I know my company has never had agents that have been to Guadeloupe. I would recommend it for sure. It’s beautiful, safe, the food is great. The hotels were different, but different is good. I think it’s going to be a great new product to sell. It’s for clients who have been to all of the off-beat places that want somewhere new. What you’re getting is basically is the experience of coming to France on an island in the Caribbean. I think it’s going to be awesome. I think it will sell, it’s just getting the word out there.

Favourite thing: There are so many. Les Saintes was an unbelievable island to visit. Going to the Cousteau (underwater marine) reserve, getting to make chocolate (Gwakako). And the catamaran cruise (Azimut Croisiere) was great.”

CONDON CORBETT – Transat Tours, Toronto

“The island was very organized. I was surprised at the size. It’s going to be a destination for those adventurous clients who are willing to get off property. It’s not a stay-on-the-beach type destination, it’s a more exploring-type destination. There are many clients who are comfortable driving around Europe and they will be the type of clients who will embrace the experience – just be prepared for roundabouts.

General impressions: the beaches were great (though) not miles and miles long, but are quite adequate for those who want to park themselves for a day or two. It’s definitely not a fly-and-flop destination.

I thought the food was stellar – we didn’t have a bad meal. I don’t think anyone would be hard pressed to find something they like.

Favourite thing: My personal preference was for Basse-Terre for the tropical (vibe). And my favourite was the day trip to Les Saintes for the outdoor adventure aspect (including snorkelling).”

CLARA POWER – Power Travel, Toronto

“I really enjoyed it. It may be challenging for some English-speaking Canadians with the French language, but I compare it to going anywhere else in the world that has other languages. I’ve been posting about (our trip) and most comments are, ‘I’ve never heard of it before,’ or ‘now I’m interested’ – so, I think it’s in its infancy with lots of potential for growth. When I originally mentioned it, people said, ‘Are you going to Mexico?’ (laughs).

It’s original and unique and not like the typical destination you’ve (experienced). It’s a destination people will come to and may fall in love with and come back multiple times, but it’s introducing them to a product they may never even have heard of.

I think it’s a great destination for honeymooners, who are very independent and that want to explore for a week or even longer. There is so much to see among all six islands – you will never get bored. (It’s important to) understand that you don’t come for the resort, you come for the islands of Guadeloupe. We saw three of the islands in the archipelago and they were all so unique and different.

Favourite thing: As a beach lover, it’s the beach hopping and I could spend all day checking them out. You have white sandy beaches, you have (black) volcanic rock beaches, you have a bit of everything. That’s definitely a must do. You can do big hikes to the volcano, or small walks to waterfalls. Or you can have a cultural experience going to a market and meeting with the locals.”

CARLA D’ANDREA – VoX International, Toronto (rep firm)

“(The GTC) wanted a group of seasoned travellers and their primary focus was to get high-end luxury agents from different groups of agencies so that they could spread the word in those different companies. They didn’t want order-takers for this particular FAM – it’s not really a mass market so they wanted people who are a little more seasoned and more experienced in FIT-type vacations and more into doing something a little different.

Getting the agents there was definitely really important – especially from English-speaking Canada. French-speaking Canadians know all about it, but there is this whole segment of Canadian travellers and agents who aren’t familiar with Guadeloupe.”