With Air Canada flights starting this winter and a new Sandals resort set to open in the spring, there’s a buzz about Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, an idyllic Caribbean destination that has flown under the radar from Canada somewhat in the past, but is poised for major growth from this market, and elsewhere.

Early this week, SVG’s new tourism minister Carlos James visited Canada for the first time, leading a tourism mission to tout the south Caribbean nation, which boasts 32 islands – some with familiar names, like Mustique.

“Canadians have shown great confidence in our destination, and this is evidenced by year over year increases in visitor arrivals from Canada,” said James. “My visit here will give me better insight into how we can improve our offerings, following meetings with various players in the travel trade and media and airline officials.”

James said he was impressed by the buzz amongst travel agents at an event St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA) hosted in Ottawa, before continuing on to Toronto.

“The agents were saying they were looking for something fresh and exciting to sell,” he said, adding that there is a lot going on in the island, not least this winter’s Air Canada flights (three times weekly from YYZ in November, increasing to four times in December), and Sandals opening, scheduled for March 27.

Much of the SVG talk during the minister’s visit was about whether Air Canada will expand the flights to year-round – a possibility that Sandals’ Canadian VP of Sales and Marketing Maureen Barnes-Smith, vowed to make happen.

“You have my commitment that we will sell, sell, sell to force you to keep the flight,” she said, directing her comments to Air Canada rep Victor Spysak. “When we get to a destination, we amplify it.”

Noting that sales are already open, the Sandals VP said the organization is also taking a “360” approach with the trade on its 301-room resort, which will be located on the main island of St. Vincent on the site of the former Buccament Bay resort. There are already booking incentives (trip stays) for agents through the end of October, EBBS for consumers, and FAMs being planned for the New Year.

Barnes-Smith pointed out that hundreds of agents were taken to see the company’s new resort in Curacao last year, hinting to Air Canada that the program helped keep airline seats filled during the summer, and could be reprised for St. Vincent in 2024.

At the same time as Sandals incentives, SVG’s tourism authority has launched its own agent program, with incentives for St. Vincent specialists (visit discoversvg.com), plus an Agent of the Year contest for a top seller. “We want to add value to the work travel agents are doing,” said James.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is on the cusp of an exciting 2024, he added. In addition to the Sandals property, a 93-room Holiday Inn Express is scheduled to also open in the coming year just in time for the announcement that St. Vincent and the Grenadines will host five matches of the International Cricket Council (ICC) championship in June.

He added, “St. Vincent and the Grenadines, known for its high-end exclusive luxury offerings on the Grenadine islands of Mustique and Canouan, is now opening its mainland, St. Vincent, as a major tourism hub.”

The “mainland” as it is called by residents, is known for its volcano and black sand beaches, and myriad of eco-opportunities, such as hiking and discovering multiple waterfalls.

At the same time, the Grenadines feature nearly three dozen islands – only eight of them inhabited – each with their own unique character, from Bequia south along the chain to marvellous Palm Island, home to the exclusive Palm Island Resort, part of the Elite Islands Resorts collection, and accessible by ferry from Union Island.

In between are Mustique, known for its celebrity clientele and luxury offerings at properties such as the Mandarin Oriental; as well as Canouan (which recently played host to Harry and Meghan), along with boutique hotels and resorts such as Young Island Resort and Petit St. Vincent Resort.

The tourism authority’s director sales for Canada Shelley John touted the amazing uninhabited islands of Tobago Cays (one of them used in the filming of “Pirates of the Caribbean”), creating a horseshoe-shaped reef that is a sailing and snorkelling paradise, the latter ideal for seeing sea turtles in their natural habitat.

Among the countless possibilities for visitors, according to the SVG execs, are sublime diving both on mainland St. Vincent and in the Grenadines, unsurpassed sailing, and yachting throughout turquoise waters, various eco adventures, and varied romantic secluded locations to get married and honeymoon.

The latter will see the imminent launch of an online application process to ease the regulatory burden for newlyweds.

James noted that the tourism authority is partnering with Sandals to build a community development beside the hotel that will entice guests to visit local vendors and artisans, thereby boosting both the community and the cultural experience of the visitors.

“We’ve started a tourism transformation,” James concluded. “But we’re not in the business of mass tourism. We’ll always be about sustainability and sharing the value of our cultural experiences and natural beauty. What we really have now is the emergence of (our) product.”