This week, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority’s marketing team from on island, the UK, Canada and the US have all gathered in St. Kitts to chart the way forward in marketing the destination. Participants are engaging in intensive sessions to optimize destination marketing activities and ultimately deliver the maximum benefit to local stakeholders and island residents.

The team was welcomed by Minister of Tourism & International Transport, Senator Ricky Skerritt, in the opening session on Tuesday morning. Skerritt reminded the tourism officers that sustainable tourism is about improving the livelihoods of local residents while delivering a memorable destination experience to visitors. He also congratulated them on the numerous successes now being achieved in St. Kitts tourism.

“These sessions area about meeting the needs of the market. It is critical in this highly competitive tourism environment that we at the St. Kitts Tourism Authority employ the most effective, efficient and innovative solutions for marketing the destination,” said Racquel Brown, CEO of the Tourism Authority. “We cannot do what has always been done and expect to move the needle upward in a significant way. Rather, we are reviewing all marketing and promotional activities to ensure optimal results are achieved in all our source markets.”

This is the St. Kitts Tourism Authority’s second bi-annual Marketing Retreat for this year, which is being held at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort. Sessions began on Tuesday and include strategy meetings, visits to new developments and establishments undergoing renovation and a hands-on study of the golf tourism product. Retreat activities will conclude on Friday with a major meeting with local stakeholders, where St. Kitts’ tourism officers and partners will gather to discuss the way forward for St. Kitts’ tourism.

St. Kitts, www.stkittstourism.kn