Tobago seeking more Canadian tourists

The sounds of flavours of Tobago headed north this week, as tourism representatives for the Caribbean destination met with the Canadian travel industry to keep the island top of mind.

A small group of travel media met with Tobago reps, while steel drums and rum punch on the rooftop patio set the mood for the event. Jesille Peters of the Island of Tobago told PAX that while Canadian tourism to Trinidad & Tobago was up seven per cent in June, the destination is required to work hard to raise its profile, due to the high visibility of popular tourism spots like Cuba and Jamaica as well as its location in the very south of the Caribbean. He explained that the reason behind the push to increase Canadian travel to the island is similar to that of other Caribbean nations.

“During the economic downturn, all the other Caribbean islands were saying that the Canadian market had been instrumental in keeping them afloat,” Peters said. “Given that it’s worked for everyone else, why not try it for ourselves? Since we’re so far south, we’re at somewhat of a disadvantage but we have direct flights from WestJet and Caribbean Airlines that fly directly to Trinidad daily. From there, it’s only a 15 minute hop to Tobago.”

Peters explained that Tobago’s promotion strategy has also included approaching Canadian tour operators to position the island as “the next option,” offering a similar experience as found on other islands – but with fewer travellers. He added that Canadians are often found taking part in the many nature-based tourism opportunities found in Tobago, including its reputation as a world-renowned diving hotspot.

“We know the market is saturated with other islands, but we offer something off the beaten path,” he said. “We have a lot of things that Canadians go to other islands to experience, but we also don’t have the crowds. You come to Tobago and you have the beach to yourself.”

As for its tourism relationship to nearby Trinidad, Peters explained that it’s equally important for the two islands to be promoted both as a single country as well as individual destinations, depending on the required promotional approach.

“There’s times when we promote Trinidad and Tobago together – Trinidad being the business side and Tobago the leisure,” Peters said. “We’re not directly separating ourselves but we want everyone to know that Tobago has some unique selling points.”

PHOTO: Allison Ferguson, Marketing/PR Director, Avia Reps; Ayanna Sealey, dancer; Jesille Peters, promotional analyst - division of tourism and transportation, Island of Tobago.