Nevis, West Indies. ?A Non-Tourist-Trap? Blog About Nevis.

The Oualie Beach Resort Hotel - Nevis

Charlestown, Nevis
February 18, 2010

A member of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) has belittled the sterling efforts of the staff of the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) and other tourism related organizations on Nevis suggesting that there had been little or no marketing of small hotels on Nevis.

In a recent interview on Newsmakers with host Kaymar Jordan, Mr. Mark Brantley stated that it was shameful there had been no interest in the marketing of smaller plantation properties on the island.

In response to Mr. Brantley’s charge, Advisor to Tourism, Mr. Alastair Yearwood said for any such suggestion from Mr. Brantley was an insult to the staff of the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA), the Ministry of Tourism and the St. Kitts- Nevis Hotel and Tourism Association.

Mr. Yearwood stated that in reality, the members of staff of both the NTA and The Ministry of Tourism had been working feverishly to offset the decrease in stay-over visitors due to the untimely temporary closure of the Four Seasons Resort, Nevis and the serious recession that the world continued to suffer from. To suggest otherwise, he said, was unfair to the staff members of both the NTA and the Ministry of Tourism.

According to Mr. Yearwood, because of discussions at the NTA and the HTA, the smaller Hotels on Nevis were offering specials in an effort to attract and increase visitor arrivals to Nevis, in this very flat market that the whole Caribbean is experiencing.

He further added that the staff at the NTA had been challenged to devise innovative ways to market Nevis as a destination. Their efforts have showed some success, as hotels were reporting an increase in occupancy for January 2010.

“The staff at the Ministry of Tourism, have been working with the NTA and Nevis Air Sea Port Authority (NASPA)  to diversify our tourism product. The yacht moorings project has been a huge success with yacht arrivals increasing from 400 in 2007 to 722 in 2008 or an increase of 80 percent. They increased by a further 30 percent in 2009 to 941 arrivals. Reports suggest that there will be a similar increase in 2010.

“The Ministry of Tourism has worked at attracting investment to enhance our cruise product. The Charlestown redevelopment project will breathe new life into the heart of Charlestown and attract new Cruise Lines to Nevis. This will compliment the hard work put in by the Ministry of Tourism staff whose efforts have already achieved an increase of 16 percent of cruise arrivals over last year.

“Surely, the staff of the NTA and The Ministry of Tourism deserve praise, not criticism, for their sterling efforts in these trying economic times. Sadly Mr. Brantley has missed a golden opportunity to market Nevis to a regional television audience,” said Mr. Yearwood.

Related posts:

1. Nevis Island Tourism Authority Has A New CEO
2. Nevis Tourism Authority Holds Mini Market For Travel Agents
3. Nevis Tourism Authority Launches New Marketing Brochure
4. Nevis Tourism Authority Hosts UK Travel Agents
5. St. Kitts - Nevis Tourism Strategy Garners Results

Hurricane Damage At Four Seasons Resort - Nevis

Charlestown, Nevis
February 12, 2010

An executive of the Four Seasons Resort Hotel chain said after 20 years on Nevis the hotel chain was expanding its business in the Caribbean because of the strong market the region offered.

Regional Vice President of the Four Seasons and local General Manager of the Resort in Nevis Mr. Andrew Humphries made the disclosure during a recent interview with the Department of Information.

“Ultimately we are in business and we see that it makes good business sense to be in the Caribbean. There is a strong market both from Europe and the US for our resorts. We have a worldwide reputation for running excellent hotels and the two come together very nicely in the Caribbean region.

“Access is always a little bit of a challenge in the Caribbean as we know but we hope that with stability of access and potentially even some increase in access from Europe, that we can continue to develop the business very successfully and have many hotels across the region. It’s a product both the European and the US market love. We believe that we can do business in all of these islands,” he said.

The construction of a property in Barbados had commenced in 2009 but Mr. Humphries explained there had been some delays with that project and work was expected to move forward shortly.

“Obviously we have had some slow down in the developments due to the economic circumstances but I am pleased to say that the Barbados project is about to restart. They have secured additional financing with help from the Government of Barbados and mid March should see the site being reactivated getting back on track to completing the homes and the hotel. So that is very exciting new…”

“Linked to Barbados is a site in Grenada. I think until we are really sure Barbados is back on track, Grenada will remain on hold but they are exciting developments. As well, potentially a site in Puerto Rico that we are actively looking at and also a site in the Dominica Republic at Casa de Campa. That’s a very large and prestigious development in the Dominican Republic and that’s our current portfolio but we are always looking for opportunities, we are always looking for business partners.” he said.

They have also looked at projects in the US Virgin Islands in many different places not all of them came to fruition, the Regional Vice President said but they were always interested in talking to investors.

Meantime, Mr. Humphries used the opportunity to address the efforts of the hotel chain’s local and international efforts to assist earthquake stricken Haiti.

“That’s something we are very focussed on at the moment. I am pleased to say the Resort, through employee donations and different efforts including a special deal for guests on the golf course, we have raised over US$11,800 for Haiti Relief.

“That’s part of a global effort worldwide by Four Seasons they have raised well over US$150,000 which would be going to the American Red Cross. They are on the ground there they know best how to help our neighbours in Haiti,” he explained.

He said they were mindful that Nevis suffered from hurricanes and these types of natural disasters occurred in the region.

“We know that in Nevis we suffer here from hurricanes and these kind of things can happen to us and we very much hope we will have good neighbours should anything untoward like that in Nevis but we are very focussed on that as an international effort,” he said.

Related posts:

1. Four Seasons Resort Nevis Remains Closed…Still
2. Nevis Government Working With Four Seasons Resort
3. Four Seasons Resort Nevis Closed Until April 30, 2009!
4. Nevis Premier Eases Burden of Four Seasons Employees
5. Nevis Premier Congratulates Four Seasons Employees

Local Chefs Will Mentor Students

Charlestown, Nevis
January 11, 2010

Premier and Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Joseph Parry congratulated The Nevis branch of the St. Kitts & Nevis Hotel and Tourism Association (HTA) for their progress with the Project Future Chef program.  He made the statement in a meeting with the Department of Information, today, Monday, January 11th, 2010.

Project Future Chef is a program designed to inspire, motivate, and expose high school students on Nevis to the opportunities available to them as chefs within the tourism industry.

In accordance with the mandate, the HTA secured internships with some of its member hotels for all ten (10) students in the program.  The internships ran during the recently ended Christmas Break and will resume during the 2010 Easter break.

During the current semester two local chefs will mentor the students and periodically interact with the Food and Nutrition classes at both the Charlestown and Gingerland High Schools.

The Chefs are the talented, Elsa De Lashley of Nisbet Plantation and Lynn Williams of the Old Manor Hotel.

The goals of the chefs will be to prepare the students for a demonstration/competition that will be held prior to the 2010 summer vacation.

Related posts:

1. Initiative To Nurture Aspiring Nevis Chefs Commences
2. Nevis Youth Are Islands Future Leaders
3. Operation Future To Go To Nevis
4. New Nevis TV Program Starts
5. Earth Day and Nevis’ Green Energy Program