Andrea Franklin is Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s new CEO. (Photo courtesy of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.)
The governments of Dominica and Barbados have entered into a
landmark tourism partnership under which the countries will collaborate on
promoting their tourism products and offer enhanced multi-destination packages.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on October
1 at the Hilton Barbados Resort during the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s
State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC).
Through the pact, the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) and
the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) will seek to strengthen the appeal
of both countries, promoting sustainable tourism and developing new vacation
experiences for travellers.
The MOU establishes a joint framework for cooperation,
focusing on marketing, knowledge exchange and enhancing visitor experiences
across both destinations.
Andrea Franklin, chief executive officer
(CEO) of BTMI., emphasized the agreement’s
mutual benefits, calling for creative collaboration and regional unity.
“Dominica may see Barbados as a
tourism ‘grandparent,’ but there’s so much we can learn from each other,” said
Franklin. “Barbados is proud to be the premier home port cruising destination
in the region and we see this as an opportunity to attract more business to
neighbouring islands as well.”
Franklin sajd the MOU could serve
as a model for the region, opening doors to similar agreements with other
islands.
“When it comes to attracting airlift to the region, it’s vital that we stop
viewing ourselves as individual countries competing for flights,” she said. “Instead,
we must work together to bring more airlift into the Caribbean. If Barbados
serves as the hub, we should channel that connectivity to our sister islands,
like Dominica, ensuring all destinations benefit,” Franklin said.
“This collaboration is part of a larger conversation and we
look forward to learning from Barbados, which will help build greater awareness
and create a ripple effect on the GDP and economic opportunities for both our
countries,” said Marva Williams, CEO and director of DDA.
“Our teams will meet to strategize on marketing and to
engage airlines and cruise lines, ensuring we maximize the benefits of this
partnership,” said Franklin. “We’re especially excited to collaborate in areas
such as sports, eco-tourism and sustainable tourism, all of which are essential
to the future of Caribbean travel,” she added.
Key areas of collaboration outlined in the agreement
include:
Curating
and promoting multi-destination tourism packages that highlight the unique
cultural, eco-tourism, adventure and wellness offerings of Dominica and
Barbados
Supporting
the development of air and cruise connections to facilitate seamless
travel between islandsCoordinating
media exchanges, media familiarization tours, joint training and public
relations events to raise the profile of both destinations globallySharing
expertise in sustainable tourism and product enhancement to ensure lasting
benefits for local communities and the environment
A joint working group will oversee the
implementation of the MOU with biannual progress reviews and the development of
a detailed action plan to ensure the partnership achieves its objectives,
according to the partners
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