St. Kitts’ new tourism minister to meet UK travel trade

Federal Minister of Tourism, Honourable Marsha T. Henderson, will lead a delegation to the UK for St. Kitts Tourism Authority, in partnership with Nevis Tourism Authority

They will conduct a roadshow, 21 – 25 November 2022, as part of the destinations’ renewed efforts to engage with the UK travel trade, post-Covid.

Hon. Marsha T. Henderson was appointed in August 2022, making her the first elected female Minister of Tourism.

During the roadshow, Minister Henderson will be accompanied by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority CEO, Ellison “Tommy” Thompson; Deputy CEO, Melnecia Marshall; CMO, Mia Lange; UK Marketing Consultant, Lisa Elmes-Bosshard; and Graham Hawkins, who was appointed in June as the UK’s agent-facing Trade Sales Representative for St. Kitts.

Representatives from the Nevis Tourism Authority will include CEO, Devon Liburd and Sales & Marketing Manager, Julie Claxton.

The November roadshow is the second UK trade engagement event held by St. Kitts Tourism Authority and Nevis Tourism Authority this year and will see the St. Kitts and Nevis teams gather agents and tour operators for hosted dinners at luxury venues in Hertfordshire, Kent, and Surrey.

Hot on the heels of the roadshow is a group trade FAM scheduled for 26 – 30 November 2022, where agents will experience the best of St. Kitts and Nevis, spending two nights on each island.

St. Kitts Tourism Authority is planning to bring a further 40 agents to the island across five FAM trips in 2023 as part of the celebrations to mark the 40^th anniversary of St. Kitts and Nevis’ independence.

“We’re delighted to be accompanying our new Minister of Tourism on her first official visit to the UK to meet our valued trade partners.” said Ellison “Tommy” Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at the St. Kitts Tourism Authority.

“We really believe in the power of travel agents to influence and inspire customer decision-making. As one of the smaller Caribbean islands, the trade is vitally important to St. Kitts in driving tourism.”

“This is why we are investing heavily in UK trade events and roadshows, training, and especially FAM visits, so that agents and operators can experience the destination first hand.”

“Our trade push is complemented by a new consumer brand campaign, launched in September, called “Venture Deeper“, which was created to inspire intrepid travellers.“

Devon Liburd CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority said: “The work our UK trade partners are doing cannot be underestimated when it comes to inspiring holidaymakers in their decision making. That is why these roadshows are vitally important and a key event in our diary this year.”

The roadshow events will comprise a networking session on arrival, dinner, presentations on the latest tourism developments on both St. Kitts and Nevis, and updates from a selection of hotel representatives from the twin-islands.

St. Kitts and Nevis can be easily reached from the UK via twice weekly (Weds & Sat), direct flights from London Gatwick with British Airways.