March 19, 2008 — The path to success in tourism is to compete with your natural advantages and figure out how to make strengths stronger, the secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) told members of the St. Croix Hotel and Tourism Association Tuesday.
"If people embrace and understand aspects of tourism, you're going to fly," said Vincent Vanderpoole-Wallace, addressing more than 35 people gathered in the conference room at Divi Casino for the association's annual membership meeting.
He spoke on the topic "The Caribbean — the Most Well-Known Destination Brand in the World."
"There is no place more dependent on tourism than the Caribbean," Vanderpoole-Wallace said. "It chose us and we do fairly well, when we didn't choose it."
There is a big problem in tourism where people continue to hold on to the old way of doing things, he said, advising association members to decide what makes their island different in a special and compelling way.
"Tourism needs innovation," Vanderpoole-Wallace said.
Ways to be innovative are more efficient delivery and effective information about the Caribbean, he said, noting that the market is completely different today — it has gone worldwide with the Internet.
"Let them see the product," Vanderpoole-Wallace said. "Give them a video."
The islands are selling outstanding experiences, Vanderpoole-Wallace told the association members, urging them to find out what puts smiles on visitors' faces and publish what makes them happy or upset. Business people should reward employees who make visitors happy, he said.
"A good personality is a skill I can't define, but I know it when I see it," Vanderpoole-Wallace said.
Also needed is low-cost, high-quality transportation, he emphasized. Never mind the room rate, he said, think of the cost of getting to the hotels and around the island.
All of this takes public and private cooperation to delight and impress visitors in the Virgin Islands, he said.
"Get everybody involved," Vanderpoole-Wallace said. "Go and talk to the customer. The things you take for granted may be special and wonderful to them."
Ideally people go home and talk about their experience on the island, he said.
Vanderpoole-Wallace has held his position since 2005. He served as director general of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for 12 years. He has been active in a number of areas in the Bahamas development in director's and management positions.
Association President Pat Henry, general manager of Divi Resort, welcomed the cooperative regional approach to tourism.
"It is good to be working with CTO in a unified Caribbean with strong leadership," Henry said.
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
