Destination News

Tobago welcomes your return

SCARBOROUGH Tobago, Wednesday July 15, 2020:  The Tobago Tourism Agency Limited and the destination’s tourism industry stakeholders are seeking ways to stimulate economic activity for the island with initiatives targeting the domestic market.

When the Trinidad and Tobago government closed the borders in mid-March to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the Agency ran a user-generated campaign to keep travelers and locals “Dreaming of Tobago”, showcasing the island so that it remains top of mind for regional and international visitors amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Now, the Agency is transitioning the destination’s message from “Dreaming of Tobago” to “We Welcome Your Return”, initiating a new phase of storytelling to promote the island in the domestic market. As the country undergoes a phased reopening and easing of restrictions, the re-opening of beaches, restaurants, bars and iconic sites and attractions presents an opportunity for domestic tourism to thrive.

TTAL launched a new campaign video on July 10^th called Tobago Welcomes Your Return, showcasing the diverse offerings of destination Tobago through testimonials and videos shot by fans of the island, as the Agency seeks to turn dreaming into reality for residents and visitors from the sister isle of Trinidad.

Sheena Des Vignes, TTAL’s Marketing Coordinator, stated: “Our industry partners have faced incredibly challenging times in the face of COVID-19, and the planned domestic campaign will be about encouraging locals to plan their next Tobago staycation and support local businesses around the island.

We intend to inspire locals with authentic, home-grown storytelling communicated through platforms relevant to the domestic audience, building awareness of Tobago’s offerings and the #101reasonsTobago.”

The campaign will also see the Agency partnering with stakeholder groups such as the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association to curate and promote things to do, places to stay, and other areas of interest to create the perfect staycation in Tobago.

Louis Lewis, CEO of the Tobago Tourism Agency Limited noted that Tobago’s focus on domestic tourism and staycations is critical to stimulate the island’s economy, which is heavily dependent on travel and tourism.

“In this challenging environment where the pandemic has proven the relevance and importance of tourism, we want to ensure that we take strategic action to contribute to Tobago’s economic sustainability during these trying times. Stimulating our domestic tourism market will lead the way to recovery in a post coronavirus world, especially as international travel remains out of our grasp at this time. Essentially, it is very important that we in Trinidad and Tobago get out and support local, coming together to breathe life into Tobago’s tourism sector once again.”

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Turks and Caicos Islands Travel Requirements Prior to Reopening on July 22, 2020

PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS (July 10, 2020) – Honorable Ralph Higgs, Minister of Tourism for the Turks and Caicos Islands, announces an update to travel requirements to the destination as a part of TCI Assured, a quality assurance pre-travel program and portal, which will be live as of July 15 in advance of the reopening of borders on July 22, 2020.

In consideration of testing availability across the country, the Turks and Caicos Islands is now requiring a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from a test taken within five days of travel, rather than the previous requirement of a test to be taken within three days of travel. Children under the age of 10 years old are not required to be tested.  Additionally, travelers must have medical / travel insurance that covers medevac (insurance companies providing the prerequisite insurance will also be available on the portal), a completed health screening questionnaire, and certification that they have read and agreed to the privacy policy document.  These requirements must be complete and uploaded to the TCI Assured portal, which will be available on the Turk and Caicos Islands Tourist Board website (www.turksandcaicostourism), in advance of their arrival.

Once travelers register on the TCI Assured portal and complete the requirements as outlined, a travel authorization notification will be given. The TCI Assured travel authorization should be presented at the time of check-in to the appropriate airline; airlines will not be able to board passengers without this authorization.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Turks and Caicos Islands, which can best be described as ‘Beautiful by Nature’.  We feel confident these safety measures will allow us to safely reopen our borders and we will continue to review conditions on an ongoing basis to evaluate whether further changes are necessary.

We would like to encourage travelers to comply with all health protocols enforced in our jurisdiction as they are designed to help ensure the safety of our visitors and residents. For more information and to stay informed on the reopening of the Turks and Caicos Islands, call 1 (800) 241-0824 or visit www.turksandcaicostourism.com.  Follow the Turks and Caicos Islands on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Tobago tourism stakeholders collaborate to reinforce destination safety

SCARBOROUGH Tobago, Friday July 10, 2020:  The Tobago Tourism Agency Limited (TTAL) is steadfastly preparing the island for increased tourism activity and the eventual opening of Trinidad and Tobago’s borders, through product development initiatives focused on collaboration, health, and safety.

While the onset of COVID-19 would have ground travel to a halt to the island in mid-March, the island’s tourism authorities grasped the opportunity to prioritize the developmental needs of the travel and tourism industry that was hit hard by the pandemic.

In addition to the ongoing dissemination of a Tourism Accommodation Relief Grant totalling 50 million dollars, the TTAL conducted an online consultation series with the island’s tourism stakeholders from mid-June to July 09, 2020 to develop a COVID-19 Tourism Health and Safety Manual.

The manual will provide Tobago’s tourism industry with the most adequate measures that can be implemented to reinforce destination safety and underline the trust of tourists, workers and residents.

Mr. Narendra Ramgulam, Director of Product Development and Destination Management at TTAL stated: “The purpose of our Health and Safety manual is really to work together with our industry stakeholders to develop actionable and harmonized processes and procedures that are in line with global and local public health instructions.

Our stakeholders have shown their commitment to help TTAL position Tobago as a safe destination moving forward, by sharing their feedback and ideas for improvement and making the necessary recommended changes.”

Hotels, restaurants, and other businesses within the industry have already responded to the pandemic with stepped-up cleaning and sanitation, staff training, and innovative changes to their business models and infrastructure to allow for social distancing and customer safety.

“Current research indicates that travellers are looking for safe destinations and products as opposed to ones that are price influenced,” Mr. Ramgulam stated. “With Tobago’s residents, tourism stakeholders and industry workers on board, we can work together for a safer and healthy destination.”

Bahamas Launches “The Islands of the Bahamas” App

NASSAU, Bahamas, July 02, 2020 – The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation’s new, free mobile app provides an easy to use resource and tool for consumers planning a visit to The Islands Of The Bahamas. Key features of the app include: downloadable island guides, flight charter request processing and recommendations based on the user’s geo-location within The Bahamas. It also highlights current deals, Bahamas.com blog posts, an interactive map and suggests top activities for adventure, relaxation and romance.

Downloadable Island Guides

The Bahamas consists of 16 major islands, each offering a unique, tropical experience, from the luxury of Nassau Paradise Island to the seclusion of the Out Islands. “The Islands Of The Bahamas” mobile app features downloadable island guides for each that include details and booking resources for hotels, activities, events and transportation. They also highlight current weather and must-experience destinations and activities on each island.

 Flight Charter Request

With over 700 islands and cays, The Bahamas is a prime island hopping destination. And, with “The Islands Of The Bahamas” mobile app, it’s easier than ever to charter inter-island flights. App users select group size, where they are traveling to and from and their travel dates, which is then submitted within the app. Within 24 hours, app users will receive flight confirmation time and the total cost for the group with next steps to finalize the booking.

 Geo-location Capabilities

To support travelers’ interest in discovering local favorites and taking ownership of their itinerary, the mobile app uses geo-location to help visitors discover restaurants, activities, national parks, historical monuments and more close to them. Upon arrival in any of The Bahamas’ 16 major islands, app users can also unlock a geofencing-generated postcard to share with friends and family.

The Islands Of The Bahamas mobile app is free to download on IOS and Android devices.

ABOUT THE BAHAMAS

With over 700 islands and cays and 16 unique island destinations, The Bahamas lies just 55 miles off the coast of Florida, offering an easy fly away escape that transports travelers away from their everyday. The Islands Of The Bahamas have world-class fishing, diving, boating and thousands of miles of the earth’s most spectacular water and beaches waiting for families, couples and adventurers. Explore all the islands have to offer at www.bahamas.com or on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram to see why It’s Better in The Bahamas.