46 REGION AMERICAS &
46 REGION AMERICAS & CARIBBEAN ADVERTORIAL …OUR 2018 ACTION PLAN WILL HELP IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL VISITOR IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AND SIGNAGE Karine Mousseau Tourism Commissioner - Martinique How is tourism progressing in Martinique? How were the figures in 2017 and what are the key trends this year? We put the questions to Karine Mousseau – Martinique’s Tourism Commissioner – present at ITB Berlin this year. 2017 tourism performance saw Martinique breaking all records for the past 30 years with total visitor arrivals climbing to an all-time high of 1,041,139. This represents an increase of 16.4% versus 2016. This rise in visitors is the result of an excellent growth in the stayover tourism segment, which grew by 3.1% in 2017 (535,647 visitors) compared to 2016. This confirms the success of the actions of the Martinique Tourism Authority and demonstrates that tourism is a strong lever for the economic development of Martinique. How are your source markets evolving? Our strategy of developing nonstop flights from European and American cities allows us to be less dependent on the French market and to target international visitors who, on average, spend more than visitors coming from France. The work we’ve done since 2015 to diversify the markets is bearing fruit, because in 2017, the French market totalled 66,3% of visitors versus 78.7% in 2014. International diversification allowed us to increase the number of European visitors from 3.2% in 2014 to 8.8% in 2017 as well as North Americans from 2.4% in 2014 to 6.8% in 2017. What is your action plan for the coming year in order to achieve your targets? The results of 2017 are promising. We believe that we have the potential to do even better, so we have worked on an ambitious 2018 action plan divided into 6 strategic axes: Developing air services by maintaining existing lines and prospecting other airlines in our priority international markets: Germany, USA, Canada and South America; Increasing the reputation of the destination with major media communication campaigns to broadcast the new promotional video, awarded in 2017; Analysing and evaluating the tourism offer through the launch in 2017 of an economic and statistical observatory that will carry out marketing studies on the tourist clientele (stay-over tourists, yachting etc.); Improving the digital experience: we will have in the second semester of 2018 a new digital strategy including our website, social networks, mobile and a set of interactive tools for our promotional operations; Structuring niche markets including gastronomy, MICE, sailing, cruising, nature-based Martinique: Diversifying Source Markets Exclusive Interview - Karine Mousseau - Tourism Commissioner - Martinique tourism - important for the German market, and accommodation with a real desire to improve the quality of our structures; Creating and supporting events in low season. We are the organiser of an innovative event - “The Martinique Flying Regatta” – from November 17 – 24, 2018, bringing together the most attractive foil sailboats series. In addition, we are strengthening the development of business tourism to accommodate more and more conferences. What key actions are being undertaken in Europe, and more particularly in Germany? The Martinique Tourism Authority promotes Martinique in Europe, mainly the French-speaking countries: France, Belgium, Switzerland but also other priority European countries like Germany and Italy and some markets in prospection. Since 2016, when Condor started operating air services to Martinique, we have strengthened our action plan on the German market. In parallel, it is essential to accompany the tour operators by training German travel agents and by publishing promotional tools. What is your message to the world’s travel trade present at ITB Berlin? We wish to demonstrate to decision-makers, journalists, touroperators and travel agents that Martinique is evolving positively and has unique and attractive assets for the European clientele and particularly the German clientele. One of the elements contributing to the differentiation of Martinique is rum. This year visitors will have the opportunity to taste our “Ti-punch” made with Martinique’s unique European labelled rum. In addition, we are resolutely in a collective approach, because we will have with us on the Martinique booth, our local partners usually supporting all of promotional operations. Finally, our 2018 action plan will help improve the experience of the international visitor in terms of language proficiency and signage, which are important elements for the satisfaction of our visitors ITB BERLIN NEWS • Wednesday 7 th March 2018 www.itb-berlin-news.com
AMERICAS & CARIBBEAN REGION 47 Major Boost in Flights from Europe to Costa Rica Starting October 28, 2018, the Air France-KLM group will operate one daily flight between Costa Rica and Europe during the European 2018-2019 winter season. This is the third time that Air France is increasing its offerings since November 2, 2016, when it opened the Paris- San José route with 2 flights per week. It initially increased to 3 flights per week for the current 2017-2018 winter season, then announced 2 permanent flights during this year’s European summer season (from March to October). Air France is now increasing its winter flights to 4 per week for 2018-2019. KLM, for its part, opened its Amsterdam-San José route in 2017 with 2 weekly flights during winter, will increase its offer to 3 flights per week beginning in the next winter season. “Costa Rica continues reaping the rewards of a successful policy of attracting airlines from our main tourism markets. Now, with this important news that both airlines are increasing the frequency of their flights by one each, the Air France-KLM group will fly every day of the week to our country during peak season, creating almost 7,000 new seats,” explained Mauricio Ventura, Minister of Tourism. Meanwhile, Henri Hourcade, Executive Director of Air France-KLM for Latin America, the Caribbean and Indian Ocean, explained: “This 24% increase in capacity by the Air France-KLM group for next winter season is the most effective response to customer demand and demonstrates our wish to expand our operations in Costa Rica and the Central American region.” Between October 2017 to January 2018, Air France transported 34,246 passengers (an increase of 70% over the same period in 2016-2017) and has maintained an average occupancy rate of 91%. Air France will operate its San José route using Boeing 777 aircraft, while KLM will fly to San José on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday on the Boeing 787- 9 Dreamliner Hall 25 / Stand 128 Key West Airport Gets Major Runway Upgrade NEW RESORT IN BAHAMAS – TEN MINUTES’ WALK TO CABBAGE BEACH Warwick Hotels and Resorts has invested nearly US million to create the four-star deluxe Warwick Paradis Island – Bahamas. This is a premier adults-only, allinclusive, brand new resort where guests, including singles, couples, friends, adult families and groups, can enjoy a vacation escape that provides the opportunity to indulge, and unwind. The property is set along Nassau Harbour with views of Nassau and Paradise Island. World-famous Cabbage Beach is a 10-minute walk away with dining, shopping and a casino nearby. It is a 30-minute drive from Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS). Key West International Airport is undergoing a million, fivemonth reconstruction project on its single 15-year-old runway. The airport is to remain open during the day to accommodate scheduled commercial airlines — American, Delta, Silver and United — and general aviation. “With only one runway at Key West, this is a very challenging but needed project,” said Don DeGraw, director of airports. The existing 1.5 km long runway is to be resurfaced with new pavement. An additional 82 metres is to be available for aircraft taking off to the east. The runway’s shoulders are to be widened to 6 metres from 3 metres on both sides. Meanwhile, American Airlines is scheduled to begin new nonstop service between Key West International Airport and Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport June 9, 2018, and Silver Airways, with nonstop service into Key West International Airport from Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Tampa and Orlando, Florida, plans to add new ATR- 600 series aircraft seating 46 passengers on several Key West flights during this year’s first quarter. Silver currently operates services into Key West on 34-seat Saab 340B Plus turboprop aircraft Hall 3.1 / Stand 305 The resort features 250 rooms on 12 floors, a white-sand harbour beach, five dining options, two bars, a fully equipped fitness centre, entertainment and activities, an onsite gift shop and a tour desk offering sightseeing options to the destination’s attractions. Amsterdam-based UXUS designed the guest rooms and hallways to reflect “a contemporary hotel that relates to the true cultural identity of The Bahamas”. The team took cues from both land and sea that express local culture as well as presenting the islands’ rich historical and international character Hall 10.2 / Stand 103 ITB BERLIN NEWS • Wednesday 7 th March 2018
