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| Ms Barbara Whitman of Under the Sea (right) shows a slipper lobster to Ms Dannielle Hayes (left), Mr Tyrone O’Flaherty and Ms Margie Benzier Photo/Provided |
Charlestown Nevis (March 11, 2004) -- Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Mr Tyrone O’Flaherty, has praised the Nevis Tourism Authority for organising and hosting a Mini Market Place that attracted five top adventure journalists from North America and ten local exhibitors.
He said that the Mini Market Place, which was held at the Old Manor Hotel on Thursday, was an excellent idea in terms of the promotion of Nevis. “I would like to compliment the Tourism Authority for a job well done,” stated the Permanent Secretary.
“This is what I call a marketing masterpiece because this is one of the ways in which you can reach the outer world without spending lots of money,” commented Mr O’Flaherty. “In these days of scarce financial resources the trick is to be able to know how to spend the money in the most efficient manner possible.”
Ten exhibitors from the tourism and allied industries set up mini exhibition desks at the hotel, and according to the Permanent Secretary, the important thing was that even though they were in competition in someway or another they were out there working as team which showed the importance of bonding together to promote “the brand that is called Nevis.”
Participating exhibitors were Leeward Islands Charters, Philsha’s Guest House, Under the Sea, Top to Bottom Tours, Mountain Bike Nevis, M&J Scooter Rentals, Sunrise Tours, Nevis Historical and Conservation Society, Nevis Equestrian Centre and Sea Nevis Charters.
Nevis Tourism Authority’s Chief Executive Officer Ms Helen Kidd introduced four of the visiting journalists, Ms Chelle Koster Walton of the Sanibel Island Florida, Ms Jennifer Hoppe from New York, Ms Diane Slawych from Toronto and Ms Dannielle Hayes of New York.
Ms Pam Wright of Boston Massachusetts arrives Friday. Leading the journalists is Ms Margie Benzier of Cheryl Andrews Marketing of Miami, Florida. Nevis Tourism Authority staff who assisted in putting up the exhibition were Ms Jackie Lewis, Ms Nicole Liburd and Mr Rodell Wattley.
Asked about the impressions of the visiting journalists, Ms Benzier said: “They are like almost every journalist I bring to this island; it is almost always love at first sight. Nevisians are so welcoming that they get a very good impression and I think this will translate into some wonderful press back in United States and in Canada and I think it will be very positive for the island.”
