BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A new sports initiative was launched last week with the aim of boosting the tourism industry and providing footballers of St. Kitts and Nevis with opportunities to compete against their foreign counterparts, as well as to strengthen bilateral relations between the Federation and Brazil.
The sports initiative, Paradise Cup Football Tournament, was launched on Thursday (June 2) at a press conference held at the Warner Park Stadium.
The first of the annual Paradise Cup Football Tournament is scheduled for October 8 to 14, 2011, and making that trip to St. Kitts is a 60-member Brazilian contingent, including current and former footballers, coaches and business executives.
The Tournament will feature teams from Brazil competing against local and regional clubs within the age categories of 18 to 30, 31 to 45 and 46 and over.
The new sports tourism initiative is a collaborative venture among St. Kitts’ Ministries of Sports and Tourism, the Brazilian Embassy in St. Kitts, Brazil’s Prada Sports and Marketing and St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association.
Speaking at the press conference, Eduardo Prada, CEO Prada Sports and Accredited Agent of the Confederação Basileir de Futebol, told the local media that “Paradise Cup is a good opportunity to speak with all sectors of the island…not just tourism and not just sports”.
He said that the Federation’s Consulate in Brazil had been engaged in discussions with a number of officials on the issue of establishing trade relationships.
“We are bringing businessmen to come play, so we are putting the businessmen from the island with the Brazilians to try to make a business tour,” he declared.
Prada noted that many Brazilians have little or no knowledge of St. Kitts and Nevis, but with the current promotions of the upcoming tournament being spread all over the South American country, the Brazilian community would soon know much about the twin-island Federation.
“We are trying to get some of our media personnel and referees out of Brazil to come to St. Kitts so that we can stream the games in Brazil; but it is not easy due to financial and visa issues,” he declared.
Prada explained that in order for Brazilians to come to St. Kitts they would have to travel on American Airline and go through Miami or Puerto Rico, and it is very hard for Brazilians to get visas.
He also explained that discussions were had on the previous day with officials from the Ministry of Tourism concerning flight arrangements, and that they are currently trying to close a deal with Gol Airlines for straight flights to St. Kitts by next year.
Minister of Sports Hon. Glenn Phillip told the gathering that the tournament is not only about football but also tourism, as both Brazilian players and tourists would visit the country more after seeing what St. Kitts has to offer.
“This is somewhat an opportunity for the St. Kitts’ government to tap into the Brazilian market as well as their sporting expertise. This is an opportunity for our youths to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel in their football career, as it is not all the youths who are able to make the national team,” pointed out the Minister.
Minister Phillip noted that the events would also have teams from Nevis participating and that one or two football clinics would be held on that island.
Acting Director of Sports Dave Connor informed that the matches will be held in the evening.
He indicated that local referees and players would gain significantly from the Brazilian referees and players during their stay in St. Kitts on the days when matches are not played.
Also present at the launch was Honorary Consul in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Nadia Locanto; her son Giuliano Locanto; Football Consultant Peter Jenkins; SKNFA Marketing Manager Adrea Liburd; Technical Director Leonard Lake; and SKNFA Executive Member Dominic Stevens.
