BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - DOMINICA continues to punch through regional challenges with air connections to attract more tourists from non-traditional markets, especially during its annual World Creole Festival (WCF).
Following a COVID-induced hiatus, the five-day Festival returned last year with a ‘bang’ that had seen more than 7,000 tourists visiting the island.
For some tourism enthusiasts, that number may seem small, but it was approximately 10 percent of the number of visitors who visit the territory on an annual basis.
That, in and of itself, brings significant economic benefits not just for the Government but also small businesses including car rental agencies, hotels and AirBnB spots.
In his analysis of the numbers, Colin Piper, the Director of Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) - the tourism authority - stated that many of those who travelled to the island for the event were from neighbouring islands, and non-traditional market locations.
“We have mentioned that St. Lucia is big, Antigua and Trinidad are starting to get up there, along with Barbados, and St. Maarten as well. But, really and truly, Guadeloupe and Martinique are the mainstays outside of the diaspora that come in from the US, Canada and the United Kingdom.”
Though attention is often placed on the major activities, such as the World Creole Music, Jazz and Creole Festival, and it's Mas Domink (Carnival), Director Piper noted that there are 330 days outside of the mega events within the territory, so it is of paramount importance that the territory enhance its tourism offering to attract visitors.
“It is about adventure, it is about diving, it is about aqua,” he told SKNVibes. “It is about snorkeling, it is about cuisine. It is about our indigenous people - the Kalinago.”
Since the collapse of LIAT, many territories, including Dominica, have been seeking ways to attract more regional tourists to the islands, and several airlines have stepped up their efforts to ensure there is a smooth flow of travel across the region.
Despite that though, the cost continues to be a major obstacle for travellers within the region, but Dominica had recently welcomed new airlines to bolster its tourism number.
