Charlestown Nevis (January 18, 2007)
The Research and Development Unit of the Ministry of Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration released the timetable for what it described as a dynamic Tourism Week of activities for 2007 at a press conference.
The event was held on Wednesday January 17, at the historical Bath Hotel where the Ministry is housed. Speaking at the press conference, Permanent Secretary, Mr. Tyrone O’Flaherty gave an overview of the week of activities and the reason behind the event, noting that it was a time when all the stakeholders in the industry would come together to highlight the importance of the tourism industry.
A church service on Saturday 27 at the Mannings Seventh Day Adventist Church kicks off the week of activities which will run from January 27th to February 3rd 2007, under the theme “Tourism Is Our Business”. On Monday January 29, there will be the official Tourism Week Radio Address by the Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Joseph Parry, while addresses in schools will begin at 8:45 am. A standing feature on Tuesday will be on VON Radio’s call in programme, Let’s Talk, hosted by Evered “˜Webbo’ Herbert.
A new dimension has been added to the popular Thursday Food Fair at the Charlestown Bayfront. A “˜Business Marketplace’ has been added and according to the Tourism Development Officer, Ms. Nicole Liburd, another aspect was added to showcase the various tourism businesses. “We will be working along with Small Enterprise Development Unit and other individuals to encourage our local entrepreneurs to come out and offer samples of the services we provide.”
Two of the big events on the calendar are a football match, Nevis vs Tortola on January 28 and the annual Tourism Bike Race on February 3. There will also be two nights of a play entitled “A Case to Remember” by the Nevis Theatre Guild and the grand event of the week, “The 2007 Tourism Awards” at the Four Seasons Resort will conclude the week of activities.
Meantime, Premier and Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Joseph Parry, in giving brief remarks expressed that the conference was a very auspicious event, citing, “It is the first tourism conference that we are having in the Bath Hotel and it is so appropriate because the Bath Hotel is a symbol of tourism and of market tourism on the island of Nevis.
“I think this hotel is over 200 years old and we believe it was the first hotel in the Caribbean and in the northern hemisphere, so we have every reason to be proud and to understand the significance of being at the Bath Hotel,” said Premier Parry.
According to the Tourism Minister, the tourism product involved every aspect of activity on the island. He pointed to the banking sector which he said, “If you do not have good banking services, then you are lacking something in terms of what the tourist expects.
“It is important that we promote Nevis as a whole,” he added. “I’m so glad that we can incorporate part of our culture and sports in tourism because it all goes together and is so important. So as we expand the product and as we develop the quality of the product, we will certainly attract more and more people.”
Premier Parry believed that the tourism product on the island was a good one which continued to grow and called upon the Ministry to find a way to involve every visitor on the island during the week of activities.
He said that they must enjoy everything that Nevis had to offer noting that it was important at this time because the government was in the process of serious negotiations with a number of people who were interested in putting up market hotels on the island and “we want them to be aware of what they are getting into.”