CARIBBEAN TRAVEL ROUND-UP & FCCA Conference

I had the pleasure of being in Puerto Rico for the FCCA conference and was truly delighted to be there.


Puerto Rico is a wonderful destination - lots of charm, romance, history, food and culture. No where is this more evident than in Old San Juan. A truly magnificent city with some of the best shopping in the Caribbean. From the Coach outlets, Ralph Lauren outlets, etc. local stores: but most of all the history. From the cobblestone streets to the historic cathedral, it is a feast for the mind. Nothing I can say in this very short roundup, can do justice to the beauty and charm of Puerto Rico.


FCCA - 18th Annual Cruise Conference
This was held at the 'state-of-the-art" Puerto Rico Conference center and was well attended by all with an interest in the cruise market. From Governments to attractions, the display of products or what the destinations have to offer to entice more ships to visit the region, was abundantly displayed. Walking the aisles when not meeting 'one & one' all the cruise executives turned out for this major event.


I attended all the sessions where the cruise executives were speaking and the mantra was almost the same. 'While we love the Caribbean, we will be putting more ships in the European/Asian markets where we can get a higher rate from passengers'. And the brilliant idea of the day is - Have your local school children greet the ships in their uniforms - this would really please the visitors to your shores. I sat there thinking, I am not hearing this right, but since it was repeated continuously, yes I did hear correctly. Unfortunately, during the question and answer period, I yielded the floor to those with more pressing concerns. However, I would like to state that "Children belong in school and not at Cruise Ship Piers welcoming anybody". They are our future leaders!!


GREAT BRIDAL EXP0
Please be advised that the relationship with the Great Bridal Expo has been terminated. The bridal industry is one of constant change, and as the habits of the engaged couple changes, so must we change along with it.

CARIBBEAN DESTINATION WEDDINGS

I am always preaching about the importance of Travel Agents in the Destination Wedding/Honeymoon market vs. the United States based Wedding Planner - and recently had the opportunity to visit Mexico to see over 170 Destination Wedding Planners in action. But I am getting ahead of myself.



IDO DestinationWeddings.com recently had their annual symposium at the El Dorado Royale Hotel in Mexico. Approximately 300 in attendance - and the hotel/government/additional private sector made sure this was a memorable event. I was very impressed. This company - DestinationWeddings.com provides a full service 'one stop shopping" approach to destination weddings and romance travel. And heading this dynamic company is a veteran - Edward Cotton - COO (Email:ECotton@DestinationWeddings.com).



Of course with over 170 Home Based Agents in attendance, all the major wholesalers were there to sponsor events and plead their case as to why they should be the preferred vendor: GOGO Worldwide Vacations, Travel Impressions, Funjet Vacations, Classic Vacations, Pleasant Holidays, Aeromexico and the various Tourism partners.



Ed is quite proud of the fact that his merry band of home based agents have planned more than 12,000 successful destination weddings and has helped plan travel for more than 250,000 attending guests.And most important - these travel specialists work with the local wedding planners to get the job done.



As one who is always on the look out for her trusted travel partners - I had a discussion with Ed to find out if this symposium had a permanent home in Mexico or will he give other destinations the opportunity to bid on this event. He advised me that the next symposium (2012) will have approximately 600 - 800 in attendance and yes, he will put it out for bidding. After observing the elements of this event, I can say it is going to be a tough act to follow for any other destination



The hospitality of Karisma Hotels (El Dorado Royale, El Dorado Maroma and the Azul Beach) was above and beyond. This was hospitality at its finest. Each event outdid the other. The Mayan wedding ceremony on the beach at the El Dorado Maroma was awe inspiring and this was followed by a beach buffet extravaganza topped off with the Mayan Cultural dance. The final banquet was held at the El Dorado Royale and the ballroom was created to be a night of a million stars. I would say this was fantastic, but words cannot do this evening justice. The Sky Wedding Venue party at the Azul Beach Hotel provided an overview of the property with the beach and the sunset forming the backdrop. And overseeing all this was none other than Mandy Chomat VP Sales & Marketing: Premier Worldwide Marketing, KARISMA hotels.



Any destination, hotel or travel agent looking for an introduction, please contact me at: Jacqueline@MarryCaribbean.com



I am again working with Fox Television (Ct/Mass.) in promoting the Dream Wedding Contest. Participation comes with a very small price tag and if you have an interest, please let me know. The British Virgin Islands was the featured honeymoon destination in la

st year's Dream Wedding contest.



Keeping this blog relatively short today as I need to touch bases with loved one and friends in the Virginia area with regards to the earthquake.

THE BUSINESS OF GETTING MARRIED IN THE CARIBBEAN

The business of weddings in the Caribbean is an important and profitable one, and I would like to take this opportunity to remind the Governments of the Caribbean who focus on this niche market to protect the citizens and their industry.


There are some destinations that are exempt from this as they are part of the US territory, so little if anything can be done.


Too many times, Governments 'allow' visitors to compete with their citizens for these jobs: it could be a wedding planner, photographer or any other 'expert' from stateside, who knows the territory well enough that they can bypass the laws. Obviously, some do come under the guise as guests. Each destination must enforce its work permit laws - as Caribbean Nationals would not be given the opportunity to work in other countries without the benefit of work permits. Most times, they cannot even get into the country.


Other travel service providers have an interest in bringing their guests to get married in the region, and of course the only benefit to the destination would be the paltry sum paid to the Officiant. The photographer, catering, restaurant, local wedding planner, and all who work in the industry are completely left out of the equation. It should be mandatory if it is not already, that a local Service Provider becomes the 'lead' on this event.


Then there is the fallacy of inviting Wedding Planners at a cost to the destination for the various symposiums or fact finding missions as they will send their valued clients to get married in the destination. From experience, no one is about to hand over their business to someone else, much less send their revenue stream to a destination where they have no control. This is far and few between. You want to increase the number of weddings into your region, you need to have a strong marketing/pr program which should include travel agents.


Caribbean destinations need to make sure their Service Providers for this industry are 'on top of their game' and that they are included in all of their wedding/honeymoon marketing promotion


You've got the best, say so! Do not allow competitors to denigrate your skilled and valuable
service providers. If you feel they are not up to the task, bring in qualified trainers to kick start the industry. And why is this important to me? As one who hails from the region, it is my pet peeve.

CAN YOU AFFORD TO IGNORE THIS MARKET

New York State recently approved legislation to allow the LBGT community wishing to get married to do so. In approximately 30 days, there will be a lot of weddings and I am sure this will be followed by honeymoons.

Today, I would like to provide an overview of the tremendous buying power of this market. LGBT leisure travelers (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender).

According to renowned Forrester Research, this market of more than 7 million generates more than $41 Billion per year on their personal and leisure travel. They also tend to be more engaged with online travel booking than straight travelers. In comparison to the rest of the travel population, the incidence of rental cars and flights is much greater, but to successfully sell to LGBT travelers you must understand that your success depends on offering the right travel content – in the right way.

THE RIGHT CONTENT, IN THE RIGHT WAY, IS KEY TO LGBT TRAVEL SUCCESS.

Getting your content right is the most important element in developing a successful LGBT leisure travel business strategy. It is more important than social media, more important than mobile and more important than marketing. Why, because next to content, everything else is window dressing.* Travel firms that lack relevant content have nothing distinct to sell to LGBT travelers. I would also like to add that this goes for the rest of the population. In developing your content remember to:-

A. Sell both LGBT and general travel products. 49% of LGBT leisure travelers take trips to visit family and friends, so provide easy access to and promote your mainstream message and content.

B. Make it clear why a destination or hotel is LGBT-friendly.

C. LGBT leisure travelers have unique concerns. For example, is it acceptable for same-sex couples to hold hands in public? Are there LGBT-friendly neighborhoods, restaurants or clubs?

D. Will hotel check-in be pleasant or awkward? These are not unimportant details as 31% of LGBT travelers avoid cities/destinations where they feel the welcome mat has been rolled up and 32% avoid hotels where written or visual copy fails to make them feel welcome.

E. This is business - $41 Billion worth – not politics:

F. There are some destinations & service providers that have benefited from this alliance – Philadelphia whose visitphilly.com site includes a link to LGBT content Kimpton Hotel & Restaurants, Expedia to name a few.

G. Do make sure your LGBT content is ‘upfront’ and visible, not hiding behind pages of other things: preferably starting out on the ‘home page’.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Average Age - 42 years

Household Income - $77,325.00

Married/partnered - 49%

Vacation of 4-7days - 47%

Vacation of 8+ days - 26%

The above is just for general market travel. Can you imagine the destination or hotel that caters to the honeymoon/romance market and the tremendous revenues that can be earned from the rush of weddings in the next month and onward?

New York is a great 'feeder' market for the Caribbean! Think about that.

I am in the process of featuring all Hotels and Travel Suppliers who focus on this market segment on http://www.MarryCaribbean.com. Caribbean Hotels, please do not hesitate to send me relevant information on your company/hotel for inclusion. Email:Jacqueline@MarryCaribbean.com

CARIBBEAN WEDDING IN NEW YORK - JUNE 8TH, 2011

You have watched the Royal Wedding! - Now the Caribbean presents its own wedding on June 8th, 2011 at Grand Central Station - Vanderbilt Hall. Do come and be a part of this fun and emotional event - hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization and http://www.MarryCaribbean.com

Here you will also find Caribbean countries offering incredible deals and providing you with the most updated information on where to go, and what to do. Come listen to the sounds of the Caribbean, the taste of the Caribbean and meet the people of the Caribbean. A fun and informative day for all.

We do want to thank all the sponsors who make this possible. If you would like to participate, do not hesitate to contact me. Information below.

CARIBBEAN WEDDING CELEBRATION SPONSORS

WHERE: Grand Central, New York WHEN: June 8, 2011 TIME: Approximately 2:30pm
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

[ X ] Wedding Gown______ Demetrios/For The Bride Magazine

[ X ] Tuxedo______1888MyTuxes.com by Galleria Invitations, Favors and Tuxedos

[__] Wedding Rings – Hers____Goldfinger Jewelry/Marigot, St. Martin

[__] Wedding Rings – His_____Goldfinger Jewelry/Marigot, St. Martin

[ X ] Honeymoon_________ American Airlines/Ottley’s Plantation Inn – St. Kitts

[_X] Photography_____________Dwayne Bishop Photography

[_x] Soloist_________________Marenda Perry, “Soprano of Spirit”

[ X ] Bridal Knife & Fork____ MarryCaribbean.com

[ X ] Wedding Cake ___________Kantours/Sponsored by St.Kitts

[__] Officiant ______________Anguilla Tourist Board

[_x] Flowers_________________St. Vincent& The Grenadines

[__] Glasses/plates/forks____Global Bridal Group

[_X] Hotel in New York for bride/groom (2 nights)____Barry Brown/Afar Magazine

[__] Champagne (4 bottles)___British Virgin Islands

[X_] Hair & MakeUP__________Hermies Salon – Hermione Fraser

Island Gifts for Bride & Groom (To be presented the day of wedding) WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN ONLINE PROMOTION

PUBLICITY:

Program launched on Valentine’s Day:

• MarryCaribbean.com

• MarryCaribbean Press Release

• CaribbeanWeddingAssociation.com

GlobalWeddingResource.com

• Facebook

•Twitter

• Essence.com

•Linkedin

. Caribbean Tourism Organization

List of additional publicity outlets to come…

Contact: Jacqueline Johnson | Email: Jacqueline@MarryCaribbean.com | Office: 203-461-8423

CARIBBEAN WEDDING CELEBRATION

MARRYCARIBBEAN.COM AND CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION SPONSOR FORM

COMMITMENT DUE DATE: ASAP, 2011 — MATERIALS INCLUDING CERTIFICATE DUE BY: May 20, 2011

This will confirm ____________________________________ agreement to support CTO’s sponsorship solicitation effort for Wedding Celebration contest.

Sponsors will benefit from the following promotional elements:

•On the home page of MarryCaribbean.com, GlobalWeddingResource.com CaribbeanWeddingAssociation.com

•Details of all honeymoons packages will be posted online, along with an image, logo

•Exposure on Social networks, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.

•Included in all publicity materials generated for sweepstakes and wedding

•Brochure distribution at the MarryCaribbean.com booth

•Promotion on Caribbean Tourism Organization website

SPONSOR agrees to provide the prize as outlined below:

Approximate Retail Value: US $____________

AUTHORIZED BY: Name:__________________________________________ Company:

Address: Tel:______________________ Fax:__________________ Email:__________________

Signature:_______________________________________ Date: __________________

Materials due by May 20, 2011 include: 35 words of copy, prize description copy, gift certificate/letter, Brochure.

Please return completed form to:

Jacqueline Johnson - MarryCaribbean.com

Phone: 203-461-8423 | Email: Jacqueline@MarryCaribbean.com, GlobalBridalGroup@gmail.com

TOP TEN BEACHES IN THE CARIBBEAN

The Caribbean with close proximity to the United States is considered the 'Oasis' of the Western Hemisphere. No where else can you find so close to the US a region with extraordinary people, some of the best beaches in the world, world class hotels, and all the charms one would expect from 34 diverse islands.

It is therefore a difficult task at best to name the top ten beaches. Hence, when the Travel Channel decided to focus on this, I was a captive audience. Here is their top ten pick, beginning with #1:

Harbour Island - Bahamas

Tulum - Mexico

Negril - Jamaica

Puerto Rico

British Virgin islands

Tobago

Exhuma - Bahamas

Cancun

Necker Islands - British Virgin islands

Montego Bay - Jamaica

I waited and waited to see if I had listed them all correctly, as I patiently waited to hear the United States Virgin Islands mentioned. I do not know if you have ever been to St. John, but the beach there is beyond breathtaking. What about Aruba, Turks & Caicos and so many others. I know it is most difficult to do top ten of anything, but I guess an awareness of the region does benefit all.

With the wedding & honeymoon audience looking to solidify their lifestage event at one of these breathtaking islands, I am sure this will remind them of where they need to go to celebrate their love.

Getting married or enjoying a honeymoon in the Caribbean is still on the wish list of all engaged couples.

CARIBBEAN WEEK IN NEW YORK

The Annual Caribbean Week will take place in New York - June 4 - 11, 2011.

This event will 'kick off' with a fair at Lincoln Center and to further enhance and promote the event - The Global Bridal Group, consisting of http://www.MarryCaribbean.com, http://www.CaribbeanWeddingAssociation.com and http://www.GlobalWeddingResource.com in conjunction with the Caribbean Tourism Organization - will marry a lucky couple. This lucky couple will have a gown designed by Ali Lue and the honeymoon given by the British Virgin islands. A fabulous and romantic destination.

Opportunities are still available for all Governments/hotels to participate. Kindly email me: jacqueline@MarryCaribbean.com.

The rest of the week will have a mixture of meetings, a dynamic and informative Marketing Conference, the Annual Government's of the Caribbean State Ball and ending on the 11th of June with Caribbean Film Screenings.

These public events are designed to bring awareness to the Caribbean and to put heads in beds. Most of all these events create and help build on the marketing efforts of each individual country. With a wedding. music, cultural shows in prime New York Media season, this event will most likely make all the television news, newspapers, bloggers and all media vehicle looking for news in a low period.

Public Relations companies, hotel representatives, Governments, travel agents, all should come together to make this one of the biggest events in New York. I do plan to keep you informed and to remind everyone of the importance of this event and why participation should be mandatory. It is Lincoln Center - June 4th on a Saturday, in New York. It does not come better than that.

If you have a candidate or you would like to enter the sweepstakes, please go to http://www.marryCaribbean.com for details. Start telling you friends, put it on your calendar, this is a must attend and fun event.