NASSAU, BAHAMAS – BREXIT concerns and overload may be pushing more U.K. travellers to The Bahamas and other regional countries – with one U.K. travel writer suggesting eco-tourism as a draw to lure these tourists to sandier shores.
The Caribbean Tourism Organization official report reveals that arrivals from Europe improved modestly to the Caribbean in 2018, reflecting that more tourists are opting for domestic vacations amidst Brexit negotiations.
However, Editor at TTG – one of the largest primary trade publication in the U.K – Pippa Jacks said now may be the best time for the Caribbean to go after the European market.
“I think there are a lot of holidaymakers who want to get away from it all and in that sense, I think the Caribbean is very well placed,” Jacks said at a recent CTO press conference.
Her comments come as British Prime Minister Theresa May’s plan for the exit from the European Union was rejected Tuesday in the U.K. parliament, leaving uncertainty of what course of action would follow in months to come.
It’s a situation that may prime the region to win more visitors from there as travellers look to get a break from talks of BREXIT.
Still, Jacks said there was one marketing tool in particular that the region should explore in trying to attract these visitors.
“Something that has really come to the fore in the last 12 months or 18 months has been the whole responsible tourism side of things,” she said. “Blue planet documentary made a huge impact here in the U.K. and we’ve been writing a lot about travel companies and hotel companies wanting to operate more responsibly.
“The average U.K. holidaymaker is becoming more and more aware of these things and the Caribbean is well placed to position itself to talk to that market and I think that should be something you focus even more on.”
