Tourism Highlights

Thanks to the Montserrat Tourist Board and Ishwar Persad for the following information. I hope we all get to read some of this material and pass it on to friends.

MTBs PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS YIELDING HIGH RETURNS

The Montserrat Tourist Board’s (MTB) strategy of focusing its tourism promotional efforts in the area of public relations continue to pay high dividends. This has been clearly reflected in the significant positive coverage that Montserrat’s tourism products continue to receive in international media over the past year. In the last couple of months the media coverage has been particularly intense. Some of the coverage that the island has received recently are as follows:

Sport Diver Magazine (January/February 2006 Issue) – The spectacular and unique dive product of Montserrat was highlighted in three (3) full colour pages in this prestigious dive magazine, which has a circulation of 350,000. This piece was done by Ms. Tanya Burnett, who was part of a US press trip hosted by the MTB in mid-2005. Ms. Burnett also wrote highly of the friendliness and fun nature of the people, saying that, “Montserratians have a knack for having fun, and they love sharing it with visitors.”

BWIAs Caribbean Beat Magazine (January/February 2006 Issue) - BWIA's monthly in-flight magazine, Caribbean Beat, featured Montserrat in a four (4) page full-colour feature article. Under the caption ‘Volcano is Boss’, travel writer Mark Meredith highlighted the unique tourism products of Montserrat, namely the Soufriere Hills Volcano and the attractions that it has created. He writes that he found “…a mountain in no mood to go back to sleep,” and that this was the exact reason for persons to consider a detour to Montserrat on their next holiday. Caribbean Beat is a free magazine that is available for passengers on all BWIA flights.

The Sunday Telegraph (January 15th, 2006) - This major UK newspaper had a lead feature entitled 'The Places to be in 2006'" in its Sunday edition on January 15, 2006. Montserrat was mentioned on one of those places to be in 2006 and its dive product was singled out for attention. Soon after this article the MTBs London based PR agency fielded a number of inquiries from prospective visitors from the UK.

The Times Newspaper (UK, January 14, 2006) – The Saturday edition of this paper ran details of a Dive Worldwide package to Montserrat on its 'Departures' page on January 14th, 2006. This piece can be read online at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,71-1982734,00.htm

Frommers.com (November 2005)
Under the title of “Montserrat: A Hidden Gem in the Caribbean,” travel writer Mark Nadeau highlighted in detail the resurgence of the island in an article on Frommers.com, one of the world’s most influential travel sources. Mark was hosted by the MTB in mid-2005 and was suitably impressed with the island’s nature product, Plymouth and the excellent diving that were on offer. This very positive article included information and contact details on the Montserrat National Trust, the Montserrat Tourist Board, the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, WinAir and other tourism businesses on the island. The full story can be read online at http://frommers.com/articles/3256.html

Caribbean Travel & Life (December 2005) – This upscale travel magazine, with a circulation of 350,000 ran a half page feature on Montserrat in its December 2005 issue. Details were provided on Montserrat’s St Patrick's Day celebrations, as well as other attractions.

The Province Newspaper (November 27th, 2005) – Montserrat’s new airport and its and tourism products were the feature of an article in this newspaper in British Columbia, Canada. This paper has a circulation of 250,000.

Travel Agent Magazine (December 19th, 2005) – Writing for this influential travel trade magazine, Mark Rogers chronicled the Emerald Isle’s comeback to the international tourism arena. He focused on the new airport, St Patrick’s Day, Hiking Trails and the MVO.

The Banker - Financial Times (December 2005) – In this publication, Irish journalist Mr Hugh O'Shaughnessy focused on Montserrat's financial and tourism sector's revival. This was a result of the MTB hosting Mr. O'Shaughnessy in late 2005. A more tourism oriented piece by him also appeared in the in the Irish Times in November 2005, and the Independent Newspaper (UK) is also supposed to run similar story very soon.

Destinations (Armed Forces Magazine) – Montserrat was given four (4) full colour pages of editorial and pictorial content in this UK magazine.

Olive Magazine (December 2005) - Montserrat is listed as along with Belize and the Turks and Caicos Islands as "Three of a Kind - Secret Caribbean" in this UK publication.

Commenting on the high level of positive coverage that Montserrat is getting in the international media, the MTBs Director of Tourism, Ms. Ernestine M. Cassell said that, “We have been getting extremely high returns on our very moderate investment in PR and we will continue to work in the arena to help raise the tourism profile of Montserrat. I would like to thank all of our overseas representatives for their hard efforts in helping us to rejuvenate Montserrat’s tourism sector.“