The Montserrat Tourism Division is celebrating a successful Tourism Week as feedback continues to come in about the multiple opportunities the public had to experience the island like a tourist.
Norman Cassell of NamCas Enterprises said his tour to the South of the island, which included Plymouth, provided several of his passengers the chance to see the old capital for the first time since the eruptions. Cassell said he was surprised that there were still people living in Montserrat who had never returned, and he was happy to have been able to make it a positive experience for them.
Scuba Montserrat was kept busy on the water sports day with 12 people taking out kayaks for the first time. Some paddled all the way to Rendezvous Beach where they had a swim then returned.
“Thank you very much for the opportunity to go on a Boat Trip. It was a great experience and everyone on the Boat really enjoyed the trip. We thank you that you organized this for Tourism Week. I am sure it was a success,” one individual shared in an email to the tourism office.
In attending the Cassava Bread Making Tour with Prince, Mrs. Anne Cassell commented “This was a wonderful demonstration. Thank you to Prince and his helpers.”
Other experiences which had a good turnout were turtle watching with John Jeffers and Jack Wiggins, shorebird watching with the Department of Environment, boat tours with Buffy and the Bush Tea tour at the Montserrat National Trust. Other stakeholders shared with the tourism division that while they saw limited participation, the promotion of their business resulted in them gaining revenue for products they sold and as well as for future bookings.
Hannes De Bruin, a new resident of the island, also shared his experience of the week and commented, “I love living in Montserrat with its combination of the unspoilt natural beauty of the island, warm weather, friendly and welcoming people, and a healthy lifestyle. Tourism week added to this by offering an exciting schedule of activities which were arranged by the Tourism Division at affordable prices for locals. I enjoyed the Salem Village Walk, the Collins Ghaut Clean-Up, the Turtle Watching, and my highlight – the kayaking and snorkeling. As well as enjoying each event that I attended, it was a fun way to meet many new people and make new friends. Thanks very much and well done to the Montserrat Tourism Division. I’m already looking forward to next year’s Tourism Week!”
“We are incredibly happy that the stakeholders who so readily agreed to be a part of the week of experiences saw an uptick in business. Now, we want to encourage them to keep promoting their services and commit to more regularly scheduled tours that will allow others to promote them as well,” Mrs. Rosetta West-Gerald, the Tourism Director noted.
The Experience Montserrat Like a Tourist activity was part of the island’s first Tourism Week in many years. Other events included a mini expo featuring tourism service providers, a forum on Rethinking Montserrat’s Tourism and a clean-up of Collins River with residents and members of the Rotary and Rotaract Clubs, a hike from Ginger ground to Mongo Hill, a farm to table Cassava making experience with Gambi and a walking tour of the village of St. John’s.
“The Tourism Division acknowledges the support of the UNDP which assisted us in promoting Montserrat’s environment and experiences to residents and visitors alike. We learned a lot from this week of activities and have already met to discuss how we can improve future events. There is always room for improvement, and we appreciate the feedback from stakeholders and participants,” West-Gerald added.
Montserrat’s Tourism Week was celebrated September 25 to October 1, 2022. Visit the Montserrat Tourism Division Facebook page for photos from the week of activities.
