Reimagining Montserrat: Cutting the Friction, Capturing the Visitor

Imagine this: Someone scrolling through Instagram sees a breathtaking video of Montserrat; the black sand beach, the lush trails, the sizzling pan of fried fish with breadfruit chips. They’re hooked. They want in.

But then the trail goes cold. No booking link. No directions. No name. No way to pay. Just a pretty post that leaves them with questions and nowhere to find the answers.

For the visitor, it’s a dead end. For us, it’s a missed opportunity. And it happens far too often.

Montserrat’s hospitality sector will not compete or survive without fully embracing technology. In a global market where travellers expect real-time updates, seamless booking, and responsive service, we are pursuing viral videos over connection and it’s costing us.

The problem isn’t only aesthetic or strategic, it’s structural. We have fragmented systems, outdated digital footprints, and individual businesses trying to go it alone. What’s missing is a locally driven platform that makes it easy for anyone, whether a Montserratian abroad, a first-time visitor, or even a neighbour to discover, book, and pay for local services.

Why Local Matters

Yes, travellers can find some of our properties on TripAdvisor and Airbnb but very few experiences are available to book online. What Montserrat needs is a curated, intimate, small-island experience that global platforms can’t capture. One central channel built for us, by us could highlight local guesthouses, villas, chefs, tour guides, artisans, and transport services in a way that feels personal, seamless, and trustworthy.

This kind of platform isn’t about competition; it’s about cooperation. One shared channel for content, bookings, and payments would:

• Allow a solopreneur, like a fisherman, tour guide, or home chef, to set up a storefront without the cost of building a website, paying for email marketing software, or managing multiple systems.
• Enable a visitor to book a villa, schedule an island tour, reserve a dinner table, and arrange a car rental all in one transaction.
• Create a simple, local-first digital marketplace that keeps money in the economy while expanding access for international visitors.

Tools like Stan for creators show us what’s possible: an all-in-one application that handles content, bookings, payments, and customer communication. Montserrat needs its own version, one that reflects our culture, scale, and community.

Payments: Still Our Biggest Barrier

Today, many businesses can accept credit card payments with Bank of Montserrat’s card machine or use Serra, Montserrat’s digital wallet. But internationally, we are still blocked. A visitor from Michigan or Ireland cannot easily pay for their villa or taxi. That’s a missed opportunity.

Local businesses with US or UK connections can leverage platforms like PayPal or Stripe. Yes, it means subjecting yourself to international tax laws alongside Montserrat’s regulations, but it also means you can meet customers where they are. Until Montserrat’s financial institutions bridge the gap, entrepreneurs must find ways to plug into global systems.

Meanwhile, Bank of Montserrat Ltd. and the St. Patrick’s Cooperative Credit Union could lead the way by developing flexible “digital transition loans” and e-commerce products tailored to tourism businesses.

The Shift in Discovery

Today’s travellers don’t just search on Google, they use AI tools to plan their trips. Whether it’s ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or Trip Planner apps, the algorithms feed off SEO-friendly content. That means Montserrat’s visibility depends on whether our businesses and our island as a whole, are creating content that answers real queries.

Restaurant menus should be available online for people to peruse and order. They can be set up on a Google My Business page or even available in your social media bio. Montserrat Guide, a new digital platform is now offering local restaurants the option to showcase their menus and allow people to order. The order goes straight to the restaurants inbox and food can be prepared for collection. The system will also allow customers to scan a QR code at their table and place and order and pay. See a sample menu here.

Even TikToks, Instagram Reels, and Facebook posts must be discoverable. Every piece of content should have a clear CTA (Call to Action): a direct booking link, a phone number, or a one-click way to pay. Reduce the friction. No dead ends. No “DM us for info.” If a customer has to work too hard to find you, you’ve lost them.

What We Can Do Now

Build a Local Booking + Content Platform: A one-stop app showcasing properties, experiences, and services. Seamless payments. Real-time availability. Integrated reviews.

Collective  + Individual Marketing: There’s been a notable increase of content from the Montserrat Tourism Authority which offers insight into Montserrat but we also need individual businesses to tell their story as well.

Train for Digital Readiness: Offer regular Google Business Profile workshops, SEO clinics, and content training for small operators.

Upgrade Payments: Expand Serra adoption locally, but also push for international compatibility. Encourage entrepreneurs with offshore links to enable PayPal/Stripe for now. There is an opportunity here for a Diaspora-based entrepreneur to leverage an international payment solution to solve a local problem.

Every Post = A Conversion Opportunity: Don’t just share content, make sure every reel, every caption, every graphic leads to a booking, a purchase, or an enquiry.

The Bigger Picture

As it stands, even locals struggle to find reliable services, whether it’s a plumber, fresh fish, or an appliance repair. Imagine how hard it is for a visitor with no connections, unaware they need to join Facebook groups like Beg, Borrow, Buy or Montserrat Marketplace just to figure things out.

Montserrat’s smallness is not a weakness, it’s our strength. We can deliver a seamless, intimate, easy-to-book island getaway but it requires intentionality, cooperation, and the courage to think beyond “for Montserratians only.”

If Montserrat wants to compete in today’s global travel market, we must eliminate that friction. Every piece of content must connect seamlessly to a booking, a payment, or a direct action. Small as we are, this island can turn intimacy into advantage, but only if we make it easy for people to go from “I want that” to “I booked it.”