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SABA/ST. EUSTATIUS - From 27-31 August 2016 the president of the Saba Business Association and Vice Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Saba & Statia & hotel owner on Saba (Scout’s Place) Wolfgang Tooten and Saba boutique hotel owner Hemmie van Xanten participated in NABHOOD Summit (National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers) and the 3rd annual Multicultural & Heritage Tourism Summit & Trade Show.

Due to financing from the European Union COSME program and a special Caribbean small hotel owner insert into the event, small Caribbean hoteliers were able to attend these conferences.

Besides Tourism authorities of Statia and St. Maarten, many other islands like Anguilla and Montserrat were represented by local entrepreneurs. Furthermore the prime minister of the Bahamas attended and gave a speech related to tourism.

Very informative and fruitful seminars were offered to the participants. COSME especially accommodated several tailor-made seminars for the Caribbean business people with very capable and knowledgeable speakers.

Besides very good information the participants received, there was a possibility to showcase their islands via brochures at the trade show and lobby for their specific islands. Furthermore the matchmaking can’t be valued enough and many contacts and direct discussions could be set up and held during the breaks and after hours.

In general it can be said that it was very successful event and most if not all participants had a positive impression and countless new contacts that can lead to definitely to more tourism development on the participation island.

The representatives from COSME were very helpful and well organized, made contacts easy by introducing the persons to their counterparts or new facilitated new business contacts. The organized himself, Mr. Andy Ingraham, a former employee of the Dutch government in St. Maarten was very comforting and constantly tried to facilitate contacts and by introducing the representatives of the islands to other business owners and companies active in the field.

The African American travel market is estimated to be 54 billion US dollars a year and the local tourism authorities and the local business owners should definitely keep this market segment in mind and target and attract this “new” group of travellers.

Also event and incentive travellers are a good market and several contacts were made and visits to the islands promised by the promoters.