ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, Thursday,September 26, 2013- GIS: On Wednesday, September 25th, the Sister Isle of Carriacou saw the launch of its very first Staycation Promotion dubbed ‘Staycation in Carriacou’.

The promotion is an initiative of the Grenada Board of Tourism (GBT) that markets the Sister Isles of Carriacou and Petite Martinique as a vacation destination to visiting tourists and nationals alike. The goal is to increase tourist arrivals to the Sister Isles.

The Promotion, which runs from now to December 15th, 2013 offers Grenadians and other visitors travelling to Carriacou and Petite Martinique the opportunity to receive a 50% discount on the Osprey Lines, once they book a minimum of 2 nights at participating hotels.

“Our aim is to encourage Grenadians and visitors who have never visited Carriacou and Petite Martinique to come and enjoy the Sister Isles,” Christine Noel-Horsford, Acting Head of Marketing at the GBT said.

“Visitors these days are looking for diversity; if we give them mainland Grenada, and they have the opportunity to extend their stay to Carriacou and Petite Martinique, we will definitely increase their experience.”

Presently, 11 hotels, 7 restaurants and a number of Taxi and Tour Operators, art & craft vendors in Carriacou and tourism establishments in Petite Martinique have signed on to the promotion, where they will be offering additional discounts on their services.

According to GBT’s Head of Product Development and Customer Service, Nikoyan Roberts, preparation and quality service is of utmost importance if the participating establishments are to accommodate the influx of visitors that are expected due to the Staycation promotion.

“Any person in Grenada who sees this promotion we will be expecting a certain level of service quality, and in order for us to deliver on that; the Board had a service provider trainer come up and work with managers, owners and staff at the different restaurants and hotels, so that they will know how to give top quality service to every single person who comes to Carriacou,” Mrs. Roberts said.

Certificates of completion of the course were presented to participants during the launch by the GBT Chairman, Shadel Nyack Compton.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs, Gertrude Niles said that she was elated about the promotion, she referred to it as“innovate, creative and exciting” and said that the Sister Isles fully welcomes it to their shores.

“We do appreciate the fact that Carriacou and Petite Martinique is cementing their position on the Board of Tourism, and that those who are at the helm recognize that Grenada is a tri-island state,” Permanent Secretary Niles said.

“This is serious business and I urge all of us to make good use of this opportunity to offer the true Carriacou experience. We hope that because of this, persons will make the Isle of Carriacou their next stop.”

A highlight of the launching ceremony was the unveiling of the Staycation Commercial, which was produced by the hard work and collaboration of the GBT Marketing Department and tourism stakeholders in Grenada and Carriacou. The commercial is only one of the strategic advertising tools that the Board of Tourism will use, along with radio, internet and print formats to boost the promotion and ensure maximum success.