Stay connected with the Martinique Tourism Authority team
This week Travel Courier catches up with the Martinique Tourism Authority team in Canada and the US. Read on to discover what Ingrid Labeau, Marketing & Promotions Coordinator; Muriel Wiltord, Director Americas and Dimitri Derigent, Communication & PR Coordinator, have been doing to promote this idyllic destination.
The New Year is here. What’s giving you hope for the future?
Muriel: What gives me hope for the future is the probable positive effect of vaccination on travel and the reopening of frontiers between Canada and the beautiful island of Martinique.
Also, what gives me hope is the warm and dynamic relationship that we maintained with our Canadian friends and partners from Quebec, Ontario, Vancouver, etc.
Last, but most certainly not least, the warmth of our people, the phenomenal beauty of the island, the richness of our traditions and culture and our superb cuisine and Rums speak for themselves are some of the reasons why Martinique has been awarded #1 emerging destination by TripAdvisor in 2021.
“We are strongly committed to the industry and this is the reason why we are currently working on our very first Martinique Travel Show from May 18 to 20, that will give Canadian agents the opportunity to interact with our professionals from Martinique during one-on-one interviews.”
Dimitri Derigent
Martinique Tourism Authority
How have you been coping during the pandemic and how have you been keeping busy?
Ingrid: The Covid-19 crisis has been a huge upheaval for me and the rest of team! We were just coming back from Toronto in February 2020, where we had this beautiful event promoting Martinique in the Ontarian market. In this very same month we were also celebrating the 10 year-old anniversary of the direct flight connexion from Martinique to Montreal. We had many great events to come, but it just stopped. So we had to reorganize completely our missions, first in order to help the tourism industry facing the big tsunami! We helped them building new offers, according to the market’s needs and expectations.
We had a big reflection of how to maintain the great momentum we had with the Canadian market, in a virtual way.
So we launched the Facebook live « Martinique Meet-up », a series of rendezvous on our Facebook page « Rencontrez La Martinique ». The idea was to learn more about an activity, a place, or a tradition with a guest based in Martinique and a Canadian host.
These lives were a link to keep Martinique and Canada connected. The second season of these heart-warming Facebook lives will resume on March 25.
Blogger & Chef Prisca Morjon – Cooking session from Martinique.
What have been some of your strategies to keep the trade engaged over the last year? How are you staying connected with travel advisors during this time?
Dimitri: We wanted to keep Martinique in the mind of the trade despite the current travel restrictions.
We organized webinars and participated in various virtual events that allowed us to promote Martinique and its tourism attractions.
We are strongly committed to the industry and this is the reason why we are currently working on our very first Martinique Travel Show from May 18 to 20, that will give Canadian agents the opportunity to interact with our professionals from Martinique during one-on-one interviews.
Conferences and other surprises are also scheduled so stay tuned!
Dimitri Derigent & Ingrid Labeau – Press conference with Atout France.
Do you have anything you want to share with travel agents?
Muriel: We want to thank all travel agents for supporting our destination. Their interest and knowledge of the island helped tremendously putting Martinique on the Canadian Map. Their clients appreciate discovering an island that is recognized as one of the safest island in the Caribbean.
Dimitri: Martinique is really looking forward to welcoming its Canadian visitors. The love and amazing response from one destination to another is real and we need the love connection to carry on. Thanks to your help, we will get it through.
Ingrid: It is time to travel differently. If you are looking for a safe destination, very low number of covid cases, Martinique is definitely the best place to go to. Covid 19 crisis made all of us think about what is more important in our lives and in our way of traveling. In Martinique, the authenticity is reflected in the people, the food, the culture, everywhere! We wait for you!
Muriel Wiltord, Ingrid Labeau and Jeremie Jean-Baptiste – Press conference for Martinique Gourmande.
What’s something people shouldn’t leave Martinique without seeing, doing or eating?
Muriel: Not an easy pick! Personally with my friends I love buying one of those “poulet boucané” (Chicken Buccaneers Style), a crispy baguette and a bunch of organic locally grown tomatoes and head to les Salines beach (pictured top of page), a magnificent beach down South, for a memorable picnic. Fresh local fruit juice or a planter’s punch are a wonderful match. Simple pleasures…
Trois Riviere & La Mauny Cellar MasterDaniel Baudin – Rum conference for Martinique Gourmande food festival.
Is there something that you think people may not know about Martinique?
Muriel : People may not know that Martinique produces one of the best coffees in the world. All the coffee of the New World (Columbia, Jamaica, Brazil etc..) comes from a plant stolen in Martinique. The new edition of “Martinique Café d’excellence” is a definite must.
Also, people may not know that from budget to deluxe, the Martinique offer in villa rentals and concierge services is excellent and very much appreciated by our visitors.
Ingrid Labeau – Marketing presentation for Martinique Tourism Authority.
There’s been a lot of talk about the travel industry coming out better on the other side of COVID-19. What are your hopes?
Dimitri: Every cloud has a silver lining. We have to see from the lessons learned how may we improve our own way to travel and to promote tourism.
Maybe this is an effective opportunity to enhance even more sustainable tourism and highlight new trends such as slow tourism. Martinique has numerous protected areas, from the national level to the international one and we need to continue teaching our visitors the importance of such protection.
This is important for our biodiversity but also for our local businesses, our population and for our tourism industry finally.
Mixologist Lionel Chami – Cocktail live for Martinique Gourmande food festival.
How has travel impacted your life?
Ingrid: Travels has always been one of the most important element of my life! Since I was in college in Paris, I would work on week-ends and save money for quick trips in Europe.
My first job was in India, my second was in Australia. And between these two, I backpacked in South-East Asia for six months. I was born in Paris, and I also lived in Martinique. Now I am based in Canada. Travels are like a second nature for me. I really think they are for me the best way to shape anyone’s character. It gives you unexpected experiences, unforgettable memories. Travels makes people discover other cultures and habits, it is the best way to open people’s mind.
Travels contributed to make me who I am today, I can be with anybody today and feeling comfortable with.
It is important for everyone of us to travel again, travelling while respecting places we go to and people we meet. I am sure we will together make the world a better place to live in!
Muriel Wiltord – Press conference with Atout France Canada.
