Nevis Premier Meets With BA Officials
Charlestown, Nevis
January 13, 2009
Nevis’ Premier and Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Joseph Parry was at the Charlestown Ferry Terminal on Monday January 12, to say “Bon Voyage” to a party of British Airways Sales and Marketing Executives and visiting journalists from the United Kingdom. The visiting party arrived in St. Kitts on Saturday January 10, 2009 on the inaugural British Airways direct service from London-Gatwick to St. Kitts. Premier Parry said he was indeed happy to welcome the British group to beautiful Nevis.
“I am very happy to have all of you here on the island of Nevis. This inaugural trip of British Airways to St. Kitts means a lot, not only for St. Kitts, but also for the island of Nevis.
“I can assure you that your visit will be a stimulus to having the Four Seasons re-opened and getting our hotels going. I hope that this inaugural trip is one that will last for a long, long time and that the relationship between St. Kitts and Nevis and British Airways will continue to grow and become stronger and stronger,” he said.
The Tourism Minister also extended an invitation to the British Airways team to return to indulge in the uniqueness of the island.
“As you listen to the lovely music in the background, I must tell you that it is not totally the Nevisian music; we have something that is sharper and sweeter. I really hope that you will get a little bit of it and one of these days you will be able to see our masquerades, which are very unique on the island of Nevis.
“You have come at the right time; when it’ cool and lovely and sunny and if you had a chance to go around the island you would never want to leave. However, since you have not been able to see all of it, you must come back and experience it, Mr. Parry said.
Speaking on behalf of the visiting party, Head of Sales, UK and Ireland with British Airways, Mr. Richard Tams said he was confident that BA passengers would be attracted to Nevis.
“Premier Parry, thank you very much for your warm welcome, we’ve had an enormously warm welcome since we arrived on Saturday night. We are very excited at British Airways about this new service. We are very confident that a large amount of the passengers would be coming on to Nevis and I could understand why now.
“We’ve been to see the Four Seasons and that obviously is going to be very exciting when it re-opens. We are very optimistic, we are totally committed to developing this route and I hope our presence here demonstrates that; so thank you for your warm welcome and we look forward to a great partnership together,” the BA executive said.
The other members of visiting British Airways team of Sales and Marketing executives and visiting journalists comprised Business Development Tourist Boards and Hotel Partnerships representative, Alison Nicholls, Public Relations Manager, Amanda Allan, Marketing Manager, Karen Gordon and Kong Lee who works in the area of Procurement. Managing Editor for Selling Long Haul – Alan Orbell, Deputy Editor for the Association of British Travel Agents – Joanne Gardner, St. Kitts Tourism Authority UK based Public Relations Representative and Consultant ““ Deirdre Cumbberbatch and Lisa Elmes-Bosshard.
While on Nevis the BA team met with tour operators and tourism stakeholders before returning to St. Kitts on the MV Caribe Queen.