Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine July 2016 | Page 148

COVER STORY How has your tourism What are your product changed over the expectations for the years? tourism sector in Our product has become 2016/2017? progressively more sophisticated and luxurious but our ethos has remained the same. A natural island with a rich history a genuinely warm and welcoming people offering our visitors a true sense of how the Caribbean used to be. We say on Nevis that you are only a stranger once. We mean it and intend to stay true to our ethos. Tell us about your geo thermal initiative and how it ties in to your long term tourism strategy. Geothermal is clean and green and allows us to generate electricity sustainably whilst at the same time weaning our island completely off fossil fuels. Not only will geothermal energy be cheaper for consumers but it reduces Nevis’ carbon footprint to nearly zero. As indicated above we expect to be able to have geothermal in our homes and businesses by December 2017. In terms of tourism we feel that being the greenest place on Planet earth speaks volumes of who we are and what we as a small island are seeking to achieve. Canadians who themselves are known for their efforts to combat climate change will be pleased to visit an island which is leading the world in sustainability. Nevis has experienced growth in visitor arrivals averaging just under 12% per year since 2013. That is a record we are proud of. We wish to continue this level of growth but to do so responsibly and sustainably. An Aman Resort has been promised and we hope to capitalize on that unique opportunity. The venerable Four Seasons has also been recently sold and we expect the developers to undertake a massive upgrade of that resort so as to ensure it continues to be the finest in the Caribbean. The future of tourism for Nevis is bright. Our path is one on which we are certain and we hope that your readers would come enjoy what a privileged few are lucky to call home Is your country seeking to attract investors to your tourism sector? Or any other sector? Yes. We continue to try and attract investors who understand the ethos of Nevis and are prepared to invest in that type of development. The Four Seasons came some 25 years ago and it still one of the finest properties globally. We feel that other high end brands would also find Nevis attractive. With geothermal energy in the near 144 future and our claim to being the greenest place on Planet Earth, I think investors in the hospitality sector will be encouraged to take a hard look at Nevis. Our island is stable with a strong democracy, independent court system and a growing economy. Indeed the economy of St Kitts and Nevis is due to grow by just about 6% this year the second highest growth only to the Dominican Republic in the entire Caribbean and Latin American region. I extend a heartfelt invitation to your readers in Canada. C ome see us. Come stay with us. Corn invest with us. Come see Nevis, the Queen of the Caribees.