Above: Haiti Tourism Minister Stephanie Villedrouin welcomes tourists in Port-au-Prince (Photo: OP Haiti)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

It was a small group of 25 that arrived in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday, but it could be the start of something far bigger for Haiti’s inchoate tourism sector.

The group of tourists were the first to have purchased packages to the country through Canadian firm Transat; about 25 passengers purchased the firm’s Haiti package, which combines two nights in Port-au-Prince and five nights on the Cote-des-Arcadins.

Haiti Tourism Minister Stephanie Villedrouin was on hand at Port-au-Prince’s airport to receive the group.

The Port-au-Prince portion of the trip includes visits to the MUPANAH Museum, the Rhum Barbancourt Distillery, and the Boutiliers observatory, among other stops. The natural heritage sites of Saut d’Eau and the islets of Arcadins are among the attractions on the latter portion of the trip.

The packages are the result of an agreement announced in December and signed in January between Haiti and Transat, Canada’s largest outgoing tour operator.

It is the first time a major Canadian operator has offered tour packages to Haiti, which has been pushing to develop its tourism sector.