News

Talking With New St Kitts and Nevis Tourism Minister Lindsay Grant

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - March 19, 2015 - 9:52 pm

Above: St Kitts and Nevis Tourism Minister (CJ Photo)

By Alexander Britell

MIAMI — Tourism has been on a steady climb in St Kitts and Nevis in recent years, led by a slate of new hotel projects set to come on stream in the next few years, most notably the Caribbean’s first Park Hyatt. So where does the sector go from here? But last month, St Kitts and Nevis chose a new government that included a new Tourism Minister, Lindsay Grant. To learn more about where the country’s tourism is headed, CJ caught up with Grant at the annual Cruise Shipping Miami conference in Miami Beach this week.

What are you working on to begin?

I’ve only been in the job 17 days. I have a good team, and so we’re positioned to continue where St Kitts is at, and just make it better. We have I believe a lot of projects on stream which will really take us a cut above the rest within the next I would say two to five years. From cruise, we have the new pier we are going to build, ready for the 2016 season, so that’s good. In terms of hotel developments, we have the Park Hyatt coming on board in the next 11 months, it’s going to bring a clientele we’ve been trying to attract for a couple of years. We have Kittitian Hill, which is a fantastic site. It’s going to give us another clientele that we ordinarily wouldn’t have. We have Koi Resorts, which should be on stream within 24 to 36 months, so we’re poised for greatness.

What’s your initial impression to the state of the sector right now?

The sector is in a healthy condition, let me put it that way. My job is to stay the state along its course and to make it better. I think if I might say being very biased, we’re in the top strata of the destinations and we intend to keep it that way and make it better.

How do you see the two islands of St Kitts and Nevis working together to strengthen tourism?

I must say politically we are now closer in terms of our cooperation, and that augurs well for the different products that we will bring. The beauty about St Kitts and Nevis is that they attract a slightly different clientele, so it’s great, you’re getting two for ones. When you come to St Kitts, you must of necessity experience Nevis because it’s a different country although we’re one, so that’s the beauty of it, and that’s one of our selling points, the uniqueness of it. So that’s going to be a driving force going forward.

If you could look ahead, what are some of the things you’d like to achieve in this term?

Chief on my agenda is capacity building. I want to move my people up at the same pace that we’re having the growth. It’s no sense having the growth and leaving the people behind. So my task is to ensure that we move forward and as part of that, within the first week that I’ve been in office, I’ve spoken with the the Fitzroy Bryant College, which is our college in St Kitts, and indicated to them that we have to be able to establish a centre for excellence to train our people at the highest level. And so that will spill over to industry and ensure that industry is fed properly with the kind of human resource capacity that is needed at this time. So if I can end my first stint having brought us up a notch in terms of our capacity building in human resources, I think I would have achieved much.

Popular Posts dominica fort young views

In Dominica, an All-Inclusive That Comes With the Whole Island 

All-inclusive has been changing. That’s not a secret. It’s the biggest thing in travel right now, particularly in the Caribbean, where travelers want more. But they don’t just want the unlimited food and beverage. They want the experience. They want […]


The Caribbean's Greenest Hotels for 2025, From Solar-Powered Resorts in Puerto Rico to Adventure Lodges in The Bahamas

Aruba Antigua Resorts Romantic

The term “green” has never been more important, but it’s also never been a broader term. What once merely meant a degree of environmental focus, has now expanded to encompass everything from renewable energy to sustainability to community tourism. That’s […]


Belize Is the Caribbean’s Happiest Country 

rows of buildings on the beach in belize

Belize has come out on top of the Caribbean as the region’s happiest country, according to the World Happiness Report, Caribbean Journal has learned.  The Caribbean country on the coast of Central America was ranked 25th overall in the world, […]


Related Posts dominica island

Travelers Are Starting to Discover the Island of Dominica, With New Flights, Hiking Trails and Luxury Hotels 

For years, the self-styled “Nature Island” has been a well-kept secret. Lush, verdant, adventure-filled, the island in the Eastern Caribbean has largely been a hotspot for divers, hikers (drawn to the Caribbean’s longest hiking trail) and those in search of […]


JetBlue Is Flying Two Daily Nonstop Routes to St Maarten This Summer

the beach in grand case

The shopping in Philipsburg. The scene in Simpson Bay. The landings at Princess Juliana. The rum punch at Sunset. St Maarten has a style all its own, and it’s getting even easier to visit the “Friendly Island” this summer, Caribbean […]


Nassau’s Best-Value All-Inclusive Comes With 1,000 Feet of Perfect Beach 

nassau all-inclusive breezes

Your hammock is tied between a pair of trees. There’s a Bahama Mama in your hand. And you’re hovering over one of the best beaches in the world.  If you know the story of tourism in The Bahamas, you know […]