CTO UK &?Europe?s new director, Florian Valmy-Devillerson reveals his plans for the organisation, challenges and opportunities and his top tips for travel agents looking to sell the Caribbean!
What are your plans for the CTO Chapter as new director?
Keeping the Caribbean top-of-mind for the travel trade, media and consumers in the UK & European markets!
After six years of promoting the Caribbean through hundreds of events (including award-winning roadshows), I am naturally thrilled to elevate my mission further by taking on the role of Director of the CTO Chapter UK & Europe.
With our strong board of directors and freshly appointed business development manager, Kim Jack Riley, our aim is to strengthen the Caribbean presence by growing our membership and expanding the reach of the CTO Chapter?s actions by targeting European and emerging markets through innovative initiatives.
We have an exciting calendar of activities for 2022, which includes travel trade training across the United Kingdom, cross-channel consumer campaigns, participation at the main travel fairs and launch of new features on our website www.caribbean.co.uk
What have been some of the challenges/opportunities presented to you thus far?
With the easing of travel restrictions around the globe and after cancelled trips and postponed celebrations, travellers are ready to make up for lost time and go big.
This means that most of the touristic regions are doing their utmost to maximise on the recovery by launching campaigns and organising major events in the main source markets, making it a very competitive place for the tourism stakeholders.
Our main opportunity is that the Caribbean is the leading region when it comes to travel recovery. While international air arrivals worldwide are still 59% behind 2019 levels, the Caribbean region is performing at only 19% behind, according to ForwardKeys. The recent insights also demonstrate that some Caribbean destinations are currently surpassing 2019 international bookings, which is very encouraging for the region.
This is due to the resilience of the Caribbean people and stakeholders, as well as the continued support from the UK and European travel trade and media.
What are some of your top tips for agents looking to sell Caribbean holidays?
The Caribbean surpasses travellers? expectations, and the good news for travel agents and anyone planning a holiday of a lifetime is that the region and our people are safely waiting for them with open arms! With sandy beaches, lush rainforests, colourful reefs, exciting cuisine, world-famous music and carnivals, we have a plethora of options suitable for all demographics of travellers!
Agents can have a look at our latest Caribbean Guide under the theme ?Caribbean Comeback?, where they will find the most up-to-date and relevant information: https://caribbean.co.uk/trade/caribbean-guides/
With so many diverse destinations across the region, the problem is likely to be choosing where to go! We now have amazing special offers available on our website for anyone looking for great Caribbean deals: https://caribbean.co.uk/special-offers-2022/
What is your favourite Caribbean food dish?
This is a rather complicated question, but not as difficult as if I had to choose my favourite Caribbean rum or destination!
Growing up in the French Caribbean, we have delicious appetisers that are an inherent part of the cultural and historical landscape called ?accras?, equivalent to salftish fritters. Accras are very often accompanied with ti?punch, a strong cocktail that can only be made with local ?Rhum Agricole?.
When it comes to the main dish, I would say Antillean chicken marinade with fried plantain gratin. The sauce for the marinade is made of local spices, herbs and peppers and the combination is just so flavoursome!
For dessert I would certainly opt for flamb? bananas, made with caramelised bananas and Caribbean rum served over ice cream.
A fabulous cooking book called Sunshine Kitchen from Chef Vanessa Bolosier gathers delicious creole recipes from the Caribbean!
