Tobago dives into US market

After marketing Tobago as an ideal destination at the Birmingham Dive Show in the UK last month, the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd (TTAL) in collaboration with local operators attended the DEMA (Diving Equipment & Marketing Association) Show in Orlando, Florida from November 13-16. The focus was on dive enthusiasts and potential visitors from the North American market.

The DEMA Show is the largest trade-only event in the world for companies doing business in the scuba diving, ocean water sports, and adventure/dive travel industries, attracting thousands of visitors every year.

Diving is one of the core niches of Tobago that TTAL is actively capitalising on to stimulate international arrivals. TTAL said its presence at the DEMA Show was a critical factor in increasing the island’s visibility among dive enthusiasts in the USA which, along with Europe, is the world’s largest source market for dive tourism.

Tobago’s stand at the event was managed by TTAL’s overseas promotional analyst Jesille Peters, as well as members of the Association of Tobago Dive Operators. These included officials from Tobago Dive Experience, Blue Waters Dive, and Frontier Divers.

The delegation said they utilised their presence to "showcase Tobago’s world-class dive product, highlighting the destination’s appeal to divers, their accompanying partners and families looking for a relaxing, authentic Caribbean experience with a wide range of additional activities."

TTAL said the DEMA Show also afforded Tobago’s stakeholders within the lucrative diving niche to explore new business opportunities that will improve their land-based operations and volume of business. Initial reports from attending dive operators indicate that forward bookings have already been secured to Tobago.