MISSISSAUGA — The St. Kitts Tourism Authority said ‘yes to the dress’ at an exclusive dinner for tripcentral.ca travel agents last night that included everything from island-inspired eats to a bridal fashion show.

Taking place at the Waterside Inn in Mississauga, just outside of Toronto, the event celebrated all things romance in the dual-island nation, where Ellison ‘Tommy’ Thompson, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, says couples can easily marry in St. Kitts and then honeymoon in neighbouring Nevis, located just a six-minute ferry ride away.

“When you look at a destination like St. Kitts, the beauty is just stunning and so diverse,” he tells Travelweek. “We have some beautiful old churches that you can get married in, or couples can say ‘I do’ at the top of World Heritage Site Brimstone Hill with stunning views. If they want a beach wedding, tell them about the Park Hyatt featuring Nevis in the background. Or they can even go into the rainforest and get married in nature. There are all these exciting, beautiful, Instagrammable moments just waiting for them in St. Kitts.”

Special guest Marsha Tamika Henderson, Minister of Tourism for the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, agrees, telling Travelweek that the destination works with each couple on a case by case basis to ensure that each wedding is truly special.

“St. Kitts is tailor-made for romance. With its raw natural beauty, relaxed and welcoming vibe, and thrilling island adventures, couples find it’s a place where they can easily disconnect to reconnect with each other. And of course, there’s our sister island Nevis, home to Alexander Hamilton’s house, beautiful beaches, hot springs and so much more,” says the Minister.

To hammer home the message, yesterday’s event also featured special guest Alison McGill, award-winning writer, media personality and leading authority on the romance industry who, earlier this year, entered into a new partnership with the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. Not only did she bring along this season’s hottest bridal dresses, she also led a fireside chat with Thompson and Deputy CEO Melnecia Marshall, as well as highlighted top wedding trends that every travel agent should know about.

“In case you didn’t know, there’s a wedding boom happening right now and it’s going to go on until at least 2025,” says McGill. “This means that we’re playing catch up of all the weddings that didn’t happen during Covid. We’re having second weddings for those micro-wedding couples who got married during Covid, and then we’ve got a bunch of new ‘engagees’ coming along who want to travel and have a destination wedding.” 

McGill, who recently launched a ‘Destination Romance Mini-Series’ with St. Kitts on her podcast, ‘Aisle Seat,’ adds that romantic travel is more important now than ever. 

“Although we spent a lot of time at home with our partners during Covid, we weren’t actually connecting. Now that we can travel, we want to rekindle that romance and St. Kitts is a perfect place to do that. It’s very authentic, it’s very unplugged, it’s very cerebral. Travelling is the number one way that we connect, and St. Kitts is a dream destination to do this.”

Alison McGill highlights latest wedding fashions

FLIGHTS FROM CANADA 

It was just last year that Thompson officially unveiled St. Kitts’ new brand campaign, ‘Venture Deeper,’ in Toronto, the results of which he tells Travelweek have been nothing short of amazing. 

“It has resonated really well with the Canadian market, with the number of people from Canada travelling to St. Kitts increasing by 500% in just one year,” he says. 

Canadian visitation is set to spike even more this winter, with Air Canada increasing seat capacity to the destination by 66%. Up to two direct flights a week from Toronto will be available starting in early November and continuing through the end of April, with Friday and Saturday departures.

“This is the most airlift we have ever had in this market, a sure sign that Canadians have fallen for St. Kitts,” adds Thompson. 

ALL-INCLUSIVES ON THE TABLE?

There are currently no all-inclusive resorts in either St. Kitts or Nevis, a void in the market that tripcentral.ca travel agent Wendy Harrington says is a missed opportunity for the destination, especially considering how popular all-inclusives are among Canadians.

When asked whether all-inclusive resorts will be coming in the future, Thompson said he has brought up the possibility with Minister Henderson and that it’s definitely being considered.

“Why hasn’t it happened in the past? I really don’t know. We do have hotels that offer meal plans, but we’re looking to see how we can get at least one all-inclusive into the destination,” said Thompson.

Fireside chat with Ellison ‘Tommy’ Thompson, Alison McGill and Melnecia Marshall

WORKING WITH TRAVEL AGENTS

Both Thompson and Minister Henderson recognize the value in working with Canadian travel agents, and the importance of staying visible and staying connected with them. Just last week, says Thompson, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority were in Halifax, Montreal and Toronto to take part in Air Canada Vacations’ 2023/24 winter product launch. Plus, Thompson encourages all agents to participate in ongoing seminars and webinars, take advantage of booking bonuses and be on the lookout for FAM trips, which he says help them sell the destination that much better.

And what do agents say about St. Kitts once they’ve seen it for themselves?

“Why didn’t I come here sooner!” he says.

To learn more about romance travel in St. Kitts, read the destination’s new Romance Guide or go to www.visitstkitts.com.