In February, G Adventures will launch its first tour program to Haiti, still in recovery mode from the earthquake of 2010. Jeff Russill, vice president of innovation, spoke with Caribbean editor Gay Nagle Myers about his findings while developing the program and his forecast for Haiti's potential as a tourism destination.
Q: How did this all begin?
A: We were approached last year by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to assess and report on Haiti's tourism potential. Our nonprofit organization, Planeterra, has worked with IDB in the past to develop community-based projects to support local economies in Central and South America. I said OK, I'd go as a tourism consultant, but I was a bit worried. No one is talking tourism in Haiti, so I did not know what to expect. A team of us went last November and spent 10 days going all over the country. In the middle of the trip, I told IDB that not only was I excited about the potential of Haiti as a tourist destination but also that G Adventures would offer a tour program there. That's how impressed I was, and am.
Q: Can Haiti's current infrastructure support an influx of tourists?
A: I was expecting to see earthquake damage. There's still some, but much has been rebuilt. The level of infrastructure is quite good due to world support following the quake. Relief workers and developers needed places to stay and eat and roads to drive on, so this is in place, and there's hotel development going on.
Q: Can you describe the Highlights of Haiti tour?
A: The 10-day program has five departures in 2015 and five in 2016. It will be the same itinerary on each departure, but that could change depending upon demand and tweaks as we go along. Group size will be 16 maximum. We'll meet up in Port-au-Prince and fly the next morning north to Cap-Haitien for two days, then fly back to Port-au-Prince and drive to the Jacmel region for two days, spend two days in Port-Salut on the south coast and back to the capital for three days. Each tour will have a chief experience officer from G Adventures plus local guides. We'll travel in 20-passenger vans and stay in no-name hotels that are comfortable and representative of the country. Along the way, we meet artists, voodoo priests and rum makers; explore caves; bake bread; tour the Anthropology Museum; find beautiful metal art treasures. It's amazing.
Q: What impresses you about Haiti?
A: It's a country full of friendly people looking to move on. It's got world-class art and culture, real-time history, stories, religion, food, music, stunning nature. It's not a fly-and-flop destination, although it does have beautiful beaches, and we visit a couple in the south. There's a real curiosity about traveling to Haiti.
Q: What's been the reaction to G Adventures' news?
A: Lots of interest from our repeat clients and from agents. Agents in particular want insight on Haiti. They're looking to us as to what is there. We want to be the catalyst to make Haiti the next hot destination. We're looking forward to bringing our travelers there to experience the strong culture, to spend locally and help Haiti fully recover. Haiti is a destination in flux. Our goal is to get there first and reward our clients with amazing experiences. We firmly believe tourism can be a force for good.