Page 2 - Marketing Milestone

The Hon. Moses Kirkconnell,
Deputy Premier & Minister of Tourism.

This year, the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) faced
a global COVID-19 pandemic and responded to these
unprecedented challenges by placing the health and safety
of its people as the highest priority. The Cayman Islands
Government was swift in closing its borders to international
travel in March 2020 and worked diligently to flatten the
curve of COVID-19.
In response, the Ministry of Tourism and Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) launched a
comprehensive, strategic tourism reinvention plan named The Road Back to 500K Air Arrivals (RB5),
designed to lead tourism effectively, safely, responsibly, and sustainably, now and into the future. This tourism
recovery strategy establishes a plan for the next two to three years and addresses methods to stabilise businesses
and create new opportunities for displaced tourism employees. The CIDOT has supported the execution of
this strategy with creative marketing milestones, from the “Dreaming of Being Reunited” video launch to the
development of the “Take a Moment” social media series to the launch of “Tourism Starts with Us.” Most
recently, the Global Citizen Concierge Program (GCCP), a tourism initiative designed for digital nomads, was
launched to kickstart tourism leading up to the next phased reopening.
As part of these marketing efforts, the Ministry and CIDOT have worked continuously to respond to the
needs of the industry, and continue to provide assistance to tourism workers and small business owners
through financial support programs like stipends, loan opportunities, educational and retraining programs.
Additionally, the Ministry and CIDOT have worked diligently with both private and public sector partners to
ready the sector for the different phases of tourism's return.
These critical marketing efforts and RB5 strategies provide the best way forward for a purposefully paced
economic recovery that will see the country gradually return to the milestone years of record-breaking stayover
and cruise visitation, leading to long-term success.
While led by the Ministry and Department of Tourism, all stages in the development of RB5 included
consultation and collaboration throughout government and private sector to ensure the plan has the broadest
impact for the people of the Cayman Islands. This included: Sector surveys for domestic economy stakeholder
feedback. Meetings with the accommodation, dive, and attractions sectors. Meetings with the Cayman Islands
Tourism Association and Chamber of Commerce, collaborations with the Public Transportation Board and
Hotel Licensing Board.