Prevue March/April 2015 - (Page 81)

St. Kitts The 14th Annual Leadership Summit 'wows' with local immersion [ON LOCATION] JOHNALEE JOHNSTON Z ip lining at speeds of up to 50 mph, the combination of rippling rainforest, sun and sea bleed together beautifully like an impressionist painting. It's an appropriate introduction to St. Kitts, an island in the West Indies that has become an eco-tourism haven while maintaining allure as Great Britain's 'Mother Colony' in the Caribbean. About 800 feet higher up the mountain, the rainforest is sectioned off as a national forest reserve. Below, a rugged trail, heartily navigated by tourists on horseback and ATVs, winds back to Wingﬁeld Estate, its centuriesold aqueduct and rum distillery, and the basecamp for today's Sky Safari by local DMC Kantours. It's also one of the 'must-do' experiences on our Leadership Summit itinerary, the reason for our visit to the island. Racquel Brown, CEO of St. Kitts Tourism Authority, says the tour is a great icebreaker for those seeking exposure to St. Kitts' natural beauty, but for groups that "really want to get into the groove of island life," getting down with the locals is the way to go. "We recommend that they hang out, or 'lime' as we call it, with the locals. The Frigate Bay Strip is a great place to do this, with a sandy, half-mile stretch of beach and the side-by-side beach bars lined there, each reﬂecting their own personality and style." Despite numerous offers by real estate developers, the government has preserved the Strip for the people who live here. It's the sort of idea that got Christopher Perks, president of The Opus Group, all ﬁred-up to bring the summit to St. Kitts. "The unique characteristics of the island, historical qualities and welcoming attitude, along with the fact that the island was relatively unknown to 95 percent of our corporate and incentive buyers was huge," he says. The island's untainted greenery, luxury offerings and French Polynesian vibe were also inﬂuential. HISTORIC AND SUSTAINABLE Hosted by St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino, the 14th Annual Leadership Summit welcomed over 35 sponsors and nearly 50 buyers to a mix of networking and local experiences-from scenic railway tours using tracks built to transport sugar cane in the early 1900s to championship golﬁng amid volcanic landscapes. The history of the island is energized by Brimstone Hill, the only manmade UNESCO World Heritage site in the Eastern Caribbean; Caribelle Batik at Romney Manor, where the region's only remaining batik factory still pumps out colorful, handmade clothing, and a number of other historical 'must-sees.' For its part, the resort's West Indian ambience and Caribbean ﬂavor take shape in 320 guest rooms, eight restaurants, two lounges and 15,000 sf of meeting space. It's impossible to drive through St. Kitts without seeing references to the island's sustainability edge-from eco-parks to vibrant underwater worlds. Nowhere was this more apparent than Belle Mont Farm on Kittitian Hill, a recently opened luxury hotel positioned on a 400-acre organic farm at the foot of Mount Liamuiga. Walking and talking with Eva Chan, the farm's new director of sales, brings to light some pretty unique features such as edible landscapes, solar-powered golf carts and a budding artisan village. GM Carlos Salazar adds a 12-course tasting menu followed by storytelling with a Kittitian elder to the list of top group experiences. Chan says community givebacks are already in the works. stkittstourism.kn; marriott.com; bellemontfarm.com; kantours.com; sunlinc.net prevuemeetings.com | 77 http://www.stkittstourism.kn http://www.marriott.com http://www.bellemontfarm.com http://www.kantours.com http://www.sunlinc.net http://www.prevuemeetings.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue March/April 2015

Planner’s Pick: Los Angeles
Fresh Meets: The Evolution of Local Hospitality
Bureau Buzz: Atlanta
Good Business: On the Agenda: Zero Waste
Sea Shores: American Queen Steamboat Company
Incentive Bound
FLORIDA
CALIFORNIA
NASHVILLE
IHG EUROPE
On Location: Bermuda
CLUB MED CANCUN YUCATAN
On Location: Beaches Turks & Caicos
On Location: St. Kitts
On Location: Delano Las Vegas
Club Med Meetins, Incentives and Corporate Events 2015 Edition

Prevue March/April 2015