Business View Caribbean - Sept. / Oct. 2014

&D\PDQ ,VODQGV 6HSWHPEHU ‡ 2FWREHU ² &DULEEHDQ ‡ %XVLQHVV 9LHZ KIRKCONNELL: Absolutely! Hailing fromCayman Brac myself, the Sister Islands – as we affectionately refer to them locally - are near and dear to my heart. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are situated less than 30 minutes by air from Grand Cayman, and they each have their own individual charmand unique biodiversity. We like to think of them as providing an idyllic retreat from the hustle and bustle of their cosmopolitan bigger sister. To help increase visitation to Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, the Department of Tourism is working very closely with the Sister Islands Tourism Association to promote the Sister Islands’ unique tourism product. Additionally, more is being done to increase awareness of their quaint island-style activities, and to ensure that events are slotted into the annual calendar, to provide visitors with just the right balance between having nothing and something to do. For example, Cayman Brac’s Jackpot Fishing Tournament is one activity that is highly recommended and for carnival lovers the Braccanal Festival and Brac Bash add just enough excitement to pierce through the peace and tranquility. On Little Cayman, the annual Little Cayman Cook-off serves up interesting and unusual recipes featuring lionfish, which most people have never tasted before. From an environmental perspective, a lot is being done throughout the Cayman Islands generally to support greener travel options and protect our pristine environment for future generations. This is a popular selling feature for visitors wanting to stay in hotels and dive in immaculate waters, while still playing a part in preserving and protecting the environment. In 2010, the Cayman Islands introduced an environmental project specifically for the tourismsector, through which the Southern Cross Club, Little Cayman Beach Resort and Pirates Point Resort – along with the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, Compass Point Dive Resort and Cobalt Coast Resort & Suites in Grand Cayman – all achieved Green Globe certification. Little Cayman’s Southern Cross Club recently earned its Green Globe re-certification, and Little Cayman in its entirety has previously been assessed to determine the feasibility of earning Green Globe destination certification. Should this be accomplished, Little Cayman would be the first Caribbean Island - and the Cayman Islands the first country in the Western Hemisphere - to achieve this coveted honor. As well as environmental consciousness and the implementation of best practices, froman infrastructural development standpoint I am excited about the installation of the hold baggage screening system which is being undertaken as part of the Cayman Brac’s airport redevelopment. Hold baggage screening is the automated system that carries checked baggage through the screening and sorting process prior to loading on-board the aircraft. This is a vital behind the scenes process that enables us to be compliant with U.S. security regulations, and will ultimately enable round-trip flights between Cayman Brac and the U.S. In the case of Little Cayman, we are looking at installing a completely new airfield with the capability of facilitating slightly larger planes.