Strachan appointed first chairman of GTA board

Chairman designate for the Grenada
Tourism Authority, Richard Strachan.

By Linda Straker

Richard Strachan, Chairman designate for the newly established Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), says that as a change agent, he is looking forward to being part of and working with the new Board, CEO and the innovative team at the Authority to deliver for Grenada’s tourism over the next two years.

“The Tourism Strategic Plan, which was developed for 2011-14, needs wheels to find its way to execution. And this new and dynamic Authority is the perfect vehicle,” said Strachan, following the announcement by the Minister that he is the first chairman of the GTA.

“Having served the GBT during its consideration of transitioning into an Authority, I am very excited and optimistic about accepting the Minister’s invitation to be the first chair of the new Tourism Authority,” he added.

Tourism Minister, Alexandra Otway-Noel, made the announcement of his appointment last Friday during a news conference called to update the media on the present status of the Grenada Tourism Authority, which became operational on January 2, 2014. The first CEO of the Authority is Barbadian Rudy Grant.

Strachan, who is very knowledgeable about the tourism industry, served on the Grenada Board of Tourism since September 1997 and was asked to assume the chairmanship in April, 2001 to 2004 and then again in 2008 to 2011. He has represented Grenada at international conferences, seminars, symposiums and trade shows in this regard, and was a key negotiator for alliances with international airlines and tour operators.

With an initial budget of EC$25 million for administration, promotion and marketing, the Authority’s role will be to market and promote Grenada as a premium destination in the South Caribbean. Like its predecessor, the Grenada Board of Tourism, its target markets for visitors will be the USA, UK, Europe and the Caribbean.

Without disclosing too much details about the rebranding initiative, Otway-Noel said that among the priorities of the Authority is a rebranding campaign for Grenada that will focus on its many attractions to visitors and at the same time focus on the message of improving the product and behavioural change for nationals.

“The Authority will be focusing on rebranding and repositioning itself for its new role with regards to Grenada as a destination of choice,” she said.

Head of Marketing, Sheldon Douglas, said that the objective of the rebranding is to get all involved as tourism is extremely important for the economic development of Grenada.

“We are going to live and breathe the new brand. We are going to get to the point where every Grenadian will be living and breathing that new brand,” he promised.