Marketing small twin-island states

Abstract

The majority of small twin-island states in the Caribbean depend on tourism as the mainstay of their economies. These islands are constantly seeking to remain or become competitive in a challenging global environment. This article focuses on the most appropriate approach to marketing twin-island states. Tourism marketing experts were interviewed in six states to elicit their views on whether or not twin-island states should be marketed separately or collaboratively. While there was no agreement on the best way forward, there seems to be greater movement towards collaboration versus separate marketing agendas. The interviewees identified five factors that must be considered in marketing these states including institutional arrangements, level of infrastructural development, socio-economic conditions, the nature of the tourism product and the impact on destination image. Based on these findings, it was noted that further research should be conducted on collaborative tourism marketing in Small Island States.