THE NEXT BIG THING: GRENADA Grenada is gearing up to become the holiday haven for upmarket holidaymakers, honeymooners and sporting fanatics, says Zoe Smith MENTION GRENADA AND most people think of either the city in the south of Spain or a banana republic invaded by Ronald Reagan. While the latter description would have been fair in the early 1980s, the Caribbean island of Grenada has a lot more to offer visitors than revolutionary spirit. At the southern end of the Windward Islands, a short distance from Trinidad and Venezuela, Grenada thrives on agriculture, mustering up the second-largest production of nutmeg in the world. It churns out an abundance of turmeric, cinnamon and cloves, to the extent that a delicious aroma can be smelt lingering in the air of the country known as the Spice Isle. This reliance on the land has, until recently, prevented the island from being dependent on tourism as its main source of income. The stimulus for the recent fl urry of development on the island comes from a national tragedy. In 2004, Grenada was struck by Ivan of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record, which killed 39 people. The picturesque capital, St George’s, was severely damaged and several notable buildings were destroyed. Some estimates suggest that at least 85% of the island was devastated and the once green landscape was stripped bare by the storm winds. Following the clear-up, the government’s response was to ‘build back better’ and the strategy seems to have worked. There’s a buzz about the island reminiscent of St Tropez in the days of Brigitte Bardot or Goa before the fl oods of hippies. Being a late developer, Grenada has learned from the mistakes of others; there are still no high-rise buildings on the island and all beaches are public by law. CUTE CAPITAL The 21-mile-long island is divided into six parishes, all named after saints. The bulk of tourist activity is concentrated in the southwest of the island in St John and St George, in which the eponymous capital is located. The hillside town is widely regarded as one of the most picturesque capitals in the Caribbean. Georgian buildings painted powdery yellows, greens and blue scale upwards in rows circling the Carenage, the horseshoe-shaped inner harbour. Although the red-tiled roofs damaged by Hurricane Ivan have been replaced and galvanised, when the sun sets on the harbour and the dusky pink rays bounce off the water casting a glow on the buildings, it’s hard to imagine a more romantic setting. The main hub of tourist activity is centred around Grand Anse Beach, a two-mile stretch of gleaming white sand. Behind coconut and palm trees hide hotels, restaurants and bars, but the facilities on the beach front are spartan. There are a couple of cafes and a dusting of watersports centres, but certainly no heaving nightclubs. This is relaxation Grenada style — low-key, discreet and untainted. It’s this approach that has characterised development on the island. Rather than going for mass-market appeal, Grenada targets small and specifi c audiences. In the past three years, the Grenada Board of Tourism’s UK campaigns have focused primarily on the niche diving, honeymoon and sports markets. While the island’s charms speak for themselves, a good dose of marketing hasn’t gone amiss. This year, the island has been widely touted as a destination to watch in nearly all of Britain’s national newspapers. Alison Cryer, director of tourism at Representation Plus, which represents the Grenada Board of Tourism in the UK, says: “Over and above media and agent fam trips, the Grenada Board of Tourism is training over 1,200 travel agents and operators through workshops, in-house or online training programmes and by attending over eight consumer/trade shows in 2007.” GRAND DESIGNS It seems the drive has paid off. In 2007 there has been a full recovery, with fi gures for the fi rst six months at the pre-hurricane level of 17,531. The turn-around was aided by an increase in air capacity and dedicated weekly fl ights in winter from Virgin Atlantic and XL. The boom is set to increase in 2008/09 as a plethora of hotel developments open in the south-west of the island — Four Seasons, Marriott and Per Aquum hotels are currently at the planning stage. The main developer on the island is Peter de Savary, who launched his Mount Cinnamon development in 2007. Ten minutes drive from St George’s, the resort has 21 residential villas and includes a beach club, pool, spa and leisure facilities, as well as restaurants and bars. His second project is the £300 million Port Louis development overlooking the capital, u FACT FILE . NUMBER OF UK VISITORS: UK stayover visitors in Grenada in the fi rst half of 2007 totalled 17,531. Thanks in part to the Cricket World Cup, the island has seen a 34% increase in visitors year on year. . CONTACT: The Grenada Board of Tourism is represented in the UK by Representation Plus. T: 020 8877 4516. www.grenadagrenadines.com . CAMPAIGN: Grenada is focusing on the niche diving, honeymoon and sports markets. . GEOGRAPHY: Grenada is an island of volcanic origin, the most southerly of the Windward Islands. It is around 21 miles long and 12 miles wide. . . Being a late developer, Grenada has learned from the mistakes of others; there are no high-rise buildings and beaches are public by law 136 ABTA Magazine December 2007

Clockwise from left: Seaside village; sunset at the beach; exploring the jungle; snorkelling ABTA Magazine December 2007 137