Opposition questions choice of tourism promos

(CNS): Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart (GTE) questioned government last week about two odd choices the Department of Tourism had made to promote the Cayman Islands: a deal with Portsmouth Football Club in the UK and another deal with a designer handbag company in the US. Since Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan was away at an overseas conference, the questions were answered by Dwayne Seymour (BTW), who told McTaggart that no business cases were done in relation to either deal.

Seymour, in his role as parliamentary secretary, told the opposition leader that a business case was not completed for the Portsmouth FC sponsorship deal but the cost was about £90,000 (around CI$91,000 based on the latest exchange rate). In return, throughout the three-year deal Cayman would get exposure at the club’s games from television and social media.

However, the club is a first division rather than premiership team, and with the season coming to a close soon, Portsmouth is currently sitting just above mid-table. Part of the deal includes a friendly match with the Cayman Islands national team during the off-season and the club is expected to attract fans from the small English seaside town in Hampshire, home to around 220,000 people, for that game.

Meanwhile, the one-year deal with Laudi Vidni included a payment of US$37,500 to the leather bag maker. Seymour said that Cayman is expected to get a “high level of awareness and marketing support”, which included supported messaging and a new channel for premium VIP gifts. He said it also supported positioning the Cayman Islands as a lifestyle destination with a focus on fashion and luxury.