Caribbean Queen Helps Travel Advisors Navigate COVID-19 Crisis

It’s fair to say an entire community of Caribbean-selling travel agents owe some part of their success at navigating the COVID-19 crisis to Kelly Fontenelle-Clarke.

The St. Lucia native and longtime Caribbean tourism expert founded the Facebook group Travel Advisors Selling the Caribbean (TASC) in September as a resource for agents seeking opportunities to network, connect and share education and advocacy efforts.

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As Caribbean destinations closed their borders and then struggled to reopen in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak, TASC provided a one-stop source of invaluable information for on Caribbean entry policies, protocols and programs, including updated information at a time when conditions changed hourly.

Fontenelle-Clark is the administrator for and the one-woman driving force behind TASC, which she says numbers 5,000 advisors. The group also includes tourist boards, resorts and tour operators. Individuals must apply for a free membership as a travel agent, tourism supplier or media member.

Scores of agents have posted messages on TASC’s Facebook page recognizing Fontenelle-Clarke’s expertise and guidance throughout the crisis. It’s only the latest Caribbean tourism success for the former St. Lucia Tourism Association official, whose previous initiatives included a St. Lucia Expert program that ultimately numbered 20,000 travel advisors.

We spoke with Fontenelle-Clarke recently to discuss her efforts on behalf of Caribbean-selling travel agents.

TP: What has TASC been able to do for the travel agency community?

KC: “It’s not easy for a travel advisor to sell a Caribbean destination. Every tourist board is there for themselves and it’s difficult for travel advisors to find suggestions on the Caribbean. They have a client in mind and they’re trying to put that client in a Caribbean destination, but the agent doesn’t know another destination. One agent might be strong in Barbados, another might be strong in St. Lucia or Antigua, so in the community they all help each other out.”

TP: How did COVID-19 change your operation?

KC: When COVID-19 came, agents were trying to repatriate their clients from the different destinations. When the closing dates came for different destinations, I had the scoop on some islands and I was able to [tell advisors] ‘Hey, you need to get your persons out by this date.’ From being in the industry so long I was able to say, ‘Just be aware and try to get them out by this date.’

“That became so helpful to all of the agents, and I realized they really needed the help. There was no one place they could go and get everything Caribbean. They have to search different tourist board sites and different websites and it can be really confusing. I have made it my duty to have my finger on the pulse of everything. I think I’ve watched every destination interview since COVID-19 started to hear what each destination is saying.

“I’m able to collect all of that data and information and put it in one spot, and if something is really important, I will make an announcement and people will share it. One thing the agents really like is I put all of the Caribbean destinations and their [COVID-19] protocols. At a glance you can know what every destination is doing.”

TP: Did you have other ideas in mind for the TASC group?

KC: “In the back of my mind, what I really wanted to do was help keep the Caribbean alive. I know COVID-19 has taken over, but I wanted travel advisors to know that even though this thing is going on, we still need to keep abreast for when we’re ready to sell. And when we’re ready to sell, we need to sell the destination first. We’ve had the opportunity to craft webinars so that guests know what is outside of the hotels. We’ve been able to say, ‘This will be available in St. Kitts when it reopens’ or ‘This is what’s going to be open in Grenada when it reopens’ or ‘This is what’s going to be open in St. Lucia.’”

TP: Are you assuming a role normally filled by Caribbean tourist boards?

KC: “We’re not trying to compete with the [Caribbean] tourist boards at all. TASC is trying to work with the tourist boards. I come from a tourist board background and I know there is only so much they can do. There’s only so much the government can do. I know from my background that the tourist boards focus a lot on hotels. We focus on the things that make the destination unique and different, like the little mom-and-pop restaurants and show those things in the Caribbean.”

TP: While you cover the entire Caribbean, you are a recognized within the industry as a St. Lucia expert. How did that develop?

KC: “I am St. Lucian, I was a born here, went to school here. I know everything there is to there is to know about St. Lucia. I worked for St. Lucia before I came to the United States, so I have an idea of how it’s done in the destination how we put it in the marketplace and why. Having that background is huge.”

TP: The information you distribute to agents is invaluable, so much so that many agents on your Facebook channel say they could not have navigated this challenging time without TASC. Have you noticed the strong response?

KC: “Agents are calling me the ‘Caribbean Queen,’ and the ‘Caribbean Ambassador!’ I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback because they know I’m out there to help them. They only get so much information from the individual islands because the governments will often only say so much. I don’t work for any government so, so if I see the cup is blue, I’m going to say the cup is blue. The tourist board is part of the government so they might see the cup is blue and say, ‘We know the cup is blue but don’t say anything.’ But those are sometimes the little tips that make the difference.”