THE Tourism Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago expects the country’s heroic World Cup performances to lead to a 15% increase in UK visitors in 2007.
The company has launched a £2 million campaign including TV advertising and trade educationals to capitalise on being the success story of the World Cup qualifying round.
Around 40,000 people from the UK are expected to visit the islands this year. However, the Soca Warriors have dramatically raised the profile of the destination after holding off a strong Sweden team before giving England a stiff test, but finally conceding two late goals.
TDC account manager Nova Alexander expected visitor numbers for 2007 to increase to 46,000 following the “increased brand awareness” achieved by Trinidad and Tobago’s first World Cup campaign.
Jamaica experienced a similar rise in UK visitor numbers after competing in the World Cup for the first time in 1998. It saw visitor numbers grow by 10% to 124,900, then further to 135,338.
Alexander said the rise in numbers would be fuelled by increasing visitors to Trinidad rather than Tobago by pushing twin-centre breaks.