Reconquering the Caribbean
It's really exciting for me to dive back into the world of international sales. After taking a break for a few years, I've got the chance to jump back in and manage a big chunk of the Caribbean markets, this time with a focus on spirits As part of the great team at Stansfeld Scott - USA. I'll admit, I had my doubts, especially considering how hard the Caribbean got hit economically by the 2020 pandemic. I wasn't sure how these markets would bounce back, especially for products that weren't top priorities.
But, you know, I saw the interesting challenge in all of this. And I've been pleasantly surprised to see these tourism-driven economies bouncing back to where they were before the pandemic hit. Places like the Bahamas, St. Marteen, Cayman, Bermuda, and Turks and Caicos are breaking records with cruise ship arrivals and tourist numbers. And that boost is definitely showing up in the economies of these islands, which is great news for the spirits industry.
I mean, just look at the Bahamas with almost 9 million tourists! And St. Marteen is upping its game with more imports to cater to the growing tourism scene. It's pretty clear that the Caribbean is making a strong comeback, and it's the perfect time to get in there and build up brands. It might not be the biggest market in terms of population, but it's definitely offering some serious profit potential.
Finally, I just wanted to share how exciting this new challenge is, and above all, the importance of understanding what's happening in the market and having the right partners in each of these territories to make a difference in a region that, by its nature, is fiercely competitive. Every brand wants a piece of the pie in its category in a region that's not only limited by population but also by logistics and other variables that impact our ability to execute the right sales strategies.
Co-Founder/Chief Executive Officer @ Kodexa | Intelligent Workflows for Documents
1wI'm sure the destination will make you forget the journey