G Adventures Haiti Tours begin February 2015

The island of Haiti backed out of promoting itself as a tourist destination for several decades. But 2010's earthquake changed all that. Ever since there has been a concerted effort on the government of Haiti's (GOH) part to promote Haiti as a player in the international tourism industry.

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Big changes have taken place in Haiti's tourism sector. The GOH has doubled the tourism budget to $4 million; a new division, Creative Industries, has been added to the Ministry of Tourism; and a boom in hotel construction has been occurring in such places as Port-au-Prince and Petion-Ville.

United Kingdom tour operations have been hopping on the bandwagon to sell the unique charms of Haiti. The third tour organization to take the plunge and feature Haiti on its tour itinerary is G Adventures.

The Inter-American Development Bank, one of Haiti's funding partners, approached G Adventure's Product and Innovation Vice President, Jeff Russill, suggesting his firm compile a report on Haiti's possibilities as a tourist destination. Russill had Haiti in his sights, and the visit confirmed for him it is more than just tropical beaches. It's about the rich history and heritage; blending of races and religious beliefs (primitive and Christian); evolution of language (French and its derivative, Creole); native music and cuisine.

The only thing Russill cautions against is using voluntourism as a way to promote Haiti. Says he, ". . . some destinations come out of nowhere. Thailand and Peru have been where Haiti is now."

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