OECS Member States are finalizing arrangements for their joint participation in one of the world’s biggest boat shows, the Grand Pavois in La Rochelle, France, September 7th to 12th 2005.

Yacht scene at Sandy Ground, Anguilla (Photo courtesy Anguilla Sailing Association)

Representatives from the nine OECS countries met in St. Lucia last week for their final preparatory meeting. The national delegations to France will include owners and operators of marinas, boatyards and yacht charter companies, manufacturers and suppliers of products and services to the yachting sector, craftsmen, artistes and tourism officials.

The Grand Pavois Boat show has been in existence for the past thirty years and provides an opportunity for stakeholders in nautical, tourism and related industries to showcase their products. The show attracts an annual attendance of more than 100,000 visitors, two-thirds of whom are sailors seeking new destinations to visit.

The OECS Secretariat under the leadership of Director General Dr. Len Ishmael, has spearheaded the sub-region’s participation in the boat show for the first time this year. The Secretariat is pushing the theme “Many Islands One Sea” to promote the concept of a single destination, multiple experience for yachtsmen visiting the Eastern Caribbean chain of islands. Dr. Ishmael says, apart from the British Virgin Islands, the rest of the OECS sub-region is far from realizing the revenue earning potential of the yachting industry.

The organizers of the Grand Pavois have made the OECS the “Guest of Honour” for the 2005 edition. This provides the sub-region with 7000 square feet of exhibition space to showcase marine based products and services, other goods and services with a distinctly local flavour, and to seek investment opportunities.
The nine participating OECS countries are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

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