Talkin' Tourism on Grand Bahama

What does a smooth, perfect crossing of the Gulf Stream, a classic “Gilligan’s Island” cast of characters, two radio show personalities passionate about tourism, ultimate hospitality and kindness, connecting with old friends and making new friends, and meeting “Junkanoo Man” all add up to.......another fantastic Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast remote episode!

Taking to the high seas once again, we visited the beautiful island of Grand Bahama and were greeting with true Bahamian hospitality. The Pelican Bay Hotel at Lucaya was outstanding. Are you ready for this? How about a 'special door' on the guest room door that is used to deliver complimentary pastries and sweet breads each morning! How about a bellman, who last year was the winner of the Cacique Award, the highest Hospitality Industry Award given in the Islands of the Bahamas for outstanding customer service, personally insuring that the room used for the broadcast was set up perfectly along with sweet breads, Johny Cake (thank you Marva), juice and water for the show hosts and guests!

Are you ready for this? Host Gary Guertin walks into the Pelican Bay Hotel lobby and is tapped on the shoulder for a “hello, don’t I know you” by Jesse Anderson of Port Salerno! The entire Treasure Coast Anderson family was in town for a wedding. Unbelievable!

Are you ready to meet Keith Cooper, sales and marketing director for UNEXSO (Under Sea Explorer’s Society)? Guess what? He was educated in South Florida and his “mommy” is one of the owner/operators of My Three Sisters Pot, a special events food vendor that has provided fabulous Bahamian food to events and festivals throughout the Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches! And, if you ever need a Colin Powell look-a-like, Keith's your man!

Special thanks go out to Marva Monroe, sales and marketing director of the Pelican Bay Hotel at Lucaya for her assistance and support of this weeks show from Grand Bahama. Without her help we would have not been able to achieve a tenth of our success. Thank you Marva. Oh, by the way, Marva has family that lives in the Port St. Lucie area. The Treasure Coast and the Bahamas are truly “connected” in more ways than we know.

Want to do some serious bonefishing? Listen to the show and you will find out where to go for double-digit catches where the daily charter rate includes an “open bar." Thanks Stanley!

Last and most importantly, special thanks to Betty Bethel, Ministry of Tourism General Manager of Business Development for Grand Bahama for her appearance on the show. She shares her inside knowledge as to where St. Lucie County is with regard to the quest for a mutually beneficial relationship with the island of Grand Bahama.

You can listen or download the show HERE. Be sure to view some of the fun-filled photos of host Gary Guertin (island name: Radio Man) and co-host Robin Hicks-Connors (island name: History Lady) enroute to the Bahamas, during the live broadcast, and during other on-island adventures.

The next Bahamas Boating Fling departing from Harborage Yacht Club & Marina is scheduled July 15-26. This trip is an extended trip encompassing the Abacos and Grand Bahama. For more details, visit www.bahamas.com/boating or http://www.flahama.com/.

Will Radio Man and History Lady be on that trip? Tune in to the show this coming Friday to find out!

Forgive the audio and low quality video (captured on a small point & click digital camera), but meet one of the many colorful and fun characters we encountered on Grand Bahama:

June 26 Show: LIVE from Grand Bahama Island!

Robin’s first crossing…Gary’s reunion with Grand Bahama!

Talkin' Tourism host Gary Guertin and co-host Robin Hicks-Connors broadcast this week from beautiful Grand Bahama Island.

Hear why islanders think of water connecting, not dividing.

Being closer to the Treasure Coast (68 miles east) than Orlando (120 miles) you will be amazed at all there is to do. Not only are the Islands of the Bahamas accessible by boat, commercial air or private air charter is readily available. It is also rumored that in the near future there will be a Fast Cat Ferry Service departing daily from Palm Beach!

What history and connections already exist between Grand Bahama and the Treasure Coast? Was there really an Islands of the Bahamas/Treasure Coast Golf Challenge Tournament played on the Treasure Coast 10 years ago?

Special guests will be representatives from Pelican Bay Hotel at Lucaya, boating fling participants and representatives of the Grand Bahama Tourist Board and Ministry of Tourism.

We're going batty (what else is new?). What natural cave formation on Grand Bahama is one of the longest underwater cave systems in the world, is home to bats AND fish, and accessible by both land and sea?

Discover more by listening to this week's show this Friday, June 26 on WPSL 1590 AM at 10 a.m.!

Fireworks, Stuart Main Street & Indian River County Update

Long time Stuart activist and promoter and STUART MAIN STREET manager, Bernie Malone, gave listeners the low-down as to how the STUART MAIN STREET program got its start, what it does to promote activities and festivities for residents and visitors alike, and how it helps bring good times and economic vitality to Downtown Stuart.

The next big event? The annual 4th of July Celebration. Listen to the show and find out what other great events and activities will draw you to Stuart's fabulous downtown.

Guest Nicole Wellington, sales manager of the new Hampton Inn and Suites, provided Talkin' Tourism host Gary Guertin and co-host Robin Hicks-Connors with an update on how area hotels are doing, what added values and benefits her property is providing to attract guests, and how she is using the 'power of collaboration' to create interesting packages to promote her property.

What’s up in Indian River County? Indian River County Tourism Coordinator Lori Burns provided Talkin' Tourism with some clips of the latest, which you'll hear when you listen to the show (show will be uploaded soon!).

Is Robin going to make the next remote broadcast next week from the Pelican Bay Hotel at Lucaya? Listen to the show HERE, learn and be amazed and thanks for listening.

Don’t forget to share the blog link with family and friends and invite them to visit the Treasure Coast where every day is a party!

PRESS RELEASE: Talkin' Tourism radio show takes to the 'seas' to plug summer travel

June 26: Coming to you live from Grand Bahama Island!

STUART, FL (June 17, 2009)— Gary Guertin, host of the Treasure Coast talk radio show Talkin’ Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast, continues to take the show on the road—or in this case, the sea—to hype summer travel. The second live remote, scheduled Friday, June 26, will air from Pelican Bay at Port Lucaya on Grand Bahama Island.

“Seeing and experiencing travel through the eyes of a tourist and talking about great summer deals is what its all about,” said Guertin. “Our first live remote earlier this month from the British Virgin Islands featured charter captains, a vacation rental agent, a villa owner, and a restaurateur, combined with lots of travel tips, history and culture. The Grand Bahama Island show will highlight how close we are to the Bahamas, the fun of traveling to the islands in a Bahamas Boating Fling, great hotel deals that are available, and cultural ties between the Treasure Coast and the Islands of the Bahamas.”

Guertin and Talkin’ Tourism co-host Robin Hicks-Connors will travel to Grand Bahama Island in a Bahamas Boating Fling, which departs from Stuart on June 25 from Harborage Yacht Club and Marina. The Friday, June 26 show will broadcast live on WPSL 1590 AM at 10 a.m.

Anyone with a boat interested in making the journey is encouraged to learn more by calling the Bahamas Tourist Office at 1-800-32-SPORT. After a captain’s party and briefing at Harborage Yacht Club & Marina by a representative from the Bahamas Tourism Office on the evening of June 24, boats from Stuart will depart the following morning at daybreak with an experienced captain leading the way. The group will rendezvous with other boats leaving from Bahia Mar in Fort Lauderdale, which are also headed to Port Lucaya on Grand Bahama Island.

Talkin’ Tourism airs every Friday on WPSL 1590 AM from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The show is produced by Harborage Yacht Club & Marina.

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Friday morning will find Talkin' Tourism on Florida's Treasure Coast host Gary Guertin and co-host Robin Hicks-Connors talking will guest Bernie Malone, Board Member and Past Chairman of the Martin County Tourist Development Council and currently the manager of the Stuart Main Street Program. Mr. Malone will update listeners on the history of the Stuart Main Street Program and its contributions to the redevelopment of the City of Stuart into the great small town it is today. Bernie will also let us in on all of the excitement and partying that will be associated with the upcoming Fourth of July Celebration.

Nicole Wellington, Sales Manager of the Hampton Inn and Suites-North Stuart will also appear on the show. Nicole is a board member of the Martin County Convention and Visitors Bureau representing area hotels. She will provide us an update on hotel activity in this downturn and share what her property and others are doing to turn the tide.

Tune in and find out more about Gary and Robin taking to the high seas for Talkin' Tourism's next remote broadcast from Grand Bahama Island on June 26th!!! Got a boat? Come with us!!

June 12: Artificial reef talk and show recap

Today, Talkin' Tourism host Gary Guertin and co-host Robin Hicks-Connors got in “real deep” with guests John Burke, president and founder of the Martin County Artificial Reef Foundation, and Kerry Dillion, a professional commercial diver.

After a period of dormancy during the 1990’s, effort to 'kick start' Martin County’s artificial reef program is now in full gear. John provides an overview of the current program and efforts to bring more ships to serve a 'second' life as 'marine habitat enhancer' that contributes to our fishing and diving resources.

Do you know what a reef-tiree is? Kerry Dillion describes the who, and what of how Martin County’s Artificial Reef began.

Still feeling the benefits of ten days on the beautiful island of Tortola, Gary shares a few 'Tall Tales from Tortola' and connects the dots or the Tortola/Treasure Coast Connection and his impressions as a visitor to the British Virgin Islands.

What are you doing this weekend? Robin advises on her top picks from around the Treasure Coast.

Listen to the show HERE, have fun and thank a visitor for helping to keep tourism strong on the Treasure Coast!

Tales from the BVI and “fish condos” along our beaches

Talkin Tourism is back from the BVI with tall tales and great stories about ten days in paradise.

Listen as host Gary Guertin shares some of the adventures shared by Tortola Lola and “Radioman” during their stay.

“Being a tourist for a change gave new insight as to why everyone involved in tourism on the Treasure Coast needs to continue to focus on becoming a truly fun visitor-oriented destination if we are truly to succeed in our efforts," shared Guertin.

Old navy ships have been deployed for some time along the Treasure Coast serving as “structure” and habitat for marine life as artificial reefs.

Tune in tomorrow, Friday June 12, and meet John Burke, founder and president of the Martin County Artificial Reef Fund along with Kerry Dillion, a professional commercial diver who has played a major role in monitoring past sunken ships as they begin service a “second life” as a marine life habitat or fish condo!

Continuing support of the deployment of artificial reefs along the Treasure Coast will help support the growth of the “diver tourists” seeking a unique underwater adventure.

BVI Show Summary

First ever LIVE remote a success….and fun-rum-filled adventure (just ask the crew in the photo)!

A Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast first effort at a LIVE remote promoting Summer Travel Destinations and Value’s was a success. Broadcasting from the Jolly Roger Inn and Restaurant, Soper’s Hole, West End in the BVI, host Gary Guertin and co-host Malcolm “Manpot” Boyes introduced the listening audience to several island “characters” who described why YOU should consider traveling to the beautiful British Virgin Islands.

Whether you are a landlubber needing the comfort of a hillside villa or a yachtie seeking to spend a week or more sailing in the Yachting Capitol of the World, Tortola and the rest of the BVI have what you are looking for at fabulous summer rates.

Listen to the show and hear how Malcolm’s “Island Name” became Manpot…what unique historical sites await your visit….is it really cooler in the Caribbean in the summer than South Florida…what “lucky” African Grey parrot has sailed over 40,000 miles with Captain Rick aboard Sophisticated Lady…and a whole lot more.

After listening to the show, you will want to pack your bags and head to the British Virgin Islands…Natures Little Secrets. As they say in the islands, “I go to come back." Download the show HERE.

To learn more about the Aaron Well''s Cancer Benefit at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre on Sunday, June 14, visit Aaron's site on Facebook or MySpace, purchase tickets at http://www.jupitertheatre.org/ or e-mail aaronbenefit@gmail.com.

Next week's show (Friday, June 12) will focus on diving and artificial reefs along Florida's Treasure Coast.

Live from Tortola!

Tomorrow's 'Talkin' Tourism on the Treasure Coast' will be broadcast LIVE from the Jolly Roger located at West End, Tortola, BVI.

To catch the video action via web cam, tune to http://jollycam.bacorp1.com:81/ from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

For those who miss the show or are out of tuning range of WPSL 1590 AM, the show's audio will be hung on this blog site in a day or two.