Nevis is prized among Caribbean vacationers who prefer lesser-explored islands that feature stunning natural landscapes, a mix of African, Caribbean and European cultures, intriguing historic sites and top-shelf resorts.

Yet the smaller sister of the dual-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has gone missing from many travelers' itineraries. Greg Phillip, CEO of Nevis Sun Tours, is aiming to change that narrative via his new tour and destination management company.

Nevis Sun Tours provides all-inclusive vacation packages highlighting both Nevis and its larger sister. The company's tours, activities and transportation operate throughout Nevis and St. Kitts. Nevis Sun Tours also arranges restaurant and resort bookings on both islands.

A former CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) and native of Nevis, Phillip has focused on offering guests a comprehensive experience in his home country.

"I'd like to think what we're doing now in St. Kitts and Nevis is bringing something to the Caribbean tourism industry specifically at the right time," he told TravelPulse this week.

"We have entered a time when travel to St. Kitts and Nevis really needs something new," he said. "We are in a position to revolutionize travel to St. Kitts and Nevis because [the destination] has not been a place that's had any all-inclusive hotels."

"What we do are two all-inclusive islands," he said. "That's what our packages do for travel advisors who are looking for new destinations to send their clients."

Inclusive Offering

As Phillip indicated, Nevis Sun Tours offers a heretofore unavailable, all-inclusive Saint Kitts and Nevis vacation experience. "We have agreements with the Park Hyatt St. Kitts, the Four Seasons Nevis, Montpelier Plantation and Beach and Paradise Beach on Nevis," he said.

"We package vacations as a tour operator with [the resorts] as an accommodation partner," Phillip said. "So when you stay at those hotels, you have an opportunity to have an all-inclusive Caribbean vacation in the most unique way."

"Just like with any other all-inclusive, you pay for everything ahead of time and you come and enjoy yourself," he said. "But with us, you're not confined to the hotel."

Nevis Sun Tours also maintains agreements with leading local restaurants. "You're doing tours and activities [and] you're getting to experience both islands with our packages," Phillip said. "We have pre-set packages and if someone wants to customize a package, we have that as well."

Guest Satisfaction

Phillip confessed his background as a Nevisian gives him an advantage as a tour provider focused on a country he knows intimately. "At the end of the day, people are traveling because they want experiences," he said.

"Authenticity is such a big part of the experiences we offer in St. Kitts and Nevis. "Who best to represent it than somebody who is native to the land?" Phillip queried.

"It's not that I'm out there leading every single tour, he admitted. "What I can say is what we put together is things we grew up with."

As a result, the firm offers "very immersive" visitors experiences. "Our Village Food Tour is in one of our most traditional villages," said Phillip. "It reminds me of growing up on Nevis in the 1970s and 1980s and the way village life used to be, when everyone had some sort of food planted in their yard."

"You're seeing life in a different way," he said. "It's an immersive experience that makes you truly feel like you've been on vacation because you're explored and interacted with people you wouldn't have met otherwise."

Staggered Start

Phillip first planned to launch a Nevis tour company nearly 15 years ago. "We incorporated this company way back in 2007," he said, before the 2008 financial crisis initially delayed the company's start.

He was named NTA CEO in 2013, further stalling his company's launch, as Phillip noted operating a tour company while serving as a government tourism official would present a conflict of interest.

After his term as Nevis Tourism Authority CEO ended in October 2019, Phillip returned to his tour company. However this time, the pandemic stymied his start.

"I was just putting the wheels onto Nevis Sun Tours when Covid came," he said. "You worry about what you're going to do, but taking a step back, I realized there were so many things I still needed to do to have this company progress and be ready at the right time, when things come back. We first got going officially this year in October."

Team Players

Phillip has staffed his company with experienced Caribbean travel experts. "We have put together a solid team to do something special [and] deliver on this," he said. "Because of our business model it was critical to have that type of talent onboard."

Company personnel includes Susan Liburd, who Phillip said spent 15 years of her 27-year tenure at the Four Seasons Nevis as reservations manager. Yvette Jackman, a longtime former NTA marketing manager, "will be coordinating everything on the ground, but also helping in the sales aspect, with outreach to travel advisors," Phillip said.

He added, "Travel advisors who work with us are also working with a DMC because we are in the destination. If changes come up, we're right here on the ground to assist. If you need us to run down to the hotel to speak with your guests, we do that," he said.

"We're pretty confident and positive about what we're doing now and we're looking for more opportunities to serve people."

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