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Story and photo by Suzanne Nielsen and reprinted with permission of the
Daily Herald.
December 3, 2003
Nine European journalists spent the day on Saba courtesy KLM, the Saba government, and local tourism businesses.
The trip, which brought writers from Belgium, Holland, Austrian, Switzerland, and Italy to the Caribbean, was intended to familiarize them with St. Maarten and Saba as tourist destinations. During day and one half on Saba, the guests visited guesthouses and hotels, lunched at the Rainforest Restaurant, and had dinner at Scout's Place. Before their dinner of Saba Lobster, Saba Goat Stew, or Fresh Wahoo, Tom van't Hof presented a slide show of a virtual hike of Mt. Scenery. Commissioner Will Johnson and Island Secretary Menno van der Velde were on hand to talk to the guests.
Graziano Capponago, a photographer from Milan was thrilled at the opportunities that his climb up Mt. Scenery afforded. He said he had never experienced such steep climbs coming up from Saba's little airport. He added that the direct routing from Amsterdam and Paris made St. Maarten/Saba a very accessible vacation destination for Europeans, and Saba's natural beauty, with its outdoor activities, was very appealing. He particularly enjoyed the feeling of being in a genuine rain forest on his hike to the summit. "Saba has not become a concrete jungle," he commented.
Saba Director of Tourism Glenn Holm expressed gratitude to the St. Maarten organizers who saw fit to include Saba. "We are very happy at the excellent cooperation that made this possible," he said.
Photo: Commissioner for Tourism Will Johnson addresses the fam trip participants.
Click here for a larger version of the photo.
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Story and photograph © Suzanne Nielsen, 2005.
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