Carla Cupid Jones Consulting

12/10/2026

10 LONG WEEKENDS IN 2027! 🇹🇹🎉

Trinidad & Tobago just showed off for 2027! 😍

We're talking TEN long weekends to lime, to beach, to fete, to explore, to eat good food and make memories! From top to bottom, next year is looking SWEET! 🏖️🍛✨

Don't sleep on it - Start planning those vacations EARLY! ✈️

Save this, share it with your crew and tell us - where yuh heading first? 👇

02/10/2026

More posts ≠ more discoverability.
Sometimes the problem isn’t what you’re posting. It’s what travellers can’t find out about you.
Wrong hours. Missing prices. Unclear experiences. Outdated listings. No obvious way to book.
That’s not a content gap.
That’s an information gap.
Know the difference. Fix the right problem.

01/10/2026

AI travel discovery is moving closer to inventory.
Agoda's new AI Assistant can connect a traveller's idea with:
recommendations → comparisons → prices → availability → booking.

For tourism businesses, that's an important shift.
Being described online is one thing.
Being digitally ready to sell is another.

Discoverability increasingly needs a path to conversion.
Carla Cupid-Jones

SINGAPORE, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital travel platform Agoda has begun the beta rollout of its new AI Assistant, designed to help travelers turn their...

28/09/2026

You know how we Trinis LOVE a long weekend! 2027 is already giving us something to look forward to! 🇹🇹✨
With 10 long weekends on the calendar, there are plenty of opportunities to explore Trinidad and Tobago, enjoy a staycation, spend time with family, or simply take a well-earned break.
And one of them gives us a 5-day weekend. 👀
The key? Plan those vacation days early. A little strategic leave can go a long way.
Which long weekend are you already eyeing? 😄
Holiday dates and observances may be subject to official confirmation.

27/09/2026

It's World Tourism Day and this year's theme is: *Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.*

For me, the key word is REDESIGN.

67% of travellers have already used AI for travel [Booking.com]. 38% to research destinations, 37% to find local experiences.

They're no longer just googling. They're having a conversation with AI: "Find me something authentic, less crowded, more local."

That's a huge opportunity for T&T. Our stories are everywhere — in panyards, kitchens, cocoa estates, with our mas makers, chefs, farmers and guides.

Our problem isn't a shortage of stories. It's whether those stories can be FOUND.

If someone asks AI for a real culinary experience in Trinidad or a community tour in Tobago, will we show up?

71% of travellers want AI to help them avoid overcrowded spots. That could be a win for our smaller communities — but only if we exist online with accurate, trustworthy info.

AI-ready doesn't mean buying a chatbot. It means:
✓ Accurate business info
✓ Strong digital presence
✓ Stories linked to real people & places
✓ Easy to book

And protecting those stories — who owns them, who gets credited, who benefits.

53% trust AI to suggest options, but 68% still want to book with a trusted brand. The gap is trust.[Expedia]

That's where our SMEs win. Not by out-spending, but by being findable and trustworthy.

26/09/2026

Trinidad & Tobago Restaurant Week is underway. 🍽️🇹🇹

Our feeds are filling up with menus, Reels, reviews and beautiful plates.

But behind every plate is something else worth capturing: data, and not the boring kind.

The chef.
The grandmother’s recipe.
The local farmer.
The ingredient.
The neighbourhood.
The cultural influence.
The story behind the restaurant.

Why does this matter?

When a traveller asks AI, “Where should I eat in Trinidad?”, a menu tells it what’s available.

The story helps it understand why a restaurant is worth discovering.

Restaurant Week lasts ten days. These stories can work for our tourism businesses 365 days a year.

So while we photograph the plates, let’s document the stories behind them.

Because in the age of AI, our tourism stories shouldn’t just be told.

They need to be discoverable. 🔎✨

25/09/2026

Today my Flashback Friday actually landed on a Friday....YAY!!

Eleven years ago (letting that sink in for a while), I wrote five articles for National Geographic Traveller magazine.

It was a herculean task that had me draw deep from within my not-quite-developed ability to tell stories. It is no wonder that today, my focus and passion is helping people, destinations and businesses tell their stories to whomever their intended audiences may be.

Writing those pieces called for more than describing beautiful places. I had to research, decide what made each experience distinctive, and find the words that would make someone unfamiliar with Trinidad and Tobago curious to know more. Across five articles, I learned to shift the lens from culture to nature, adventure and sport while keeping a sense of place in every story.

Looking back, I can see a skill taking shape. I could find the detail that made a place memorable and turn it into a story for a particular audience. I was still developing my craft, but that assignment gave me the confidence to keep building it.

Today, I bring that same curiosity to my work with tourism businesses and destinations. I help them understand what makes them distinctive, tell that story clearly, and make it easier for the right people to find them.

These pages remind me how long I’ve cared about that work, and how much I still enjoy doing it.

24/09/2026

Happy Republic Day, Trinidad and Tobago! 🇹🇹

From the shores of Maracas Bay to the beauty of Pigeon Point, our two islands hold places, people and stories worth celebrating.

Today, we honour the Republic we share and everyone helping to shape its future. May we keep finding ways to share the best of Trinidad and Tobago with the world.

From all of us at Carla Cupid Jones Consulting, Happy Republic Day!

19/09/2026

Flashback Friday… on a Saturday because life and substantial ongoing projects may not allow for regular socials activity! 😄

So here goes....

Of all the airport welcome activations I’ve worked on with and on behalf of different agencies, CARIFESTA XIV hosted in Trinidad and Tobago in 2019 was my absolute favourite.

Just look at these arrivals! Delegations came through with flags, instruments, luggage and so much energy. You could feel that something special was about to happen in Trinidad and Tobago.

I decided to create a large CARIFESTA logo that everyone could gather around for photos. It became a meeting point for those first moments: a place to wave a flag, celebrate an arrival and capture the excitement of being here. Each photo carried the festival’s identity with it.

We also had media on hand because I wanted the welcome to reach beyond the airport. People across Trinbago needed to see who was arriving and know that **they were part of CARIFESTA too**. They could come out to the events, experience the performances and feel the excitement alongside our Caribbean neighbours.

That experience has stayed with me because it brought together three things I care deeply about:

Sense of place: Visitors should feel where they are from the moment they arrive.

Branding: A strong visual identity gives people something to recognise, gather around and remember.

Hospitality: The warmth of the welcome turns an arrival into an experience.

The airport was the first stage of CARIFESTA. And what a way to begin! 🇹🇹