Bridging the Perception Gap with Stacey Liburd, CEO, Grenada Tourism Authority

Can a Caribbean island really be a 12-month destination? Ged speaks to Stacey Liburd, CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority and Vice Chair of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, about Grenada's position below the hurricane belt, the perception gap that holds mature destinations back, and what balanced, year-round tourism actually means for local communities.

Stacey joined the GTA in June 2025 from the Anguilla Tourist Board, where she led the island through the pandemic to record visitor arrivals. She brings a rare cross-Caribbean perspective to one of the industry's most persistent structural challenges.

In this episode:

•       Why travellers are no longer coming for sun, sand and sea alone

•       Grenada's position below the hurricane belt and why it matters

•       How Spicemas, the Lobster & Lambie Festival in Carriacou, and a new Flower and Garden Festival fit into a year-round strategy

•       The 18-year run of medals at the Chelsea Flower Show

•       Converting 370,000 cruise passengers into overnight guests

•       Why airlift is too important to leave to airlines alone

•       Measuring tourism success at community level, not in occupancy rates

Key quote:

“I cannot measure success simply by arrivals and occupancy at the hotels. I have to measure it when the vendors on the side of the road are also seeing the benefits.”

Join us in Rimini

Stacey joins us at the Tourism Seasonality Summit on 17–18 May 2026 in Rimini, Italy. Full programme and registration at  seasonalitysummit.com

About the podcast

The Balancing Tourism Podcast is hosted by Ged Brown, Founder & CEO of Low Season Traveller and the Tourism Seasonality Summit. New episodes explore how the travel industry can build a more balanced, resilient future. Follow wherever you listen.