Top image: The production team use a drone to capture the three levels of Argyle Waterfall - Tobago’s highest waterfall. Photos courtesy: Tobago Tourism Agency Limited
NatGeo Traveller’s production crew made two trips to Tobago in early 2019. Among the highlights to be featured on NatGeo will be the unique sport of goat racing - where jockeys run behind their charges - as well as the white-tailed sabre wing hummingbird which can only be found in Tobago.
“Tobago is unique in that it feels relatively untouched by the rest of the world. There is an authenticity to it which other destinations lack. This makes it an incredible place to explore and an important place to protect so that future generations can enjoy its natural beauty just as much as we have,” explained Director/Producer Thomas Windward, part of the production team from Traveller who came to Tobago along with Cinematographer Max Smith.
Tobago’s highly respected bird expert and ecologist William Trim, led the production team through the Main Ridge Forest Reserve and to the Argyle, Parlatuvier and Castara waterfalls, utilizing his expertise to spot and identify some of the 220 species of birds found on the island.
TTAL’s chief executive Louis Lewis said in an interview that the production crew were quite blown away by what they saw. “What they discovered is flora and fauna common to the South American mainland in an island setting, so it lends itself to a wide variety of birds and wild life.”
NatGeo’s publication will highlight five sequential features on the island, as well as videos on the webpage hub.
“The core attractions that make Tobago attractive from a tourism perspective are the natural environment, sun, sea and sand, its cultural heritage and also a romance/wedding destination. The one most attractive is its natural environment and in looking for a partner to help promote that we couldn’t find one better known than National Geographic Traveller, hence the reason for the partnership,” Lewis added.
“This puts Tobago on a showcase we’ve never had before and it synchronizes with our go to market branding strategy. The growing trend in the world is one of reduction of greenhouse gases and focusing on environmental preservation. Tobago fits right into that with this depiction of an eco-environment friendly destination. We’ve partnered with those who are prominent in that area and there is a synergy and movement that allows us to amplify our presence,” Lewis explained.
Commenting on his experience while filming in Tobago for Traveller, Winward added,”…there is obviously a very strong community at the heart of life in Tobago. It feels like home away from home, and the natural beauty is like nothing I’ve seen before.”
Tobago’s Tourism Agency (TTAL) may soon have to change its branding taglines as the world is about to discover the island’s “unspoilt, untouched, undiscovered” beauty through several features in the National Geographic Traveller – the UK edition of one of the most iconic and widely read magazines worldwide - print and digital platforms.
