My Haiti Travels

My Haiti Travels, a boutique concierge firm that coordinates high-quality travel services to Haiti for leisure and business purposes, completed its first annual “Impact Week Haiti 2013” signature expedition to Port-au-Prince, Haiti on January 17-21, 2013.

Online PR News – 05-February-2013 – New York, NY – NEW YORK, NY -- February 5, 2013 – My Haiti Travels, a boutique concierge firm that coordinates high-quality travel services to Haiti for leisure and business purposes, completed a successful “Impact Week Haiti 2013” inaugural expedition to Port-au-Prince, Haiti on January 17-21, 2013. With a core mission of exposing a positive image of Haiti, the My Haiti Travels agency was created shortly following the devastating earthquake of January 2010 to support the resurgence of tourism and investment in Haiti, and to promote the patronage of local businesses, hotel and resort establishments and restaurants.

Recognizing that tourism can be a catalyst for Haiti’s growth and development, My Haiti Travels staff collaborated with local professionals across Haiti’s hospitality and tourism sector. As a result of months of careful planning, My Haiti Travels provided a safe haven for approximately 20 U.S.-based travelers from New York seeking a vibrant cultural experience during Haiti's Independence month. In an effort to present a diverse view of the Caribbean destination, My Haiti Travels delivered a mix of civic and social activities that captured Haiti’s culture, which is rooted in Taino, European and African heritage. Haiti is the first independent sovereign nation in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the first black republic in the world when it declared independence from France during the Haitian Revolution on January 1, 1804.

Among the dynamic components of the five-day voyage, participants engaged in a range of excursions that included a village tour of artists known for their unique metal work in Croix des Bouquets, private rum tasting event at Wahoo Bay Beach Club & Resort on the Arcadins Coast and special outing to the historic Moulin Sur Mer resort that hosts the Ogier Fombrun Museum. Additionally, visitors reveled in Haiti’s authentic beauty while mountain hiking to Kay Piat and swimming in a natural spring. The group also enjoyed leisure activities, such as live music, entertainment and fine dining at top restaurants in Petion-Ville.

“I’m proud of the success of our first-ever Impact Week Haiti expedition,” said Dina Simon, founder and managing director, My Haiti Travels. “On behalf of the entire team at My Haiti Travels, we thank our local partners for providing their quality services and allowing travelers to see Haiti through our eyes. We look forward to showing more people the real Haiti and experiencing it with us.”

The inaugural “Impact Week Haiti” trip was hailed by travelers as a fun, rewarding and safe experience. From a Haitian-American pre-teen visiting for the very first time to a Haitian-born retiree returning after 30 years abroad, My Haiti Travels delivered an extraordinary journey. “I love the idea of ‘seeing Haiti through our eyes’,” said Guerline T. Emmanuel, an “Impact Week Haiti 2013” participant. “This was an important trip for me to come, network and meet other Haitians like myself; those who were born in the U.S., and those who left and wanted to come back.”

In support of establishing long-term community partnerships and volunteer opportunities for its clients, My Haiti Travels organized a “Project Day” as part of the “Impact Week Haiti 2013” itinerary. Participants spent the day at Ecole Nouvelle Zoranje in the Village de La Renaissance to plant trees, visit community center programs, interact with students from Kindergarten, elementary and middle school, as well as meet faculty and project directors. Located five miles north of Port-au-Prince, Ecole Nouvelle Zoranje is run and operated by Progress and Development through the Youth of Haiti Foundation (PRODEV), a Haitian-led organization whose mission is to operate high achieving community-driven schools throughout Haiti.

“In addition to planting trees, which will both adorn our fence and contribute to Haiti's ecological recovery, the My Haiti Travels service day meant so much to the children, the staff and members of the community,” said Leonie M. Hermantin of PRODEV. “Our school community has met many guests coming from all over the world, but rarely have they hosted a group of Haitians-Americans who looks like them and more importantly speaks their language. That meant a lot.”

The “Impact Week Haiti” signature expedition will be presented by My Haiti Travels on an annual basis during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend in the U.S. Throughout the year, the travel agency also offers customized trips that are tailored to each client’s specific needs, lifestyle and budget. The MyHaitiTravels.com site provides information, reviews and ratings of hotels, restaurants and destinations across Haiti. To educate people about Haiti and its rich culture, My Haiti Travels also publishes the “Haiti Through Our Eyes” newsletter that features guest blogs and stories.

Media partners of “Impact Week Haiti 2013” included Bel Ti Fi, Haiti 1 Stop, Haitian All-Starz, HaitiXChange, Kiskeácity, Manman Pemba, Radio Soleil and The Stewardship Report. For more information regarding My Haiti Travels services and to book a custom trip, please contact info@myhaititravels.com and visit http://www.ImpactWeekHaiti.com for more information regarding “Impact Week Haiti 2013.”

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About My Haiti Travels:
My Haiti Travels (MHT) is a boutique concierge firm that coordinates high-quality travel services to Haiti for leisure and business travelers. My Haiti Travels hosted U.S. multicultural professionals during its inaugural IMPACT WEEK HAITI 2013 trip, a five-day all-inclusive French-Caribbean voyage filled with leisure activities, volunteerism, networking and touristic exploration of Port-au-Prince, Haiti during the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) holiday weekend on January 17 – 21, 2013. For more information, please visit www.MyHaitiTravels.com and follow My Haiti Travels on Facebook and Twitter.