Overview

In 2025, I led the digital and social media strategy for the 25th edition of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) in partnership with the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) and the Dominica Festivals Committee.
The mandate from the Government of Dominica was clear:

Increase visitor arrivals, elevate global visibility, and position WCMF as a world-class cultural festival — deeply rooted in Creole identity, not imitation.

The result:
Dominica, a nation of just 70,000 people, delivered one of the strongest tourism and digital marketing outcomes in the region.

Challenge

Dominica does not enjoy the geographic scale, large budgets, or airlift capacity of major regional markets. To grow, the festival needed a precision-led digital strategy, leveraging:

• culture
• community
• content
• data

The challenge was twofold:

1. Convert global interest into actual visitor arrivals.
2. Amplify Creole culture on the world stage using digital-first storytelling.

Additionally, we faced the reality that festival content must remain fresh and relevant — while staying consistent with cultural authenticity.

Approach

1. Content-First Strategy Powered by Creative Assets I Owned and Currated

A major competitive advantage was the proactive content library built from the 2024 festival, including:

• high-quality photography
• performance footage
• behind-the-scenes storytelling
• artist portraits
• crowd energy reels

This allowed the 2025 campaign to start with a complete visual ecosystem rather than scrambling for assets.

2. Embedded Media Team Execution in 2025

I attended the 2025 festival as part of the official media team, where I:

• captured new content
• managed real-time social coverage across Meta, TikTok & WhatsApp
• coordinated with photographers, videographers & creatives
• implemented live posting strategies during the festival nights
• delivered near-instant content to maximize viral momentum
• This on-the-ground advantage ensured speed, accuracy, and emotional resonance in every post.

3. Data-Guided Digital Strategy

I designed a four-month digital roadmap focused on:

• scaling global reach
• building community
• optimizing conversion funnels
• expanding diaspora resonance
• driving direct ticket sales online

This included artist drops, cultural storytelling, targeted advertising, and platform-specific growth strategies.

Results

Record-Breaking Festival Performance

• 42,000+ patrons across three nights
• 39% increase from 2024
• Visitor arrivals: 10,500+ (nine days pre-event)
• 48% growth, the highest in Dominica’s festival history

Digital Campaign Outcomes

In under 4 months:

• Audience growth: +28%
• Impressions: 38.6M (+251%)
• Engagement: Nearly 1M interactions
• Online ticket sales doubled year-over-year
• WhatsApp community surpassed 1,000 members
• Content output scaled from 1,419 → 2,609 posts (YoY)

These results represent one of the strongest digital performances in the Caribbean festival ecosystem.

Performance vs Global Benchmarks

• Engagement Rate: 2.59%
  → 3–8× higher than global festival average
• Social-to-Ticket Conversion: Top-tier range
  → 2–3× stronger than typical campaigns
• Visitor Arrival Conversion: 1.05%
  → 3–10× higher than global benchmark
• Audience Growth: +28% in 4 months
  → 2–6× faster than standard festival campaigns

These metrics demonstrate that WCMF outperformed nearly every major global benchmark for festival marketing in 2025.

Economic Impact Across Dominica

The digital momentum created a nationwide economic ripple effect:

• ⭐ Hotels fully booked — increased occupancy & nightly rates
• ⭐ Flights sold out — maximized airlift into Dominica
• ⭐ Drivers & taxis fully booked
• ⭐ Restaurants & bars packed nightly
• ⭐ Vendors and small businesses recorded peak sales
• ⭐ Nightlife & after-parties booming
• ⭐ Creative sector — photographers, DJs, designers — in high demand
• ⭐ Village shops & markets saw increased visitor spending
• ⭐ Tours & excursions reached full capacity
• ⭐ Island-wide economic activity at its highest point of 2025

The festival became a national economic engine, powered by digital strategy.

Key Insight

The WCMF 2025 performance proves that culture + digital intelligence is a scalable formula — even for small-island states.
Dominica’s story shows that size is not a limitation when you combine:

• authentic storytelling
• disciplined digital execution
• intentional diaspora engagement
• community-building
• and data-driven creativity

Looking Ahead

The 2025 campaign set a new benchmark.
The next step is building an even stronger, more scalable digital engine for 2026:

• deeper analytics
• sharper targeting
• bigger cultural moments
• more integrated tourism funnels
• expanded global partnerships

With this foundation, Dominica is positioned to own the space of Creole cultural leadership worldwide.

Acknowledgments

This work was possible through collaboration with the Discover Dominica Authority and the Dominica Festivals Committee.
Special appreciation to Marva H. Williams, MIB, BBA, along with colleagues Monelle Alexis, Chad Ambo, Jason Jno Jules, and the entire production and media team.

And personally — yes, I had a blast.
I’ve attended festivals around the world, and there is truly nothing like WCMF.