The Beach Culture World Championships are going to Los Roques, Venezuela. And Brian Talma says the vision for 2018 is focusing on art.
“This year I’ll be focusing on organic tourism as it relates to utilising art to generate the same coverage I have had before and maintaining it. The last two Beach Culture World Championships in Barbados were extraordinarily successful. In 2016 we got a lot of coverage and in 2017 just as much,” he said.
His journey and legacy were charted in the Stand Up journal and the windsurfing magazine Surf Germany, which was his focus for last year.
He told NATIONSPORT he was able to achieve much with his paintings, which are hung at various places around the island.
“Utilising art is a fundamental part of the vision and I call it symbolism art. It’s using distinct symbolism when it comes to the flying fish, turtles and so on, and it’s taking off. We sold so many of them and even used some of the funds to assist with those islands who would have been devastated by the hurricanes last year. Then with the Brian Talma signature it’s authentic to Barbados,” said Talma.
After hearing about the success of the last tour to Los Roques, 18 Venezuelans visited Barbados to open the season in December. Talma believes that is a testimony that his vision is helping to strengthen the tourism sector.
He said they were able to see the work he was carrying out as it relates to organic tourism the concepts he was successful at putting in place to stimulate business in the Silver sands area and bring business to Barbados.
Talma explained that although Los Roques had fully embraced his vision which would carry the same name on the island, the event was opened up to allow others to showcase the uniqueness of their culture through art as well.
“It will be a combination. We are bringing other players from the Caribbean who have created entities and brought business to an island,” he said.
“What I want to do is have a distinct style coming from each island so we will be working with their artists to create the way their flying fish looks and turtles and so on which is different to Barbados.
“I have paddled around the island seven times and I will be translating that feeling into art then using that as a symbolism to represent Barbados,” he said.
Talma said he was unable to attract the sponsorship to host the Beach Culture Championships in Barbados but he was still pleased to be able to host the Waterman Festival on Sunday since he was celebrating 30 years of being in the business, which included competitions in various sports and a carnival at 4 p.m. following the early events. (RG)
