London responds to public criticism of new tourism logo: “Trust the Process” 

By Val Matthias. Updated 12:50 a.m., Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

Chief Executive Officer of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority, Ms. Shafia London, says the Authority is taking note of public reaction to the country’s newly unveiled tourism logo, amid mixed views about the design.

London in an interview with One News St. Vincent, acknowledged that the response on social media has been varied since the new logo was revealed, but said the Authority is prepared to consider practical feedback before the new branding is fully rolled out on November 1.

She said one suggestion that has merit is for the colours of the logo to be brought closer to those of the national flag.

However, London made clear that not all of the criticism circulating publicly has been accepted by the Tourism Authority.

She urged Vincentians to trust the process behind the rebranding, which she said involved an international branding agency, Zimmermann Company which is a United States-based business services company that specializes in graphic design, commercial printing, marketing support, fulfillment, and logistics services, along with local graphic designers and input from more than 100 Vincentians through focus groups.

The logo was unveiled on October 27th at SVG’s independence rally. It forms part of a wider rebranding exercise by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority, replacing a visual identity that had been used for about 15 years.

The new identity is intended to give SVG a more distinctive and modern tourism brand and to better communicate what the destination offers.

London said the logo should not be viewed as a replacement for the national flag, coat of arms or any other national symbol.

She also stressed that the logo itself is only a small part of the wider tourism branding exercise.According to London, the Authority’s focus is not on promoting a logo, but on promoting the destination’s experiences, including its nature and adventure offerings, culture and celebrations, and marine environment.

She said the effectiveness of the rebranding will ultimately depend on how the identity is used, the destination’s messaging, the audiences being targeted and the Authority’s ability to turn awareness into actual visits.

London also sought to put the purpose of the new logo into perspective, stressing that it should not be viewed as the main driver of visitor arrivals.

She said the ultimate objective of the Tourism Authority is to bring more visitors to St Vincent and the Grenadines something the logo cannot achieve on its own.

Instead, London said the logo’s main function is to signal the destination’s new identity, provide a consistent visual representation of the tourism brand and make SVG more visible in international marketing environments.

London said some adjustments could still be made based on feedback but confirmed that the Tourism Authority intends to move fully to the new design from November 1.

The new branding is expected to appear across the Authority’s tourism marketing and promotional activities as SVG seeks to strengthen its position in the international tourism market.

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About the Author: This story was written and submitted by freelance journalist Mr. Val Matthias, a trained communicator with more than two decades in the media sector. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication (UWI Mona), a Master of Science in Tourism and Hospitality Management (UWI Cave Hill), a Certificate in Digital Marketing, and has years of broadcast journalism experience rising to ranks of a programme manager. All supporting materials for this story have been presented, vetted, and verified. Mr Matthias can be reached at [email protected]