Posted by: travadmin on Jan 10, 2004 – 11:07 PM
business Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe gave top travel media members in the United States a private unveiling of the Bahamas’ new advertising campaign last month.
NEW YORK, January 5 – The new branding and advertising campaign was shown to a full house of top-tier media in the Rainbow Room on the top floor of the NBC building in Rockefeller Center.
More than 50 of the country’s and New York’s most influential travel, tourism, lifestyle media, including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes, Travel and Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, Black Enterprise and the New York Daily News attended the event.
A round of applause from the seasoned and experienced reporters, editors and producers in the room confirmed that the new campaign was visionary, unexpected, thought-provoking and entertaining.
“We are a nation of islands, not an island-nation,” proclaimed Mr Wilchcombe, driving home campaign’s core idea that The Bahamas is comprised of distinctive islands, each with its own personality and exquisite array of options for novice or experienced visitor – and that The Bahamas is not just another warm-weather destination.
A key element of the new identity package is the interactive, reinvigorated Bahamas.com Web site which offers everything a traveler needs to plan a Bahamas vacation, including: Quicktime videos, maps and visual tours.
“The new Bahamas.com is a tremendous opportunity for all our island partners to compete for lucrative on-line travel business,” Mr Wilchcombe said.
He encouraged support for all tourism products in The Bahamas, including independent hotels and vendors that contribute to the overall vacation experience. In the first week the new site was up and running, more than $45,000 was booked in hotel rooms alone.
Tourism Director General Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, and Deputy Director General Vernice Walkine also discussed the campaign, providing a portrait of The Bahamas that described the culture, people, history, cuisine and beauty that pervades the 700 islands.
Campaign starts
Through Bahamas.com, using TV, print, outdoor and Internet advertising, the multi-million dollar campaign is now fully launched in North America, and expected to attract an increased volume of visitors.
Ms. Walkine assured the media representatives that The Bahamas is committed to tourism and that Bahamians constantly strive to improve the vacation experience for their overseas guests.
The Bahamas is not about brick and mortar, she said, but about people and culture, with the best advertising being the memories, and smiles of visitors returning home to their friends, families and co-workers.