Barbados targetting families for summer with new campaign
Apr 28, 2017
The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s (BTMI) summer campaign, ‘Brilliant Barbados: Kids Stay and Play Free’, is placing a strong emphasis on added value for kids as they promote Barbados as an ideal destination for families.
“Summer is traditionally a heavy family travel period for us,” reported William ‘Billy’ Griffith, CEO of the BTMI. “In response to that, we’ve developed this campaign in association with key partners here, including hotels and attractions, as we aim to be more competitive to the family audience.”
Under this campaign, kids 16-years-old or younger stay free in participating hotels and play free at participating attractions when accompanied by at least one paying adult. The offer is valid for travel dates between May 1 and October 31, 2017.
“We currently have over 50 accommodations participating in the summer campaign, across several categories,” Griffith added. “From all-inclusive options such as Savannah Beach Hotel on the South Coast, to luxury hotels such as The Crane in the East, as well as a number of villas, condos and apartments; we made sure we are appealing to every class of traveller.”
Rudy Grant, CEO of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), lauded the BTMI for working with the BHTA to develop the summer campaign. “Joint marketing actions by the BHTA and the BTMI, the marketing arm of Barbados’ tourism industry, creates the ideal partnership for the development of the tourism industry. It allows us to execute comprehensive, cohesive programmes that will appeal to our target markets. The variety of accommodation properties participating in this programme illustrates the diversity of the Barbados tourism product, and creates a better opportunity to entice diverse families looking for the perfect summer holiday. Programmes like these help to reduce the seasonality we normally experience in the hotel sector.”
Entry to several attractions is also being offered to families to enrich their stay. Kids and their parents can enjoy a unique underwater experience in the Atlantis submarine, tee off at Barbados Golf Club, and explore the rugged side of Barbados on an Island Safari, just to name a few.
Strategically enhancing with digital
“We are already marketing the Brilliant Barbados campaign aggressively in all of our international markets through our traditional channels; however we are also supplementing these efforts with a strategic, integrated digital marketing component,” Griffith announced.
The BTMI launched a microsite, www.brilliantbarbados.com, which houses all of the information for the campaign, including descriptions of participating accommodations and attractions. Visitors can discover the uniqueness of destination Barbados, and follow the steps to book their stay.
The campaign is also supported by other digital initiatives including robust social media campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, as well as newsletters and online advertising in prime digital real estate.
“As consumers’ booking habits continue to diversify, we are charged with ensuring we remain competitive, particularly in the digital field. Barbados was recently ranked number one in the English-speaking Caribbean for overall Tourism and Travel Competitiveness in a biennial report published by the World Economic Forum. One of our strongest performing areas was Prioritization of Travel and Tourism Competitiveness, where we ranked number eight in the world. We also had a particularly strong performance in ICT readiness compared to the rest of the region. We therefore see investing in digital as a tactical means of honing our strengths as a destination,” Griffith said.
About Barbados
The island of Barbados offers the most authentic Caribbean experience with its exceptionally rich culture and history rooted in remarkable landscapes. Rated as one of the world”s sexiest beaches in 2008 by Concierge.com; Barbados” Crane Beach in St. Philip stands as a premier destination for travelers. Barbados is also the first Zagat-rated Caribbean island and is known as the culinary capital of the Caribbean. Barbados has hosted several world class events including: The annual Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival; the 2006 PGA World Golf Championships-Barbados World Cup, the ICC Cricket World Cup Finals in 2007, the Sentebale Charity Polo match with Prince Harry of Wales in 2010, and the ICC Twenty20 Cricket Finals for 2010, and the Rihanna LOUD concert in 2012. Accommodations range from picturesque plantation houses and villas, to quaint bed and breakfasts and award-winning, five-star resorts. Grantley Adams International Airport offers even more non-stop and direct service from a growing number of U.S., making Barbados the true gateway to the Eastern Caribbean. Barbados was voted eighth in the World by Trip Advisor”s “2008 Travelers” Choice Destination Awards” in its Top 100 Destinations category. For more information on travel to Barbados, visitwww.visitbarbados.org, follow on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/VisitBarbados, via Twitter @Barbados.
