Acknowledging the need to reposition The Bahamas in a highly competitive tourism market, Minister with responsibility for the key industry, Obie Wilchcombe, announced yesterday the launch of a new marketing and re-branding campaign for the country.
The multi-media campaign will entail television commercials carried on national and local cable systems in the United States and Canada, magazine advertisements and online marketing via the Internet.
“We must re-brand, reposition and herald the islands of The Bahamas,” said Mr. Wilchcombe. “We must be compelling, exciting, creative seductive and engaging. We must break out of the clutter of destination marketing and advertising. We must celebrate our people, our heritage, culture and music.”
Officials with the Ministry of Tourism point out that the marketing initiative also includes a new logo and a new slogan.
The logo features colour-coded shapes representing each of the major islands of the archipelago, while the slogan – “Just Off the Coast of Familiar” – is designed to take advantage of the country’s close proximity to its major tourism market.
“The slogan implies one of our greatest tourism assets, especially for the US market and since 9/11,” said Minister Wilchcombe. “The Bahamas is close to home, different than you think, offers more than you thought and will broaden your perspective on how you see the world.”
Fallon Worldwide marketing agency developed the campaign over an 18-month period at a cost of about $5 million.
The 30- and 60-second television commercials depict a traveler island hopping from popular touristic destinations like Nassau, Paradise Island and Grand Bahama to some of the less popular Family Islands.
Tourism officials point out that a major feature of the re-launched marketing plan is the promotion of each of the islands as a destination.
“We must give all the islands equal billing, we must tap new markets and mindsets to grow and we must outsmart, out think and outshine the competition,” Minister Wilchcombe said.
“That means we are no longer just about the beach, sun, sand and water. We are about the people, the islands and the beauty of Mother Nature that is The Bahamas,” he added.
Mr. Wilchcombe further pointed out that the campaign would target selected markets in New York, Philadelphia, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Charlotte, Atlanta, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati.
He added, however, that the challenges facing the tourism sector continue to take on new dimensions.
“The average American now has less vacation time than in 1973, a mere 10.3 days a year,” he said. “Yet America is seen by many in the travel and tourism industry as the world’s ATM machine, so to speak. Now you can appreciate just how competitive this business is.”
The tourism Minister also reiterated the need for all Bahamians to be actively involved in promoting the domestic tourism product.
“We are all in the tourism business,” Mr. Wilchcombe said. “That is why it is critical that we all acknowledge that we are tourism ambassadors. Our PR agency pointed out to me one day that the most important PR people in The Bahamas are the cab drivers, for they are the first and last Bahamians that visitors converse with in any meaningful way.”
Minister Wilchcombe noted that the campaign marks the beginning not the end of the tourism promotion thrust as officials are hoping for a “renaissance” in the major industry.
By Darrin Culmer, The Bahama Journal
