| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 03/07/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 43 |
| Copyright: Other |
Sponsorship campaign
Sandals’ cricket drive seeks UK tour results
All-inclusive Caribbean specialist Sandals is aiming to boost awareness of Caribbean tourism this summer via its sponsorship of the West Indies Cricket Tour of the UK.Sandals managing director Steve Garley hopes the sponsorship, worth approximately £500,000, will be as successful in increasing awareness of the Caribbean as a holiday destination as in 1995, when Sandals first sponsored the tour. “If you look at business growth at that time, it went up by between 20%-25% and did a great deal to spread the name of Sandals” he said.”It was one of the best periods of growth we have ever experienced and although it is almost impossible to quantify and be 100% sure, I think the sponsorship helped enormously.” Sandals’ director industry relations David Roper added: “We are confident that Sandals’ sponsorship of the West Indies Cricket will bolster tourism to the Caribbean. By using cricket as a vehicle to introduce people to not only Sandals Resorts but the West Indies in general, we are showing what the region has to offer.”The three-and-a-half month campaign run jointly with Caribbean lager Carib will be supported by a national newspaper and travel trade advertising campaign as well as national, local and regional radio and print promotion. It runs until September 3.Sandals has recently acquired two properties. These are The Ciboney Ocho Rios in Jamaica, which is to be rebranded Beaches Ciboney Golf Resort and Spa and closes in September for a US $10m refit, and the Royal Plantation Hotel, Jamaica, which is currently being refurbished. The hotel is due to reopen in December.
Report by HELEN ARNOLD
All-inclusive Caribbean specialist Sandals is aiming to boost awareness of Caribbean tourism this summer via its sponsorship of the West Indies Cricket Tour of the UK.Sandals managing director Steve Garley hopes the sponsorship, worth approximately £500,000, will be as successful in increasing awareness of the Caribbean as a holiday destination as in 1995, when Sandals first sponsored the tour.
“If you look at business growth at that time, it went up by between 20%-25% and did a great deal to spread the name of Sandals” he said.
“It was one of the best periods of growth we have ever experienced and although it is almost impossible to quantify and be 100% sure, I think the sponsorship helped enormously.”
Sandals’ director industry relations David Roper added: “We are confident that Sandals’ sponsorship of the West Indies Cricket will bolster tourism to the Caribbean. By using cricket as a vehicle to introduce people to not only Sandals Resorts but the West Indies in general, we are showing what the region has to offer.”
The three-and-a-half month campaign run jointly with Caribbean lager Carib will be supported by a national newspaper and travel trade advertising campaign as well as national, local and regional radio and print promotion. It runs until September 3.
Sandals has recently acquired two properties. These are The Ciboney Ocho Rios in Jamaica, which is to be rebranded Beaches Ciboney Golf Resort and Spa and closes in September for a US $10m refit, and the Royal Plantation Hotel, Jamaica, which is currently being refurbished. The hotel is due to reopen in December.