Barbados will unveil a new television advertising campaign on ITV in January as part of a 20%-25% increase in marketing spend for 2011.
Barbados Tourism Authority chairman Ralph Taylor said the advert, focusing on sun, sea, sports, luxury and the cultural aspects of the island, would run for three to four weeks in prime time evening and breakfast slots.
He said there would be an opportunity for tour operators featuring the destination to “tag” it with their own brand and calls to action.
Barbados will also hold its first Agents’ Festival on the island next autumn, inviting up to 500 agents from all markets to attend the week-long event. The event will mix education with fun and the UK will provide the most delegates as the market represents 40% of Barbados’s business.
“We are hoping this will become an annual event packed with product information and opportunities for sharing ideas. We will have great guest speakers as well and the agents will get to experience the product first-hand,” said Taylor.
He revealed the government had injected money into the development of the new Four Seasons hotel on the west coast, a new $400 million Merrick development was planned by UK investors, and a new shopping mall called Holetown St James was set to open on December 1.
Barbados will also host a football legends tournament in June 2011, featuring former stars from Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Blackburn Rovers, and an all-stars team. The event is expected to attract a lot of UK visitors. A similar cricket event will also be held.
Other promotional themes for the Barbados Tourism Authority include food, gospel, polo and opera.
- More from World Travel Market at travelweekly.co.uk/wtm2010