Americas InterimMarketing Report

October 2008 – June 2009&

Marketing PlanJune – October 2009

Presented by Sylma Brown Bramble

Director of Marketing, Americas (Ag.)

June 11, 2009

• For Q1, arrivals from all markets down except Canada with a 9.6% growth

• Caribbean benefited from fall off in tourism to Mexico, which has since launched an aggressive push to woo back visitors

Trends and Outlook

• Impulse market with unprecedented discounts and bonuses

Trends and Outlook

Marketing Activities -USA

• Caribbean logo on all CTO literature and websites

• Logo on member advertising and collateral materials- Anguilla, Bahamas, Bermuda,

Curacao, Grenada, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Maarten, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, US Virgin Islands

Branding

Site Upgrades• “More Hot Deals” page to accommodate

the increasing number of requests for deals

• Upgrade “Specials” tool to promote multiple events

CaribbeanTravel.com

Site Upgrades• Graphic override at “New this Week” on

home page, for promotional campaigns• Expand templates for meta tags for

Caribbean hotels• Advertising strategy being developed for

revenue generation

CaribbeanTravel.com

Program overview• 12-page Caribbean guide in newspapers

in major source markets- New York Metro, Philadelphia Metro,

Chicago, South Florida- Newspapers - USA Today, New York

Newsday, Westchester Journal NewsBergen Record, Philadelphia InquirerChicago Tribune, Sun Sentinel

Million Home Marketing Campaign

Target• 1 million high income households• 400,000 opt-in pre-qualified consumers• 10,000 top-producing travel specialists

Million Home Marketing Campaign

Objectives• To provide a platform for the sale of

Caribbean vacations• To create events that attract significant

amounts of positive media attention for the Caribbean

Caribbean Week in New York

Objectives• To provide opportunities for all members

to promote their individual products and services

• To engage the Caribbean Diaspora

Caribbean Week in New York

New this year• Caribbean Treats: Food, Rum & Rhythm• Travel Agent Workshop• Caribbean Diaspora Workshop• Caribbean Meetings & Incentive Travel

Showcase

Caribbean Week in New York

Discussion Topics• Effect of the US economy on Caribbean

Tourism• Volume and value of Trade to the US

economy from the Caribbean• Unintended impact of US legislation on

Caribbean tourism

ACTS

Discussion Topics• US Customs and Immigration pre-

clearance in the Caribbean• Funding of tourism research and

technology projects• Partnership in sustainable energy and

other green projects

ACTS

Caribbean Week in New YorkPublicity

Caribbean Week in New York

Significant publicity via:• Radio• Print media• Postcard/flyer distribution• Website• Social networking• Press releases• Television

Membership

Chapters• Continue to work with existing chapters

whose membership now comprise producing agents for the Caribbean

• E-learning and rewards program on hold

Membership

NTOs• Regular meetings

- to share reports on the status of the industry

- to plan and seek input on activities to promote the region

- to familiarize them with the role and mandates of CTO

Membership

Allieds• New members being added on a regular

basis• Companies with an interest in Caribbean

tourism being encouraged to join

Media Co-op Ventures & Relationship Building

Discussions being held with:• WBLS Radio• The Travel Channel• New York Daily News – Caribbean

supplement• Brides/Modern Bride – Isle Style

promotion• Black Meetings & Tourism

Media Co-op Ventures & Relationship Building

Discussions being held with:• Caribbean American Chamber of

Commerce & Industry (CACCI)• Caribbean American Business

Association (CABA)• Census 2010

Trade & Consumer Shows

Continue to negotiate preferred rates for members. Upcoming shows:

• Adventures in Travel Expo (Oct. NYC; Dec. Seattle)

• ABAV (Oct. Brazil)• Travel Agent Home-Based Expo (Dec.

Las Vegas)• Luxury Travel Show (Dec. Las Vegas)

Newsletters

Edit and distribute• Monthly CTO E-newsletter• CTO Foundation News

Upcoming Activities

• Caribbean Tourism Conference• Caribbean Beach Volleyball

Championship (November 2009)• Events and meetings with the Caribbean

Diaspora• Rebuild existing chapters into a quality

organization• Caribbean pavilions at consumer events

Marketing Report& Plan - Canada

Trends and Outlook• Canadians made 5.1 per cent more trips

to non-US destinations during the first quarter of 2009. Caribbean was a main beneficiary.

• Despite the downturn in the economy, Canadians took advantage of “good deals” in package prices offered to the Caribbean.

Trends and Outlook• Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica and Dominican

Republic as well as most other southern destinations reported healthy increases in Canadian arrivals during the first three months of the year.

• Indications that spending will rebound in 3rd quarter by Canadians due to record low interest rates and increase in consumer confidence.

Key Highlights: • Taste of the Caribbean Montreal, May• Caribbean Goes North (BC & Alberta),

August 2009• SITV consumer show Montreal –

Caribbean Pavilion, October 2009• Zoomer Show consumer show Toronto

Caribbean Pavilion, October

Key Highlights

Caribbean Week – October 2009 • Media Marketplace & Awards• Rum & Rhythm Consumer event

Key Highlights

Caribbean Week 2008

• Caribbean supplement September 2009 in Dreamscapes – Consumer/Trade magazine

• Caribbean Features – Zoomer Magazine• Caribbean Editorial supplement –

Toronto Star – October 2009• TripAtlas preferred rate for CTDC

members

Marketing Activities - Canada

• Canadian events highlighted in CTO newsletter monthly

• Media Awards for Canada • Andrew Parris Award for Canadian Travel

Agent • Caribbean seminar accredited by CITC• ACTA agents added to CTDC website

Other Initiatives - Canada

Public Relationsand Publicity

• Lou Hammond & Associates (LH&A) generated print, online, broadcast media coverage; total reach:

522,851,900

October ’08 to April ‘09

• Highlights: Good Morning America (3x), Today Show, CNBC, CW11, NY Times, Washington Post, Toronto Star, Travel +Leisure, Wall Street Journal

October ’08 to April ‘09

• News bureau: Handled 200+ media requests/opportunities

• Editorial calendars: Monitored, pitched 100+ national, regional opportunities

October ’08 – April ‘09

• Partner outreach:- Organized multiple PR Council

meetings; provided overview, PR opportunities, Caribbean brand messaging, ideas exchange

October ’08 – April ‘09

• Hot tips: Provided 50+ “hot tip”media leads, members/partners

October ’08 – April ‘09

• Press releases: Steady news flow; 24 releases, avg. one per week

• Topics include:– Seasonal packages– Positive news round-ups– Special events

October ’08 – April ‘09

Strategy Overall

• Align PR efforts: CTO Members, private sector partnership/promotional opportunities

• Continue focus on key themes: value, beach, geographic diversity, history, four-season destination, Caribbean culture/people

Strategy Overall

• Create ongoing, regular coverage• Utilize partnership/promotional

opportunities• Engage the Diaspora and regional

Caribbean media CTO literature• Leverage major CTO events, e.g.

Caribbean Weeks in NY/Toronto, ACTS, CTC

• Focus efforts on national outlets, as well as key regional markets with significant air service

• Continue to cultivate national broadcast opportunities

• Leverage consumer value opportunities positioning Caribbean as affordable, U.S. friendly escape

Strategy - USA

I. Social media buzz-building• Grow the Caribbean’s media presence utilizing

social media sites, eg. Twitter, Facebook; engage dialogue, break news, provide incentives

II. Electronic news bureau• Grow press rooms, OneCaribbean.org,

CaribbeanTravel.com• Create definitive “one-stop shopping” media

resource• Engage partners, “one-sheet” news updates,

fact sheets, each destination

Key Tactics

III. Travel expert broadcast outreach• Assist editors, publicists; top travel magazines

making TV appearances• Supply Caribbean news, values, trends

IV. Caribbean Value Blasts• Create monthly “value blast” emails; round-up,

best values/deals• Provide valuable resource, media content

Key Tactics

V. Regional media blitzes• Take Caribbean spokesperson(s), key markets:

New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami• One-on-one meetings, editorial

roundtables/interviews, Caribbean update

VI. Small Partner PR Seminars• Offer PR seminars, smaller islands without PR

representation• Focus, inexpensive tactics, opportunities• Engage local hotels, tourism partners

Key Tactics

Key TacticsVII. Seasonal segmented pitching

• Pitch quarterly “What’s happening in the Caribbean” stories; break-out segments: spa honeymoons, culinary, outdoor/adventure, meetings, etc.

• Engage spokespersons, public/private sector; seasonal outlook, new openings, opportunities

VIII. Press releases• Continue regular press release distribution• Translate releases, Spanish audiences

Key Tactics

Key TacticsVII. Promotional partnerships

• Develop partnerships, tie-ins, key media/retail outlets

Key Tactics

Key TacticsVIII. Caribbean Week in New York

• Pre-event press briefings• Promotional Partnerships: Macy’s,

Bloomingdales, Empire State Building, CondeNast Bridal, WPIX-TV

• Media Marketplace, Closing press briefing• Pre-event radio/print interviews• Guerrilla appearances, network morning shows• Chef coordination• Twitter updates, incentives• Teaser + post-event releases

Key Tactics

Key TacticsIX. Caribbean Tourism Conference

• Pre-event press announcement• Coordination, media attendance, press room• Partner press conferences• Twitter updates• Show blog• Teaser + post-event releases

Key Tactics

• Emphasize/leverage long-standing relationship, Caribbean – Canada, key media outlets

• Leverage Caribbean Week Toronto; maximum media awareness

PR Strategies - Canada

• Support non-CTO events, including Taste of the Caribbean Montreal, increase Caribbean brand’s profile

• Push beyond Toronto market; cultivate Ottawa, Montreal growth opportunities

PR Strategies - Canada

Key TacticsI. Caribbean Week in Toronto

• Pre-event press announcement• Pre-event radio/print interviews• Promotional Partnerships• Media Marketplace• Guerrilla street-team appearances, network

morning shows• Twitter updates, incentives• Caribbean Week Blog• Chef coordination• Teaser + post-event releases

Key Tactics - Canada

Key TacticsII. Regional media blitzes

• Take Caribbean spokesperson(s), key markets: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa

• One-on-one meetings, editorial roundtables/interviews, Caribbean update

III. Canada NTO Coordination• Liaise, Canada NTO representatives, news

updates• Position network Caribbean spokespersons,

media resource

Key Tactics - Canada

Key TacticsIV. Seasonal segmented pitching

• Pitch quarterly “What’s happening in the Caribbean” stories; break-out segments: spa honeymoons, culinary, outdoor/adventure, meetings, etc.

• Emphasize winter season, “snowbirds”, increased seasonal air service

V. Press releases• Continue regular press release distribution• Translate releases, French audiences,

customize pricing, Canadian distribution

Key Tactics - Canada

Key TacticsVI. Promotional partnerships

• Develop partnerships, tie-ins, key media/retail outlets

Key Tactics - Canada

THE BAY

Thank you!