TORONTO — A new 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,” said William ‘Billy’ Griffith, CEO of The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (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.”
Kids 16 and under stay free in participating hotels and play free at participating attractions when accompanied by at least one paying adult with the deal. The offer is valid for travel May 1 – Oct. 31.
More than 50 resorts are taking part in the campaign, across several categories, said Griffith. “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 (BTHA), 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 programs that will appeal to our target markets. The variety of accommodation properties participating in this program illustrates the diversity of the Barbados tourism product, and creates a better opportunity to entice diverse families looking for the perfect summer holiday. Programs like these help to reduce the seasonality we normally experience in the hotel sector.”
Participating attractions include the Atlantis submarines, Barbados Golf Club and the popular Island Safaris.
“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,” said Griffith.
The BTMI has launched a microsite, brilliantbarbados.com, where agents and clients will find all the information for the campaign, including descriptions of participating accommodations and attractions.
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,” Griffith said.
