Shooting of Commercials forCaribbean Campaign Underway
Shooting has started of four televisioncommercials being developed as part of a US$16 million regionaltourism marketing campaign aimed at turning around the fortunesof Caribbean tourism.
The commercials, which are being shot inthe Bahamas, Dominica and New York, will begin airing on majorcable networks in the United States at the end of July, and willrun through to early November.
Dubbed "Life Needs the Caribbean,"each commercial will feature images of the Caribbean and soundtrackfrom life in the metropolis, juxtaposing the hustle and bustleof metropolitan life and the tranquility and quiet of the Caribbean.
The joint public/private sector televisionpromotion campaign was agreed to by the Heads of Government ofthe Caribbean Community in October last year, following the September11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, to promote theregion as the world's number one warm-weather destination, andas a place to relax and unwind.
"The negative impact of the September2001 attack on Caribbean tourism has been very severe, and continueswell into 2002," says Jean Holder, secretary general of theCaribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). "The campaign therefore,when it is launched, will be very important in seeking to reversethe downward trend."
Between September and December 2001, tourismarrivals to the Caribbean were down 17 percent over the same periodin 2000. The first two months of 2002 were slightly better, witharrivals down about 13 percent, and the predictions for the summerare not encouraging, says Mr. Holder.
The regional television campaign was amongseveral key issues discussed by Caribbean Tourism Ministers andthe Board of Directors of the CTO at Caribbean Week, May 28 to31, 2002 in New York.
They also discussed and commented on thefirst draft of the Regional Tourism Strategic Plan mandated byHeads of Government at their meeting in the Bahamas last December.
In light of these comments, a final drafthas been prepared for wider consideration, and a final report,which takes into account all views expressed by the public andprivate sectors, will be completed by the end of July 2002.
The CTO Ministers and Board of Directorsalso discussed a proposal prepared by CTO for the establishmentof a Sustainable Tourism Development fund. It was decided to proceedaccording to a recommendation of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)'sCouncil for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) that the proposalshould be subjected to a further national consultation beforebeing considered by the appropriate financial authorities.
The 50th Anniversary Awards Ceremony, whichrecognized 50 distinguished individuals for their outstandingcontributions to Caribbean Tourism, and four Lifetime Achievementawardees, was a major highlight of Caribbean Week. The ceremonytook place at the Waldorf Astoria, during the 29th Annual Governmentsof the Caribbean State Ball. About 700 persons attended the Balland Awards presentation.
"One of the most encouraging thingswas that, in these difficult financial times, the countries turnedout for the meetings and the awards ceremony in larger numbersthan I have seen in decades," says the CTO Secretary General.
"If one thing has come out of the 9/11crisis, it is that there is a recognition (by Caribbean governmentsand people) that this is the industry that they must focus onand that if they are going to depend on it they had better doit better and more efficiently than they have ever done it inthe past," says Mr. Holder. "I think that was what characterized(Caribbean) Week."
The ninth annual Caribbean Tourism MarketingConference, organized by the Allied membership, as well as thefourth annual Media Marketplace was among other highlights ofthe week. CTO hosted over 130 travel writers at the Media Marketplace.Dignitaries, hoteliers and suppliers in more than 50 booths wereable to liaise with journalists during the event.