BDOT Launches Spring Break Incentive
In a bid to revive College Weeks, the Bermuda Department of Tourism [BDOT] is reaching out to young Bermudans studying abroad in North America with an incentive to bring friends and fellow students to the island to celebrate Spring Break in 2012.
Available during the weeks of February 18-24, March 3-9 and March 10-16, 2012, Bermuda Spring Break offers special hotel deals and island-wide events for students looking for an escape from their university studies.
From the ’50s through the ’70s, Bermuda was the destination of choice for Ivy League students looking for some fun and sun during their spring vacations, drawing tens of thousands of young people to the island every year.
Now Bermudian students, heading home for Spring Break, can earn prizes and cash, courtesy of the BDOT by bringing friends along.
According to the Minister of Business Development and Tourism Wayne Furbert, Bermuda is ready to compete for the lucrative spring break market and is offering several competitive advantages.
But more importantly, he is encouraging young Bermudians studying overseas to help make the programme a success.
“We have put together a very engaging programme to entice students and our close proximity and competitive pricing at Coco Reef will be a definite attraction,” the Minister said. “We are calling on our Bermudian students overseas to encourage their friends to visit and show them first hand why our island is an incredible place to relax and enjoy themselves.”
The programme offers a free iPad2 when bringing 10 overseas university or college students; an iPad2 plus $375 when bringing 15 overseas university or college students; or an iPad2 plus $500 when bringing 20 overseas university or college students.
All overseas students must stay a minimum of three nights at the Coco Reef Resort, the official spring break resort, where they can enjoy accommodations at the hotel for only $79.99 per night, based on double occupancy.
Alternatively, students who bring 10 of their university or college friends but choose to stay at other accommodations will be entered to win various prizes. All students must be 18 years or older to participate.
Additionally, there will be a week of exciting day and night Spring Break events for all visiting students.
Highlighted Spring Break events include: Welcome Swizzle Reception at Coco Reef Resort; “Party on the Rock” at Horseshoe Bay; Pink Fever Party at the Deep; “Dark n Stormy” Night at The Cellar; and a Spring Break party cruise.
For entry and access to all Spring Break events, food at all daytime events, public bus and ferry transportation and great drink discounts, students can sign up online to receive a free Spring Break event pass.
Details of the incentive program are below, click ‘Fullscreen’ for greater clarity:
GOOD LUCK!!! BERMUDA, WE NEED THEM COME AND ENJOY!!!!!!
Pool paries and beach parties in February, don’t forget to pack a sweater.
and a wet suit! the water be COLD in Feb & March
Not cold for them.
They need to pack a wetsuit while they are at it.
Also, $80 a night? You kidding me?? How is that competitive against all-inclusive resorts in Cancun that offer rates of $50/night with breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and room service all included?
It’s like offering affordable housing in Manhattan to bums but asking them to pay the mortgage.
To be fair, those 50 bucks a night hotels are rat holes. I know becuase i’ve been to several of them. Now the really nice ones in Cancun are around 300 plus a night. Get your facts straight.
I’ve been to Cancun over 10 times in the last 7 years. I can assure you Cancun’s $50/night hotels have much nicer rooms, pool, and food than 90% of the hotels in Bermuda.
GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!! But once again people seek to find negativity in every idea and suggestion.
I went to college in NJ and MA and my birthday is early March(which coincided with spring break). Every year I came home during during this time with friends from the states and we ENJOYED the 65 F degree weather. We went boating, jet skiing and swimming. Remember folks, in Jan and Feb the temperature is often below zero with the wind factor, and the Canadians students have it colder. Good job Bermuda…I’ll pass the word to my lil cousins in college.
Well i applaud the Tourism Department for finally doing something with Tourism. Great Job.
However, what i find very interesting is the venue used to house these tourists. Payback for a certain hotelier’s political support, perhaps?
Coco Reef isn’t the only hotel on the island for tourists people. Spread it around and lets help everyone not just the clique ok.
Its very exciting to see that there are steps being taken to revive our dying tourism industry. Keep in mind that the repeat visitors that we rely on now were first introduced to Bermuda during “College Weeks” in the 60s,70s and 80s but unfortunately they will not live forever! So Cheers to the Dept of Tourism for relighting the torch and trying to get some fresh “repeaters” to hit the pink sand. It’s going to be hard work and its going to take the island as a whole (even the skeptics who cant see past thier own thoughts) to make it work…but we can do it BERMUDA!
Go Bermuda Spring Break!
Great start, got to start somewhere.
Tipping my hat to the Pioneers who are going at it first.
To all the negative, arm chair non-promoters doing little tanglible to assist efforts to drag the island into relavance with innovative concepts (which, yes will always need tweeking)…just die off already.
Preach on Belcario! Bermudians need to change the way they think in order for this country to move forward and prevail against the old antiquated thinking that has plagued and continues to plague us as a country. It’s INSANE to think that we should continue to do things the same and expect different results (in this case fill up all the bed in the hotel). People of Bermuda, challenge each other to step outside the box, try something different, support one another and come together for the betterment of this country.
Go Bermuda Spring Break….!!!!
Well said Belcario….DIE OFF
College Weeks I the 70s… Those were the daze! Good luck on the new effort. If it is professionally organized it will be a success. If the amateurs be t ahold of it, for get it
Damn iPad! Should be… If the amateurs get ahold of it, forget it! But I wish them much success.
Spring Break??.. More like Winter Break.. Expect college students getting jacked up by the gangs when they try to get a hold of that wacky weed.. Brawling & Banging on De Rock!!
Lets mislead the college kids with videos of people partying during the summer months and posing in the pics above in skimpy bikinis. Its like a ski resort trying to sell lift passes in the summer.
Great incentive for the students! Spring Break in Bermuda sounds like a great initiative. It’s about time Tourism!