Tourism Authority Increases Digital Marketing
The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] has a decidedly more digital marketing strategy to attract visitors to the island, a new quarterly report reveals.
The BTA said, “In the second quarter of 2014 – the first quarter of operation for the BTA – 82 percent of all marketing was online, a 26 percent increase over the previous quarter.
“Most of the shift in marketing came from the print sector, which saw a decrease from 27 percent of the media mix in Q1 to 6 percent in Q2.”
“We have a greater ability to optimize our media spend in the digital space,” said Victoria Isley, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the BTA.
“Although we have less marketing dollars to spend versus a year ago, we can spend it more wisely in the digital space and get better bang for our buck.
“We’ll continue to tweak our media mix in successive quarters until we have a formula that produces the results we are looking for, but a mix that is dominant in digital will be our practice as we move forward.”
The BTA is also dedicating resources to the production of more video assets to incorporate into its online marketing.
“The production strategy, already underway, is to tell authentic stories using the unique visual experience Bermuda enjoys over its competitors. The subject matter will consist of Bermuda’s vibrant colors, its friendly people and a selection of experiences and activities visitors say they are looking for in a destination,” said the BTA.
“Once videos are produced, they will be deployed strategically, using BTA’s research and intelligence data to decide the most optimal online placements. Research has shown travelers make vacation decisions online, more so than any other medium.”
Ms. Isley said, “It’s really important for us to be in as many of the right channels as possible. Visitors look at an average of 22 websites before they actually make a purchase.
“So we really have to think about how many times we need to be in front of a consumer to get the awareness level.
“Bermuda might be on someone’s bucket list, but we want it to be on someone’s book it list.”
Audio comment from Victoria Isley, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the BTA:
Marketing mix data is part of the Tourism Authority’s 2014 second quarter report made public this week on the organization’s website.
In addition to the sales and marketing information, the report also details the activities of the research and business intelligence division, the operations division, and a release of the Authority’s financials for the quarter. Similar reports will be released each quarter as part of the BTA’s commitment to keeping the public informed.
BTA Chief Executive Officer Bill Hanbury said, “We’ve asked all of Bermuda to buy into the National Tourism Plan. If we’re going to request that kind of commitment from the country we must show our industry stakeholders – and Bermuda as a whole – what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”
The full BTA 2014 second quarter report follows below [PDF here]
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I’d like to think that Bermuda is still a destination package which is so much more than a destination resort, as found in places like Jamaica & the Bahamas where visitors do not leave the resort property except to travel from & to the airport.
Unfortunately many of Bermudas properties developed that destination resort mentality, seldom acknowleging attractions & activities outside of their boundaries. I can think of a number of these properties which are no longer in business.
It is a corny slogan, but Bermuda can be so much more for the visitor. Hotels & guest houses need to understand that nobody goes anywhere just to sleep in their beds & eat in their restaurants. The local attractions & watersports draw people back to Bermuda again & again. Those people need the beds again & again to recover from busy days OFF of the hotel property.
Nice to see that the BTA is placing more emphasis on digital promotion. Be sure that links are provided, are current & WORK. Hope that they are also targeting the right clientele. The Walmart crowd can’t afford us. Market to the Wall St crowd.
B.T.A. also need to spend a few more $ on televised advertisements…As little as 10 or 20 second adverts. can result in exposure to millions of potential visitors worldwide! We must invest more dollars because as we all know, “money makes money”.
Digital marketing is okay… but people need to ‘think’ about Bermuda first before they will seek out our web sites. When potential visitors have no awareness of the Bermuda brand, never think about Bermuda, don’t even know where we’re located, you can understand why they book Sandals’ resorts.
Even though New York is our largest market, visitors I’ve talked to cannot remember seeing any advertising at all for our Island.
IMHO the TA is making a big mistake by putting 82% of their (our) apples in one digital basket….
Really! Hello! Shoulda been doing digital long time ago and we might be actually seeing numbers go up.
I am still waiting for someone to take responsibility for the appalling tacky campaign we now have- the lady in granny bathing suit jumping off a cliff and the staged Water St one. So much more (not original) I think
That’s what I love about Bda, we spend millions of taxpayer money on a campaign that bombed badly (not one quarter saw an increase in arrivals by air) Where’s the accountability?
One more comment: If the TA is still using the so-called National Tourism Plan, featuring “hubs,” (that I read) as their directive… they truly do not have a clue.
I look forward to the increased tourism business the TA will create… my livelihood depends on it… but I won’t hold my breath.
This is another waste of money.
Everyone working for the bta is getting paid handsomely
We are living in the digital age yet it took a team of overpaid executives to come to this conclusion?
Unbelievable…
Totally agree! Same ole, same ole. All of this money to come up with digital marketing…that is really innovative! How about accountability? If you don’t meet a projected financial amount or a projected number of visitors, then you are gone. Far too many pen pushers, and we still don’t know what they are being paid.