Bermuda Tourism Win 4 Travel Industry Awards
Bermuda won multiple awards on Tuesday [Feb 21] at a major travel industry awards presentation, picking up four trophies for marketing excellence including the night’s final prize: Best of Show Public Relations.
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International [HSMAI] presented its Adrian Awards in New York City last night and the Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] earned accolades for marketing the destination effectively in 2016 in a variety of categories:
- Bermuda Tourism Authority | “Out Here, Where You Belong” Brand – Award: Gold
- Bermuda Tourism Authority “Out Here” Print Advertising – Award: Silver
- Bermuda: Finding an Island’s Adventurous Side, highlighting the outstanding press coverage the destination has been receiving on its adventure offerings – Award: Platinum and Best of Show
- The HSMAI Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimisation: Victoria Isley
A BTA spokesperson said, “All awards received shared a common theme: they emanated from innovative marketing strategies that delivered compelling stories of adventure, exploration and the spirit of Bermuda. Judges said they were also keen to ensure award-winners showed positive results for the destinations they serve.
“In 2016, Bermuda tourism experienced its best performance year since 2007, growing leisure air arrivals and visitor spending year-over-year 17 percent and 18 percent respectively.
“A shift in brand identity in January of last year helped attract a younger audience to the island – 76 percent of the growth in leisure air arrivals came from travellers under 45 years old.”
“These awards belong to all of Bermuda,” said BTA CEO Kevin Dallas. “The stories our team is telling about Bermuda are resonating with travellers and with our travel industry peers because they’re genuine.
“The stories represent the best of who we are – our heritage, our spirit, our way of life, and most importantly, they show the world what sets us apart from other destinations.”
“The BTA’s marketing partners at TURNER PR share the award with Bermuda. The team initially picked up a Platinum Award for public relations, which is an award shared with other honourees. Then Bermuda’s name was called again to take the coveted Adrian Award for Best of Show Public Relations,” the BTA said.
“The title of the BTA’s winning submission was “Bermuda: Finding an Island’s Adventurous Side.”
“The BTA also won an Adrian Awards for brand and print advertising alongside its partner MMGY Global. BTA Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Victoria Isley was also honoured as a “Top 25 Extraordinary Mind”, selected by an HSMAI committee of senior executives from the travel industry.
“The 2016 turnaround for Bermuda tourism has also resulted in a slew of travel and mainstream media outlets naming the island to its “best lists” for 2017. USA Today, Lonely Planet, Afar and Travel + Leisure are a few of the publications to name Bermuda as a must-see destination this year.
“The same earned media coverage of Bermuda which resulted in the island’s Best of Show prize, played a key role in winning the hearts of travel writers and earning a spot on their “best lists.”
Ms Isley said, “Editorial coverage is a key driver for consumers when deciding where to travel. We are very fortunate to have so many captivating Bermuda stories to pitch and share with journalists.
“Bermuda has incredible storytellers who speak with passion and love for their country, which is resonating with consumers. We are grateful to have these ingredients and use them to set Bermuda apart and break away from the sea of sameness in the travel industry.”
Congratulations to all of the team at the BTA.
Wishing you all the best in maintaining the momentum going forward.
Well done to all of you! So distasteful that some would chose to be critical on the same day as the BTA are announcing their internationally recognised awards. Let them hang their heads in shame and let everyone else continue to rebuild tourism with a blow out 2017 and then reach for the stars.
The BTA might be winning awards but they are still missing the boat.
We need direct flights to continental Europe…not better connections from continental Europe to Gatwick, London and then on to Bermuda.
DIRECT FLIGHTS to Frankfurt, Zurich, Geneva, Milan, Paris…why can’t we negotiate these? I would like to know why we can’t get any other European carriers to Bermuda besides British Airways?
There is a gigantic tourism market for Bermuda here in Europe and we just can’t seem to get it together. Wouldn’t this also benefit our international businesses in Bermuda?????
Let’s go BTA – we have been asking for direct flights to Europe for YEARS!
According to the new CEO Mr. Dallas,
The new partnership with Aecon, will go some way to helping to achieve direct flights from Europe.
I am sure that the benefits will follow soon.
Airlines are private companies – Bermuda can’t just MAKE them fly here.
If places like ARUBA and ST MAARTIN can “attract” these international carries, what are we lacking?
Good question, although I don’t think we have the demand for direct trips from Europe. Even Luthansa, Europe’s heavyweight doesn’t even fly regularly to the Caribbean outside of Cuba and D.R.
Is it realistic to market to Western Europe and by association, European carriers? Or is the best we can hope for is to get the interest of airlines like ThomasCook, Virgin, etc?
Has nothing to do with BTA, has to do with Bermuda.
Jamaica is nice this time of year.
I disagree. I live in Europe and:
1. They have money…lots of money.
2. They can travel any time of the year.
3. They love the Caribbean (been to St. Barths lately and seen and heard the Italians on vacation there)?
4. They don’t like the inconvenience of having to travel to London before getting to Bermuda. It really is inconvenient and a long jouney and it doesn’t have to be that way!
Surely all of these people did not go on that all expenses paid trip to receive these little awards. Contrary to popular belief, tourism is far from turned around. They should be at their desks working on the real issues. Changing Railway Trail to Rail Trail, how innovative is that???? Do something constructive with the Railway Trail to make it more appealing to both tourists and locals. The infrastructure is already there.
Yes, please – we need a tourist monorail (which might also benefit the locals traveling to work).
Fantastic and so well deserved! Great job, BTA team, and all of Bermuda’s tourism industry!
Great news!
Kathy, I believe this is a Ministry of Transportation and also a department of Airport Operations that handles this. I would imagine that the BTA feels that more direct flights from anyway would be a good thing. Again I would imagine the costs could be prohibitive for Bermuda to enter into agreements such as MRG’s with airlines. I would pose this question to the Ministry.
The guarantor of MRGs can also be the tourism authority. Whomever is responsible, should get on it…we should be investing in these MRGs to test the waters and try to open up new and wealthy markets to Bermuda’s product.
If we build it, they will come!
Congrats to the BTA. It keeps getting better