Tourism officials and a regional hotel group with operations in Barbados have come up with a new plan to “drive” British tourists to Barbados.
Elite Island Resorts Group, which operates The Club Barbados Resort & Spa, an adults-only all-inclusive 161-room property at Vauxhall, St James, has partnered with the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) to “put ten Barbados branded cabs on the streets of London for the next two years” to promote the hotel and Barbados.
Elite officials said “this marks another campaign in ongoing marketing efforts that underpin the group’s support of the local economy and promotion of the destination”.
“Visibility for the campaign will be extremely high. The 8.3 million London resident population will see the cabs as they drive around the capital daily. The 1.8 million people a week that take taxis will have the opportunity to flag one of the cabs down and learn about Barbados and the resort. People outside the capital will also see the taxis as the drivers, based in Hampshire, Essex, Kent and South London, travel in and out of London at the beginning and end of the work day,” the company said.
“After driving into London daily, the cabs will be based at major London taxi ranks, including Paddington (hub to Heathrow Express), Victoria (hub to Gatwick Express) and Kings Cross stations (hub for Eurostar), ideal for travellers into the city from areas of the UK and other countries.
“The drivers, dressed in Elite Island Resorts Polo Shirts and fleeces to match the cabs, will be visiting Barbados and the resort, returning to share their first hand island experiences as they drive their clients around the city.”
Elite said British Airways Holidays was also offering Tip Up Seat Deals to Elite Island Resorts properties from last month until February 2015 and that “Elite Island Taxi receipts also feature details for passengers on how to book, and Barbados and The Club Barbados Resort & Spa”.
Elite Island Resorts chief executive officer Rob Barrett said the group said the high profile campaign in partnership with the BTMI would “literally drive awareness of the island to the front of mind of UK travellers as they go about their daily lives”. (SC)