St. Vincent and the Grenadines scoops award for Best PR Strategic Campaign at the Travel Marketing Awards 2013
St. Vincent and the Grenadines was announced a Gold standard winner at the CIMTIG Travel Marketing Awards 2013. Their Digital Detox campaign won top spot in the best PR strategic campaign category.
Four bgb created a campaign that saw St. Vincent and the Grenadines labelled the authentic, laid-back alternative to high-tech destinations. The initiative used research to promote the 32 islands and cays as a destination for people to switch off and relax.
Consumer research showed that 77% of people thought they’d be nicer people and have better relationships if they used their technology less. Positioned as an escape from the modern day ‘addiction’ to gadgets and technology, the ‘digital detox’ was packaged and sold by tour operator partners including Caribtours and Black Tomato and has resonated extremely well with a global audience.
The campaign was leveraged across print, radio and video news releases, generating over 85 pieces of print and online coverage. A twitter hashtag #detechSVG and facebook page generated buzz in the social space with web traffic to www.discoversvg.com rising by 66%. The destination also featured in a Mintel report on changing trends in consumer habits and mobile technology.
The Travel Marketing Awards is considered as the only travel industry event of its kind recognising marketing excellence in the travel industry. The event is attended by senior professionals from the entire spectrum of the travel industry as well as specialist marketing agencies.
Glen Beache, CEO SVGTA described the win as “a wonderful achievement for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, further cementing our appeal as an authentic Caribbean destination where the natural beauty, laid back vibe and friendly people offer visitors the perfect backdrop for switching off, slowing down and recharging batteries”.
We all know about the countries that get the most tourists: Italy and France and the U.S. and all that. France had 79.5 million visitors a year, which is tops on the planet. But what about the places that see the least number of visitors?
I ran across a great list the other day, from the United Nations World Tourism Organization and blogger Gunnar Garfors. These are all countries that contrast - just a bit - to France’s numbers, with visitations ranging from 73,000 down to a mere 200. Most are in the poorest parts of Africa or scattered across the Pacific Ocean.
Here’s the list.
25. Dominica , 73,000. Pretty Caribbean country but small.
24. Chad , 71,000. Not so many tourists given political unrest in this part of Africa.
23. Central African Republic , 54,000. One of the poorest countries in Africa, but apparently there are nice river trips you can take.
22. Liechtenstein , 53,000. Sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria, it’s a country I actually drove through once. Pretty spot. I think I stopped. For a minute. I don’t remember.
21. Djibouti , 53,000. Said to have great diving. And a great, great name.
20. Sierra Leone , 52,000. Great beaches, Garfors said.
19. Tonga , 45,000. One of those tiny Pacific countries, with fab coral reefs but few tourists.
18. East Timor , 40,000. Political issies keep folks from visiting what’s said to be a pretty country connected to Indonesia.
17. Bhutan , 37,000. I keep reading this spot in the Himalayas is the happiest country on earth. Maybe because they don’t get many annoying tourists.
16. North Korea , 35,000. Safe to visit. Unless you run into Dennis Rodman.
15. Libya , 34,000. Do I really need to write anything for this entry? I didn’t think so.
14. Guinea-Bissau , 30,000. Another poor Afircan country.
13. Mauritania , 29,000. Not much to see in this part of west Africa. Nice camels, though.
12. Federated States of Micronesia , 26,000. Hard to get to, but beautiful.
11. Solomon Islands , 23,000. More beautiful South Pacific scenery but not a lot of flights in. Country includes Guadalcanal, sight of one of the worst battles of World War II.
10. Afghanistan , 17,500. I’m shocked that many people go, to be honest. Looks beautiful in photos but way too many other things going on.
9. Comoros , 15,000. Garfors says great seafood in this island spot north of Madagascar, and mosquitoes not as bad as folks think. Still, I’ll take a pass.
8. Sao Tome and Principe , 8,000. This island spot is said off the coast of west Africa is said to be the smallest nation on (or near) the continent.
7. Turkmenistan , 7,000. I can’t think of anything to say about this central Asian country. Not quite as crazy as North Korea, says Garfors.
6. Equatorial Guinea , 6,000. I think there are too many countries in the world with Guinea in the name.
5. Marshall Islands , 5,000. Fab diving but even I, a map freak, couldn’t find them on the globe without some help.
4. Kiribati , 4,700. Wikitravel says this nation of Pacific atolls is friendly but that “South Tarawa is one of the most densely populated, severely poverty-stricken places in the world.”
3. Tuvalu , 1,200. Rising tides could make this Pacific nation disappear. So boogie on down to Tuvalu while you still can. Said to be the third least populous nation on earth, smaller only than Nauru and Vatican City.
2. Somalia , 500. See entry for Libya.
1. Nauru , 200. Not far from Kiribati (hey, a new tourism slogan!). The smallest nation on earth, just 21 square kilometers and just under 10,000 residents. If it was downtown Toronto it would, of course, have 1.6 million inhabitants in 86 storey condos with shards of broken glass littering the sidewalk. A troubled economy and a fair bit of poverty, apparently. Garfors calls it the only country in the world without a capital but I don’t know if that’s true. Lots of phosphate mining and some beautiful water.
BARENAKED LADY ON TV
Travel+Escape and Farpoint Films say they’ll begin production on a new TV series called The Illegal Eater, and that former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page (remember him?) will star.
The 13-episode series will debut this fall and feature Page “on a mission to hunt down clandestine dining experiences as he explores the tastiest, creative, underground and often illegal spaces that chefs around North America have to offer.”
“My passion on the road has always been to obsessively research the foods, restaurants and markets that make each place I’ve played different,” said Page. “Often, newer trends start underground before breaking through on the public’s palate, so I can’t wait to explore everything from fancy, underground supper clubs to hole-in-the-walls.”
JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY
Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on hand for a week in sunny Samana in the Dominican Republic, priced at $791 (including $392 in taxes).
Jaunt Highlights
BONUS: $50 Future Travel Voucher per person to be used on future vacations with Transat or Nolitours
All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 4-Star Grand Bahia Principe Cayacoa, located in Samana, Dominican Republic
Includes return airfare from Toronto to Samana and round-trip airport/hotel transfers in the Dominican Republic
Accommodations in a Room, featuring 1 king-size or 2 double beds and balcony or terrace. Maximum occupancy: 3 adults
Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
Located right on the beach, amidst lush greenery, with impressive views of Samana Bay
Enjoy free shuttle service into Samana
Dine at three different a la carte restaurants
Offer Details
Valid for travel on May 6, 13, 20 or 27 and June 3, 10, 17, 2013 Pricing (Rates are per person, plus tax):
May 6, 13, 20, 2013:
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Single: $729
Triple: $479
Tax: $392
May 27 & June 3, 10, 17, 2013:
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Single: $629
Triple: $372
Tax: $392
Other DATES and GATEWAYS available.
Call us at 1-855-687-5925.
Valid passport required for travel from Canada
This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking
