They Get it in the Bahamas.com

I am a big fan of great marketing efforts, and I wanted to share one that I find to be exemplary. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has one of the most comprehensive and well-targeted integrated marketing efforts I’ve seen, encompassing direct marketing and traditional advertising to create a strong integrated marketing communications program.

During the winter months, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism spends a significant amount of money on direct marketing efforts such as Internet banner advertising and email blasts, as well as on traditional advertising efforts such as billboards and magazine advertisements. In addition, in New York City, the Ministry of Tourism blankets New York subway cars with banners filled with images of beautiful beaches and sexy/fun-loving people. They really make me want to travel south when I see them on a blustery New York morning!

To make it even easier for people to remember how to find information online, they use the generic domain name Bahamas.com – it doesn’t really get any better than that. The Bahamas Islands are a brand, and the Ministry of Tourism leverages their brand online nearly flawlessly.

Another facet of their marketing effort comes into play when you are on your way to the Bahamas. The immigration arrival card has all of the standard questions that every country’s customs office asks. In addition to these questions, there are also several marketing questions asking about the reason for travel, the number of times the person has visited in the last 5 years, the booking travel agent (with www.BAHAMAS.com as the example), and a few other questions.

Email addresses are also required, and below the signature line at the bottom of the form, there is a opt out statement, “Check here if you do not wish to receive information on The Islands of the Bahamas.” However, it’s very small and a bit obscured by the signature which lies above. This is a great way to collect email addresses from a very targeted audience, and like the supermarket chains that have rewards cards to track customer purchases, the Ministry of Tourism knows exactly why you are traveling, length of stay, mode of transport, place of stay, and where you booked your trip. They can then tailor their emails to invite you back and possibly send interest-specific offers.

Kudos to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for their great marketing efforts.

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