The Bahamas represented at Travel Shows from California in the West
to Boston on the U.S. East Coast
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - February 28, 2018 - As winter weather continue to plague many cities across the U.S., The Bahamas' elite team of marketing professionals have been harnessing the opportunities provided by travel trade shows throughout America for consumer facing events, to share about The Bahamas as the ideal vacation spot to thousands of show attendees.
The Islands Of The Bahamas (TIOTB) have been represented at all of the Travel and Adventure Shows to date and additionally have represented the 700 Islands of The Bahamas at Vacation Express Trade Shows and even signature travel shows such as the Boston Globe Travel Show and the Mann's Travel and Cruise Show out of Charlotte, North Carolina.
CEO of Travel & Adventure Shows, Mr. John Golicz, has said of the 2018 travel show season that "with consumer confidence reaching a 17-year high, wages moving higher and tax cut dollars hitting paychecks, Americans are traveling more and traveling longer." The trade show executive said too about those exhibiting at his series of Trade Shows across the U.S., that those exhibiting "have greeted the throngs of affluent, active travelers and helped them plan their dream vacations."
The Bahamas' marketing team has been able to proudly provide that already the tropical destination is seeing the fruit of its marketing efforts direct to the consumer. At the Boston Globe show, Bahamas Specialist Travel Agents were added to the booth and according to Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMOT) marketing executive, Vandia Sands, "the addition of these agents to our booth was fruitful in that they were able to book a number of consumers on the spot for travel to The Bahamas."
Vacation Express Trade Show, Atlanta GA, behind Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Booth L-R: Garbrielle Archer, Area Manager, BMOT Atlanta and BMOT marketing executive, Nicholas Wisdom.
Garbrielle Archer, Area Manager, BMOT Atlanta, provided that as a result of the success of the Mann's Travel &Cruise Show, the agency had advised that agents were busy following up on all the leads generated and "are excited about turning interest in The Bahamas into bookings."
Area Manager, BMOT Houston, Prescott Young said of the shows that he and his team attended that, "This year shows were attended by a record number of attendees in search of the ideal destination to visit." He said that in fact, " attendees were well in excess of 10,000 persons at all of the shows."
Travel and Adventure Show - At right, Dupree Smith, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, District Manager, Houston with CEO of Travel and Adventure Show Series, Mr. John Golicz.
Young whose Houston based office is responsible for the Southwest, Midwest and Northwest, most recent shows have included Travel & Adventure Shows in Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. He said of the large attendance at the Chicago show that the severity of the weather, "appeared to contribute to the desire to travel to a warm weather destination, of which The Bahamas is ideal."
The travel shows also drew members of the media especially in Los Angeles. Mr. Young was interviewed at the T and A Show in Los Angeles by Wendy Alexander of KTLA 5 to be aired on her Travel Wine and Dine show. Also interviewed in Los Angeles was the District Manager, Houston, Dupree Smith, who spoke with Bill Boyce of Destination Baja Sur on eco-tourism experiences available in The Bahamas.
Boston Globe Travel Show, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Marketing Executive, Vandia Sands with Travel Agents that were invited in The Bahamas booth for on the spot bookings. L-R: Andrea Crowther with Susan Peavy Travel; Susan Peavy, owner of Susan Peavy Travel and Sands.
In addition to marketing and networking at the recent shows, The Bahamas' culture was also on display. At the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show Bahamian Chef, Ancilleno Solomon, gave a culinary demonstration of the food preparation for Bahamian conch fritters, and samples were distributed to show attendees. On T&A's Global Beats Stage in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, Bahamian recording artists Julien Believe and Angelique Sabrina, delivered outstanding performances to the delight of those in attendance. The crowds jumped from their seats and rocked and swayed to the rhythm of the Bahamian music.
Boston Globe Travel Show, Chrystal Bethel, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism marketing executive behind booth sharing with interested attendees.
Travel and Adventure Show - Prescott Young, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Area Manager, Houston, being interviewed by Wendy Alexander of KTLA 5 Los Angeles.
For more information on The Bahamas from:
East Coast - 646-722-2874 or email mmoss@bahamas.com
Atlanta, GA - 404-600-8630 or garcher@bahamas.com
South, S West, Mid West and N West - 713-730-7629 or pyoung@bahamas.com