Bahamas Promoted As Ideal Vacation Spot To Travel Show Attendees Across America
As winter weather continues to plague many cities across the U.S., The Bahamas' elite team of marketing professionals have been harnessing a number of travel trade shows opportunities to promote The Bahamas as the ideal vacation spot.
The Islands Of The Bahamas (TIOTB) has been represented at all of the Travel and Adventure Shows ,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 John Golicz said that 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 that those exhibiting at his series of Trade Shows across the U.S., "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."
Garbrielle Archer, Area Manager, BMOT Atlanta, provided that as a result of the success of the Mann's Travel & Cruise Show, the agency 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 he was pleased with the turnout.
"This year shows were attended by a record number of attendees in search of the ideal destination to visit. Attendees were well in excess of 10,000 persons at all of the shows," he said.
Mr. Young whose Houston-based office is responsible for the Southwest, Midwest and Northwest have included Travel & Adventure Shows in Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
He said the severity of the weather in Chicago 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.
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.