Bahamas Out Island Press Releases

Ministry of Tourism’s Digital Marketing Campaign Features Consumer Ambush Event, Hidden Camera Viral Video, Vacation Package and Sweepstakes

NASSAU, The Bahamas - April 9, 2010 - The Islands Of The Bahamas are dominating Washington, D.C. today, taking the Bahama Fridays message to the overworked masses. A flock of swimsuit-clad models organized by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) are descending upon the U.S. capital to kickoff the next iteration of the MOT?s highly successful digital marketing campaign. Bahama Fridays encourages Americans to celebrate the fifth day of the workweek by getting off the clock and on to island time – complete with tropical drinks, limbo sticks and island music. This integrated campaign has a comedic viral video at its core, supported by an accompanying sweepstakes and specially designed vacation package.

Visit www.BahamaFridays.com to see what happens when three-piece suit, buttoned-up D.C. commuters meet the bathing suit clad Bahama Fridays crew. A visit to the Lincoln Memorial has never looked quite like this before.

Furthermore, this latest Bahama Fridays campaign also asked how far three internship candidates would go to embrace the Bahama Fridays vibe at fictitious company, Spark Solutions. Check out the hidden camera footage of these interviews on the Bahama Fridays website. The candidates later were rewarded with a trip to The Bahamas and their travel blogs are also available on the website.

On the Bahama Fridays website visitors can also enter for a chance to win a four-night trip for two. Entries will be collected with contact information used to promote future travel offers.

“Bahama Fridays really made an impression in the U.S. when we launched the campaign in 2009,” commented Vernice Walkine, director general of the Ministry of Tourism. “With the travel industry still experiencing challenges, the Ministry of Tourism wanted to capitalize on that momentum by returning with a sequel that is even more entertaining, educational and encourages potential travelers to incorporate the spirit of The Bahamas into their work and personal lives.”

To drive bookings, a “click to buy” option is available on www.Bahamas.com/BahamaFridays to purchase the “Bahama Fridays Free” vacation package. The package includes complimentary accommodations on Friday nights with a minimum four consecutive night stay, breakfast for two daily and one welcome cocktail at participating resorts on Nassau/Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island and The Out Islands.

The Bahama Fridays campaign utilizes social media sites, such as YouTube, Twitter and The Bahamas Facebook page to spread the word, images and videos like rapid fire. The campaign is reaching additional consumers by tapping into many of the Bahamas fan pages and groups that already exist, contacting friends in the blogging community to promote the video and reaching out to those on the email list from last year's Bahama Fridays campaign.

As a sequel to the original Bahama Fridays campaign that made its debut spring of 2009, the basic formula remains the same, but new twists are optimizing awareness, producing more laughs and spreading the word even further. All components of the campaign work hand-in-hand to drive sales and increase tourism-related awareness for The Islands Of The Bahamas. In addition to winning a coveted Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Platinum Adrian award for “Best Web Marketing,” last year's Bahama Fridays campaign produced a staggering 4.2 million impressions through new digital media methods, received more than 8,000 sweepstakes entrants and became a „most viewed? video in YouTube?s travel category within the first week.

For more information or to learn more about the Bahama Fridays philosophy, please visit www.BahamaFridays.com

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Media Contacts:
Clarence Rolle
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
(242) 302-2085
crolle@bahamas.com

Anita Johnson-Patty
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
(954) 236-9292
ajohnson@bahamas.com