 Entre Nous is the monthly newsletter from the Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB), Netherlands Antilles. In this newsletter you will find the accomplishments of TCB in Bonaire, North America, South America and Europe as well as the newest developments within the tourism industry. We hope that you will read it with pleasure and if you have something that you think is relevant for the tourism sector to know just fax it to 717-8408 or e-mail to: info@tourismbonaire.com.
One of the longest and most enduring events that Bonaire celebrates is our International Sailing Regatta. This year will mark the 40th and we are honored to have the two gentlemen whose bet started it all celebrating this year’s Regatta with us. TCB would like to congratulate the island and all those who have kept this special week long event alive and prospering. Masha Pabien! TCB Marketing Meeting 2007 Recently, TCB hosted its annual Marketing Meeting which was held at the Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino. On this occasion TCB presented the new Bonaire branding model and also introduced our stakeholder and travel partners to our new official website which will have its launch in the coming months. I would like to thank those of you who attended and contributed your time, ideas and comments to make the meeting a success. A special thanks to Bonaire’s Commissioner of Tourism, Mr. Burney el Hage, Mr. Sharnon Isenia from USONA, the TCB Board members, our overseas offices, our international partners and Mr. Richard Hart from the Bonaire Holding Maatschappij. I also would be remiss if I did not extend a special thank you to Mr. Rick Mac Pherson from the Coral Reef Alliance who gave the audience much food for thought, and whom provided insightful lectures and workshops throughout the week to visitors as well as local tourism partners as part of our Bonaire Dive Into Summer, “Love Our Planet” Week. Additionally in attendance were representatives from our airlift partners, wholesalers and many of those who have been working hard to help Bonaire to become a destination that can provide its visitors with a quality product. There were many topics presented during the marketing meeting. We have been seeing an upward trend in arrivals for the first half of this year. Overall tourism arrivals for first half of 2007 have increased by 13.8%. All markets have shown an increase and forecasts indicate that markets will close 2007 with a positive result. TCB’s overall efforts are mainly focused on making Bonaire’s marketing approach more effective, modern and personalized. Efforts will continue in 2008, with more attention to internet marketing to promote our new website, among other, more in-depth utilization of web based shared service center, database marketing and viral marketing enabling a more personalized approach to be adopted. TCB will continue its strategy set for the different markets, introducing new events, tools and programs during 2008! Bon Bini Bonaire – New Cruise Ship Collateral On the cruise ship front, TCB is putting together a conversion collateral, “Bon Bini Bonaire”, to be launched during the upcoming cruise season. The piece will be presented in a newspaper format and will feature articles carefully selected to be part of this issue. It will be used to inform and awaken the interest of the cruise tourist into coming back to Bonaire for a longer stay. Hence, to basically convert the cruise tourist into stay-over tourist. I encourage you to consider participation in this collateral. Please contact TCB’s Marketing and Project Executive, Mrs. Roosje van der Hoek, through projectscoordinator@tourismbonaire.com or (599) 717-8322. Airlift Air Jamaica has announced that they will be discontinuing service to Bonaire, effective March 8, 2008. Air Jamaica’s decision comes two weeks after the announcement of the new Delta Air Lines non-stop flight and amid their concern that both airlines would be serving the same markets on the same day. We regret that Air Jamaica will discontinue flights to the Island and I would like to thank them for their support of tourism in Bonaire. To check out new Bonaire Ambassadors. please visit: www.bonaireambassador.com
The Dutch Insurance Company Menzis introduced a viral game called Menzis Mismatch. Tourism Corporation Bonaire provided the first prize: a trip to Bonaire for two. KLM will fly the lucky winners to Bonaire, where they will stay at the Plaza Resort. If you want to win some of the other prizes, you’ll find the game at www.menzis.nl/mismatch. On September 27 the event ‘Taste of Bonaire’ took place in Haarlem. During this activity the annual statistics of Bonaire were presented to a select group of partners from our main markets and Bonaire. The persons present were representatives of the travel sector, politicians and the Dutch Business world. They also got a taste of the new Bonaire branding.
On September 18 Marieke Raaff from TCB Europe attended the CTO Training Day. The presentation evening took place at Schiphol Airport Amsterdam. Here CTO Holland told Dutch travel agents about the Caribbean featuring Bonaire as one of the premier destinations. TCB Europe informed them via movies and gave some personal information. Every six weeks TCB mails an e-letter to a large database of e-mail addresses. In the September edition readers were informed about the Bonaire International Sailing Regatta and the fact that Toucan Diving has a new boat. The new accommodation La Pura Vista also got a place in the newsletter. People were also encouraged to play the viral game ‘Fish or Miss’. The first prize, a trip to Bonaire, can still be won!
Love Our Planet Week = A Success!
2008 North American Marketing Plan Presented
As a result of our media efforts to support the Wounded Warriors scuba certification trip to Bonaire, a feature broadcast segment highlighting the certification of three of the wounded warriors aired on WTVJ, the NBC affiliate of Miami, Florida as part of the 11 p.m. news program on Monday, September 24, 2007. Additionally, the segment can now be viewed online at www.nbc6.net, which features streaming video as well as a written story. Florida is one of the top markets for diving in the US, so this story has excellent potential to attract dive travelers to Bonaire!
As part of the ongoing press release program, Adams Unlimited researches, writes and prepares a steady stream of releases for mailings to the media for applicable editorial coverage based on editorial calendars and the need to disseminate timely news. In September one press release was written and distributed to the media. The release announced Delta Air Lines’ new non-stop flight from Atlanta and the special introductory price of $179 each way. Additionally, Adams Unlimited wrote an official communication statement on behalf of the Bonairean Government after the passing of Hurricane Felix, which was distributed to all on-island tourism partners, overseas offices and our database of top broadcast media outlets and newswire services.We followed up with freelance writer Susan Campbell and Josh Sampiero from Windsurfing magazine (circulation 30,000+) upon their return from the Annual Pro Kids Windsurfing Competition. Both journalists expect to have their articles published later this year. We followed up with the television crew from CBS-TV New York on assignment to attend the Annual Pro Kids Windsurfing Competition. The segment is currently in production and an air date is expected before the end of the year.About.com (online circulation) MSNBC.com (online circulation) Scuba Diving (circulation 185,000) Sport Diver (circulation 220,000) Caribbean Travel & Life (circulation 155,000)
This year the island has been featured in important press releases on the front pages of the two most popular diving magazines in Brazil. In its April edition the prestigious Mergulho, dedicated a special 13 page article written by Alcides Falanghe, the editor of the magazine. A beautiful picture of the dive site "A Thousand Steps” was shown in front page. Today, we are so glad to have Bonaire again in front page in DecoStop magazine. With the titled "Bonaire de bracos abertos para os brasileros" Bonaire open arms for the Brazilians - the underwater photographer Ary Amarante made a seven page report with amazing and very impressive pictures. The Bonaire Marine Park, its history, the ease of shore diving, were all highlighted. How incredible, it is so inexpensive to do twenty or more dives in one week. The article also mentions the restriction of diving in the Piers and the Windjammer, dive sites accompanied by dive masters. Larry's Wild Side Diving operation in the south side of the island was highly recommended by Ary. Onde ficar em Bonaire? ... Where to stay in Bonaire? TAM, recently in September sponsored a cocktail party to the Tourism Industry in Venezuela. They used the occasion to announce the inauguration of their own offices in Caracas. Insel Air, started operation between Aruba and Curacao to Manaus, twice a week on Saturday and Sunday.Colombia "Emerging Market by Padi" With an interesting active diving population counting almost 80,000 divers, the cities of Bogotá, Medellin and Cali. Colombia is considered by PADI as an emerging market. Today with DAE flights twice a week (Tuesday and Friday) between Bogotá and Curacao connecting same day to Bonaire with Dutch Antilles Express it is even easier to get here... Main limitation: The VISA. This a market that decides to travel at the last minute, but when travelling in groups, it's easier for tour operators to request the visa in the Dutch Embassy taking just a few days. The Colombian market... a challenge for 2008!October 12th Columbus Day, Venezuelan divers in Bonaire Being Venezuela is so close to Bonaire, on holidays diving schools bring their divers on island. On the long weekend of Columbus Day, Bonaire will host the following groups: Chichiriviche Divers (12 divers), Divers Home (28 divers), La Tienda de Buceo (10 divers) Parra Diver (10 divers). In total 60 divers! October... a busy promotional month! With Bonaire presentations in Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador, also at Sao Paulo Boat Show in Brazil, our staff will be kept quite busy. More information in our next entrenous! Through our data base, the latest information of Bonaire is sent monthly to our trade partners and general consumers. The Sept issue focused on: 40th Annual International Sailing Regatta October 7-14, 2007, Tiara Air Launches Non-stop Aruba-Bonaire Flights, TAM announce the inauguration of their own offices in Caracas, Insel Air started operation between Aruba and Curacao to Manaus, twice a week. Saturday and Sunday, Planet Ocean Fest at Buddy Dive Resort, Spotlight on upcoming Bonaire events, Love Our Planet Week September 15-22, 2007, 7th Annual Ecoswin, November 10, 2007. Bonaire Tennis Cup - Caracas - Nov 03rd, 04th, 10th, 11th.
Final Quarterly Underwater Cleanup Held in Conjunction with World Cleanup Day
After a comprehensive briefing by Jake Richter of NetTech, the divers entered the water in front of the Dive Friends Yellow Submarine facility to bring up any new trash. If the trash had already become colonized by corals, hydroids, or other organisms, the cleaners were expected to leave the trash in place. Only new trash without any sort of marine encrustation or animal inhabitation was to be fully checked, and only then brought to the surface.
Images from this cleanup are available online at the Bonaire Insider Photo Gallery at http://www.bonaireinsider.com/index.php/gallery_bonaire/category/C45/. The 2008 schedule of cleanups will be available soon and will be published at: http://www.dive-friends-bonaire.com/clean_up_dives.html.
Note: Jan-Apr Harvest Period (C,E+T) (H)= Holiday Back to the top
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Regatta 40th Year Celebration 
Director of the Bonaire Tourism Corporation, Ronella Croes kicked off presentation. She was followed by the minister of Economic Affairs and Labor of the Dutch Antilles, Mister Elvis Tjin Asjoe. He gave the people present an idea of the way Bonaire is developing politically and economically. He also talked about the infrastructure on Bonaire. The developments in tourism were discussed by Boudewijn Scholts, the chairman of the Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association. And Roger Davids and Robert Bolhuis, directors of Basis Communicatie presented the new Bonaire branding. 
The event ‘Taste of Bonaire’ which took place at September 27 in Haarlem Holland was not only about tourism, sustainable development and branding. It was also the kick-off of the special action: books for Bonaire. This action calls up people to give books to the library on Bonaire, so they will have a greater and more up-to-date database of books. 
Love Our Planet Week kicked off on Saturday, September 15, 2007 with a good turnout for the Clean Up Dive and Beach BBQ sponsored Yellow Submarine and NetTech N.V. The following morning, the CORAL CSI interactive dive with Dive Friends Bonaire, lead by CORAL Program Director Rick MacPherson welcomed a captive audience. Marie Rosa from TCB-NYC was also on-island during the week to ensure Rick’s schedule remained “fully booked”. Throughout the week, Rick spoke with the staff of STINAPA and to other dive trade professionals, gave consumer seminars to receptive guests from various hotels and residences, and even made a special presentation at TCB’s Annual Marketing Meeting. Rick’s in-depth knowledge and exceptional speaking skills held everyone’s attention; Rick’s personality and charisma seemed to engage all who came in contact with him. The week closed with Marie Rosa presenting Rick an Award of Appreciation on behalf of the Tourism Corporation Bonaire, (and an invitation to return next year). A similar award was also presented to Jack Chalk, General Manager of Captain Don’s Habitat. Captain Don’s was the host hotel for Love Our Planet Week, and provided accommodations, designated dives/dive boats and conference space for Rick’s seminars. Masha Danki to all who participated and contributed your time, facilities and efforts to make Love Our Planet Week 2007 a success.
Candice Kimmel and Marie Rosa just returned from Bonaire where they attended the annual marketing meeting September 19-21. During the meeting, Candice Kimmel presented the North American Marketing Plan for 2008. The plan will focus on the all-important Dive and Snorkeling markets to Bonaire, and include the continuation of key tactics such as the sponsorship of the DEMA Scuba Tour, the co-sponsorship of the pre-DEMA workshop “Diver Acquisition Using Dive Travel,” the public sector/private sector co-op advertising buy and the ever-popular EZ News. A new dive retailer loyalty program will also be introduced in 2008 to provide incentives to dive retailers booking groups to the Island. Press visits to the island will continue to be a priority next year, with an increase in national publications as part of the plan. The bi-annual mailings to the entire consumer database and quarterly mailings to the dive shops will ensure key audiences of past visitors, enquirers and dive shops will be kept up to date on the happenings on island. Answering the toll free 800 number, responding to emails, ensuring the fulfillment of brochure requests and the ongoing support of our airline and tour operator partners form the basics of the activities.
September’s issue of Bonaire EZ News was distributed to our database of consumers and travel agents on the 21st of the month. The issue featured airline news including the announcement of Delta’s non-stop service from Atlanta, Tiara Air’s non-stop service from Aruba and the addition of a second Continental Houston-Bonaire flight for the month of December.
In September two press releases were distributed on Dive Newswire. The first press release featured Bonaire’s upcoming events including Love Our Planet Week, the 40th Annual International Sailing Regatta and the 7th Annual Eco-Swim. This press release was posted to the site and distributed on September 11. The second press release announced Delta’s new non-stop flight from Atlanta and the special introductory price. This press release was posted to the site and distributed on September 12. Dive Newswire is distributed electronically to more than 6,000 dive shop owners, manufacturers as well as media outlets. Additionally, both press releases were posted to Diver Wire, the consumer branch e-newsletter of Dive Newswire.
Kralendijk, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, October 1, 2007: On Saturday, September 15, 2007, a group of over 30 divers, snorkelers, and shore support gathered together to assist with an underwater/shoreline cleanup of a portion of Bonaire’s waterfront promenade. This cleanup was held in conjunction with World Cleanup Day, and also was the kick-off event for the island’s Love Our Planet week. 
At the shoreline, the trash was sorted, checked once again to be sure no marine creatures had been inadvertently included, and then counted, before disposed of responsibly. Although it has been only two months since a cleanup at this location, the volunteers did bring up quite a bit of trash made up of all sorts of paper and plastic food and beverage containers and utensils, glass bottles, caps and lids, clothing, shoes, light bulbs, fishing line, rope, strapping bands, and even a fuel filter! Car parts, two tires, and building materials were also retrieved.