TCB-SOUTH AMERICA REPORT

Flamingo Rep...celebrating its 5th anniversary

On April 07th, the company which represents TCB in South America is celebrated its fifth anniversary. Even though we’re facing difficult times in the market, the Flamingo team maintain its enthusiasm and professionalism in the daily promotion of Bonaire.

Today we proudly say that Bonaire is very familiar to travel agents, the consumer knows each day more about the island, the relationship with the operators is just great and ever better with the dive shops since Yasmin Pérez became a certified diver  and because she understood the importance of speaking the same language of the sector..becoming friends not only in the business relationships but also in our underwater activities.

We believe in Bonaire as an excellent product to market in South America; but also  what we need today, more than ever, is to count on all of your support and cooperation to reach our goals  to “maintain and increase visitors to dushi Bonaire”

2002 Bonaire Manual

A new edition of the official Bonaire Manual was translated to Spanish and has been updated by our office in Caracas. Main dive and tour operators of the region will receive this valuable support for the office regarding general information of Bonaire as a tourist destination

In the official manual, operators will find the different sections such as general information, entertainment, activities, transportation, accommodations among others. A copy of the new version in Spanish also will be sent to TCB in the Island.

Gallery of Bonaire CD´s images

A new tool has been incorporated into the promotional material of the island. These are the images that we used to have as slides and now we are presenting them on cd´s to main operators and the  specialized press creating a positive impression and placing Bonaire at the level of the well known destinations.

The cd’s comes with the logo of the island in full color and the images have been classified in underwater, flora, fauna, culture and eco-adventure activities.

UPCOMING EVENT

Caracas – Discover Bonaire Seminars

June 27th is the tentative date in June to kick of the 4th edition of “Discover Bonaire”. The event targets the main operators and their potential Caribbean travel agencies with the main focus “to continue training travel agents and dive shops in the promotion of the Island of Bonaire”

Hotel Tamanaco Intercontinental -  Expo Caribe Trade Show 

June 25th to the 26th

Hotels interested in participating in the event please, contact our TCB office in Caracas by e-mail flamingorep@telcel.net.ve

Marketing Bonaire to the Operators

As a part of our activities in the market we have started our traditional visits to the directors of the main operators in order to exchange ideas how to increase visitors to the island in crisis times.

Although the difficult times in the region, their interest for Bonaire is very positive. We found that they keep promoting the island as one of the best option in the Caribbean due to its relaxed and peaceful atmosphere and the many adventure activities; and expecting that Bonaire very soon will announce the news about the non-stop flight that the destination needs to open the market.  

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TCB-EUROPEAN Report

The DuikVaker Fair (a special fair for divers) was busier then ever. Many people gathered by our booth for inquiries about Diving on Bonaire. This year we had sponsored the parking tickets, many people showed us the tickets to get a free diving map. In co-operation with Suunto, we organised a competition asking past visitors to send in their most beautiful underwater picture of Bonaire. Next year the best pictures will be awarded with a dive computer, a dive bag or a dive mask.

A flyer has been sent to all the members of DuikVak. They can subscribe for the workshop on Bonaire from the 28th of April till the 5th of May. The people, who have attended the pilot workshop  last year were very enthusiastic about Bonaire. The first results have been encouraging, a group of twenty people have visited Bonaire and a group of Lucas Diving (30 doctors) are traveling the 14th of April to Bonaire

We have printed on an A6 format, a colorful newsletter. It pays attention to the Dive festival, the radio campaign, the Beaumonde competition , the daily flights of KLM starting in June and little secrets of Bonaire. The circulation is to 2500 travel agencies in Holland and to the tour operators in Holland and Belgium. We also translated the newsletter to send it to England and Germany.

Sales calls 

We are still visiting all dive schools and shops in the Netherlands. Many  of them appreciate our visits very much. So we are able to establish a strong relationship with the industry. We have also presented the diplomas to the travel agencies this month.

Together with Beau Monde to Bonaire

We are enabling the travel agencies to compete for a great award: “Together on a trip with Beaumonde (a glossy magazine with a circulation of 160.000) and three Dutch television celebrities to Bonaire. An award which was made possible with thanks to Divi Flamingo, KLM and of course Beau monde.

The editorial team of the glossy magazine will traveled to Bonaire in the beginning of April. Theywill produce a 20 pages fashion special in the summer edition 2002 and

of course they will publish  a travel offer to Bonaire. This campaign is co-sponsored in co-operation with KLM and the host hotel for the crew will be Plaza resort. We have already received lots of responses from the travel agencies on this competition.

We have launched a radio campaign in February on all important radio stations.

The most remarkable part of the commercial is the voice that says ‘there are no traffic lights on Bonaire, and the announcer start laughing. People are trying to reproduce the voice. This campaign supports the travel agencies. Consumers are stimulated to book their holiday for Bonaire by a travel agency.

From the 16th till the 20th of March, the ITB in Berlin was held . Ellen attended so that she was able to get in touch with the Ecuador tour operators and other relevant industry contacts. She will also join the DCME meeting.

In the beginning of March, the creative director of the Telegraaf Tijdschriften Groep will travel to Bonaire. He will write an exclusive 4 page article in the Residence, an up market magazine in the Netherlands. In the same edition we will publish together with KLM, Divi Flamingo and Indigo Tours a readers trip to Bonaire. So, after Avenue and Beau Monde another glossy magazine will publish an article on Bonaire.