"When Bajans stay-cate everyone
benefits " - Preetam Kirpalani
AXSES fully supports the BHTA initiated Staycations
programme and has taken steps to assist tourism
properties and activities in Barbados to make
the most of the opportunity.
What we did was to create a Staycations page
on www.barbados.org that provides information
on the programme and allows visitors to link
off to the participating accommodation. We put
the page up in late April. Here's the page:
http://barbados.org/staycations.htm
We didn't only create a new page in www.barbados.org.
The page was promoted through barbados.org's
news feed (http://barbados.org/barbados-news.php)
and immediately achieved a #1 ranking on Google,
Yahoo and Bing for the search phrase "barbados
staycation".
The programme was also promoted via barbados.org's
Facebook page and Twitter presence, sending
messages directly to those with an interest
in Barbados. http://barbados.org/facebook
http://twitter.com/BarbadosTravel
We are making no charge for the page, the links
or any of the marketing work done in promoting
the package. In addition, all properties and
activities that participate in the Staycations
program are listed and linked to their specific
website, not just AXSES clients.
At present, the links go to the supplier's home
page. To make the link more effective, we urge
you to create a Staycations page on your own
website, highlighting your particular offering
and selling the visitor on why he or she should
stay with you. When you are doing this, remember
that your potential visitor is Barbadian or
Caribbean, and word your selling pitch accordingly.
When you have done it, send us the link address
so we can direct the link to that particular
page. If you want assistance in creating the
page, we will do it for you at a discounted
hourly rate.
We measured all referrals to suppliers from
our Staycations page and are very pleased to
be able to say that we sent out 1,502 clicks
to suppliers in May, 1,536 in June and 4189
in July. As of the 23rd of August, we have already
generated another 3361 clicks - that's a total
of just over 10,500 clicks in 16 weeks.
Bookings arising out of these referrals are
of course direct bookings with no commission
fees payable.
The Programme has now been extended until the
end of October. It has also been improved with
the addition of activities, restaurants and
several more properties, and the removal of
some restrictions.
Remember also, that although the programme is
directed at Barbadians and Caribbean nationals,
nothing prevents you from offering the same
rates to someone from outside the region.
Axses wishes to applaud the BHTA for this timely
initiative, and urges all participants to take
hold of the opportunity it presents.
