Ministry of Tourism launches new campaign

By BARBARA WALKIN

Senior FN Reporter

barbara@nasguard.com

The newly launched 'Bahamavention' brand vacation intervention campaign by the Ministry of Tourism is now being aired on international television commercial slots around the world.

The campaign seeks to persuade the over-stressed and under-tanned individual that perhaps a 'Bahamavention' vacation is just what the doctor ordered.

The campaign, say Ministry of Tourism officials, proposes to position The Bahamas — which is ranked among the happiest places in the world in terms of health provision, wealth and education by a recent study by University of Leicester in central England — as the only destination which understands that taking a vacation is not just about escaping to the sun, sand and sea, but also from everyday stresses like work, traffic and the monotony of everyday life.

For several years, particularly following the devastating hurricanes of 2004 and 2005, the Ministry of Tourism aggressively embarked on initiatives to bring tourists to Bahamian shores.

Ministry of Tourism Director General Vernice Walkine said the new campaign introduces Bahamians as experts who embody a less stressful and balanced life for the intended audience.

Bahamavention, she reiterated, is a new, fully integrated national branding effort. 'Bahamavention' is defined as an action taken by concerned friends or family members to get a loved one the help only the Islands of The Bahamas can give.

The commercial's message targets those who want to help their unhappy, over-stressed and under-tanned friend or relative by encouraging these interventionists to end their loved one's cycle of pain and put him or her on the road to recovery by taking a vacation intervention or 'Bahamavention.'

Unlike other travel commercials, Walkine noted that Bahamavention will not only appear in the conventional media print and television spots, but also in numerous non-traditional media that aim for people during the time of day when they are most frustrated.

One of the commercial spots tells the story of a soccer mom, who is disagreeable with her husband and violent toward the soccer coach.

Another spot shows a family performing a Bahamaven-tion with their father who, after talking on his cellphone all day, isn't aware of his constant yelling. And a third spot reveals a man known as "Frowny Guy" who smiled for the first time in years after his Bahamavention.

But, unlike the previous "Island Hopping" commercial Grand Bahamians, who have seen the Bahamaven-tion, are not excited with this new campaign.

"The Bahamavention commercial does not excite me as the Island Hopping one did," said Lyn Adams a straw vendor in the Goombay Park. "I got excited when I saw the man hopping from island to island, showing all of the native stuff from each place he landed on."

"But this Bahamavention it's just not ... it just don't grab your attention," she added. "The commercial should be one that lures people to The Bahamas, not just make them say maybe I want to go there."

She noted that Grand Bahama's economy, particularly the tourism industry is in a "slump" right now, so anything the Ministry of Tourism does to attract visitors to our island must be "an attention grabber."

The Goombay is nearly nonexistent, she noted, "but I have to make ends meet, so I have to continue coming and trying."

Similar sentiments were expressed by other vendors and professionals who glimpsed the campaign spot on television.

"I guess they are trying to do what they can but they have to spice that up," suggested Adams.

© 2007 The Freeport News