While in social media parlance the ‘receipts’ of a great vacation might go on Instagram or TikTok, the actual receipts of some of Cayman’s most important visitors go to the Department of Tourism.
The department routinely funds trips for journalists, travel agents and influencers as part of its marketing of the destination.
Here we look at the expenditure and the result of trips for three distinct groups.
Print: Canadian journalists go off the beaten trail
WHO VISITED? A series of press trips for Canadian journalists have focused on food and off-the-beaten-path travel.
WHERE DID THEY GO? The trips focused on local tour operators, eco-travel and food-based tourism.
WHAT WAS THE TAB? Three trips for the Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail newspapers cost a total of just under $15,000.
WHO BENEFITED? The trips took in tours with Paddle Wheel Adventures, ECO Rides Cayman and dinners at Bacaro, Peppers and the Brasserie restaurants, among others. Most, if not all, got a shout out or a photo in subsequent articles.
An article on the Cayman Islands featured in the Toronto Star.
WHAT’S THE REACH? The three newspapers have wide circulation in Canada and a significant web presence.
WHAT WAS THE COVERAGE LIKE? The trips resulted in articles referencing Cayman’s status as a ‘culinary capital’ and offering ideas for self-guided tours beyond the usual hot spots.
DISCLAIMER: Two of the three articles included a reference to the fact that the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism had part-funded the trip but had neither read nor approved the final copy.
The influencers: Mei Mei’s bachelorette
WHO VISITED? A three-day bachelor/bachelorette trip for TikTok celebrity Mei Mei Monstaa and 30 of her friends.
WHERE DID THEY GO? The group stayed at the luxury Black Urchin boutique resort in Bodden Town.
WHAT WAS THE TAB? The total cost for the three-day visit ran to around $40,000, including accommodation, privately catered barbecue, Stingray City charter and on-island travel.
WHO BENEFITED? The images and reels showcased the Black Urchin and Stingray City.
WHAT WAS THE COVERAGE LIKE?: The trips resulted in numerous posts on social media, including Instagram and TikTok, highlighting Cayman as a place for a bachelor or bachelorette party. Cayman’s marketing agency Praytell has lauded the success of the partnership on its own Instagram account.
WHAT’S THE REACH?: According to her TikTok page, Mei Mei has 3.7 million followers.
DISCLAIMER: Some but not all of the posts indicate that the trip was part of a paid partnership with the Cayman Islands.
The agents: Project Latin America
WHO VISITED? 13 travel agents from Latin America visited in June and July.
WHERE DID THEY GO? The group split their time between the Marriott in Grand Cayman and the Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman.
WHAT WAS THE TAB? The total cost for the four-day trip was around $20,000. It was one of five similar trips for LATAM agents in the last three years totalling around $120,000.
WHO BENEFITED? On their latest trip, the agents visited the Cayman Islands National Museum, took a wellness class at Vida in Wet Bay, visited Crystal Caves and Pedro St James, and lunched at Island Naturals and Rum Point.
WHAT WAS THE COVERAGE LIKE? The idea behind funding visits for travel agents is to build relationships and have them market itineraries to their clients. Cayman has focused on Latin America as a possible growth market.
WHAT’S THE REACH? Cayman currently gets just over 5,000 visitors a year from Latin America. The Department of Tourism hopes the agents will help it get more market share, particularly from Brazil.
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Publish date : 2024-12-01 16:00:00
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