ENTER09 Using Innovation & e Tourism For Destination Strategic Advantage

1. ENTER09Using Innovation & eTourism For Destination Strategic Advantage Presentation by Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace Bahamas Minister of Tourism & Aviation Amsterdam, Netherlands 28 January 2009

2. The Commonwealth of The Bahamas

3. Our Purpose • Toidentify and attract the kinds of visitors that would significantly enrich the people and economy of The Bahamas and deliver such delightful experiences to those visitors that they were compelled to tell their friends and relatives that “It’s Better in The Bahamas ”.

4. Tourism As An Economic Development Tool • Foreign Exchange Earnings • Employment • Broadening Distribution of Income • Establishing Linkages to the sector

5. The Most Powerful Force in Tourism? • “The One Number You Need To Grow” • Frederick Reichheld • The number of people who recommend your destination to their friends and relatives • “People may forget what you say, they may forget what you do but they never forget how you made them feel” Maya Angelou

6. Consumer Generated Media

7. For Destinations:Greatest Revolution In Travel Since Jet Aircraft • The Internet: • Ubiquitous Tourist Office • Information + Transactions 24/7 • Rich Media delivery • Everyone is both a consumer + potential generator of media • Associated Technologies • Data Collection, Analysis & Management • Our people + Our visitors + Our diaspora • GPS • VoIP

9. The higher the household income, the higher the likelihood of using the internet as the primary source of research for travel

10. There is a relentless move toward broadband connections which is positive for us

11. Get Online • The alpha . . .“83 percent of travelers are online now,” ahead of the general public, of whom only 71 percent are online. Harteveldt said his research shows that 90 percent of travelers will be online by 2010. . . we’re in an era when travelers have almost unlimited information. “There is only one steering wheel,” he said, “and the driver, the customer, is not letting go.” Travel Industry Association’s TravelCom Res-Expo Las Vegas April 2007 • The omega . . .Last year, the Germans took 64.4 million holidays. The main source of information for trip planning, is now the internet, with just over 49% using it to source information on destinations. But only 19% make bookings online, with 52% booking through travel agents

12. The New Battle • Increasingly global • Competitors no longer our neighbours, only • Especially from Europe, India, Far East • Increased competition coming with range of new aircraft • Fuel prices +carbon footprint concerns are mitigating factors

13. New Monitoring Tools

14. Google Trends – All Regions What’s Being Searched/What’ In The News CaribbeanAnguillaBahamasTrinidadGuyana

15. Google Trends – The United States CaribbeanAnguillaBahamasTrinidadGuyana

16. Google Trends – The United Kingdom CaribbeanAnguillaBahamasTrinidadGuyana

17. Regular Comparisons of Airfares + Trends In Prices Source:Kayak

18. New Technologies

19. Google Earth

20. Google Earth

21. Data Collection & Analysis • Bahamas has more information on our visitors than any other nation on earth through immigration cards • Collecting timely information on all aspects of financial performance of the tourism sector • Using information from tourism satellite accounts • Collecting regular and timely information on the opinion and knowledge of our people about the tourism sector • Building TourismToday.com database of “good and best practices” for industry members • . . .will incorporate our “tourism doctor” feature later this year

22. “OurDiaspora.com” • Different market but requires the same diligence and discipline • Only markets that we “own” • Students studying overseas • Great cheerleaders in the marketplaces

23. 1(800) BAHAMAS • Bahamas Secret Agent Concierge Services • Agents exist and will persist because they have clients • Specialized knowledge, international trips, complicated itineraries, client too busy, someone to call if anything goes wrong etc • Diversity of Bahamas too vast for any agent/agency to become a Bahamas Specialist • Who knows any Bahamas destination better than any travel agent? • Someone trained and living in destination • Use low cost VoIP to connect those with clients (in the marketplace) to those with the knowledge (in the destination) • Bahamas Concierge: qualified Bahamas Agents only • Expand program to consumer eventually with connection on each major island

24. Simple Promotion of our Web Addresses + Toll Free Number • These are the simplest and most effective way to access the Bahamas and will be the core of our advertising and promotion efforts • Get our web addresses and number in the heads of the traveling public • Make smaller properties more visible and more accessible • Goal is to be come the primary information and knowledge portals for the Bahamas tourism sector so that greater focus and emphasis on improving how we make over visitors feel.

25. Content Management • Links to independent stories about products, experiences and services • Web sites become our window to the world for sending and receiving information by the tourist offices • On site blogs . . .on all major interests • More content from independent local sources • Rich media, rich media, rich media!

26. Go Beyond the Traditional • Music • Foods • Rums • Souvenirs • Paintings & Sculpture • Health & Wellness products

27. Putting It All Together

28. Click on “Bahamas.com” Bahamas music option Uses Bahamas branded credit card to order music + contributes to Bahamas fund Connects to my Bahamas Secret Agent Looks at some tours Decides on GPS guided rental car or assigned driver Books the midnight Cruise Reserve all restaurant reservations for entire stay Downloads “learn the dance” video Opts to chats with other guests Signs up for “People To People” experience Completes Immigration & Customs forms on line Same music at airport on arrival All announcements by well known local residents/people Clears through special line for “Island Collectors” Greets Herman our taxi driver waiting outside Checks itinerary w/driver Greeting by name on arrival at resort Escorted directly to room The Bahamas Experience

29. Greeting by Minister of Tourism on TV set in room Enjoys the web-cam appointment the next day “Fresh from the Bahamas” foods on all menus a big hit Enjoy the island tour by Herman + “plant” our tree Purchase Bahamas branded items at airport departure lounge Great farewell message in departure lounge from the Prime Minister Signs up for Bahamas updates On arrival home, video email from Minister thanking them for visiting, nice touch Article by Bahamas writer on the revitalization of downtowns makes me want to go back Goes back to the web site to buy more “Made in The Bahamas” souvenirs, more music, rum, coffee and some Sea Island Cotton clothing Nassau “All Inclusive” next time Received “Happy Birthday” wish from the people of The Bahamas The Bahamas Experience

30. Our Goal • Uses technology to make personal service even more personal . . . for consumers and travel partners • Become the world leader in the application of technology to tourism • . .because we can

31. It’s Better In The Bahamas www.bahamas.com 001-800-bahamas