The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism today launches its Sizzlin' Sampler package, offering travelers an opportunity to save $350 on a visit to the Territory this summer.
The offer, designed to entice visitors to stay during the low season, includes a $200 instant credit towards any booking for a minimum five-night stay at participating hotels, $50 in shopping certificates, $50 in attractions certificates, $50 in dining certificates and the fifth night free.
The promotion is available for booking from May 1 through June 15, for travel between June 1 and September 30.
"It's important that we maintain a steady flow of visitors into the Territory during the summer season to benefit both the local economy and our airline partners,"ÔøΩ said Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty. "Given the hikes in airfare, we want to provide great value and incentives in order to attract our repeat and prospective travelers."ÔøΩ
A dedicated $1 million digital, broadcast and print advertising and marketing campaign has launched in support of the Sizzlin' Sampler offer, promoting it both nationally and to audiences located in key markets throughout the U.S. Of the $1 million, $650,000 has been dedicated to promoting the entire Territory and $350,000 to promoting St. Croix. Creative elements of the campaign include a "350 ways to save summer"ÔøΩ tagline, which reinforces the $350 savings messaging.
Advertising spots purchased on national broadcast outlets such as CNN, TNT, TBS, and NBA TV are timed to reach consumers during the crucial pre-summer period when summer vacations are top-of-mind. Designed to target consumers in the midst of the online travel search and booking process, the digital ad-buy includes sites like AOL, Bing Travel and Pandora, as well as the websites of eight regional daily newspapers, such as The Boston Globe, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Chicago Tribune. Less traditional marketing initiatives encompassed by the digital campaign include in-text targeting via Vibrant Media and a partnership with Adara, a leading travel-industry aggregator.
The print advertising campaign targets the African American and Caribbean Diaspora readers of more than twenty African American newspapers around the country, including NY Amsterdam News, Washington Afro-American, Houston Defender, Indianapolis Recorder, Charlotte Post and the Orlando Times, to name a few.
Hotels participating in the Sizzlin' Sampler offer include: Anchorage, Best Western Carib Beach, Best Western Emerald Beach, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, Crystal Cove, Marriott Frenchman's Reef, McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas, Pavilions and Pools, Point Pleasant, The Ritz Carlton, St. Thomas, Sapphire Beach Resort, Sapphire Village, Sugar Bay Resort & Spa, Virgin Islands Campground (Water Island), Windward Passage, The Buccaneer, Chenay Bay, Club Comanche Hotel, Club St. Croix, Colony Cove, Divi Carina Bay Resort, Hibiscus Beach Resort, Holger Danske Hotel, Hotel Caravelle, The Palms at Pelican Cove, Renaissance Carambola Beach Resort & Spa, Sand Castle on the Beach, Sugar Beach Condo Resort, Tamarind Reef Resort, Gallows Point Resort, Maho Bay Camps and The Westin, St. John Resort & Villas.
The Sizzlin' Sampler applies to new bookings only. Reservations for this promotion can be made through a number of tour operators using the booking code VISS12, including: Apple Vacations, BookIt.com, CheapCaribbean.com (Inter Island Tours), Classic Vacations, Costco Travel, Enjoy Vacations, Expedia, Funjet Vacations, Hotelbeds, JetBlue Getaways, Libgo Travel, MLT Vacations, Pleasant Holidays, LLC, Travel Impressions, Travelocity, US Airways Vacations, Vacation Express and World Travel Holdings.
(* Packages available within the stated time frame, or until the allotted number of packages has been depleted)
Photo Credit To Trip Advisor
