{"id":7994,"date":"2021-08-26T20:45:39","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T00:45:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/bhr\/?p=7994"},"modified":"2022-05-24T14:35:30","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T18:35:30","slug":"destination-marketing-in-a-pandemic-how-bermuda-retained-its-relevance-and-found-silver-linings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/bhr\/2021\/08\/26\/destination-marketing-in-a-pandemic-how-bermuda-retained-its-relevance-and-found-silver-linings\/","title":{"rendered":"Destination Marketing in a Pandemic: How Bermuda Retained Its Relevance and Found Silver Linings"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Left to right: Glenn Jones, Interim CEO, Bermuda Tourism Authority, Dan Norton, England Men Sevens rugby player, and E. David Burt, Premier of Bermuda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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By Leora Halpern Lanz<\/span><\/a>, ISHC with <\/span>Claire Deal<\/a><\/span>, SHA \u201923<\/span><\/p>\n

I. Introduction: The Impact<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

In 2020, tourism\u2019s boom hit a sudden, unanticipated, and dramatic pause. With the emergence of a global pandemic declared on March 11, global travel and tourism came to a painful halt with almost no movement of people worldwide. Countries that relied heavily on tourism as their primary GDP contributor \u2013 an economic lifeline for locals \u2013 suffered greatly as businesses closed and lodging accommodations, restaurants, and attractions shuttered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bermuda, the British island territory located in the North Atlantic Ocean, implemented (and effectively communicated) cutting-edge COVID-19 protocols to encourage travel during the pandemic and leveraged opportunities. Prior to March 2020, Bermuda\u2019s tourism industry was on a multi-year resurgence. In 2019, the island experienced its third consecutive year of record-breaking total visitor arrivals. Most of the 800,000 plus arrivals were tourists from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. A year earlier, Bermuda implemented a National Tourism Plan with a goal to \u201cbuild a clear view of our aspirational future for tourism and its effect on the island as a whole.\u201d And according to the 2020 Visitor Arrivals Report, a consistently growing percentage of travelers to the country arrived via cruise ships, with 536,000 passengers in 2019, nearly a 10% increase over the year prior. Meantime, air arrival numbers grew more slowly but while generating significantly more spending per visitor.<\/span><\/p>\n

But how did a destination promote itself, when travel was globally discouraged? The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) adjusted its National Tourism Plan throughout 2020 and focused on important marketing communications principles.<\/span><\/p>\n

II. The Importance of Clear (Digital) Communications:<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Bermuda\u2019s COVID response consisted of extensive testing and quarantine protocols that led to a Level 1 travel warning from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the summer of 2020. This was a catalyst in Bermuda\u2019s efforts to maximize travel following the economic turmoil caused by COVID-19. Level 1 status categorized Bermuda as low risk for illness, and safe for travelers. Other destination achieved Level 1 with the CDC, but almost none of them re-opened to tourism last summer.\u00a0 The Bermudian government chose to reopen and allow travelers to visit in July of 2020, achieving Level 1 status even as its borders remained open to visitor. According to then Interim-CEO of the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) Glenn Jones, \u201cThe government of Bermuda determined it could balance public health (via rigorous testing regimes) and economic recovery by getting people back to work.\u201d So how did the BTA let the world know that the country was open to welcoming visitors?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Communicating comfort and compassion with clarity and consistency was essential when reaching out to individuals considering any type of international travel at this time (Lanz, Boston Hospitality Review, July 2020). Public information platforms for updates regarding COVID, such as the CDC\u2019s website, were heavily utilized by consumers during the pandemic when researching destinations to travel (Q3 2020 Quarterly Report, GoToBermuda.com). The BTA understood that its website was crucial in converting interest in traveling into booked business. According to Jones, \u201ca regularly-updated website was the most useful tool\u201d for inspiring consumers to choose Bermuda over other destinations. The website proved the most commonly used communication tool for consumers, and the BTA distributed bi-weekly emails to tourism industry stakeholders including hotels, restaurants, local experience providers, and transportation operators.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOvercommunication was key at this time,\u201d explains Jones. \u201cAs with other crisis communication, like hurricanes, frequent communication is imperative. With this situation, there was a similar need, but for a much longer period of time than an approaching storm.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Messaging to consumers was consistent: \u201cClean. Safe. Close.\u201d All messages on digital platforms emphasized these three points. BTA\u2019s mission with this message: \u201cIf you\u2019re ready to travel, we want to be on your consideration list.\u201d Safe and responsible travel to Bermuda was highlighted prominently on GoToBermuda.com. The site\u2019s navigation led directly to sections that detailed Travel Alerts & Protocols, Travel Authorization Process Forms, Pre-Arrival COVID testing options, Return Travel Testing, Work from Bermuda Certificate, and What\u2019s Open in Bermuda. The BTA deliberately shared information in an easily understandable manner to enable travel with minimal confusion. As Jones shared, the website was \u201cnewly built, with continually updated content\u201d to ensure relevant information for guests from the United States, Canada, and elsewhere as well as island stakeholders.<\/span><\/p>\n

The BTA also utilized Instagram to communicate that the country was a safe place to travel. The regular use of infographics, promotional videos, and the hashtag #BermudaIsSafer, all worked in tandem to brand the country as a safe destination for work, business, school, and escape.\u00a0 The Instagram account featured updates on travel restrictions and new events and directly linked to the Bermuda website for people interested in more information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The BTA Q3 2020 Report further explains how Bermuda effectively used programmatic video display advertising, paid social on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, to complement outreach via television and print publications. Digital outreach also included webinars for the travel trade explaining safety protocols and travel guidelines to promote inbound travel.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, tourist exit surveys conducted between July and December 2020 revealed that 98% of Bermuda visitors \u201cfelt safe\u201d or \u201cvery safe\u201d from COVID while in the country (Jones).<\/span><\/p>\n

III. Recovery Strategies: Digital Engagement and Cooperative Relationships<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Fortunately, with crisis comes opportunity. It was up to the BTA to continue to think creatively and find new connections. Activities resulted in identifying new target markets, new partnerships, and new air routes to spread Bermuda\u2019s message as a COVID-safe travel destination, leaning heavily on digital platforms given how quickly things were apt to change.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was understood that recovery would be \u201cslow and gradual,\u201d not an immediate return to normal (Jones). The organization continually enhanced and modified marketing opportunities, a daunting task as guidelines changed country-by-country, and as the number of COVID cases fluctuated. As the world shut down, organizations around the globe adjusted work needs and travel requirements to a new normal. And as behavioral patterns changed, hospitality strategies evolved.<\/span><\/p>\n

New Target Markets: <\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

The BTA implemented a revised action plan that consisted of four target markets in the United States: The \u201cJetsetter,\u201d \u201cActive Families,\u201d the \u201cExperience Enthusiast,\u201d and the \u201cAdventure Seeker.\u201d The BTA marketing team, under Jones\u2019 direction, further narrowed the effort to focus on the \u201cJetsetter\u201d and \u201cAdventure Seeker.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n