The Tobago Tourism Agency Limited and the destination’s tourism industry stakeholders are seeking ways to stimulate economic activity for the island with initiatives targeting the domestic market.
When the Trinidad and Tobago government closed the borders in mid-March to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the Agency ran a user-generated campaign to keep travelers and locals “Dreaming of Tobago”, showcasing the island so that it remains top of mind for regional and international visitors amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Now, the Agency is transitioning the destination’s message from “Dreaming of Tobago” to “We Welcome Your Return”, initiating a new phase of storytelling to promote the island in the domestic market. As the country undergoes a phased reopening and easing of restrictions, the re-opening of beaches, restaurants, bars and iconic sites and attractions presents an opportunity for domestic tourism to thrive.
TTAL launched a new campaign video on July 10th called Tobago Welcomes Your Return, showcasing the diverse offerings of destination Tobago through testimonials and videos shot by fans of the island, as the Agency seeks to turn dreaming into reality for residents and visitors from the sister isle of Trinidad.
Sheena Des Vignes, TTAL’s Marketing Coordinator, stated: “Our industry partners have faced incredibly challenging times in the face of COVID-19, and the planned domestic campaign will be about encouraging locals to plan their next Tobago staycation and support local businesses around the island.
We intend to inspire locals with authentic, home-grown storytelling communicated through platforms relevant to the domestic audience, building awareness of Tobago’s offerings and the #101reasonsTobago.”
The campaign will also see the Agency partnering with stakeholder groups such as the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association to curate and promote things to do, places to stay, and other areas of interest to create the perfect staycation in Tobago.
Louis Lewis, CEO of the Tobago Tourism Agency Limited noted that Tobago’s focus on domestic tourism and staycations is critical to stimulate the island’s economy, which is heavily dependent on travel and tourism.
“In this challenging environment where the pandemic has proven the relevance and importance of tourism, we want to ensure that we take strategic action to contribute to Tobago’s economic sustainability during these trying times. Stimulating our domestic tourism market will lead the way to recovery in a post coronavirus world, especially as international travel remains out of our grasp at this time. Essentially, it is very important that we in Trinidad and Tobago get out and support local, coming together to breathe life into Tobago’s tourism sector once again.”