Turks & Caicos Tourism Board

Situated 575 miles southeast of Miami, lay one of the most pristine destinations in the Caribbean, the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Islands are positioned as a high end destination for discerning travelers. To gain greater exposure for the Islands and drive tourism the Turks and Caicos Tourism Board hired Formula to launch an aggressive public relations campaign.

Challenges:

• Stagnant tourism traffic to the Turks and Caicos Islands
• Relatively little awareness of the Turks and Caicos as a vacation destination among general consumers and affluent travelers
• Heavy tourism competition from Caribbean islands with bigger marketing budgets
• Nonexistent Hollywood relations or celebrity appeal

Strategy:

• Build brand recognition of the Turks and Caicos through targeted media relations efforts focused on travel publications, daily newspapers, wedding magazines, men’s and women’s general interest and sports/outdoor publications
• Secure press trips with top-tier press, so that they can experience the beauty of the Islands firsthand
• Driving tourism traffic to the Islands by developing co-branding and promotional partnerships with like-minded brands, media outlets, and consumer events that reach Turks and Caicos’ core audience
• Leverage all that is Hollywood including movie promotions, celebrity sightings, and luxury vacations to position Turks and Caicos as a hot vacation spot

Results:

• In 2006, the public relations program successfully promoted the destination among key influencers, ultimately generating an estimated 194 million gross impressions
• Increased awareness of the destination through top-tier placements in publications such as USA Today, New York Times, Boston Globe, Inc., Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Travel Agent, Brides, Scuba Diving, Golf for Women, among others
• Coordinated promotions with Wheel of Fortune and SONY Pictures for trip giveaways, which exposed the destination to more than 50 million viewers
• Identified and orchestrated a giveaway with Woman’s Day to offer a trip as a prize for the magazine’s annual “Giant Issue,” reaching approximately 4 million readers
• Secured a 25 minute segment on PBS’ “Culinary Travels” featuring the destination and various restaurants on the Islands; aired in 160 markets, the program placement is valued at $4 million
• Secured a national co-branding program with Tumi luggage in which the Turks and Caicos was promoted during a month long art exhibit at Rockefeller Center and throughout 50 retail stores. The Islands were included in all collateral materials, including posters and postcards promoting the giveaway

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