BVITB Enlists Leading North American Travel Agents
Tortola, British Virgin Islands, May 24, 2016 – The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board (BVITB) recently held the first meeting of its newly established British Virgin Islands Travel Agent Advisory Board (BVITAAB), in New York.
BVITAAB is made up of 16 North American travel advisors that specialize in selling high-end travel, specifically from the BVI’s major markets. The members of BVITAAB are travel advisors, who are owners/senior managers of their agencies. Together, they have oversight for over 4,500 agents (in-house and independent contractors) and combined revenues of $3.2B. The Caribbean region is the largest market for the majority of these travel advisors.
Director of Tourism, Ms. Sharon Flax-Mars said, “The engagement of a travel advisory board is an innovative marketing strategy to help destinations get the benefit of the experience and knowledge of top performing travel agents. Personally, I am very enthusiastic about the activation of the Board. The meeting was successful in not only making personal connections with key travel advisors, but to also garner first-hand knowledge and insight into the current travel trends, a better understanding of what the discerning traveler is looking for and to share some of the ideas which the BVITB is working on to enhance its relationship with the travel trade. The group already had great chemistry and gave honest feedback on the destination and keys to selling the BVI. We intend to maximize our opportunities in this relationship by taking action on feedback from BVITAAB towards enhancing not only our relationships with travel agents throughout North America but also enhancing our product offerings and the way they are packaged.”
During the meetings, the travel advisors were welcomed by the Director and received sales and marketing presentations on the British Virgin Islands from BVITB team members. There was also discussion on key issues impacting the BVI Tourism including airlift, selling small hotels and villas, niche marketing, and events and providing tools for travel advisors to sell the BVI. Additionally, the Board members were shown the BVITB’s Travel Agent Training Programme, which is set to launch shortly. The program is free to bona fide travel agents and allows agents to get a well-rounded overview of the British Virgin Islands from their computers and tablets. Agents who successfully complete the program will become certified British Virgin Islands Travel Specialists.
The meeting is one of three which will be held over a two-year period. The Travel Agent Advisory Board initiative is being coordinated by Strategic Vision, a US based company that facilitates the coordination of these types of Boards in the tourism industry. The next meeting of BVITAAB will be held in the Territory in November which would enable the members of BVITAAB to gain greater familiarity with the destination by conducting inspections at key properties, meeting tourism industry leaders and experiencing the destinations as their clients would. Several of the agents were already selling the BVI but had not been to the Territory.
About the British Virgin Islands
An archipelago comprised of 60 islands and cays, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) are located approximately 50 miles east of Puerto Rico, in the northwestern region of the Caribbean Sea. The main islands are Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke. Road Town, located on Tortola, is the British Virgin Islands’ capital.
Renowned as one of the world’s premier sailing destinations, the BVI’s dynamic and vast topography provides a unique opportunity to “island hop” with ease — with each island characterized by its own cultural and natural wonders. Among these attractions are The Baths on Virgin Gorda, Anegada’s Flamingo Pond, White Bay on Jost Van Dyke, and Tortola’s Sage Mountain. Destination highlights also include world-class yachting, snorkeling, hiking, sustainable tourism and, for diving enthusiasts, the Caribbean’s most stunning wreck dives, such as the RMS Rhone.
A pristine and romantic island paradise evoking a bygone era, the British Virgin Islands are nonetheless easily accessible for U.S. travelers flying into Tortola/Beef Island’s Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport (EIS) via frequent connecting service from nearby Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Antigua, St. Kitts or St. Maarten/St. Martin. Visitors traveling to the BVI from St. Thomas can also travel via ferry. Despite its status as a United Kingdom territory, the BVI conveniently uses the U.S. dollar as its official currency.
For more information on all that the British Virgin Islands have to offer, visit the official BVI Tourist Board website at www.bvitourism.com or contact 1-800-835-8530.
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