British Virgin Islands Tourist Board and Film Commission receives Prestigious Travel Marketing Awards

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands – The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board & Film Commission (BVITB&FC) received two Adrian Awards at the prestigious Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Awards Gala on 21st January. The BVITB&FC and its marketing agency MMGY Myriad won top honors, earning the highly coveted Platinum Adrian Award in the digital marketing category, while the BVITB&FC and its public relations agency MMGY NJF were recognized with a Gold Adrian Award for public relations excellence. 

The Adrian Awards is the largest and most prestigious global travel marketing competition, recognizing excellence in advertising, marketing, and public relations. These awards come on the heels of the British Virgin Islands being ranked as the No. 2 destination on the New York Times’ “52 Places To Go in 2020” list and gaining nominations on USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The Territory was one of only two Caribbean countries listed on the New York Times’ list (The Bahamas was No. 22). 

Junior Minister of Tourism, Honourable Sharie B. de Castro; Chair of the BVI Tourist Board, Kenisha Sprauve; and Acting Director of Tourism, Rhodni Skelton attended the gala with the agency representatives. The Junior Minister and agency representatives accepted the award on behalf of the destination. MMGY Myriad and MMGY NJF are subsidiaries of media conglomerate MMGY Global, the world’s largest and most integrated global marketing firm specializing in the travel, hospitality and entertainment industries. 

THE AWARDS

In an effort to communicate the message of the British Virgin Islands’ recovery from the 2017 hurricanes, MMGY Global was tasked with getting the message out that the BVI was back in business and ready for visitors to return. 

Platinum: "Today's Secret" Campaign

As a means of communicating that the BVI was as stunning as ever and ready to welcome visitors, MMGY Myriad created an integrated marketing campaign, “Today's Secret,” which consisted of User Generated Content to show the destination as it really was, in real-time. The campaign featured social media, print, and digital advertising which resulted in 20 million impressions, a 238 percent increase in website traffic and a 245 percent year over year increase in unique visitors. 

Gold: The British Virgin Islands’ Impressive Comeback - Travel + Leisure Cover Story

On behalf of BVITB&FC, MMGY NJF looked at a variety of target outlets via which to relay its key messages and set its sights on Travel + Leisure, which boasts an affluent, travel-minded readership (average HHI of $117,218; 6.7 million print circulation / 9 million UVM). Leveraging the agency’s relationship with the editor-in-chief and convincing her of the compelling story of the islands, BVI landed the cover of the annual Caribbean issue in February, featuring an iconic shot of The Baths.

The three-page narrative included four stunning photos of the islands, highlighting how the destination came together post- hurricanes to rebuild a truly enhanced version of itself. The writer stated, “And as anyone who takes to these seas will find, now is an ideal time to discover (or rediscover) this paradise.” The article helped put BVI back on the map for potential travelers at an extremely crucial time, resulting in an increase in inquiries and bookings approaching pre-hurricane levels. 

“We’re thrilled to have received such honorable awards that truly reflect the efforts of our marketing team and agencies and our tourism industry,” said Mrs. Kenisha Sprauve, Chair of the BVITB&FC.

“Those efforts helped to clearly reestablish our position as a top-tier tropical travel destination. It also confirms the calibre of the agencies we choose to represent us and the excellent work they have done.” 

About the British Virgin Islands:

Known as a treasured destination rich in undiscovered experiences, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) is an alluring archipelago comprising 60 islands and cays located 80 kilometers (60 miles) east of Puerto Rico, in the northwestern region of the Caribbean Sea. The main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke have attracted travelers globally with their cultural Caribbean authenticity. Located in Tortola, Road Town is the BVI’s capital.

Ranked #1 Best Place to Visit in the Caribbean by U.S. News for three consecutive years in 2017, 2018 and 2019, the BVI is where nature’s best secrets are kept with an abundance of pristine beaches, azure seas, towering sage mountains and burnt-orange sunsets. It’s no wonder the BVI’s Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke were featured on the “Top Islands in the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas” list in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2017 and 2018. Despite its status as a United Kingdom territory, the BVI uses the U.S. dollar as its official currency.

For more information, please visit www.bvitourism.com.