WHY IT RATES: This off-the-beaten-path destination offers a lot for U.S. travelers. -Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Senior Writer
Looking to increase visitation and promote itself as an emerging and sustainable destination, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has enlisted Concept Farm, a boutique strategic advertising agency based in Long Island City, New York to develop a living integrated marketing and communications strategy and action plan for the destination.
Virtually untouched, Guyana lies on South America's northern coast and is home to pristine rainforests, immense waterfalls, savannahs, mountains, rivers and rich biodiversity found nowhere else on the planet. Guyana also boasts a healthy birding population, many of the world's giant species, welcoming indigenous peoples, and diverse cultural and heritage roots. Unique to the destination is its fusion of Caribbean and South American influences and the fact that it is the only English-speaking nation in South America.
"We have an opportunity to be recognized locally and internationally as a premier destination for protecting our natural and cultural heritage," said Brian Mullis, Director, Guyana Tourism Authority. "From their work in tourism and their expertise and depth of their people, Concept Farm has the right credentials, knowledge and experience to develop a new strategy for us and build the capacity of our Destination Marketing team to evolve it over time."
Guyana has seen incremental visitor growth in the last few years but looks to grow sustainably at 8% per annum. Emphasis is on highlighting the spectacular birding, fishing, wildlife, outdoor adventure, and indigenous culture and attracting travelers seeking authentic experiences who tend to stay longer and spend more in pristine destinations like Guyana.
Chief among its priorities will be to identify the right audiences for sustainable growth and develop a comprehensive strategy that will include digital and social media, content development, web development, public relations, partnerships, influencers and email marketing to maximize exposure, engagement and ROI through the core markets in North America, Canada, and the UK and investment markets like Germany and the Netherlands. Concept Farm will develop the strategy and plan to fully integrate the communications mix across North America, Europe and Latin America.
In addition, they will develop a plan for the Authority to become a leading benchmark in sustainable tourism by the year 2025. Working in tandem with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, the plan aims to achieve green growth and social inclusiveness while increasing employment, environmental protection and resource efficiency and the protection and promotion of cultural values, diversity and heritage of the region.
"We're honored to be chosen to take the lead on this initiative to develop a blueprint for one of the last untouched places on the planet," stated John Speers, Strategy Director for Concept Farm. "It's a huge responsibility and to do this in a sustainable manner is a rare privilege and opportunity." Speers, an Allied Board member of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, has developed programs in the Caribbean that showcase the cultural identity and diversity in the Caribbean drawing significant visitation and spend.
With a specialization in tourism, Concept Farm has worked with many partners in the past to help shape and build their destinations and product to the right audiences. They recently launched an Authentic Aruba campaign using local voices to distinguish the island from its Caribbean competitors. The activation won Aruba and Concept Farm 11 HSMAI Adrian Awards - the most for any destination - for best use of content strategy, virtual reality, social media, video content and the prestigious Pioneer of Visual Storytelling honor. This expertise, knowledge and strategic way of thinking will not only build the profile of Destination Guyana but aim to create a long-lasting impactful image of the destination to current and potential travelers.
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