Tobago conducts first post-COVID marketing mission to the UK

Posted Jul 14, 2022

The Tobago Tourism Agency Limited embarked on the destination’s first official overseas marketing mission to the United Kingdom since the onset of COVID-19. From July 13 to 18, 2022, a delegation led by TTAL’s Deputy Chairman Mr. Naseeb Mohammed will be re-engaging key travel trade partners in the UK on a strategic sales mission, and promoting Tobago’s niche offerings at Global Bird Fair 2022.

Bird watching is one of Tobago’s core tourist attractions, and the destination has attended Bird Fair since 2001 as part of the international promotion of this niche. TTAL took over representation of Tobago at the event in 2018, and continued the record of a hugely successful showing, with high footfall to the destination’s stand, strong consumer interest in birding tours, and tangible results in the form of bookings made to the island. While small in size, Tobago has been a crowd favourite at Bird Fair in the past – winning second “overall best stand” among hundreds of fellow exhibitors in 2019, when the last in-person version of the event occurred.

TTAL at Birdfair 2019 — Throwback: (L to R) Tobago's premier bird watching guide Mr. Newton George, TTAL Marketing Officer Ms. Marsha Patrick, Marketing Coordinator Ms. Sheena Des Vignes and UK Sales and Marketing Manager Mr. Stephen Smith at Tobago’s award-winning Bird Fair stand in 2019.

TTAL is now set to make a comeback to the rebranded “Global Bird Fair” held in Rutland Showground, Oakham from July 15th to 17th, to promote Tobago as a premier, globally competitive, bird-watching destination and eco holiday option.

UK Sales Mission

The Tobago Tourism Agency Limited’s first post-COVID UK mission serves the dual purpose of representing destination Tobago at Global Bird Fair, and conducting a strategic sales mission designed to support parallel marketing initiatives within the UK. The sales mission comprises of activities scheduled prior to and following Bird Fair, to optimize time spent by TTAL’s 3-person team in the UK. The mission entails a variety of media engagements and networking activities to glean market intelligence, assess the impact of the pandemic and recovery strategies, and explore new opportunities and opportunities to market Tobago in the UK.

Mr. Louis Lewis, CEO of the Agency, stated:

“As we look towards stimulating recovery and bolstering international arrivals to Tobago for winter 2022 and beyond, this UK sales mission is well timed for our number one source market. Our team will be directly engaging with influential UK trade representatives to deliver critical news and updates first-hand, and receive feedback on the impact of the pandemic, and opportunities for recovery.”

The key messaging of the sales mission will be centered around the theme Tobago: Relive. Revive. Return. This forward-thinking positioning is focussed on getting tourism in Tobago back to where it should be once again. In 2019, international arrival figures to the destination showed a forecasted growth trajectory, interrupted by the onset of COVID. Now, with renewed purpose, a revived product, and a return to the roots of what made this Caribbean island beyond the ordinary, Tobago is poised and ready to return to the international market and back to its former glory.

TTAL’s Chairperson Ms. Alicia Edwards (right) and Deputy Chairperson Mr. Naseeb Mohammed (left) at an Agency event in June 2022. — TTAL’s Chairperson Ms. Alicia Edwards (right) and Deputy Chairperson Mr. Naseeb Mohammed (left) at an Agency event in May 2022.