Rugged Dominica has gone proactive in its
marketing to differentiate itself from some of its main
competitors. The destination rebranded itself with a new tag line:
"Defy the Everyday: The Nature Island of Dominica." The old slogan,
which was simply (and similarly) "The Nature Island of the
Caribbean" just did not cut it, according to tourism officials.
Extensive market
research revealed that Dominica is not perceived as a sun, sand and
sea destination nor are these features its strong selling points.
Rather, its hiking trails, indigenous Carib Indians, boiling lakes
and rain forests appeal to visitors, described as "life
enthusiasts" by Yvor Nassief, minister of tourism, industry and
private sector relations.
"Our new logo and
tag line are designed to better reflect our positioning and our
target visitor markets," Nassief said. "Our visitors are looking
for physical, mental and spiritual wellness. They seek unexpected
experiences, personal challenges and the possibility of the
unknown."
Part of the
$60,000 marketing campaign reflecting Dominica's new tourism thrust
and destination rebranding is a series of print ads highlighting
what Dominica does not have and does not offer -- and for which it
does not apologize.
One ad trumpets
the fact that "Yes, we have no direct flights." Another advises
potential visitors that they can "hike three hours to a lake you
can't swim in."
This is a
reference to Dominica's Boiling Lake, one of two such lakes in the
world.
While St. Lucia
trumpets its majestic Pitons peaks as a visitor attraction,
Dominica describes its volcanoes as "notorious underachievers," a
subtle come-on aimed at the dive market because some of its
volcanoes are under the water, not above.
And because the
island is often confused with the Dominican Republic, the campaign
also includes an ad headlined, "No, we don't have a baseball
team."
A photograph of
lush rain forests plays up the fact that it rains in Dominica,
according to Nassief -- even though downpours are not a strong
selling point for most Caribbean vacations.
Nassief said 50%
of Dominica's 20,000 annual visitors are from the U.S.
"We feel strongly
that this new branding ... better enables us to compete in the
worldwide tourism market as a destination for nature enthusiasts,"
he said.
Using a niche
market approach to tour development "will advance our growth in a
healthy, sustainable manner ... consistent with our objective to
protect and preserve."
Dominica, the
first country to receive Benchmarking designation from ecotourism
organization Green Globe 21, is seeking full certification from
Green Globe.
Along with the
new logo, slogan and branding, Dominica recently unveiled a new Web
site at www.discoverdominica.com.
To contact reporter Gay Nagle Myers, send e-mail to [email protected].