With travel still limited to the living room, the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB) has launched a new app to bring the calming Bahamian waters to the TVs of Americans across the country. The Nassau Paradise Island app is the first of its kind and offers a number of soothing videos providing a scenic backdrop of pristine beaches and gentle waves throughout the Bahamas, in addition to an interactive game. The app is currently available to download on your Smart TV for free through ROKU, Amazon Fire TV, and Google Play Store.
Once everyone is thoroughly relaxed from watching the waves, virtual vacationers can compete against family and friends in the Bahamas Beach Ball Bopper game on their smart devices. With the app open on the television or computer screen, players launch the game on their smart phone (be sure to allow access to the camera), then try and toss beach balls through the rings to gain the most points. The game can be used in conjunction with the beach shots, allowing for a full immersion into the Bahamas.
“We wanted to find a way to reach fans of The Bahamas in a new way and are excited about the experiences we can bring to life through this new channel and the ability to reach over 100 million users,” said Fred Lounsberry, chief executive officer of NPIPB. “We’re starting with scenes from places like Cabbage Beach and Clifton Heritage Park and hope people will stream the content and let the sounds and the beauty of the beaches bring a sense of relaxation, even for a moment. This is a new way for us to reach consumers, and we see this as being a permanent new addition to our ongoing destination marketing with additional Nassau Paradise Island vacation planning video content added frequently.”
In addition to the app, NPIPB has launched a marketing campaign with the tagline, It’s Better With You, a nod to the timeless It’s Better in the Bahamas campaign. The new commercial will air on TV in the destination’s key feeder markets for visitation including New York City, Boston and Chicago. The assets will also be visible on NPIPB’s owned social media channels. “The campaign is designed to let travelers know we’re thinking of them and we’ll be more than ready for them when the time is right,” Lounsberry said.
To connect with fans of The Bahamas even further, on NPIPB’s website NassauParadiseIsland.com, a new Virtual Bahamas Vacation hub has launched featuring several interactive components:
· Food & Drink Recipes: To bring the taste of the Bahamas home, aspiring chefs and mixologists can find recipes for dishes like conch salad, Bahamian-style mac and cheese and rum cake. To pair with the delicacies, there are also recipes for Bahamian cocktails.
· Bahamas-Inspired Home Bar: A helpful infographic provides tips on which alcohol, mixers and glassware are needed to give the traditional bar cart major Caribbean vibes.
· Virtual Backgrounds: Upgrade the next video conference call or family happy hour with imagery from Bahamian beaches to iconic cultural spots like Queen’s Staircase and the Government House.
· #ItsAlwaysBeenBetter: Social media users are encouraged to use the hashtag #ItsAlwaysBeenBetter and post photos of their favorite memories from past trips for the chance to be featured within NPIPB marketing outreach.
· Come Sail Away Playlist: The “Come Sail Away” playlist was curated on Spotify with songs that channel the nautical lifestyle and transport listeners to the calm seas.
· Travel Quizzes: Travelers can learn more about their personalities and perhaps uncover experiences they wouldn’t have thought to plan with quizzes like What Type of Travel Planner Are You and Which Bahamas Resort is Best for Your Family.