New York Times’ Frugal Traveler Tweets Barbados Free Press article to 77,000 followers!

Whoa Lord! I did not know the power of the internet until now.

A couple of days ago the New York Times – Icon with a capital “I”, news institution – featured a Barbados Free Press article via Twitter.

Within a few hours a single tweet to 77,000 followers of The Frugal Traveler brought thousands to the BFP article Big excitement in Barbados over direct Brazil flights – but still no Portuguese language on Barbados Tourism Authority website after ten years.

We don’t know what to say. To have so many folks from around the world read our words is an honour and a responsibility we do not take lightly. Wish we had some journalist training or background – but maybe the lack of is what folks like about us. We wear our hearts on our sleeves and when we make mistakes we make them in front of all. Never denied, and when corrected we leave them to stand – unlike the traditional Bajan news media who disappear stories every day.

Please forgive this self-indulgent post but I may have had a rum or three tonight and the sun is peeking over the horizon nevermind the clouds.

Gotta go… she’s a pretty thing ya know!

Cliverton

PS. She’s got me thinking about the M word. Very disturbing.

Tourism Matters: Where is Barbados’ Tourism Master Plan? Where is our YouTube campaign?

Closed hotels, lost opportunities and a failure to embrace You-Tube. (It’s free! It works! Why aren’t we running to use it?)

by Adrian Loveridge, small hotel owner.

When a senior executive of a major American based travel oriented advertising agency recently told me that more people now log onto YouTube daily, than view the entire combined United States television networks, it got me thinking whether ‘we’ as a destination are maximising the use of the social networks. In fact, according to their own website, ‘people are watching 2 billion videos a day on YouTube and uploading hundreds of thousands’ of them.

With such a powerful marketing tool, which is currently free to use, it frankly surprised me that either collectively or as individual tourism entities we do not appear to fully capitalise on this amazing opportunity. Log-on to YouTube, then type in ‘Barbados’ and the first three pages or 66 videos, mostly comprise of amateur films of various qualities. Despite this, some of them have attracted over 200,000 viewings. Only about three or four are professionally produced and perhaps portray Barbados as a destination in a competitive environment that could tempt a first time visitor.

Sir Cliff Richard now a Barbados citizen – Telegraph UK

When did this happen?

Being a British “non-resident” and living in Barbados is one thing. Becoming a full citizen of Barbados is another.

Today Bill Latham, the spokesman for Sir Cliff Richard, is reported in The Telegraph to have confirmed that Sir Cliff is a full citizen of Barbados.

Is this report correct? Did I miss it in the Barbados news media?

Breaking News: Rape charge laid against vigilante “victim”.

Courageous woman stops vigilante beating

The Bajan Reporter has the story including the name of the 48 year old man charged with rape. At the time the perpetrator was held by the crowd, the rumour was the rape victim was an 11 year old girl. (See Bajan Reporter story BREAKING NEWS – Alleged Perpetrator in Wellington Street Vigilante Attack in Bridgetown has been charged with Rape)

What about the Vigilantes?

As we said in our own article Barbados citizens beat alleged child molester…

“Now what are the police going to do?

The video and photos show clear facial views of many of the people assaulting the suspect. Some look like they are taking real pleasure in delivering the pain. Are the police going to track them down and charge them?

If there is to be rule of law and no repeat of this the next time, the police should do exactly that.”

Head on over to The Bajan Reporter for the accused’s name and other details as they become available.

Can’t help but rub it in… we love it when the blogs scoop the tired old news media!