The Bajan news media is practically giddy about Matt Lauer broadcasting the Today Show from Sandy Lane – and why not? Who can complain about the excellent news media exposure in the American market?
Every little bit helps in this tough economy, but as usual we at BFP will make some observations and ask some questions that might make some of the folks at the Barbados Tourism Authority a bit uncomfortable…
First off, the Nation News report sounds as if the Today Show just dropped out of the sky and chose Barbados. That’s possible, I suppose, but more likely it took some work, lobbying and negotiation by the BTA and others to bring the show here.
And money. We, meaning Barbados, undoubtedly paid to have the show here. NBC had a production team on the island preparing for two weeks and it would be a good guess to say that they probably didn’t pay for their accommodation, meals or transportation on the island. Their air tickets were probably paid for too.
This was an expensive undertaking by the BTA and any thinking person probably realizes that. We’re not saying that it wasn’t a good use of promotional funds – it was probably a great use of promotional funds. Probably… depending on the cost – but we’d like to point out that Bajan citizens have no right to know how much it cost. Therefore, we can never make an informed judgment about the spending of public money.
And that’s the way the elites like it.
It is also difficult to assess the success of events like this. How do we know that the efforts yielded tourists or investors? It’s very difficult to quantify the success of such publicity, to put a cost on each new tourist that arrives as a result of this broadcast. But that’s life – especially on this island where there is no accountability or transparency by government agencies.
Once again, we’re not putting a downer on the effort – we’re just saying that the government treats us like mushrooms when there’s no need for it. (You know: kept in the dark and fed cow manure.)
Last but not least: How about that new Bajan flag seen by the entire USA. That is a “humdinger” as they say in Michigan. I wonder who gave the go ahead on that?
Maybe I’ll put in a freedom of information request to discover the cost of the flag and who designed and requested it for the Today Show.
Oops. Forgot… we have no Freedom of Information Act.
Oh well, what does it matter then how much was spent on anything because we can’t know the truth or do anything about it if we believed it was necessary?
Welcome to paradise, NBC folks. Enjoy!
Barbados Free Press 
Wow. SPeaking under correction but is my eye deceiving me or did I read in the news that starting as early as next week we gine got people from around the world flocking to Barbados by hundreds because of this Matt Lauer feature? Wuh lawds dat wud be very gut. But I want to know how much de guvament spend along wuh any extras not accounted for
Who cares, money is money, finally a ‘reasonable’ investment, Barbados needs the tourist dollar
Guess it cost less than $4 million and may well bring in more tourists for less money!!
I like the new flag, it reminds me a bit of the Venezuelan flag…
NEW FLAG?? oh really, jus so?
Well whatever was paid, it was well worth it. That show gets A LOT of viewers and they do a first class job of making everything look perfect. I almost forgot where they were for a minute. It also aired at the ideal time, when people are starting to book for the holidays and into next year. I bet ya if you talked to the owners of the Little Arches hotel, their phone is probably ringing off the hook today from that shout out.
It’s good to see BTA doing something good for a change. Kudos to whoever set it up.
Some guests who have booked at our villa saw the show, and were ‘tickled with delight’ and are even more excited to get their feet on the island. I expect that there will be others who will be checking out our island too. It is a clever way to spend advertising dollars for us all. Those of us in the tourist business now have to follow through to make sure everyone who comes to visit are so happy that they will come again and again.
Why not give us a forum to give feedback on how many chose our destination as a result of the Matt Lauer show. And, next time check out the villa community to allow us to advertise on such shows too.
Thank you BTA.
Has Adrian Loveridge thanked the BTA?
Finally what ever it cost it was worth it because the BTA is an non active eninty. Remember when the BTA and tghe PM was trying to woo South African Airways to stop in BGI and then on to MIA, the welcome reception was at the Hilton and it was in a non descript room and non airconditioning or was unaffrctive, The US Ambassador has flown to Seattle to be with the chairman of SA Airlines escorting the SAA brass to BGI and not only was it an embarrasment but of course it was not ever considered after the reception. Bottom line if BGI treated the diginitaries like nothing how would they treat SA tourists who would fly the SAA routes to BGI. Sad but a reality.
The NBC exposure was well worth it regardless of how limited the coverage was.
LOVED THIS!!!! My heart filled with PRIDE!!!!!
I LOVE BARBADOS TO DEATH!
@Just Asking who wants to know: “Has Adrian Loveridge thanked the BTA?”
Don’t know if he called them up and said, “Thank you”, but he did, on another Bajan blog, publicly acknowledge they did a good job in this particular instance.
Here is a snip from the comment left by a poster identifying himself as Adrian Loveridge:
“Great initiative by the Barbados Tourism Authority, well put together and excellent timing for the upcoming winter season.
Also nice to see Peach and Quiet at the top of the ‘where to stay’ section”
Don’t want to post the link on here as BFP has some issues with the web site where AL’s comment is posted. But you can probably guess where to go look for it. If not Google can direct you.
A new flag! Why? Did I miss something? A new government? Did we become a republic? Why the need for new flag?
M
And when they get here, will they find what they thought they’d find?
Or will they find vagrants -and unsightly litter all about de place?
Advertising is one thing.
Product (on the ground product) is quite another!
Barbados still hasn’t caught on to that, I fear.
But keep fooling them
The main thrust of our Tourism is to just get them to <i?make the booking.
Some will return, some won’t.
Would be interesting to know how that ratio pans out.
Hi Green Monkey
We don’t at all mind our readers linking to worthwhile comments or content on Barbados Underground. We will not link with them ourselves due to their publishing:
1/ Calls for genocide against persons of Indian, Chinese, and white racial heritage.
2/ Calling a murdered tourist “white trash”
3/ Defending those who say they destroyed evidence of child sex, child prostitution and human trafficking.
That’s our choice and standards. Other people see things differently and like Barbados Underground approve calls for genocide as “free speech”. Like Barbados Underground, some folks think it is find to call a murdered Canadian tourist “White Trash” and then go on to lament the state of our tourism industry. Like Barbados Underground, some folks think it’s okay to recount how 14 year old girls are brought to the Caribbean for prostitution and to make porn movies, and to say they are in communication with these girls, yet also say that they destroy the evidence “so police don’t come” (to find the evidence.)
We’re not okay with all that, but some folks are.
Thank God Matt Lauer did the report from Sandy Lane, that way when viewers from all over the world (with all sort of Demographics) watch his NBC plug for Bim then they know there are ONLY five star resorts for Barbados which only Simon Cowell & Mick Jagger can afford – no dingy little bed & breakfasts like Peach & Quiet, Savannah, Accra, Divi Southwinds or Golden Sands right? Orrite d’enn!!!
THIS JUST IN – To be fair, I just learned Adrian’s P&Q was first among those listed as “Where To Stay” however, I maintain the show could easily have been done at the South Coast and with just as equally sterling production value; how many Bajans were involved as Grips, Camera, Make-Up etc?
Dont forget to add Tiger had his wedding there and rented the complete Sandy Lane. Surprising they did not show Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry. be greatfull that at least BGI enjoyed good press. Nothwithstanding the results should be a plus for the comming year.As someone who knows BGI very well and a son of the soil there are other areas in BGI that would evoke touristic interest but something is better than nothing. The BOT and BTA need to pull their head out od the sand and use NBC’s event to change their way of attracting tourist, the pump has been primed the rest is up to them.
No NyC/Bgi the rest is not up to the BTa with their few dozen employees they cant do it all, its up to Barbadians all 282,000, every one starting with the greedy big shot hotel owners who rake in big bucks but curse the government run BTA relentlessly, the rest is up to high living opinionated hotel managers who believe they are the final word on tourism.
Loveridge is an example ( I read his hotel small and is seldom open) he’s a permanent critic of the Bta.. The workers already doing their part. Some of the taxi men and people in the ancillary services ought to improve their behaviour towards visitors too.
The rest is up to bajans to treat the visitors with respect show them we appreciate them choosing BIM. The rest is up to persons like you and BFP to stop the lies and bad mouthing the island uttering vile things which turn tourists off from going to BGI.
Brooklyn,
Actually the BTA has more 130 employees and currently has a budget of over BDS$92 million annually. I wonder where you think this money comes from?
You really should not try and mislead people. We are actually open to the general public over six months each year and bookable almost anytime during the other five months. In October we hosted a wonderful wedding which brought in 71 Americans (42 stayed with us) for a very special couple who live, guess where, Brooklyn.
My views and opinions are formed from 45 years WORKING in the tourism industry across 67 countries, so I believe that I can make a useful contribution and am entitled through paying considerable taxes, permitted to state my thoughts. I agree with you that everyone, whether resident in Barbados or living in someone else’s country can be very important ambassadors for tourism.
Now remind us again what contribution have you made?
Ian,
I am sure all of us in tourism are happy to have the exposure for Barbados
from the programme and kudos to the BTA for putting it together. Contrary to other views, I did in fact say this on a Barbados Forum TripAdvisor posting, the same day it aired and carried the YouTube video on FaceBook.
YES! P&Q was at the top of the ‘Where to Stay’ section and we are very grateful for this. I immediately sent an email to the writer of the article to thank her.
Tourism is truly everybody’s business, as you know, and we ALL have to do our part. Currently there is nothing much else on the horizon to take us out of the current economic challenges.
@ Adrian Loveridge – I salute you sir. How you put up with the constant criticism is admirable – you must have been a duck in a previous life.
Remember the days when Hoteliers would tour the US with the Merrymen to promote tourism to the island. One of the last MD in the NY office was Markly Wilson because he had the ability to reach out to the travel Agency community to send their clients to BGI, Lost along the way has been the real mechanisim to promote a destination. Its time to revamp and the BTA needs to get to stepping.