25 STATIONS BROADCAST LIVE FROM SANDALS DUNN’S RIVER
OVER a million Canadians listened to their favourite disc jockeys rave about Jamaica’s and Sandals’ tourism product recently, as 25 top Canadian radio stations broadcast live from Sandals Dunn’s River, St Ann, during the “Bounce on the Beach” promotion.
“Bounce on the Beach” is a six-week, national on-air/online promotion across 25 BOUNCE radio stations in Canada – British Columbia to Nova Scotia – and included a full week of live broadcasts from Sandals Dunn’s River to kick off the contest.
The promotions were supported by 6 weeks of television promotional spots on the CTV Television Network across Canada.
The radio remotes were part of Sandals Resorts’ efforts to promote Jamaica’s tourism, particularly in the Canadian market which has experienced tremendous growth over the past few years.
(Sandals Dunn’s River general manager Deryk Meany being interviewed live on radio by host Yukon from The Bear 100.3 from Edmonton, Alberta during the Canadian Bounce radio remote from the resort recently).
A Sandals release said, according to a number of the radio disc jockeys, “Canadian listeners started responding immediately by booking their next vacations at Sandals and Jamaica”.
Deryk Meany, general manager of Sandals Dunn’s River, the host property for “Bounce on the Beach”, used the opportunity of being on live radio to extol not just Sandals, but Jamaica as the perfect vacation destination.
He cited the increase in the number of Canadians vacationing at Sandals and the importance of the Canadian market. “Right now we’re looking at a reach of about a million in ‘radio land’,” said Meany, “but when you also consider the online presence for each station as well as the tweets, shares, posts and snaps of these radio hosts and the lucky prize winners who got to experience Jamaica during the month of January, social media impressions potentially double that reach, as such the benefits that this partnership brings to the island’s tourism is extensive.”
The radio hosts, along with family and friends, were taken on tours of various off-site attractions throughout Jamaica for a taste of the local culture and Jamaican hospitality.
Matthew Hayes, popular morning co-host of Bounce 102.9, Hamilton, Ontario, gushed about the experience of broadcasting live from Sandals and Jamaica.
(Radio host Beau from BOUNCE 99.9 radio from Winnipeg, Manitoba, enjoying an on–air massage from spa therapists at Sandals Dunn’s River while interviewing Red Lane Spa manager Nicola Llewellyn during a radio remote at Sandals Dunn’s River recently.)
“We have been a part of these radio remotes for many years but first time from Sandals Dunn’s River. It’s a great experience and we had a wonderful time. The reception back home has been tremendous and the feedback excellent,” he noted.
Guests on the radio programmes included Marigold Frontuna, Air Canada Vacations’ general manager sales for Western Canada, who said her company was delighted to partner with Sandals on such an important project.
Maureen Barnes-Smith, vice president, sales and marketing, Unique Vacations Canada, spoke of Sandals’ commitment to the Canadian market and that “Bounce on the Beach” was another such promotional campaign coming hot on the heels of last year’s Canadian Winter Sizzle live broadcasts.
January through March and December are the peak months for visitor arrivals from Canada, Sandals said. This coincides with the cold winter climate experienced in Canada during this period.
