Major US Magazines and Caribbean Tourism Development Company Partner to Increase Travel Awareness
NEW YORK – Conde Nast’s Brides, Modern Bride, Brides.com and the Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC) established an exclusive partnership, called “Passport to the Caribbean,” to educate engaged and newlywed couples on the changing bridal market and new travel restrictions to the Caribbean.
Several programs stem from the partnership, including ongoing promotions of a special 16 page advertising section of Caribbean weddings and honeymoons within Brides, Modern Bride and Brides.com.
Other program elements include a micro site on Brides.com/passport and online program on Brides.com to highlight information on Caribbean destination weddings, passport and marriage requirements and sweepstake contests; the site will be live until June 15th. “Passport to the Caribbean” includes two events to take place within this timeframe.
The first is the “Capital Wedding” contest which will run during “Caribbean Week” and will be held in Washington, DC, rather than in New York City where it usually takes place; this change in location is because the Caribbean Ministers of Tourism felt that the passport issue needed to be addressed by politicians.
A contest on the “Passport to the Caribbean” microsite will determine a bride and groom who will win a wedding held in DC and a honeymoon to the Caribbean.
The “Sparkle in the Sand Engagement Contest” will take place in the summer months during a Caribbean Tourism Organization hosted “Caribbean Beach Fun Volleyball Tournament.” Couples can enter on the Brides.com microsite for the chance to get engaged at the beach and win a romantic trip to a Caribbean destination.
Brides Publisher Katherine Rizzuto,said,
“Destination weddings and honeymoons generate $5.4 billion in annual revenue for the Caribbean. 40% of American couples plan their travels to the area for their wedding and 33% of couples honeymoon in the region, making it the world’s most popular choice for wedding travel destination.”
Additional Stats on Destination Weddings according to the Conde Nast’s “American Wedding Study” 2006:
— 16% of couples have a destination wedding which is a 400% increase in the last 10 years
— average number of guests for destination wedding is 47 vs. avg # of 165 for a non-destination wedding
— 25% of destination wedding couples honeymoon in the same location they were married
