Barbados is still very much in demand by tourists looking for idyllic Caribbean getaways, especially so over the next two months. With a massive influx of visitors expected in the island to watch one of the biggest cricket spectacles that the world has ever seen, it is the island’s job to be just as diligent about the online representation of Barbados as it is about the physical infrastructure of the country.
Tourists will want to come armed with tremendous knowledge of the island, its culture and everything there is to do. Since their aim will be to travel the length and breadth of the island unhindered they will prepare extensively prior to arrival.
As displayed on the popular search engine Google it is estimated that as many as 90 million websites are available for those looking for information on the keyword “Barbados”. Brett Callaghan, Managing Director of Totally Barbados, has noticed a substantial increase of visitors to his site since January. Favorite pages for online browsers include accommodations, car rentals, sightseeing (particularly use of the interactive map), attractions, things to do and the events calendar. Their 840 pages of a wealth of information make it easy for visitors to discover and experience all aspects of Barbados.
In an effort to better cater to the needs of this audience, Mr. Callaghan has utilized strategic search engine optimization skills firstly, to be better recognized by the various search engines. Secondly, this ensures that visitors can easily locate their desired information in a quick effective manner. To cater to the large arrival of tourists Totally Barbados has included pages on education, business, restaurants, beaches, and photo galleries to name a few.
Although it is evident that the upsurge of website visitors may be attributed to those coming for the cricket festivities, it is interesting to note that locals also make up a large portion of daily traffic as well. Mr. Callaghan has identified that as many as 12.76{5ee11404e957289b2d225099b4f7d52b5549ec41b8e6ad1d623dc3506be9751a} of visitors to his website are actually locals.
People are interested in events, particularly over the next 2 months. With approximately 200 events scheduled in Barbados for March and April, locals and visitors alike will appreciate an informative events calendar showcasing all there is to do across the island. TotallyBarbados.com has sought it fit to meet this need by facilitating the free addition of events by organizers.
Businesses must be cognizant that in trying to highlight Barbados as a high end cricket destination, that they do not neglect to promote the island in its entirety. Mr. Callaghan wants to ensure that he remains committed to portraying everything that Barbados has to offer and as such, TotallyBarbados.com has made this its primary focus.
In an effort to enlighten major players of the tourism industry about internet trends, Mr. Callaghan will be making a presentation to the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association on Wednesday, March 14th, 2007 identifying the habits of those researching information about Barbados. Not only will he identify what has made Totally Barbados successful in its venture to promote Barbados but he will offer companies solutions to enhance their online visibility.
