MORE than one million Canadians listened to their favourite disc jockeys rave about Jamaica’s and Sandals’ tourism product recently as 25 top Canadian radio stations broadcast from Sandals Dunn’s River, Drax Hall, Jamaica, 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 six weeks of television promotional spots on the
CTV Television Network across Canada.

The radio remotes were part of efforts by Sandals Resorts to promote Jamaica’s tourism, particularly in the Canadian market which has experienced tremendous growth over the past few years.

According to a number of the radio disc jockeys, Canadian listeners started responding immediately by booking their next vacations at Sandals and Jamaica.

“My husband and I have been listening to your show all week. We decided that we can’t take the snow and cold any longer so we booked two weeks at Sandals Dunn’s River at the end of January,” read one email sent to one of the stations by a listener.

Deryk Meany, general manager of Sandals Dunn’s River — 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 — social media impressions potentially double that reach, [and] as such the benefits that this partnership brings to the island’s tourism is extensive,” added Meany.

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.

“We have been a part of these radio remotes for many years but [it’s the] 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,” said Hayes.

“We love Jamaica, and it’s a pleasure sharing our experiences with our listeners back home,” added Hayes.

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.

She cited Air Canada Vacation’s commitment to the Jamaican market and praised the efforts to showcase Jamaica to the Canadian market.

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.

December and January through March are the peak months for visitor arrivals from Canada. This coincides with the cold winter climate experienced in the country during this period.

During the week-long radio remote more than 100 interviews were conducted with a cadre of Sandals Dunn’s River managers and executiveswho spoke to the luxury-included offerings, innovativeness, and founding principles that have allowed the Sandals brand to stand the test of time.

Also interviewed were representatives of Island Routes who spoke about the bucket list experiences in Jamaica, including the Island Routes Catamaran Cruises which the radio hosts and their guests had an opportunity to enjoy during their visit.

Patrice Gilpin, public relations manager for Sandals Foundation, spoke about the resort chain’s commitment to environmental protection and community engagement. Sandals Foundation volunteers also took the radio hosts to Ocho Rios Primary school where they engaged in a reading road trip by reading stories to the young students.

Other standouts included the five-star, global, gourmet dining offerings, many of which were sampled by the hosts during live displays and on-air interviews. They were also intrigued by the culture, the beauty of the island, and of course the undeniable warmth of the Jamaican people.