Promoting Destinations With Free Trips and Even Cash Payments

American Airlines will resume flights to Grenada on Nov. 20, and the Grenada Board of Tourism is taking its show on the road to reach U.S. travel agencies, other airlines and the media. The new air service service is an added leg on existing flights from San Juan, Puerto Rico, offered by American Eagle, a regional affiliate of American.

The Grenadan road show isn’t just a flirtation with other airlines and cruise lines that might serve the island — it’s also an attempt to woo (cynics might say “bribe”) travel agents by offering them incentives such as “trips to Grenada, as well as other prizes.”  The tourism board did the same thing in the United Kingdom, in London, Glasgow and Manchester. Other tourism boards offer perks directly to the media — Phoenix, for instance, has hosted at least one San Francisco Giants night for travel writers.

Brazil just flies in agents and others in the travel industry for a week of kayaking, diving and four-wheeling to promote lesser-known beaches or regions. Britain is paying for 15 “international and influential bloggers” (hey, they didn’t invite me!) to “live like Bond” — and blog about it. I thought, “Wow, being shot at by spies on speedboats!” but really it’s just a flight, martini-making classes and lots of tours.

Using the media as a mouthpiece can be cost-effective for tourism boards. One company, Media Kitty, connects tourism and public-relations execs to journalists, offering quid pro quo all-expense-paid trips if the writers publish stories about their destination. (Frequent postings include venues in the Caribbean and Canada.)

Jamaica’s government has gone so far as to hand out cash directly to travel businesses. According to a recent report from the Jamaica Observer, the country could pay up to $4.5 million to American Airlines to maintain flights from Miami, Dallas and Chicago. Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett defended the initiative, saying  the flights are the “lifeblood of the tourism industry.” He also countered that the $4.5 million figure is nothing compared to the end result: $96 million in tourism greenbacks.