Brandenton area CVB re-launches to the UK market and trade in 2010
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Bradenton Area CVB, also referred to as Florida’s Gulf Islands, has transformed into ‘Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key’, through a new UK branding campaign to the trade and a new UK microsite launching in February 2010. With an increase in investment in the UK market and a new US website, www.annamariaisland-longboatkey.com, the UK trade presence of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key is set to grow.Jessica Grace, marketing director for Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key CVB, says: “our problem has never been demand, it’s always been supply but now that we’ve freed this up, we are able to deal with wholesalers particularly on our private homes. The UK is such an important market for us and with recent figures showing that at certain times of the year the international market makes up 70% of the area’s visitors making it our biggest international market, we felt now was the time to increase our UK presence through trade, marketing and online opportunities.”Brand New UK Microsite: Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key will launch the only UK microsite for Florida next year, due to go live in February 2010. The microsite will allow smaller properties in the area to be booked by UK customers and will have a dedicated ‘Agent Area’ for UK travel agents offering training and competitions.New Brand and Logo: The new branding highlights the two areas, Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, emphasising the popularity of these islands and further increasing the online awareness of the destination through search engines and an improvement in site traffic.New Homes: In the past it has been difficult for the CVB to sell its bedstock to UK travel agents and tour operators but now the CVB has encouraged the big management property companies to make these available to the UK travel trade. Private homes are a growing market and the area boasts a wide variety of well-designed luxury, beachside homes.The area is made up of Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, mainland Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch and is situated on the west coast of Florida, just a 45 minute drive from Tampa airport. The area has beautiful, white sand beaches, wildlife and a string of unspoilt natural islands, comprising what many refer to as ‘hidden Florida’.For further information on Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key visit www.annamariaisland-longboatkey.com or call 0870 033 1502.
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