Mr Strachan’s appointment is just one aspect of the overall strategy recently undertaken by The Islands Of The Bahamas to deepen market penetration throughout North America, most notably Canada.
“We are now keenly working on broadening our marketing focus in North America and in other regions around the world,” Vernice Walkine, director general of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism said. “In Paul, we have a wonderful combination of talent and energy that will work well to increase the already steady stream of visitors we are currently getting out of Canada.”
Mr Strachan, a veteran in the tourist industry, has worked with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for over 17 years. He most recently served as area manager for the South Eastern United States, working out of the main Bahamas Tourist Office in Plantation, Florida.
Before taking over the marketing efforts of The Islands Of The Bahamas in the southeast USA, Mr Strachan managed the marketing and promotional efforts for the islands in the mid-western United States. During this time, Mr Strachan played a role in negotiating with tour operators which substantially increased airlift and room nights from this region into The Islands Of The Bahamas.
In his almost two decades in the travel industry, Mr Strachan also played a key role in re-shaping the marketing initiatives of The Islands Of The Bahamas to take advantage of the mammoth changes in travel.
After a period of evaluation, Mr. Strachan plans to enlist the aid of tour operators, travel agents and online operators to develop an action plan that results in increased business to The Islands Of The Bahamas.
He is confident that he will be able to transplant a lot of the public relations and marketing initiatives that have worked so well in the United States to Canada and really build interest in the destinations that comprise The Islands Of The Bahamas. “The plan is to bring Canada to the level where it runs totally autonomous of the United States with its own advertising and marketing campaigns,” he said.
Born on Grand Bahama, the Bahamian island second only to the capital island of New Providence in population size, Mr Strachan is a certified travel consultant and a member of the Public Relations Society of America. He hails from Roosevelt University, where he obtained a M.Sc. degree in Marketing Communications and Georgia State University.
