 Entre Nous is the monthly newsletter from the Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB), Netherlands Antilles. In this newsletter you will find the accomplishments of TCB in Bonaire, North America, South America and Europe as well as the newest developments within the tourism industry. We hope that you will read it with pleasure and if you have something that you think is relevant for the tourism sector to know just fax it to 717-8408 or e-mail to: info@tourismbonaire.com.
We welcomed approximately 150 participants, among them many international. We welcomed more than 15 press from US, South America and the Caribbean. Congrats to Aqua Speed and team of volunteers for another well planned event. New Branding for Bonaire progressing positively The new and fresh Bonaire Branding is scheduled to be launched September 2007. This lengthy process started last year and is entering its final stages. In connection with this our TCB team together with Mrs. Suzi Swygert had 3 hectic but fun days of photo shoots recently. Many well-known faces will be launched with our new branding. Thank you to the 20+ people who have contributed and have accepted to be part of our new branding.
TCB wants to thank the private sector for their valuable contribution These are the press visit months, as many of you might have noticed. TCB’s hands are full with the numerous visits to our island. However, we cannot do it alone and would like to thank all of you who time and time again support our initiatives and such visits to the island. Without your support, we just couldn’t do it. Another Taste of Bonaire– Sunday, August 5th, and September 9th subsequently! After busy Taste of Bonaire in Wilhelmina Park on June 8th, July 8th and August 5th, TCB will be hosting its last Taste of Bonaire for the summer on September 9th 2007. It is a pleasure to see more and more of our visitors attending the event. Our primary goal is after all, to give them a Taste of Bonaire! There no better way to welcome our visitors to the island. For our office it has proven to be a great opportunity to interact with our visitors and help them on the spot in any way we can. We thank all those that participated at the events and made it possible; restaurants, vendors of arts and crafts, music bands etc. The next and last Taste of Bonaire, as part of the Dive Into Summer activities, will take place on September 9th 2007. Restaurants that would like to offer a taste to our visitors and locals as well, can arrange to have a booth or table. Please contact Mrs. Helen Thode at 717-8322 / secretary@tourismbonaire.com. Of course we invite you to visit the park on September 9 between 6pm and 9pm for good food, music and great ambience. One more to go, do not miss it! Tiara Air flying to Bonaire six times a week. Tiara Air inaugurated its non-stop flights between Aruba and Bonaire on July 20th. Certainly a great addition to Bonaire. The airline flies on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, with a morning rotation on all days (9:45am Aua-Bon / 11am Bon-Aua) and an evening rotation on the Fridays and Sundays (7:00pm Aua-Bon / 8:15pm Bon-Aua). Wounded Warriors in Bonaire in August. Again this year, warriors who were severely wounded in Iraq and /or Afghanistan, are traveling to Bonaire for their final open water dives. For the first time this year, two of the warriors are bringing their children to complete their certifications. Much has been written about the impact on the family of soldiers returning from combat as an amputee. By certifying their spouses and children Bonaire is providing a healing for the family in giving them a sport in which they can all participate together for the rest of their lives. I would like to thank all those contributing to this amazing project. Once again, Bonaire is making their stay a special one. A larger delegation will be accompanying the warriors this time, including family members and DEMA reps. See US coverage in this month’s Entre Nous for more information. TCB’s Marketing Meeting: September 19-21 2007. Formal notification to follow this month. For more info contact me at gm@tourismbonaire.com To check out new Bonaire Ambassadors. please visit: www.bonaireambassador.com
TCB launches new viral: Fish or Miss
To support the publicity of the viral game Fish or Miss, a post mailing was developed. This mailing was sent to all arrivals on Bonaire. In this card TCB invites them to play the game and offers them the opportunity to visit the island again. The main prize is a trip to Bonaire for two. The winners will stay a week in Port Bonaire. But there are a lot more prizes that can be won. For example a dive swatch, a dive mask, books, a diver’s guide and a subscription on “Duiken Magazine”. TCB would like to thank all the people or companies that offered us the prizes.
From July 21-27 The Hague was the scenery of the Koninkrijkspelen 2007 (Kingdomgames). This sporting event is for the youth between the ages of 12 and 17 years old. The contestants come from Holland, the Dutch Antilles and Aruba. They competed in seven sports: baseball, bowling, judo, softball, tennis, soccer and swimming. It turned out to be a great success for the Dutch Antilles: they won 36 Golden, 18 Silver and 28 Bronze medals. Bonaire sent four judo players to The Hague.
Last week 2 team members of TCB Europe went to Bonaire for a few days for the photo shoot of image builders. These famous Bonaireans will star on the new TCB-website and in the Branding. Thanks goes out to everybody participating in this project, all the image builders, Plaza for using their facilities and to Susan Lee Swygert for here terrific job on the photographing. Taste of Bonaire event in September At this moment TCB Europe is busy with the preparations of the Taste of Bonaire event, which will take place at the end of September in Haarlem. This event will be the perfect moment for us to inform all our precious relations about our running projects and marketing activities.
Bonaire's Past Visitors & Enquirers in the NE Cooridor Get a Postcard This month 20,000 past Bonaire visitors and enquirers received a postcard encouraging them to take advantage of Continental's non-stop service to Bonaire from Newark Liberty International Airport, conveniently located in New Jersey, central to those traveling from Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware. The timing of the flight also makes it easy to connect from most cities around the country. Bonaire Site Now Live on Caribbean Travel & Life Website The North American market's first online advertising buy came to fruition on July 1, when Caribbean Travel & Life launched a micro-site on their website dedicated entirely to Bonaire and the Guided Snorkel Program. Guided Snorkel Program Operators and accommodation providers island-wide were invited to submit information to appear on the site, which also features a contest with a grand prize of a trip for two to Bonaire. Visit the site for yourself online now at www.caribbeantravelmag.com/BGSP. DEMA Executive Director Tom Ingram to Visit Bonaire With more than 30 years experience working in diving education and marketing, Tom Ingram is one of the USA's premier authorities within the diving industry. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA), a position he assumed in September 2002. In his role as Executive Director, Ingram manages all business components for the association including finances, marketing and promotions programs, member and environmental relations, legal advocacy, trade show management, and implementing the goals and objectives of the DEMA Board of Directors. Ingram's vision plays a pivotal role in the organization as he works to revitalize the diving industry by developing marketing programs that promote the recreational diving industry, retain current divers, create new customers and drive new customers to destinations and retailers. Tom Ingram, will be in Bonaire August 12-19 while the Wounded Warriors are on Island to get their dive certification. While on-island, Tom is also looking forward to meeting and scuba diving with stakeholders, Scuba Tour sponsors, STINAPA and others. This will be Tom's very first visit to Bonaire and he has expressed his excitement in finally getting the opportunity to dive the destination that he has heard so much about.DEMA's Scott Taylor Launching Program with Warriors in Bonaire Scott Taylor, certified handicapped scuba instructor and military veteran, has volunteered to accompany the Wounded Warriors to Bonaire to oversee their final open water certification dive. DEMA has charged and is funding him with the creation of an industry-wide inclusive program to tie together all dive industry efforts to help mainstream scuba diving for people with disabilities, and Scott is proud to be launching this effort while in Bonaire, where diving conditions couldn't be more perfect to accommodate those with disabilities.
As part of the ongoing press release program, Adams Unlimited researches, writes and prepares a steady stream of releases for mailings to the media for applicable editorial coverage based on editorial calendars and the need to disseminate timely news. In July two press releases were written and distributed to the media. The first release announced Tiara Air's new six weekly non-stop flights from Aruba to Bonaire. The second press release featured bicycling in Bonaire and announced the first mountain bike race sponsored by Bonaire Wellness Connexions. We confirmed the press trip of Michael DeFreitas, a freelance travel writer/photographer to visit Bonaire on a one-on-one press trip September 23-30. Mr. Defreitas is on assignment for Diver Magazine (circulation 25,000), and will be gathering information and taking pictures for other upcoming articles. We confirmed the press trip of Mr. Eric Lucas, a freelance travel writer to visit Bonaire on a one-on-one press trip October 17-23. Mr. Lucas is on assignment for Texas Journey Magazine (circulation 718,000) and New Mexico Journey (circulation 102,000), and will be gathering information for other possible articles.
New York Daily News (circulation 795,153) Hispanic Enterprise Magazine (circulation 125,000) Bonaire was the featured destination in the June/July 2007 issue of Hispanic Enterprise Magazine! The story was published as a result of Elena del Valle’s recent press trip to Bonaire that Adams Unlimited secured. The two-page spread article features Bonaire’s pristine diving, the Bonaire Marine Park, Washington-Slagbaai National Park and Harbour Village Beach Club, where Elena participated in a site inspection while on-island. Hispanic Enterprise Magazine has a circulation of 125,000 affluent Hispanic-Americans in Miami, New York and Los Angeles and a total readership of 500,000 per issue! To view the article in its entirety, please visit http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/et/he0607/ and scroll to page 22-23 (or BizLife in the contents).
Airlift news... Tiara now has direct flights between Aruba and Bonaire
Small properties hosting Venezuelan press fam From July 16th to the 19th, TCB, in cooperation with Dutch Antilles Express and a group of small properties, hosted important journalists from the newspapers El Nacional, El Universal, Notitarde, El Carabobeño, Daily Journal and the tourism magazines Gam and Gaceta Aérea. A program well designed by TCB focused on the following small boutique properties: Golden Reef, Bonaire Ocean Front, Rochaline, Caribbean Club, Eden Beach, Coco Palm and Happy Holiday Homes. Next October 04th to the 09th, we will have a new opportunity to meet with the Brazilian diving schools again. All the properties interested to be part of the Delegation, please contact Bonhata, BHG or Yasmin at southamerica@tourismbonaire.com Brazil We keep training the tour operator’s sales force, familiarizing them with Bonaire. In July TCB offered seminars for AllWays Tours, one of the strongest operators in Venezuela. Also for the first time, the seminars where held for Arkansan Travel and Adventure. Akanan is specialized in outdoor activities; they are very interested to promote Bonaire as its international eco adventure destination. (Click on the image to enlarge; opens in new window)
Turismomaso.com / Volando.com The information of the competition has been sent to the different markets in South America, especially Venezuela where the full color flyers are exhibited in the different windsurfer centers located in Playa El Yaque, Margarita Island. 40th Bonaire International Sailing Regatta The event continues to be promoted by TCB among the sailing associations. Flyers are being exbited in Clubs on the beaches in the states Vargas, Anzoategui, Falcón, Vargas, Maracaibo. Let's hope this year, to have again sailors and windsurfers from different regions of Venezuela participating in the Regatta. With the Venezuelan summer vacation July, August, and September, tour operators have started ad campaigns in media press promoting Bonaire as one of their Caribbean destinations. Turaser and Allways placed ad campaigns in the tourism section on the Sunday newspapers El Nacional and El Universal. Corporación Salta with full color flyers, inserted in the newspapers. Escala advertising in Estampas magazine distributed Sundays in El Universal. The four tour operators also advertise Bonaire in their websites and in Gam and Gaceta, tourism magazines directed to travel agencies. Main properties promoved: Plaza Resort, Divi Flamingo, Harbour Village. Ecuador Brazil Venezuela Colombia
The Aruban Airline TIARA AIR has launched NONSTOP service between Aruba and Bonaire On Jul 20th 2007, the Aruban AirlineTIARA AIR has launched NONSTOP service between Aruba and Bonaire. Following is the schedule with a Shorts 360, 33 seater equipment : Fr - Su Airfare : Promotional US$ 182,00 Round Trip. These flights will connect with most of the US Carriers operating in Aruba. Tiara Air : www.tiara-air.com or sales@tiara-air.com Third Quarterly Bonaire Clean Up Dive of 2007 Proves to Be One of the Most Popular with Tourists and Residents Alike
An unusual component of this group is that nearly half was made up of visiting tourists, which is a much higher percentage than normal. The visitors melded with the “locals” into one great group, which then split into two groups to scour the underwater terrain and shoreline going either north or south of the Yellow Submarine facility. In a comprehensive briefing by Susan Davis of NetTech, the divers were informed of the requirements of the Bonaire National Marine Park in that no gloves are allowed during cleanups. Additionally, they were advised to act as their own police—not to get too caught up in bringing up every piece of trash from the bottom—if the trash had become colonized by corals, hydroids, or other organisms, the cleaners were expected to leave the trash in place. Only new trash without any sort of marine encrustation or animal inhabitation was to be fully checked, and only then brought to the surface. Shore duty and Critter Control was ably handled by Bonaire’s own REEF expert, Linda Ridley, who demonstrated to others working shore support how to responsibly check the trash once it had been brought up: The trash had to be immediately checked to be sure no marine animals had been inadvertently included, and in which case when animals were found, they were immediately returned to the ocean. Another important factor of shore duty is to sort the trash, count it, and then dispose of it all in a safe manner. Although it had been only six months since this area was last cleaned, it did yield a surprising amount of new trash which could be removed. Some of this trash included bags, bottles, rope, fishing net, strapping bands, cups, fast-food containers and other packaging pieces, over 70 pieces of glass, including some fiberglass, nearly 80 metal pieces, 16 pieces of rubber, and 33 pieces of paper and paper products. Some of the more unusual trash included four batteries, a pair of sunglasses, 3 cans of paint, and 35 pieces of clothing! Images from this cleanup are available online at the Bonaire Insider Photo Gallery at http://www.bonaireinsider.com/index.php/gallery_bonaire/category/C33/. The next cleanup dive organized by Dive Friends Bonaire and NetTech will take place on Saturday, September 15,and will be conducted in coordination with World Cleanup Day and Bonaire’s Love Our Planet Week. Members from CORAL and the North American office of the Tourist Board will be on-hand to add their assistance. All those on Bonaire at that time are welcome to join in. Meet at Dive Friend’s Yellow Submarine facility at 1:00 PM.
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Another Pro Kids World Freestyle Competition held August 1st – August 5th!! 
TCB has launched a new viral game. The game’s called Fish or Miss. These viral games are used to increase our e-mail databases. TCB uses these addresses to approach the target group via e-mail marketing. The great prizes that can be won – a trip to Bonaire for example – make it very appealing to play. This new game also gives the player an impression of the Bonairean underwater world. Before starting the game short movies show the sea life of different dive spots. Spots that are used in this game are for example: 1000 Steps, Alice in Wonderland and Salt Pier. You’ll find the Dutch version at 
TCB has developed an e-card action. An e-card is an electronic card that can be sent to family and friends by e-mail. To make these special cards we are in need of some good photo material. And to collect this material we will ask people who visited Bonaire to send us their most beautiful Bonaire shots. A special website is created to achieve this goal: you’ll find it at 
July's issue of Bonaire EZ News was distributed to our database of consumers and travel agents on the 20th of the month. The issue featured new island information including the wind/bio-diesel energy program, the new decompression chamber, STINAPA's new website, new WebCams and information about Captain Don's 45th anniversary of his arrival on Bonaire.
Shape (circulation 1,500,000) »
Last July 20th; the Arabian airline started flying six times a week to Bonaire with a promotional rate of USD 91.00 each way. This new air service will help tourists arriving to Bonaire via Aruba from the South American markets as well as many US and European Gateways
Ocean Drive magazine »
On Saturday, July 14, 2007, an enthusiastic group of 46 persons consisting of divers, snorkelers, and shore support met at the Dive Friends Bonaire Yellow Submarine location to clean the house-reef.