Tobago Tourism Division launches Selfies 101 project to 'enhance visitor experience'

The THA Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation has launched an initiative designed to enhance the visitor experience and promote Tobago as a first-rate tourism destination.

In a release on November 1, the division said the initiative, the 101 Selfie Spots project, seeks to promote, in its first phase, ten vibrant, Instagram-worthy installations, each celebrating the unique culture, history and natural beauty of Tobago.

The division partnered with the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd and Coca-Cola Caribbean Bottlers Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (CBTTL) on the project. Visitors will get the opportunity to create memorable photo opportunities, showcasing the charm and spirit of the island.

Tourism Secretary Tashia Burris spoke about the initiative during a news conference on October 28.

On that occasion, she said the first phase was rolled out just in time for the October carnival at several popular attractions, including Fort King George, Pigeon Point, Fort Campbleton, Castara and other areas.

She added, “It is our hope that by the time we roll out all 101 spots that we could have a number of partners coming on board from the business community to sponsor these spots.

“The idea is that we want people, when they visit the attractions, to take pictures at these specific installations and you can scan the code that will take you straight to the visit Tobago page as well as to a special page that was set up by Coca Cola that features a filter about the destination.

“So the idea was to really drive tourist traffic to these attractions and to add some value added to our international visitors, in particular, our cruise ship passengers, who utilise technology in a number of ways.”

Burris said the division wants to make Tobago "Instagrammable."

“So part of our marketing is not just paying for marketing. We feel that if we have more people taking pictures and posting these pictures and hashtagging the destination, that certainly will help us in terms of our social media reach and expand our channels to market directly to the persons who can and have fallen in love with destination Tobago.”

She said a commissioning ceremony with representatives of Coca-Cola will take place soon.

In its November 1 release, the division quoted Maritza Ballack, Coca-Cola’s senior manager, as saying, “We are happy to partner with the Division of Culture, Antiquities and Transportation and TTAL, as we strive to encourage visitors to capture and share their experiences at each site, with the ultimate goal of attracting new visitors to the island. While this is only phase one, we are looking forward to increasing locations in Tobago.”

The division said the project encourages visitors to scan the barcode on each sign and post with the tag @visittobago and hashtag #tobago selfie spot on social media when sharing their selfies.

This, it said, allows them to create a vibrant online community, celebrating the beauty of the destination.

“Each selfie spot will feature interactive elements and unique designs in the shape of a location pin, making it easy for visitors to capture the perfect snapshot to share with friends and family.”

The project was conceptualised in 2022.