Interview — Throughout this year, the communication agency EM Marketing & Communication has been conducting sales calls and training sessions about Antigua and Barbuda for significant operators and agencies in Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina. Month by month, more and more operators are joining in, offering the destination to their clients.
Among the upcoming novelties in the next months, there will be a relaunch of the AYBGurusRewards benefits program so that agents who have recently joined the EMCampusVirtual platform can also participate.
While EM Marketing & Communication has been developing communication strategies, press coverage, consulting, and representation for destinations and companies in the region for some time now, the team is working on different initiatives such as expanding to various Latin American countries in collaboration with the LatamPR agency network and engaging in joint projects across the region.
We had the opportunity to converse with Elsa Petersen, founder and CEO of EM Marketing & Communication, about the projects they are carrying out with the aim of supporting companies and destinations that are seeking growth.
How do you work alongside Antigua and Barbuda?
Elsa Petersen: Since 2019, we have been building a very solid relationship with the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. Before the pandemic, we took some actions in Argentina, and then, starting in 2021, we resumed our working agreement with them. The goal is to attract more Latin Americans to the destination each day. In terms of the tourism trade, our role is to promote and train travel agents, as well as provide operators with the means to market the destination. We are also responsible for communication with all Spanish-language media and publications, and we have organized a press FAM trip for influencers. Furthermore, we manage their Instagram in Spanish and Portuguese.
What actions are you undertaking with Antigua and Barbuda for the trade?
Elsa Petersen: Our objective is to enhance the visibility and positioning of the destination within the Latin American market. For instance, we provide training sessions about Antigua and Barbuda. The idea is to furnish them with all the necessary information so that they can create products and market Antigua and Barbuda in the region.
What is EM’s work like with agencies and operators?
Elsa Petersen: We have our own platform through which we conduct the training sessions. Through presentations, we provide promotional materials, photos, and videos. Additionally, during these training sessions, we introduce our Virtual Campus (EM Worldwide Communication at emcampusvirtual.com) so that they can become familiar with the platform, register, and become certified experts in the destination. This allows them to later access the rewards and incentives program we offer, AyBGurúsRewards.
Could you tell us about the rewards and incentives program?
Elsa Petersen: It’s a project that we have been working on in collaboration with Antigua and Barbuda to reward agents who market products of the destination. There are various proposals to choose from based on a points system.
This will be one of our relaunches during the upcoming month of November, alongside exclusive training sessions about Antigua and Barbuda for agents and tour operators in the region.
What are the next steps for EM?
Elsa Petersen: As an allied member of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), we support the Caribbean islands in various initiatives. We will be accompanying them in the different activities that will take place during the next edition of the International Tourism Fair of Buenos Aires (FIT).