Comments on: Sunshine guaranteed – or your money back http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/sunshine-guaranteed-or-your-money-back/ travel culture worldwide Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:58:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eva http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/sunshine-guaranteed-or-your-money-back/#comment-69804 Eva Mon, 11 May 2009 18:30:28 +0000 http://matadorpulse.com/?p=586#comment-69804 Rebecca, I appreciate your point more broadly, but I don't really consider the Barbados Tourism Authority one of "the big guys." As Caribbean islands go, Barbados has done a pretty good job of balancing the desires of tourists and the needs/rights of locals. There are *no* private beaches, and plenty of small-scale, locally-owned restaurants and hotels. Are they cheap? Not compared to the Dominican Republic's dirt-cheap mega-resorts. But the people here are a lot better off than your average Dominican, thanks in part to the management of a somewhat high-end, partially localized tourism industry. Rebecca, I appreciate your point more broadly, but I don’t really consider the Barbados Tourism Authority one of “the big guys.” As Caribbean islands go, Barbados has done a pretty good job of balancing the desires of tourists and the needs/rights of locals. There are *no* private beaches, and plenty of small-scale, locally-owned restaurants and hotels.

Are they cheap? Not compared to the Dominican Republic’s dirt-cheap mega-resorts. But the people here are a lot better off than your average Dominican, thanks in part to the management of a somewhat high-end, partially localized tourism industry.

]]> By: Charlie http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/sunshine-guaranteed-or-your-money-back/#comment-69820 Charlie Mon, 11 May 2009 16:14:38 +0000 http://matadorpulse.com/?p=586#comment-69820 I think it's a really neat marketing idea...people go to the Caribbean for the sunshine and this way Barbados is guaranteeing that if customers spend the money, they get compensated if the weather doesn't cooperate. the company that Barbados hired to take on all the risk of having to pay out refunds is Weather Bill....www.weatherbill.com. They did the Sunshine Guarantee program with Priceline.com last year. I think it’s a really neat marketing idea…people go to the Caribbean for the sunshine and this way Barbados is guaranteeing that if customers spend the money, they get compensated if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

the company that Barbados hired to take on all the risk of having to pay out refunds is Weather Bill….www.weatherbill.com. They did the Sunshine Guarantee program with Priceline.com last year.

]]> By: Caitlin http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/sunshine-guaranteed-or-your-money-back/#comment-69818 Caitlin Sun, 10 May 2009 22:15:23 +0000 http://matadorpulse.com/?p=586#comment-69818 Wow, that's hysterical? I think it's a great marketing idea. Not sure if it will backfire, though. Wow, that’s hysterical? I think it’s a great marketing idea. Not sure if it will backfire, though.

]]> By: Eva http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/sunshine-guaranteed-or-your-money-back/#comment-69815 Eva Sun, 10 May 2009 21:08:35 +0000 http://matadorpulse.com/?p=586#comment-69815 Ha, sadly not, Tim. Bequia is one of the Grenadines, of "Saint Vincent and the" fame. (Glad to see that little island has stayed with you though! I'm hoping to head back there next week...) Ha, sadly not, Tim. Bequia is one of the Grenadines, of “Saint Vincent and the” fame. (Glad to see that little island has stayed with you though! I’m hoping to head back there next week…)

]]> By: Tim Patterson http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/sunshine-guaranteed-or-your-money-back/#comment-69814 Tim Patterson Sun, 10 May 2009 17:53:13 +0000 http://matadorpulse.com/?p=586#comment-69814 Damn, that's a gamble! Forgive my ignorance, but is Bequia part of Barbados and included in this deal? Damn, that’s a gamble! Forgive my ignorance, but is Bequia part of Barbados and included in this deal?

]]> By: Rebecca Stecky http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/sunshine-guaranteed-or-your-money-back/#comment-69803 Rebecca Stecky Sun, 10 May 2009 04:26:16 +0000 http://matadorpulse.com/?p=586#comment-69803 Or perhaps making travel a little less expensive and commercialized will encourage more people to travel during these times. But then again, that wouldn't make the big guys any money, now would it? Or perhaps making travel a little less expensive and commercialized will encourage more people to travel during these times. But then again, that wouldn’t make the big guys any money, now would it?

]]> By: Hal http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/sunshine-guaranteed-or-your-money-back/#comment-69802 Hal Sat, 09 May 2009 22:22:30 +0000 http://matadorpulse.com/?p=586#comment-69802 Wow, yeah, that might sway my decision were I considering a Caribbean vacation. Wow, yeah, that might sway my decision were I considering a Caribbean vacation.

]]> By: Colin Wright http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/sunshine-guaranteed-or-your-money-back/#comment-69801 Colin Wright Sat, 09 May 2009 18:51:12 +0000 http://matadorpulse.com/?p=586#comment-69801 It's a very clever marketing gimmick, and I'm sure the press that it will get them alone with pay back the money they'll have to pay out eventually. It’s a very clever marketing gimmick, and I’m sure the press that it will get them alone with pay back the money they’ll have to pay out eventually.

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