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Marty Offline OP
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Destination Belize Magazine Gets Homegrown Makeover In Its 16th Year

Destination Belize is the flagship magazine for Belize's tourist industry. It's what guests find in their hotel rooms and it's what Belize's tourism promoters and vendors hand out at travel agencies and trade shows worldwide, basically to say: "This is Belize." But this year, there's a change. The 2011 edition was a home grown effort. Since it was launched 15 years ago, the magazine has been published by Ulrich Communications, a US based company. But this year, the BTIA wanted a fresh feel and approach so they brought in Idea Lab studios to give them that fresh look and feel with an international flair.

They seem to have delivered and the final product was launched today the Radisson. Publisher Damien Solano told us what's inside:...

Damien Solano, publisher
"It's a very large piece editorially visually now with extension with the new media like the iPad, CD-ROM, the website. It actually expands the reach of that content which this year as you saw in the presentation. We are very proud of the people that we have contributing in terms of writers and the stories that we have chosen hopefully to convince people that Belize is a top destination and encourage them to plan their vacation here."

"We wanted people to share their experiences in Belize and bring that vivid travel writing to potential visitors and you will note in the stories that it is story telling about travel. It's not about describing what we have in Belize and the basic information that you would find in an encyclopedia. It's actually very vivid documentation of people's experiences which are very rewarding reading we hope."

"This year the BTIA decided that they wanted to do it within Belize - to have more control over a lot the aspects that come together when putting together a magazine and we were glad to be selected and I think the BTIA is pleased with what we have produced. I think that one of the concerns from BTIA was that the content over those 15 years became stagnant. The visuals were not compelling enough, so I think that's the biggest improvement. You will not see a photograph in this publication that has been used before, it's all new imagery. The new media concepts like the website, the iPad access and all of the other interactive media are huge improvement as well as the editorial that we discuss before. It's not just you typical blurb about the destinations. It's about experiences and very engaging stories that are told."

"When you have people that have passion for what they do and love for this country. This is the result that you get. We have people like myself who love photography and technology and this kind of creative process. You have an excellent graphic designer putting her love into this project. You have the people like Janelle who have a passion for words and stories. So it all comes together, it's really a good collaboration."

A total of sixty thousand copies of the magazine will be distributed locally and internationally worldwide. The cost of printing and publication is underwritten by the BTIA with substantial sponsor support and the magazine is distributed free at hotels, tradeshows, and Belize's embassies worldwide.

This year it is also available in a number of digital formats - and yes, there's an app for it.

Channel 7


Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Destination Belize to take nation to tourists

The 2012 edition of Destination Belize was unveiled today. It features Belize as the home of the great Maya civilization and the second largest barrier reef in the world. The Belize Tourism Industry Association publishes the annual and free official visitor's magazine to increase Belize's viability as a top destination. Published by Idea Lab Studios, this year the magazine is part of an integrated marketing approach and has a digital component. News Five's Andrea Polanco reports.

Andrea Polanco, Reporting

Destination Belize, the sixteenth edition was unveiled today. The 2012 edition is colorful and replete with countless tales of Belize and its people. With major enhancing modifications from publisher to content, this year the publication celebrates a number of 'firsts'.

Jim Scott

Jim Scott, President, BTIA

"You'll see the magazine today and you'll see some of the brilliant changes within the structure of the magazine. Probably the most notable, Destination Belize was made in Belize by Belizeans for the first time in its history. What's also very, very unique is the fact that there are also twenty contributing writers. In the past the publishers pretty much use a couple in-house writers to spin the stories of our destinations and the special sites, the uniqueness of Belize. So with twenty contributing writers, some of which are right here from Belize and some internationally acclaimed writers or specialists in their field. So look to those stories to capture the discerning taste of readers a little bit more in some of the stories that are spun within there."

The publisher, Idea Lab Studios, has transformed the approach of this primary marketing tool of Belize. The integrated marketing approach extends beyond the print media, with a focus on digital media:

Demian Solano

Demian Solano, Publisher, Destination Belize

"There is a web portal component. There is an ipad app. We have an interactive CD ROM which you can view on that screen, which is basically the publication but in an interactive format. There are links to advertisers from the CDROM so that is a plus for advertisers. There is also an HD video component."

The magazine continues to capture the essence of promoting the Jewel and the cover pays homage to the native people:

Demian Solano

"We put a special emphasis for year, the 2012, for the 2012 edition, which you will also see on the cover, the Maya 2012. There has been a huge marketing initiative in the region, kind of honing on this 2012 dates and movies coming out and all of these things to attract travels to all of these mundo maya destinations."

Lindsay Garbutt, C.E.O. in the Ministry of Tourism, says he expects the scope of the magazine to be even more far-reaching and solidify Belize on the global tourism map.

Lindsay Garbutt

Lindsay Garbutt, C.E.O., Ministry of Tourism

"As we continue to forge ahead with programs that utilize a multitude of platforms helping to bolster world-wide awareness of Belize, I certainly believe that this publication will serve as a compelling ambassador and communicate the majesty of our beautiful, yet diverse destination."

Sixty-thousand copies of the 2012 edition of the Destination Belize will be distributed both at home and abroad. Reporting for News Five, I'm Andrea Polanco.

Channel 5


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I can not find the app for Ipad


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