By PRWeek
Allison is the government agency’s first diversity, equity and inclusion partner. The firm will focus on expanding visibility and accessibility to tourists who identify as Black, Hispanic and LGBTQIA+, as well as those with disabilities.
GRAND CAYMAN: The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism has named Allison as its diversity, equity and inclusion agency of record.
In the first DE&I-focused agency appointment for CIDOT, Allison will serve as the government agency’s AOR for DE&I expert counsel and multicultural and diverse marketing support in the U.S. and U.K.
CIDOT issued an RFP for this work in Q1 as part of a review and restructuring led by CIDOT director of tourism Rosa Harris over the last year.
The search for a DEI partner began when CIDOT noticed a shift in its visitor profile, both generationally as well as demographically. As hotel partners on the island like Marriott Bonvoy and IHG Hotels & Resorts began focusing their work in this area, CIDOT felt the need to delve into DE&I as well, Harris said.
In June, the government agency named Praytell as its U.S. PR and influencer AOR and Grey as its global creative AOR. Creative work is international to ensure that CIDOT has “one face to the world,” while PR engagement is individual to each market, Harris said.
Allison, which began working with the department in September, will collaborate with the agencies to implement tailored strategies that align with CIDOT’s vision. They will focus on authentic messaging, community engagement and strategic outreach to diverse demographics, according to the firm.
Allison will support the department’s efforts to expand its commitment to tourists and staff through diversity and inclusion with new internal and external initiatives. Internally, the work will focus on curating policies and standardizations across recruitment and training.
Externally, the firm will work to ensure the Cayman Islands are an inclusive environment for all travelers, while simultaneously creating marketing strategies that resonate with multicultural and diverse audiences in the U.S. and U.K. These groups will include Black, Hispanic and LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as people with disabilities, the agency said in a statement.
“The marketplace is a very noisy place. We’re competing against African safaris and European destinations that skew very high, major bucket list experiences,” Harris said. “The type of customer that we’re looking for year-round to be able to flatten our seasonality isn’t just one type. We have to look at it from various backgrounds, various regions within the entire globe, of those that are considering travel to warm-weather destinations.”
Allison MD Claudine Moore is leading account work alongside VP of the multicultural center of excellence Jessica Peraza, who will oversee the work’s multicultural focus.
While many agencies and brands have pulled back on DE&I initiatives in recent months due to political pressure, Allison and CIDOT’s push in the opposite direction is simply a matter of good business, Moore said.
“[CIDOT] understands the demographic shift,” she said. “They understand that’s not a political comment, that’s a comment based on statistical data, and they understand that to continue their current growth trajectory, they need to ensure they are appealing to a cross-section of the population.”
Allison is currently working on strategy, including doing audits, assessments and audience research of the department’s work, so that the execution phase is steeped in data, according to Moore. Its team is also focused on increasing the visibility and desirability of the island destination to Gen Z, in addition to widely sharing its culture and history.
The contract is set for one year, Harris said, with the hope to grow the partnership longer-term. Budget details of the deal were not disclosed.
The Cayman Islands comprises three islands, Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, representing over 130 nationalities. The Department of Tourism operates offices in Canada, the U.K. and the U.S., in addition to its headquarters in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.
Full article here: Cayman Islands Tourism Department names Allison DEI AOR | PR Week
