fp Turks and Caicos

With plans of exposing millions of people the world over to all that is the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Island Connoisseur project is rolling full steam ahead.

The Island Connoisseur is an innovative marketing project aimed at putting the TCI on the map in a big way. By using all means of Internet and viral media, the Island Connoisseur will be marketing the TCI as a whole, featuring everything people are looking for these days, explains Robert Greenwood resident, co-brainchild behind the project.

“Most marketing has been focused on individual interest points in the Turks and Caicos Islands,” he said. “In order to take this place to the next level, we need to have an innovative idea that brings everyone together to change that.”

A collaboration between two Belongers with a passion for the TCI and a Toronto-based, international heavy hitter marketing firm, the idea of the Island Connoisseur was born nearly a year ago.

The concept is to offer the job of a lifetime to one person or a couple who would spend six incredible months writing, blogging, vlogging and tweeting about their first-hand experience of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Island Connoisseur will stay one week at each resort, dine at various restaurants, enjoy spa treatments, all the water sports and activities, have a history lesson with Dr. Carlton Mills, explore the pirate carvings, basket weaving, cliff diving, “you name it, they will do it,” says Katherine Baryluk. “Their job is to show everything that we have to offer, including our amazing wireless capabilities and a brand new state of the art hospital and upcoming airport facilities.”

The Island Connoisseur will also stay at the small boutique hotels throughout the various islands. They will post all their experiences on the project’s website, creating a guide to all that is the TCI, which marketing partner Adenyo believes will have massive appeal to individuals and travel agents across the world.

“We love to get involved in cool things, and we have had an amazing response from hotels already,” says Adenyo Vice President Martin Jeffrey. Adenyo is a global marketing agency whose impressive client portfolio includes Coca-Cola, Visa, Mercedes, W Hotels, various tourist boards around the globe, Continental Airlines and Air Canada.

Adenyo’s team spent a week in the TCI along with co-pioneers Baryluk and Greenwood visiting business owners and hoteliers detailing the concept to them.

“This will answer all the questions we are forever answering,” Greenwood explains.

“Our clients are asking us to show them what to do in the islands, and this will be the one place you can get all the information you are looking for,” says Baryluk.

The media campaign will showcase all that can be done within all the family islands from Providenciales to Salt Cay. It will also highlight the cultural side as well as the people, “everything that makes the TCI special and unique,” Greenwood said. “We have a lot more than we have shown in the past, and this is about to change all that.”

The project is hoping to launch in May of next year when they will begin to accept applications from persons around the world for the job of Island Connoisseur.

Individuals or couples interested will be asked to send in one minute video clips through the website, explaining why they should win the chance at the $100,000 salary for a six-month job, plus $75,000 worth of prizes and travel expenses.

“We expect thousands of applications,” Jeffrey said. The hefty salary is aimed at attracting just the right person who can really represent the island, he added. “This will include a $5,000 monthly salary they can spend on island if they choose.”

Once the Island Connoisseur is selected, they are expected to start their six-month TCI adventure in January 2012.

“We have timed this along with the opening of the airport expansion,” Greenwood said. “This project will help expose the country to countries which will now have access but not know about the TCI.”

The project will be privately funded and the group is depending on the support of the hoteliers and the business community to make the big splash.

“This is a project for all those with an interest in the success of the TCI,” Greenwood said. “What is good for the islands is good for all of us.”