fp Turks and Caicos

Using strategic partnerships to complement the appeal and credibility of a brand, product or service is not new but in view of the economic landscape in which the corporate world finds itself, it is an approach worth revisiting. The mutual benefits for small businesses and large organizations alike can be rewarding, creating efficiencies and helping to open up new markets that otherwise wouldn’t exist.

A perfect example of using strategic partnerships to enhance a product can be seen right here in Providenciales at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages and Spa.

The two newest members of the Beaches partnership stable include Scratch DJ Academy directly from New York City, adding a hip and edgy appeal to the resort’s ‘teen’ and ‘tween’ guests, and XBOX 360, the gaming giant embodied via a funky, no-money-needed ‘Game Garage’ where kids, both young and old, can hang out and play the latest games. In a recent article published in Advertising Age, XBOX is listed as one of the top 5 brands to have a successful marketing strategy during a recession and thanks to their successful innovation and added value, their sales increased some 53% over last year.

Beaches has not stopped there. They are carrying this winning strategy throughout the whole resort experience. Some further examples of partnerships they have formed to help them reach a great audience and take advantage of some of the brand loyalty that exists in the market are:

Bottoms Up!
Sandals and Beaches Resorts is the first all-inclusive resort company to partner with California’s legendary Beringer Vineyards and bring wine country to the tropics. Guests of the resort enjoy a wide selection of complimentary house wines bottled exclusively for the chain. Additionally, new wines from Beringer portfolio partners are available to guests through an enhanced Manager’s wine list at an extra cost.

Here comes the bride…
All Sandals and Beaches Resorts partnered with internationally-renowned event planner, Preston Bailey and celebrity cake designer, Sylvia Weinstock to create a series of unique wedding packages available exclusively at the resorts.

Up my Street:
For the delight of the young and the young at heart, Beaches partnership with Sesame Street gives their guests an unforgettable educational journey with everybody’s favorite furry friends: Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, Zoë, Bert & Ernie and Abby Cadabby. The partnership provides on-property events including the signature Sesame Street Breakfast, Baking with Cookie Monster and the world famous stage shows.

Blue WeddingMoon…
Beaches collaboration with wedding accessory expert Beverly Clark allows all their couples the opportunity to create and capture the memories from a selection of delightful bridal accessories.

Drawing Inspiration
The resort’s partnership with Crayola enables Beaches staff to lead and supervise children through imaginative and educational activities whilst on property. Combining creativity with physical activity ensures that families get the most out of their Beaches vacation through Turks and Caicos-inspired activities.

Suits you Sir!
The chain created an exclusive alliance with The Guild of Professional English Butlers to provide training and constant evaluation of Beaches Butlers who are assigned to attend to the needs of those guests booking into the resort’s highest categories of accommodation.

Pump Up the Volume!
New York, Los Angeles and now at Beaches Resorts! Beaches partners with Scratch DJ Academy to let tweens and teens really ‘feel the music’. Combining copyrighted curriculum and hands-on training, Scratch DJ Academy offers aspiring music enthusiasts the chance to learn how to mix, blend, scratch and beat juggle. The relationship adds a level of ‘cool’ and further appeals to the sometimes hard to please tweens and teens market.

Game On!
Beaches partnership with XBOX 360 brings the most exciting and powerful gaming experience to the resort. A state of the art XBOX 360 Game Garage exclusively features the XBOX 360 video system and offers families the chance to play the hottest XBOX games. Beaches has recently introduced social gaming to the entertainment schedule including karaoke games such as ‘LIPS’, and movie trivia hit ‘Scene It’, perfect for the resort’s family guests. In addition, XBOX 360 machines come as standard equipment in the children’s rooms in the newly-launched Italian Village.

Beaches is providing excellent examples of how any business can use strategic partnerships to not only reduce their operating costs, but also to attract new customer bases. Now, those middle aged kids that always found it too boring to go on holidays with their parents and younger siblings are very likely to reconsider. This will not only generate many new visitors, but also increase loyalty with their existing guests inspiring them to come back soon. The wide array of Beaches partnerships also shows that it pays off to think outside the box. Have you done that lately?