Nestled on the idyllic island of Cebu, Bunzie's Cove Resort is a once-private haven that boasts two spectacular beach villas offering unrivaled cove vistas. The resort also features multiple cozy cabanas, scattered around the central swimming pool with beach and cove views- a real tropical paradise.
This sprawling estate was eager to enhance its digital presence, aiming to attract globetrotting visitors all year round, that would spread the word and hopefully return multiple times to this enchanting corner of the world.
Bunzie's resort catered to a diverse range of visitors with its variety of accommodations, including a spacious beach house ideal for families and large groups; a second beach house divided into sections, suitable for families, friends, or couples; scattered cabanas, apartments, and bungalows throughout the property, and secluded Lovers' Cabins for intimate retreats.
Additionally, the availability of smaller day rooms allowed guests to securely store their belongings while enjoying their time on-site and provided a convenient space for showering and changing at the end of the day.
How to create a digital presence for a resort hotel whose only online presence had been a Wordpress blog. How to create buzz around this massive unique property that would reach beyond the local island community and those few "in the know" but bring in world travelers without losing its special relationship with the local comunity as well as its secluded ambiance.
How to introduce a resort that would appeal to all types of visitors-from those seeking a lengthy stay to those seeking a more cosmopolitan feel, those seeking a more intimate getaway and those simply looking for a place to spend the day.
A responsive redesign with a visually appealing interface that reflected the destination's natural beauty, utilizing vibrant colors and high-quality imagery. The redesign prioritized ease of navigation, intuitive menus and search functionality to help users easily find information about accommodations, amenities, and activities. Optimal user experience across all devices, allowing potential guests to seamlessly access and interact with the website on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Video, image galleries & slideshows, interactive maps of the resort and the island with options to create their own itineraries, tranaparent pricing and booking- effectively showcasing the resort's offerings and enticing users to easily plan and book a vacation at the tropical paradise.
How to create a digital presence for a resort hotel whose only online presence had been a Wordpress blog. How to create buzz around this massive unique property that would reach beyond the local island community and those few "in the know" but bring in world travelers without losing its special relationship with the local comunity as well as its secluded ambiance.
How to introduce a resort that would appeal to all types of visitors-from those seeking a lengthy stay to those seeking a more cosmopolitan feel, those seeking a more intimate getaway and those simply looking for a place to spend the day.
It all started -as it usually does- with research. Looked at the other resorts on the island, what made Bunzie stand out and how to focus on that. What was their online presence like? What did their websites lack and what were they doing right?
Next I opened it up to online travel entusiasts. What did they look for when looking to book a vacation stay? Easy to find and accurate information. Up to date images and info. Transparent pricing and booking process. No hidden costs. Honest info and transactions.
The content marketing strategy focused on leveraging the allure of a golden beach with a mojito to capture the attention and daydreams of potential visitors. However, it went beyond the typical beach destination by positioning Bunzie's Cove as a gateway to explore the island's natural wonders and have exotic adventures. The ongoing blog articles served as a key component of the strategy, catering to a diverse audience with different interests, providing additional entry points for engagement and attracting a wider audience.
The new digital presence would include a responsive website, intuitive and easy to navigate and use, clear CTA buttons -for reservations, checking room vacancies/availability, reserving a pick up to/from the airport, virtually touring the resorts' grounds, looking at the site restauant/cafe/bar, its menu and favorite recipes (many shared between its most devoted foodie followers), booking a day at the spa, a day by the pool, a special event at the site restaurant or during the sunset pool party plus a guide for the island with contributions and suggestions from the local staff and visitors who wanted the foreigners and out-of-townes to experience the best their island had to offer while avoiding the usual tourist traps and scams that can ruin so many holidays.
Email blasts, weekly and monthly newsletters followed promoting the weeks/months events at the hotels premises, special events calendars, the best videos by users on resorts premises would shared on the hotels site, reviews and suggestions were accepted from all online participants, kayaking and karaoke competitions, or karaoke-while-kayaking as one visitor suggested,all strengthened the resorts social media presence by encouraging visitors whether past or present to engage with one another We wanted everything to be as easy, informative, engaging, intuitive and fun to use as possible.
Increase in website traffic & interaction: +156%.
Increase in online reservations/bookings: +62%
