The locally owned creative travel company Explore The Bahamas, is looking to showcase ‘the best’ of what The Bahamas has to offer having created a platform which allows local businesses to connect with visitors to the island nation, according to its founder and CEO Cameron Hepple.
Hepple returned home in March 2014 to start the travel company and app development company having traveled across the world as an international footballer. Explore The Bahamas has launched a smartphone app showcasing the islands of The Bahamas for the Apple app store and Google play store. Hepple explained that the app is designed to assist visitors when preparing for, and while traveling to, The Islands of The Bahamas. The smartphone app for The Bahamas will assist with information, booking travel and events and even coordinating self-guided audio tours. The app will also serve as a platform for local businesses to promote their services through proximity marketing and much more.
“Basically I started on Instagram about two years ago. I’m really into social media and technology. I wanted to find a way to showcase The Bahamas. I started posting pictures of The Bahamas and started getting a huge following. My initial idea was to create an app which is launched now on the android platform and also the Apple store platform. I wanted to create this platform that allows local businesses and points of interest to connect with visitors coming into The Bahamas,” said Hepple.
He continued: “I decided to create a brand called Explore The Bahamas. I want to showcase the best of The Bahamas. I think that Explore the Bahamas allows a platform for locals to communicate directly with tourists. I’m trying to create a website that has local bloggers who go out and do the exploring for the tourists. We have a plan for 2016 where we are going to go out and Explore The Bahamas ad find those niche markets, like the top five places to get the best cracked conch, what can you do in the out island or top five tours. I’m trying to create an avenue that showcases the best of The Bahamas but things that locals and visitors are looking for, not your typical sun, sand and sea marketing platform.
Hepple says that the response to Explore the Bahamas has been strong. “Aneka Stewart is the content curator and she is doing an amazing job. The following on Instagram is growing exponentially. We already have over 14,000 followers and it’s growing. People love seeing the visual aspect of The Bahamas. The app is doing well. At the moment we have a business model where local businesses sign up and get an exposure package. Basically they pay us to be listed on the application and then they are found within the app for locals,” said Hepple.
“I’m a digital guy, I’m a creative guy and so I wanted to create something representative of The Bahamas, colorful, lots of pictures and images. At the moment we are just focusing on content but the goal is to create a platform similar to Uber but for travel which allows local business that cater to the travel market to get bookings, torus and restaurant reservations for tourists. This is the first phase of the app. We are partnering with Baha Ma Go to make sure flights are available through the app. If a tourist comes to visit they can download the app and do anything they want through the app. My vision is you come here you book and the next day you are on a tour, a boat or flight to the out islands. It’s about making the out islands a lot more accessible through technology.”
English