Challenge: The residents of Eleuthera were adamant about not entertaining Crystal Cruises to dock at its shores. The cruise line had garnered the green light from The Bahamas Government. Therefore, the goal was simple: galvanize and educate residents and eliminate Eleuthera as a destination stop for the cruise line.

Solution: By leveraging an on-the-ground presence, the strategy focused on engaging the local community and amplifying trusted community voices. The approach prioritized public education, helping Bahamians and visitors to Eleuthera understand potential threats to the island’s tourism product while reinforcing the importance of community-led awareness and advocacy.

Results: The campaign leveraged both social and traditional media to inform residents of Eleuthera and surrounding islands about Crystal Cruises’ track record. On-the-ground outreach, including posters and printed materials distributed throughout Harbour Island and Spanish Wells, reinforced awareness at the community level. Following a five-week campaign across national media and local channels in Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, and mainland Eleuthera, an emergency town hall meeting was convened, where residents overwhelmingly rejected Crystal Cruises. Shortly thereafter, Eleuthera was removed as a destination from Crystal Cruises’ itinerary.