Best-selling author David Meerman Scott visits Belize again!
“I’ve travelled to 100 countries and territories and all seven continents. When I wanted to take my mother on a special trip, I chose to return to The Lodge Chaa Creek because it is that special.” David Meerman Scott, Bestselling author of ten books.
Bestselling author David Meerman Scott is widely recognised as the world’s foremost expert on the new face of marketing, with one of his books, “New Rules of marketing and PR” having sold more than 300,000 copies in some 25 languages around the world.
We like Mr Scott, and his non pushy approach that stands traditional in-your-face selling techniques on their heads. He represents the gentler, kinder and yet more effective approach to marketing.
As it turns out, David likes Chaa Creek as well.
So we were most happy to have David, his mom Carolyn and his lovely wife Yukari Watanabe Scott visit Chaa Creek last week (August 25 2014).
By way of background, David had kindly mentioned Chaa Creek’s marketing team in the latest edition of his bestselling “New Rules of Marketing and PR”. As can be imagined, it’s gratifying that one of the world’s leading authorities in marketing understands what we do and why we do it.
In discussing content marketing in “New Rules…”, David had this to say:
- “… most hotel sites are just big brochures….Chaa Creek’s website couldn’t be more different.
- “Their goal is to offer content that is valuable for those researching a Belize vacation…
- “Please notice that this kind of information is not about the Lodge itself. Instead, the Chaa Creek publishing program focusses on delivering information to people planning a trip to Belize.”
That acknowledgement in an international bestseller made our marketers and writer smile. When we started this travel blog some years back, colleagues thought we missed the point. Why would you spend resources and publish information that doesn’t highlight or directly benefit Chaa Creek, they wondered?
Now, years later, people around the world check into the chaa creek website and Belize Travel Blog regularly to keep up with what’s going on in Belize and to get to know the country better. And, of course, some of those people decide to stay at Chaa Creek when they do visit Belize. Sort of what you’d call a win-win situation.
David’s research led him to visit Chaa Creek and now, a couple of years later, when he was looking for a place to spend some quality time with his mother Carolyn and Yukari, we were honoured that he chose Chaa Creek. Let’s face it, he could stay anywhere in the world he liked.
The Scotts slotted right into Chaa Creek, spending time with owners Mick and Lucy and quickly making friends with the staff and fellow guests. Safe to say a good time was had by all.
They made good use of their time with a visit to the nearby Maya temple at Xunantunich and then across the Guatemala border to check out the fabulous ancient Maya city of Tikal. After all that excitement and enjoying the pool, restaurant and other amenities of Chaa Creek, they relaxed with a leisurely canoe paddle downstream to San Ignacio Town for lunch at the Guava Limb Café before returning to the Lodge for more relaxation prior to catching a flight back home the next day.
Co-owner (and Director of Marketing) Lucy Fleming wrote us to say that she and Mick enjoyed the visit as much as the Scotts did. “The Scotts are clearly fit, with David and Yukari leaving behind a group of teenagers as they ran up the steep El Castillo pyramid in Xunantunich. Both David and Yukari are avid sportspeople and runners, taking advantage of Chaa Creek’s miles of forest trails, swimming laps in the pool and canoeing with 79 year old Carolyn on the lovely Macal River where they said they felt like they were the only humans present in the jungle that day. And, as foodies who have lived and travelled all about the world, they loved the healthy farm to table organic fare produced by the Chaa Creek kitchens and homemade pastries at the Guava Limb Café in San Ignacio.”
Yukari, who graciously wrote back thanking everyone at Chaa Creek, saying it was “one of the best vacations I ever had”, mentioned that she wished she could have stayed longer and forwarded her blog post in Japan that highlighted how much she enjoyed her stay. Our Japanese is a bit rusty (OK, we used Google Translate…) but we enjoyed reading how much she appreciated Chaa Creek’s “close attention to environmental protection” and the labour of love story of the humble birth and steady growth of Chaa Creek.
If you read Japanese (or have Google translate) you can read Yukari’s comments here.
and, if you want to better understand today’s new marketing landscape through the eyes of a man widely considered to be a master, check out David Meerman Scott’s website.
Click the “Free Stuff” tab for a treasure trove of very valuable free information. You’ll quickly see why we, like so many others, are fans.
You may also get a better understanding of our shared philosophy of doing what you love, writing about what interests you and taking it from there…
A great time was had by all and everyone who had the pleasure of the Scott family’s company said they’re looking forward to having them return!!
And with the welcome mat always out, we hope it won’t be too long before the next visit.
Visiting The Lodge at Chaa Creek for the second time was an amazing experience. I not only enjoyed it myself, but I was able to share this special place with my wife and my mother. Thank you all for showing us an amazing time. We will be back!