Bangkok--15 Dec--ScottAsia Communications
As major tourism source markets slip into recession, hotels, airlines and tour operators across Asia will have to make every marketing dollar work twice as hard in 2009. Part of the solution is to move more marketing budget to cost-effective PR instead of expensive advertising. That is the advice of Asian travel industry expert, Ken Scott, Managing Director of Bangkok-based ScottAsia Communications.
As an example, Scott says a half-page colour advert in a regional travel consumer publication in Asia would cost between US$2,000 and US$4,000. "For that kind of money a good PR firm will place numerous messages or offers from a client into multiple media outlets -- consumer, trade, business, online and offline," says Scott, who is PR Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Thailand Chapter, the 2nd largest Chapter in the world. "Audiences' reading, viewing and listening patterns are increasingly fragmented. One media solution doesn't fit all. More than ever, in 2009 clients should be insisting on a multi-faceted, multi-market distribution strategy that is affordable but gets results."
Scott says that in a downturn, professional PR tactics can generate short-term business to keep cash flow and jobs alive. "If done well, PR will also build your brand and put you in pole position in preparation of the economic upturn."
Economic revival will come in late 2009, according to travel industry analysts who attended the IPK International World Travel Monitor Forum in Italy in November. They said the upturn would herald in strong recovery in 2010 and new travel industry records in 2011-2012.
In the meantime, analysts say Asia won't be as badly affected by the global downturn as Europe and North America. Furthermore, around 70% of demand for Asian travel and tourism comes from within Asia. Nevertheless, airlines serving Asia and Asian hotels have seen a slump in demand of up to 25%. Tour operators in Thailand report up to a 50% downturn in forward bookings. Survival and damage limitation are the goals. Consolidation, rate cutting and special deals will be commonplace in 2009.
"Asian destinations, especially Thailand, need to build confidence in regional and longhaul source markets," says Luzi Matzig, Group CEO of Asian Trails, a tour operator with offices in eight countries in Asia that handled 400,000-plus tourists in 2007. "We can only build confidence with accurate information distributed in an honest, consistent manner."
Matzig adds: "Of course there are many fantastic deals now available. We need to tell the world about these too. Effective communications is key to it all."
Scott says acting now will protect the bottom line later. "PR will help you boost cash flow through tactical promotions, retain loyalty with existing customers, drive home the value message to consumers and tade, and talk up the unique and innovative 'wow' elements of your brand."
He adds: "The travel industry has to acknowledge that many would-be travellers are worried about their jobs and finances. However, many of them have stable jobs, have been working hard and still need a holiday."
Contact information
Ken Scott
ScottAsia Communications
Tel: (+66) 2860 8227
Mobile: (+66) 81 931 2753
[email protected]
www.ScottAsia.net