RATHER than cutting down on advertising and PR, the industry should now be stepping it up, says Sharon Garrett managing director of Hot Off The Press.
For best results she suggested a combination of both advertising and PR coupled with a focused customer relationship management programme.
“In my opinion many companies are focusing on new clients when they don’t actively engage their existing clients,” she said.
“For too long the tourism industry, specifically the hotel sector has geared their marketing plans heavily towards PR, despite booming occupancies and room rates when they could have realistically afforded image and tactical advertising as well. Now times are tough they have limited areas to cut. Equally magazines are reducing their page count and print runs.”
“I think that there is a long tough summer ahead for hotels in the Middle East and that those with a strong media relations strategy will reap the rewards,” she said.
Hot off the Press are specialists in the hotel and tourism market but also handle the PR for special events, restaurants and business groups. It is a small team which can work on customised packages to suit the needs of individual tourism boards or hotels.
“There continues to be high interest in the Middle East from global markets. We have had approaches from brands which do not have representation in the Gulf looking to expand their reach using media relations activities which in some cases for tourism boards involve co-ordination of media familiarisations and creating key messages for a constant stream of story pitches.”
Garrett believes there will be increasing pressure on hoteliers, and as a result teams will continue to be downsized.