Destination BrandWatch: New Marketing Initiatives from VisitBritain, Tourism Ireland, Thailand, Peru & Indonesia

VisitBritain launches check-in game through Facebook Places

Nice idea from VisitBritain using social media and location check-ins to attract people to a global competition running through its Facebook page. Source: Tnooz

Tourism Ireland targets US as market returns to growth in 2011

Tourism Ireland will begin its marketing drive for 2011 in the US market next week, with an extensive promotional campaign beginning on 26 December. The all-Ireland tourism body said the worst is now over for the US travel market, with consumer confidence and travel sentiment there improving.  It therefore advised that this market will return to growth in 2011. The new campaign will include radio ads that will air in cities with direct flights - and good indirect flight services - to the island of Ireland, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas and Houston.  In addition, it will include online advertising on popular news and lifestyle websites.  Tourism Ireland’s ‘Go’ webisodes (a series of short online movies produced by Tourism Ireland and starring ‘real’ local characters from around Ireland) will also highlight the fun and spontaneity of a holiday here. Click here for the full article.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Raises its Digital Profile, Introducing the 'Amazing Thailand' Mobile Application

Tourism campaign to be launched in southern Peru

Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) together with the private sector will launch “Sur Pone” campaign in 2011 in order to boost domestic tourism in southern Peru, Minister Ferreyros reported Friday. Minister Ferreyros recalled that “Cusco Pone” first campaign recorded interesting results after selling nearly 65,000 flight tickets. “We also launched the campaign “Selva Pone” which sold over 12,000 tickets. Obviously we sold more tickets to Cuzco as this destination receives the most number of tourists in the country”, Ferreyros said. The Ministry will maintain its same strategy in 2011, launching the campaign “Sur Pone” and re launching “Cusco Pone”. “We expect tourists may take advantage of this promotions and get to know the country, but also create a value chain in the visited destinations”, added the minister.

More marketing funds for Balearic tourism in 2011

The Spanish central government has awarded the Balearics €54 million to invest in tourism next year. The money comes after talks between officials in Palma and Madrid recognised the central role tourism plays in the Balearic economy. The Balearic government is delighted with the investment and say that the region is now on the road to recovery. The €54 million will be added to existing budgets. €10 million will be invested in the Playa de Palma regeneration project, and €20 million will be used to galvanise Palma's half-built convention centre. Both these projects are ambitious in their vision, and will benefit greatly from this major investment. €20 million has been ear-marked for promoting 'alternative tourism', such as cultural and sporting attractions which will complement the strong 'sea and sunshine' holiday sector. The remaining €12 million will be used in the creation of a 'Platform for Logistical Tourism Distribution (TURISTEC) which is designed to help the local travel industry by providing internet and social media platforms. It is expected to to completed and in use by April 2011.

RI to launch ‘Wonderful Indonesia’ to lure tourists

Indonesia will launch the new branding “Wonderful Indonesia” as part of its tourism campaign to attract up to 7.7 million foreign tourists next year. Speaking at a yearend briefing in Jakarta Thursday, Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said that with the new campaign brand, which would replace the previous “Visit Indonesia Year”, the target could be achieved. The new catchphrase, he said, was much stronger than the previous one as it reflected the country’s beautiful nature, unique culture, varied food, hospitable people and price competitiveness in various kinds of services. About 7 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia last year, an increase from 6.4 million in 2009. “We expect each tourist will spend around US$1,100 and with an optimistic target of 7.7 million arrivals, we will get $8.3 billion,” he said, adding that 50 percent of the revenue would be generated from about 600 meetings, conventions and exhibitions that were expected to take place in various places throughout the country next year. Wacik further explained that his ministry would also promote the country’s attractions under the eco-cultural banner. “We picked this theme to cope with the trend that foreign tourists will choose eco-friendly tourist sites, hotels and services. All tourism stakeholders, then, are expected to upkeep their environment,” he said. Wacik pointed out that the Komodo National Park in West Nusa Tenggara, one of 28 finalists of the New Seven Wonders of Nature competition, as one of 15 prime tourist destinations to be promoted by the ministry next year. “We’ll also continue our Visit Museum Year campaign. We’ll build a number of museums and revitalize existing museums,” he said without explaining further. The director general for tourism destination development, Firmansyah Rahim, said his ministry planned to improve infrastructure facilities, mainly airports. “We will widen runways at a number of airports to accommodate large aircraft,” he said. Among the airports are Selangit in North Sumatra, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi and Toraja in South Sulawesi. He also said his ministry would develop about 560 tourism villages across the archipelago, adding to the current 200 sites and contributing to the 2,000 targeted by 2014. The director of marketing development, Syamsul Lussa, said that to reach the targeted number of foreign tourists, his ministry still had to solve problems, such as aircraft capacity and immigration services. Currently, airlines have 14.7 million aircraft seats for domestic as well as international tourists. “Seventy percent of foreign tourists use air services to travel. We need an additional 1.7 million seats to carry 7.7 million tourists,” he said. “We also lack counters for visa-on-arrival services because the planning of airports is not in line with the development of needs,” he added. (lnd)