Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Marketing A "premium" Travel Agency

Posted by Anonymous on 3/5/2007 at 10:50 AM ET 500 Points
I have to pitch to a Travel Agent who offers exclusive retreats across the globe.

They want to raise their profile within the UK travel media - national newspapers and television in particular. The dilemma is that to invite journalists to experience such a holiday and review it will cost an absolute fortune because these are high value holidays. Yet, to buy TV airtime or newspaper advertising will also cost a fortune!

They are a newly-established small family firm with a modest advertising budget. As the business develops this budget will be set to increase - but we need to get to that position first!

I would appreciate any advice you could offer me on this project.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 3/5/2007 at 12:28 PM Accepted
    Hi John,

    You can put the idea out there to journalists via a presentation, but the only way you will see anything in print is if the journalist gets the opportunity to actually experience the retreat.

    The nice think about dealing with UK media is that they know they are expected to produce and do. Hence, you don't have to offer a lot of trips, just target a few key UK big circulation publications.

    I'm not entirely clear why this would cost your client so much. Would not the retreats be footing the bill for some complimentary provisions for the journalists? It is the cost of doing business and most places build it into bottom lines.

    Target some key publications (Sunday Telegraph, Observer, News of the World, etc.) make contact with the editors and give them a good solid pitch.

    Bottom line is that you have to give something to get something with travel media, so someone in the supply chain is going to have to come up with comps to get the ball rolling. It will be worth it.

    I used to deal with UK travel journalists regularly and they do produce and produce well. It is expected that the editor will produce a letter of assignment, that the journalist will write the piece in the short term and that it will appear in the publication. It is very much a contract. As you have no doubt found, many 'travel journalists' in the US are just looking for a free vacation.

    Advertising would be a real waste of money. High end travel is all about word of mouth, and a key element of starting that buzz is high-profile editorial placements.

    Also, consider some high end pubs like Food and Wine https://www.foodandwine.com/ which has a high-end clientele, but is not necessarily a travel magazine per se. They do run excellent travel features, and often profile high-end getaways.

    Just think in terms of Advertising Value Equivalency. The cost may be a few thousand dollars/pounds, but the ad value equivalency of a nice placement in a weekend edition of a major publication is worth 10 times that much at least and is well worth the investment.

    Good luck!

    ~Jason





  • Posted by amelia on 3/7/2007 at 7:38 PM Member
    I work with some high-end travel concerns marketing to Australia/New Zealand with one client in particular that is always very cost-conscious (some would say 'skin-flint'). Also travel agents. So here is my 2c:

    * To get a story, you are going to have to fly them out. From then on, that media/journo will likely run additional stories from PR releases. But you need to fly them out once.

    * You must be able to get a tie-in from all the relevant suppliers: Okay, so your client foots the bill for the accom.

    But which carrier is being used? Get them to comp the trip. At LEAST nett fare (as last resort: this will leave your client a bill to pay).

    A high-end restaurant in the area of the resort/hotel (nobody wants to stay inside the hotel all the time, no matter how nice): get them to comp a dinner.

    An entertainment provider (paragliding, hiking, water skiing or something): get them to provide one tour FOC.

    You need to build these relationships and form an alliance. To be honest, your client should already have these relationships (possibly excluding the airline) in place.

    I have without exception EVER managed to find these destination tie-ins easily, because the local restaurant etc cannot even think about marketing effectively to your country/region on their own.

    ALSO (and i always had trouble with this) I think journos that ask to take a partner should be able to do so. Honestly, they will have a much better time that way, come back full of glowing reports.


    I was also able to get some local 'celeb journos' to take reduced cost holidays - or on finding out that they were going to the destinations anyway, was able to give them (+ people they are travelling with) something like a fine meal, or entertainment, and you get them back home on their morning talk show or tv chat show or whatever saying "oh and we just had the loveliest holiday in such and such". Cannot buy that kind of publicity. Well, the point is you can, but you know what I mean.
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