PR Services in marketing of tourism products.

TS 03 Block 6 Managerial Practices in tourism -I

Unit 4 Public Relations 

Q.1 Enumerate with examples the relevance of PR services in marketing of tourism products. June 2017, 20 marks.

Q2. “The need for PR in a service based industry like tourism is great” , Justify with example. Dec,2017,20 marks 

Public Relations Department ( 3 pages )

What is the Public Relations Department?

The Public Relations Department supervises and assesses public attitudes, and maintains mutual beneficial relations and understanding between an organization and its public.It improves channels of communication and to institute new ways setting up a two- way flow to information and understanding.

Need of PR in travel industry :

PR plays a major role in the promotion of travel industry along with Advertising and Marketing.It builds good relationship with the company's various public by obtaining favorable publicity, building a good corporate image, and handling crisis management issues. Its central theme is “ the act of shaping a favorable image”.The main goal of PR is to create desire to travel, persuade people to take action and provide a pleasant experience during the visit.In the travel industry a personal connection is better which can be provided effortlessly only by PR.

Building Positive Perceptions: PR serves as a powerful tool in shaping the narrative surrounding tourist destinations.Through strategic communication,destinations can highlight their unique cultural offerings, historical significance, and vibrant traditions.PR crafts a positive image of the destination in the traveler’s mind and foster a sense of curiosity about the cultural richness of that destination.

Cultural Preservation and Promotion: PR campaigns the deeper understanding and appreciation of the cultural identity of the destination,which in turn, fosters sustainable tourism that respects and supports local culture.

Global reach via Digital Media:

In the digital age,social media and online platforms are used by the PR in tourism business.They create a compelling story, visually appealing content ,and interactive campaigns to create a buzz around the destinations to attract a diverse range of tourists.

Cross- Cultural Exchange: 

PR facilitates cross-cultural exchange by promoting dialogue and understanding between tourists and local communities.

Functions of PR

PR Department perform the following functions:

1.Strategic and social media campaign:

In the last decade,the internet has become the channel most used by travelers to book their trip. Travelers are influenced by the article or photo shared on social media. PR campaigns help in raising awareness for tourism industry brands all over the world.

2.Website optimisation and localisation:

Tourism industry brands need to update their product information in digital media.PR department provide information in the native language of target market for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes.

3.Strategic Campaign:

The PR team make strategic campaign of a travel organization by making a complete press kit containing information on every detail , media inquiries , interviews and comment opportunities. PR teams cultivate positive relationships with journalists, bloggers, influencers and by media coverage through press releases, media events and social media.

4. Helping in travel plan making:

A study reports that 46% of Uruguayans prefer to leave the country with a full package established by their travel agent.So, a travel organizations can promote their products and services through Latin American PR strategies,such as Spanish and Portuguese - language content about tourist products, services and advice.

5.Brand reputation:

Most travelers often turn to word-of-mouth recommendations and reviews before purchasing a product.PR can help to build a positive brand image by highlighting the unique features, experiences and offering of a specific destination or travel brand.

6.Crisis management:

 During natural disasters, health pandemics, security threats ,etc. a PR team can help to mitigate the negative impacts by managing communications with stakeholders, providing accurate and authentic timely information and implementing safety and security measures .

PR Tools:

Travel operators may utilise PR in order to evaluate the market demand,” create additional sales opportunities in the competitive market “,and to “reinforce quality of a product against advatse publicity “.The most commonly used PR Tools are:

1.Press release: for example Hotel PR practioners attract travel writers through well - written news releases and creative e- mail “pitches” designed to persuade reporters to visit.

2.Fact Sheet: when journalists are in the hotel ,the PR manager should be certain that the journalist’s rooms are furnished with a complete fact sheet ( or press kit) containing information on every detail.

3.Web sites: Now -a- days travelers buy their vacations on the internet.A travel company must advertise the destination attractive with photographs and positive feedback on the web site.

Conclusion:

The significance of PR in travel and tourism cannot be overstated. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council , travel and tourism generated $8.8 trillion in 2023, supporting 319 million job worldwide. Effective PR can significantly boost these numbers by attracting most visitors and fostering a thriving tourism sector.