Northstar

12 | www.travelweekly-asia.com FUTURE OF TRAVEL National tourism organisations haven't let the Covid-19 pandemic lock down their marketing activities. Smart use of digital technology and social media has kept the dream of travel alive. I f you ever wonder what makes a Zouk nightclub party in Singapore so special, or you are keen to join a backyard barbecue in Australia or spend a magical night gazing at the stars in the Maldives, you can thank the Covid-19 lockdown for bringing these experiences to homes across the globe. During a time when nations have locked their borders to contain the coronavirus pandemic, NTOs have responded by keeping their destinations top of mind with wonderful image galleries, videos and virtual experiences related to the destination. NTOs have honed their digital and social media skills to produce inspirational marketing material covering everything from iconic sights to cooking classes and acclaimed nightlife experiences such as Singapore's famed Zouk nightclub. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has "let the photos speak for themselves" with a daily photo showcase featuring natural, historical and cultural attractions as well as the local way of life at major and secondary destinations across Thailand. The Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation invited quarantined travellers to a live Facebook event, "Maldives, the sun will shine again" which aimed to convey to the world that Maldives is By Ian Jarrett NTOs have honed their digital and social media skills to produce inspirational marketing material. LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Destinations get into the home movie business slowly but surely on the road to recovery. Tourism Australia encouraged those in quarantine "to dream a little bigger" with a live programme of virtual events from underwater experiences to backyard BBQs, hosted by some of Australia's most iconic personalities. Iconic nightclub Zouk Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) took the clubbing experience into people's homes with a series of virtual parties. Hosted on video conferencing platform Zoom at the end of May, Zouk Phuturescapes kicked off in the United States, followed by Asia and Australia and finally hit the UK on May 31. These parties were also streamed live on the organisers' Facebook and YouTube pages. Said STB assistant chief executive (Marketing Group) Lynette Pang, "We aspire to take the concept of virtual parties to the next level through a mix of content curation, immersive technology, audience engagement, and innovative marketing. "In doing so, we will showcase the best of Singapore's entertainment and nightlife and shine the spotlight on our home-grown talents." CREDIT:KCKATE16/ISTOCK/GETTYIMAGESPLUS HEALTH AND SAFETY NOW A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE, SAYS TAT Destination marketing will change post Covid-19. There will be greater emphasis on health and welfare, recognising that visitors to a country's attractions will seek assurances their health is being looked after while they tour the sights, taste the food and greet the locals. As lockdowns ease, planes begin to fly again, and hotels fully reopen, countries and individual destinations will switch from the virtual to the real and respond to the new normal in travel: safety and health. Visitors need to be reassured that the country, the city, the hotel or the restaurant they are visiting has the protocols in place to guarantee their safety. In Asia, Thailand has launched national safety and health requirements that Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn believes are key to driving demand for inbound travel. "Ensuring high health and safety standards will be one of the key criteria for Thai tourism to establish its competitive advantage in the recovery period," the TAT governor said. "The desire to travel will remain strong, but when it actually comes to decision-making time, visitors will opt for those destinations where they feel confident about their personal safety." CREDIT: KWHISKEY/ISTOCKGETTYIMAGESPLUS Thailand says stringent health and safety standards in popular locations like Bangkok will give it a competitive advantage post Covid-19. D E S T I N A T I O N M A R K E T I N G

• Cover