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FEATURE www.travelweeklyweb.com Scores and flaws in travel trade event marketing For someone who works in tourism marketing, trade shows are deemed as the backbone of any marketing strategy. Companies that deal with destination marketing or complementary services in tourism may also spend a huge portion of their marketing budget on attending trade shows. At a time where almost everyone regards the internet as their travel bible to plan their next business trips or vacation, are attending travel trade shows worth it? Anthony Chan, Managing director, Chan Brothers Group Editorial Advisory Board Member, Destination Businesses or destinations targeting different markets like the Middle East, Europe, China or India will certainly find the appeal in the big names of trade shows in tourism, such as the World Travel Market in London and ITB Asia in Singapore or ITB Berlin. More often, travel contracts between outbound and inbound operators as well as suppliers are reinforced and confirmed at the shows. The space between one's absence at the trade show and sealing a deal is certainly the big hole that defines a stark difference between cost and worth. Today's travel trade shows have seen a shift into renewing the appeal and presentation of bigger, more outlandish booths, interactive performances, innovative venues are just some of the little changes organisers and marketers have made in their effort to create impactful messaging and appeal. What are the key trends when it comes to travel trade event marketing? We look at the scores and flaws, along with the current industry needs. "The continuing upward trend in the global travel industry is due mainly to an economic boom in the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and in other developing countries. Significant income growth in countries such as Russia and India and the emergence of a new middle class in almost every BRIC country has sparked a desire to travel which prevails in times of crisis," said Rolf Freitag, CEO of IPK International. With travel appetite remaining high, despite times of crisis, trade events ought to appeal to both buyers and sellers, given how quickly the market is evolving. Are trade organisers and marketers in Asia doing enough to tap on this growth and push for more tourism services and products during these events? Identifying the key needs of the buyers or visitors who will decide on even making the trip to attend the show is important to ensure a follow-up post-show satisfaction on those who spent part of their yearly budget to attend the show. Motivating factors What motivates a trade professional, be they travel agents or hoteliers, to attend a travel trade show? What can an organiser or a service provider do to assist in the marketing of an event, more successfully? According to the ITB World Travel Trends Report, Asia-Pacific again, proved to be a reliable motor for world travel with a seven per cent rise in growth. A key factor was a strong comeback by Japan which registered a 13 per cent increase in international trips after a seven per cent decline in 2011 due to the impact of the March earthquake disaster on travel demand. 4 | ■ TRAVELWEEKLY ASIA | SEPTEMBER 2013 According to The Professional Convention Management Association and UBM Studios, the location where the event is held is a motivating factor for an organiser's group of target audience to decide on their participation. In the US, 78 per cent of those surveyed will keep their level of travel the same in the next 12 months, should the event be held within their city, while 16 per cent plan to increase it. Seventy per cent will travel both domestically and internationally while 10 per cent will plan more domestic travel while 11 per cent will plan more international travel. www.travelweeklyweb.com

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