You all are loaded with advertisement every day in the Newspaper, TV Radio, Internet, Face book wherever there is an opportunity to reach potential customers. Basic fact is that advertising is mainly a paid public Message focused to bring into your notice the product or services on offer and in tourism which is my profession to inform on a potential destination. It is the most visible and most significant part of the marketing strategy. It is directed to customer towards the point of sale – the retailers where the product is accessible and interrelated details. Destination advertising opens up the destination and in my mind comes how Goa, Kerala, Uttarkhand, Chattisgarh which were less known became prime destinations in India because of aggressive advertisement made by these states. This has helped them to get increased traffic. Even I went to these places after seeing colorful Media and TV advertisements. They looked to me better than Europe where I spent twenty two years of my prime youth. Tourists do not like to travel thousand of Kilometers just to see what they can see next door. For Example foreign tourists from Switzerland or Alaska can not be motivated to visit Himalayas. They have seen enough of snow. They are looking for sunny India – as they want to runaway from such cool environment to a Sunny place and India can assure them enough of Sunny places – Goa, South India, Delhi, Rajasthan and they can tan themselves to their hearts content.
Advertising need what is unique to a country and for India, it is the 5000 years of old culture and its continuity till date inspite of several changes in course of centuries and how it amalgated something new from every body and made it own Something as Architecture where Advt can claim
“You can see the world in India” – And it should quantify with fact and not just imagination In India one can see Hindu Architecture, Islamic, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, Italian, Gothic, Hellenic, and where else you can see all these – No where in the world make a trip to India and see mini world, in your kitbag and collect memories on camera. It is here 3 ocean holidays possible at leisure – Indian ocean. Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea meeting at Kanyakumari. Thus advertisement create positive awareness and a desire to travel to unknown with lot of enquisity . India’s advertisement material are its Clorful Festivals, Wildlife, People, Textile ( Headgears, dresses of each community) Enchanting Steam Engine Royal Journeys Royal Palaces, food, Handicrafts – shop till you drop and Bewildered with open Eyes – Ah! It is India. But in advertising the right media, right destination that is to reach right people and at right time is the crucial advertising decision. Designing of suitable advertising campaign is an important factor as based on the advertisement material, t the person who is thousand of miles away is going to take a decision. It must penetrate into his eyes and through eyes to mind and that image he will remember through out his life and will feel proud to talk to all who have not visited. It should stimulate a positive decision wish I could be their – It should change one’s perception sorry, I did not know so food. It is the response from tourists who visited India and come back to me in Indian, Paris, Geneva, Lisbon, Madrid, ….. Wherever I had been holding my diplomatic postings as India’s Tourism Representative from 1980’s till 2005 when I retired, my advertisement campaigns became talk of the town because of its unique message in simple language of that country.
I must tell you one special note of caution as per my experience. Advertising should be true, credible and pleasant and actual experience must match with his dream and our delivery must be ……with the message we have given through our advertisement. The advertisement must not be generic. It must give distance, price, packages include, what are unique experience – these are must for international tourists who like to have a comprehensive package on the destination to take a quick decision. Advertisement must help the potential client to “Rationalize costs by selling them the value if its cultural and status overtakes. It must be a place where easy accessibility and trend is there “we must be there if every body is going there should be the ….feeling. India had 56,000 tourists in 60’s and its regular advertisement campaign now with Incredible India branding had reached an international tourist arrival figures of 5.37 million and the trend is progressively increasing, Goa did with chanter, Kerala with go country campaign, Tamilnadu with Architecture UP with Taj Mahal, MP with….of India, Orissa with temples & beaches – Rights campaign really up these destinations keep in the mind women are decision makers in selecting a destination through men workout the advertisement campaign, use fashionable ladies and women magazine to reach right clients. Reach these who can travel. As we are loaded with Advertisement messages everyday be focused what you want to sale – Language should be simple, Message should be visible, if c added, give place to write name and address so that you can send follow-up material, offer discounts as it attracts – people like savings – use liberally sale, off – as these are magical word but be truthful, don’t hijack price & then give discount people do not like to be cheated knowing. But humour if possible – For tourism, always have a …of Quality
