BUSINESS NEWS around the world gathered in London this month for the fourth annual event. Lee Hayhurst reports
Guevara credits planning for fall in recovery times
The time it takes for destinations to recovery from a disaster is decreasing, except for crises associated with political instability. Gloria Guevara, chief executive of
the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), told the summit that crises are “more frequent but less disruptive”. She said it used to be that it took
on average 26 months for countries to recover, but the average was now just 10 months. “Why is that? It’s because you are planning,” she said. WTTC data suggests destinations
take 22 months on average to recover from political crises, compared with
Gloria
Guevara, WTTC
16 months for natural disasters, 19 months for disease outbreaks and 11 months for security-related attacks. WTTC research found that 36%
of disasters between 2001 and 2018 were natural disasters, 32% were related to terrorism or security, 19% political instability and 13% disease outbreaks.
Cape Town reveals how tourism recovered after its 2017 drought
Tourism in Cape Town has recovered from the 2017 drought crisis that threatened to cut off all water supply to the South African city. The crisis was so acute that city
authorities publicised plans for ‘Day Zero’ – when water supply would be cut off – in an attempt to change residents’ behaviour. This had an immediate impact
on tourism, despite foreign visitors to Cape Town accounting for just 1% of water usage. However, tourism recovery has
been rapid thanks to a multimedia trade campaign under the strapline
‘Nowhere Does it Better’. Tim Harris, chief executive of
Western Cape promotional agency Wesgro, said the campaign reached 17 million people in core markets, including the US, UK and Germany, and generated $5 million of bookings from $1 million spend. Harris said: “We wanted to lead
with a positive message about the diversity of experience available. “We are now back. The US,
Germany and UK are all growing at between 5% and 25%. “That’s the power of a
collaborative effort in getting over a ‘Day Zero’ message.”
‘Brands must match buyers’ beliefs’
Te rise of “belief-driven buyers” is placing greater focus on the trust consumers have in brands and destinations. Hugh Taggart, general manager of
public relations firm Edelman, said activism among consumers was rising as distrust in politicians grew. “We use trust as a short cut all
day, every day,” he said. “But people have become very
demanding when it comes to earning trust. The public set a high bar in how they expect brands to show up in their lives.” Taggart claimed two-thirds of
people say they would switch from a brand depending on its stance on issues such as the environment, human rights and ethical supply chains. And he said consumers today were more likely to view their purchasing decisions as being a reflection of their identity than whom they voted for in elections.
travelweekly.co.uk People are looking
for companies they can buy in to – it’s easier to get brands to act for them than politicians
“People are looking for companies
they can buy in to, not just buy from,” Taggart said. “They want a consumer
relationship built on the basis of building a brand democracy of businesses as champions. “It’s much easier to get companies
and brands to act for them than it is politicians.” However, Taggart said only about
a third of people say they can trust most of the brands they buy from. Many firms are aware of this
“gulf in expectation”, but just bolting on a public relations strategy won’t
work, warned Taggart, who added: “Consumers are not idiots. They know ‘woke-washing’ when they see it and lots of companies are getting it wrong. “We are talking about the purpose of business not the business of
purpose. It’s not enough to keep your heads down. Silence is not an option. “It can be no longer about just
maximising shareholder value. You must demonstrate your values and your company’s mission. Be clear what you stand for.”
21 NOVEMBER 2019 71 Hugh Taggart, Edelman
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