Public Relations in Travel and Tourism

This report examines the critical role of public relations and promotions in the travel and tourism industry, focusing on the strategies employed by companies like Thomas Cook. It discusses the importance of creating a positive public image, the evaluation of public relations skills, and the relationship between media and public relations. The report also outlines a public relations plan, highlighting objectives and key audiences, and evaluates the effectiveness of these strategies in enhancing customer relations and promoting services.

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND
PROMOTIONS IN
TRAVEL AND TOURISM

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Role of public relations as a promotional tool......................................................................1
1.2 Public's within a travel and tourism ....................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Evaluation of range of public relations and promotions skills.............................................3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
3.1 Examine media used in public relations ...............................................................................5
3.2 Evaluate relationship between public relations and the media ..........................................6
3.3 evaluate the public relations techniques in travel and tourism contexts...............................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
4.1 Produce a public relations plan which identifies objectives and key public.........................7
4.2 Effectiveness of the public relations plan ............................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
.........................................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Travel and tourism department is related with selling its products and services and this
had to mange in the system. Public relations and promotions are largely used in the organisation.
Thomas cook is the best known traveller in travel company. Its basic aim is to provide best and
quality services to their potential customers in order to achieve growth and success. (Coombs,
and Holladay, 2012). They use various promotional strategies which are used to attract large
number of visitors. This report contains the study about importance of PR and its role in travel
industry. The effectiveness of evaluating Public relations, skills that are needed by a person who
is specialist in PR and the availability of different media. Lastly an evaluation of PR plans for
luxury hotels.
TASK 1
1.1 Role of public relations as a promotional tool
Public relations starts deals with creating a positive image in minds of people or
management of flow of informations within the organisation and public. PR used by Thomas
Cook helps in shaping images which are favourable to products for systems and individuals.
This helps the business to maintain its aims and objectives effectively and efficiently to achieve
long term success.
PR is targeted with the help of images and tools and techniques which are used to
accomplish this these is called as promotion publicity. Publicity of products can be in negative
or positive way and these can be controlled by different system. Natural disasters can occur at
any time and these situations are not under the control of travel departments. These factors
decreases the profits of company and create attention for of media. If the publicity about the
services of company is good than customers will be attracted and thus increase in revenues.
Whereas if publicity is wrong than it will create a wrong image in minds of individuals about the
different services offered by the company. Thus creating a good image is very vital for success
of company (Dodge, 2015).
PR used by Thomas Cook is related with the market related activities and is also a part of
promotional mix. The activities which are included in marketing mix are advertisement, sales
promotion, direct selling etc. The main objective of marketing is related with creating awareness
about products and services that are offered by company. Right product should reach the
customers at right place and right time is the main objective of marketing. All these factors can
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only be achieved by creating crating awareness so that it leads to great achievement for
company.
1.2 Public's within a travel and tourism
Travel and tourism is encountered to make relations with the public because they are will
be the persons who will be buying their services. Relationship are very essential for success of
any organisation because they helps to make interaction in an efficient way and thus it leads to
loyalty towards the services offered to by customers. Thomas Cook thought reflected that good
relations helps in success of an organisation and achievement in long term growth.
Advertisement policy that are used by company helps in creating awareness so that
attention can be captured of individual who will become the next customers in availing the
services offered by company (Roper, 2012).
Public's within the company can be customers, shareholders, community and money
lenders who will be consuming the services. PR and advertisement policies are different as
advertisement can be controlled which can include the use of different marketing tools thus
increase in cost and availability of less credit. Whereas PR are not under the control because if
rumours are spread negatively about the services than it leads to bad perceptions about services
in mind of Public.
There are various uses of PR in context to making relations with public which consist of
press relations, product publicity, sponsorships of company, plans designed for cooperate
communications. These can also affect a specific group of people. All theses factors work in a
different manner but they all have one objective in common that is to generate good reputation of
services offered by travel and tourism department. The cooperate communication plans relates
with insider plans of company. The importance and use of PR is defending reputations of
products through positive publicity (Dasgupta, 2011). It also covers large areas of publicity in
relation to public. It also covers negative images and trouble which are related to company
products.
1.3 Importance of PR in travel and tourism.
PR is an important tool that is used for promotion of travel and tourism department. It is
related with various purposes which includes promotion of an event, building positive image of
company, responsible citizen and removing the attention of public from negative events like
accident and effects of natural disasters.
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Value of public relations in travel and tourism industry:
Promotional tool: PR is used as promotional tool. It aims at creating a positive image in
minds of people. Travel department can include promotion of new activities, changes in
management structures and alteration and changes in objectives of organisation. PR plays a vital
role role as the promotions of company will be done with the help of good press relations,
sponsorships, wining of prices with the help of competition, invitation for new activities like free
accommodation in hotels and discounted on flights ticket (Waters and Jamal, 2011).
Communication tools: Communications are very important in external and internal
business areas where the activities of travel and tourism operates. PR is used effectively in both
these business areas. Internal communication plans are designed to convey the plans and policies
to employees of company. It is mostly underestimation which results in terrible esprit de corps
and affects the quality and aspects related with services of products. Services are important for
travel and tourism department as most of products are related in relation with services. External
communication includes communicating plans with outside parties like customers, shareholders
etc. . They are thus informed about modifications in business activities. This is done with the
help of media's, conferences and invitation to crucial guest where the information needs to be
communicated face to face.
Building Credibility: It means success in operations of business activities. Advertisement
that are done in simple way will not have the same effects in comparison to advertisement that
are made with the help of media. Advertisement are done and are hidden in writer assessment of
attraction and releasing the thought of eco projects with the help of special media. The key that
relates to success is the first hand experience and tourism industry is related with this experience.
Crisis Management: It deals with management of negative awareness that is created for
services and products of travel and tourism department. Terrible things that are occurring cannot
be controlled easily. Rumors that are spready negatively can hamper the tourism business as
customers experiences are very important for success of any business (Goeldner and Ritchie,
2012).
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TASK 2
2.1 Evaluation of range of public relations and promotions skills
Successful implementation of PR requires skills and abilities of persons who are involved
in the process. The quality of product is given more attention than the quantity of products. Thus
quality in services is success factor for travel industry.
Importance of personal skills given by Thomas Cook in relationship with PR are as
follows;
Recognition of opportunities: Opportunities open new doors for success. Thus these
opportunities should be effectively evaluated before the competitors use these for the success of
his own business. Various points should be considered like Creativity, profitability and existing
activities and thus these should be maximised. Skills are formed within particular time by
analysing the experiences, studying the relevant facts and the different ways by which potential
of HR can be maximised.
Information should be evaluated which will be beneficial for the presenter. All the
information are not useful for the company only the main points are to be highlighted and should
be marked with different colours. Recognition of values of good stories and expressing to media
in an accurate way is also important. Ability to choose correct media and message data is also
very essential.
The information should also be represented in an effective manner which would be
helpful for Thomas Cook to maintain PR. Evaluating the information in internal and external
contact requires effective and creative ways of representing the information. It should be free
from grammatical errors, data should be evaluated with the help of tables and graphs. All these
factors which are helpful in evaluatinges theat creativity also plays an important role (Hall,
2013). Boucher, leaflets and posters which encompass the materials used for communication are
very important for running a particular business. These are helpful in capturing the attention of
customers and building images.
Right attention of right people towards the organisation. The importance of PR activities
cannot be neglected. Events like functions, press conferences and exhibition helps in capturing
attention of public who are very important. Maintaining positive relations helps in getting
positive insight about the company with the help of feedbacks. Presenting Presence of important
message to researcher and generalist is thus essential.
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Building customer relation is the main objective of PR. These are related with
interpersonal skills and they are thus are defined with high level of knowledge and experience
and time. The ability to evaluate the needs and wants of customers is essential elements of
building customer relations and thus capturing attention of public (Hall and Duval, 2012).
TASK 3
3.1 Examine media used in public relations
Thomas Cook uses media which relates to print, broadcasting media's, online media
that is internet and electronic. Face to face contract between individuals (Han and Hyun, 2015).
Print media includes various types of newspapers, magazines, journals and catalogues
that were helpful in PR activities in relation to travel industry. Press releases new articles about
the various offers that are offered by industry, Boucher about various services of company,
articles which are included in newspapers, magazines and directories for travellers with
information that are relevant for customers. Print media covers a huge number of customers at a
particular time and with relative low cost as compared with other media. These media can also
be used to address a particular unit of customers. There are various opportunities by which
response of the reader can be easily known with the help of special coupons that are provided to
individuals. Advertisement can also be given in the form of news or various review articles.
Press presents the experience in a colourful manner so as to attract the customers. Travel and
tourism industry is mainly dependent on development by the experiences of customers.
Broadcast media includes television, cinema theatres and various new forms of electronic
and social media. Broadcasting media are often complex as there are various advantages and
disadvantages of using these media (Dasgupta, 2011).
Television are used in PR for promotion of the various products and services that are
offered by the company. At a particular time it can thus cover a large number of customers which
are segmented in different locality. It provides various chance for real time users to enjoy and
give instant feedbacks. It also helps in providing comfort to customers.
Radio is also used as PR that can be used by anyone and at anytime. It is thus mobile as
people can listen various advertisement that are launched by the company , up to date
information is provided by the message which is being conveyed to public. There is a drawback
of using this type of media as the pictures cannot be reflected and this is not great for travel and
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tourism department as the customers are mostly attracted by colourful pictures (Hsieh and Kung
2013).
Cinemas and theatres are good sources of maintaining PR. The advertisement are shown
in pictures which are very colourful which reveals the destination and attract tourist points.
People are not able to skip the add that are shown by cinemas and thus they pretend to be loyal
and enjoy the adds as they have came here to spend time and give relaxation to their minds.
3.2 Evaluate relationship between public relations and the media
Thomas Cook have evaluated relationship between Public Relationship and Media which
are very odd and thus are classifies as follows:
PR Business enterprise suggest that media cannot do any job without PR representative.
While on the other hand Media industry suggest that PR are just word of mouth for people who
will be still be talking with media if the PR industry never emerged. Both the viewpoints are still
right to a certain point.
As there are changes in technology up-gradation the access to media's and PR have seen
a change how these two interact at the point. The rise in cables access, radio stations and internet
have made easier for the customers to adopt to new technologies. As the economy is progressing
the lines are still foggy between publicity and news reporting (Liu and Yang 2011).
Relationship between media and PR are made on mutual trust and respect so that
common goals can be achieved. Both these group have common objectives to reach the public
with good information which are beneficial for them and thus it helps in can improvinge their
lives. PR and media shares common goals which are related with educations, entertainment
activities and expanding their audience. If the communication is honest and relevant than their
relationship can be beneficial to both the parties.
Media industry sometimes dislike PR experts who are boring and are not providing worth
full information on the relevant topics. While PR persons at times disapprove media as they are
taking the story in unwanted directions and thus they do not give proper response as it was
expected from them. If the client is facing any problem the media presents to be unrestrained.
The job of PR is to dominion the media running so that best strategies can be implemented to
brands and safe reputation (Hall, 2011).
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3.3 Eevaluate the public relations techniques in travel and tourism contexts
There are various types of media which can be used in developing and maintaining public
relations. The public relation is very important matter as they help the travel and tourism sector
in establishing relations with the society and its people. There appropriateness of media used
with different public relations techniques are:
 Press release: This is also known as broadcasting, Thomas cook organises a press
conference which helps it in reaching the market, and customers as well inverters. The
press conference is one of the most efficient technique which helps it in reaching the
common homes. This is a digital media platform which is considered as much more
efficient mode.
 Newsletter: This is a print media mode which is good if the advertisement is being done
in a limited area. But it is not eco-friendly and also ineffective if the area of promotion is
large. This is a method which is used as to inform government and authorities about the
changes which will be taking place in the organisation (Mok, Sparks and Kadampully
2013).
 Online advertisement and social media: This is the recent trend which has changed the
companies approach to the public relations. This is a much more efficient and effective
mode of promotion which enables the providers to reach large population without
spending an additional amount. Social media has become a platform which helps in
connecting and interacting with all potential as well as existing customers easily and
efficiently. The digitalisation of Public relation has revolutionised the whole concept of
development and maintenance of business-customer relationship.
TASK 4
4.1 Produce a public relations plan which identifies objectives and key public
The plans that are used for explaining PR are evaluated with the help of Jeffkins Model
which was used by Thomas Cook are:
 He argued that planning can be done in 6 different ways which are as follows:
 Efficiency in PR cannot be brought at a particular time but it happens with care full
planning. PR plans has various objectives and strategies that are to be implemented.
Objectives can be changed with the time and thus PR planning is an invariant process and
thus uses low opportunity cost for publicity ( Park and Oh, 2012).
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Jeffkins models consist of various steps which are as:
Research and analysation of the current situation with the help of SWOT analysis,
vision and mission of organisation, internal and the external factors and the activities of the
pressure groups. The PR should be adjusted with different marketing plans and thus they should
never go against the goals and the mission of the company (Sheldon and Park, 2011).
Establishment of marketing objectives: The various task that are defined for marketing
plans should be effeciently achieved. The important objective is creating awareness related to
products and services.
Target audience: Identifying the target audience and the issues that are important for
audiences. Right messages should be designed for right persons. It is an effective tool for the
success of HR plans.
Media Selection: Right message should be given to right target audiences with the help
of correct media. Media that are available for PR experts includes printing press, conferences,
sponsorships and various events (Sheldon and Park, 2011).
Establishment of Budgets: PR should be cost effective and thus they should help in
planning planned the budgets in a cost effective manner so that optimal cost results can be
achieved. Most of the activities that are related with PR are non paid but sometime these
activities are also in paid form and thus they are expensive. These cost includes salaries and
media fees.
Implementation and control about all the activities that are related with Public
relations.
4.2 Effectiveness of the public relations plan
PR is used as a promotional tools and thus have various scope and elements. Thus it is
important to know the potency of PR as a promotional tool given by Thomas Cook
Various exposures in media are the result of attention that are brought from public with
the help of PR. Different ways to measure the effectiveness are engine ranks, press comments.
Exposures are very hard to count and thus quantity of exposures does not show the effectiveness
of PR.
Awareness created among the public can also help in measuring the effectiveness.
Changes in attention of public due to events or activities that are organised by PR. Awareness are
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the effective ways to measures the activities which are standing alone. PR is not effective when
promotions are made with other activities.
Changes that are reflected in attitude reflect indicate the PR activities and the ways to
evaluate the success. Activities that are results from changes in attitudes are greatly monitored by
the researchers (Tsai and Chen, 2011 ).
Profits are the effective ways to measure the achievements of the PR plans. Raising in
sales and revenues are the best ways from with which the efficiencies can be measured.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that is important to maintain Public relations
in travel and tourism as it helps in creating awareness between people about the different uses of
products and services. Tourism business is expanding constantly and thus they are able to
generate huge revenues and profits for the company. There is need for good researchers who can
evaluate the effectiveness of PR. It is thus concerned with creating and managing good images of
company and the products that are related with travel industry. Lastly the relationship between
Media and PR in travel and tourism industry.
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