[Festival of Media] Promoting a country through tourism

“Tourism is the main driver of the Spanish brand,” said Maria Luisa Francoli, MPG, adding that tourism contributed 16% to the country's GDP in 2009. Some 12% of Spain's work force is engaged in one role or another in tourism or tourism-related industries, she said.

During the last four decades the Spanish tourism industry has grown to become the second biggest in the world, worth approximately €40 billion, about 5% of GDP in 2006. Spain ranked third, behind France and the US, in number of tourist visitors in the following years: 2008 - 57.3 million; 2007 - 58.7 million; 2006 - 58.2 million and second, behind the US in terms of tourist spend: 2008 - US$61.6 billion;
2007 - US$57.6 billion and US$51.1 billion in 2006.

Reality must match promise

She stressed the importance of sustainability and of the value of tourism not only as a direct import of currency but also as an important player in the generation of new investment in the country.

Basically, when potential investors visit a country and enjoy it, they are more likely to look favourably on investing in the country - be that in buying property or investing in some other manner.

Francoli said however, that the reality has got to match the promise (even better, exceed it) and it would be counter-productive to promote a country's food, for instance, in the knowledge that it is not all it is cracked up to be.

She also, in answer to a question from the floor, said that it is important that those in the industry are worthy ambassadors.

Be unique

Enrique Luis de Lera, marketing and commercial director, Turespaña, Spain's tourism marketing organisation, said that Spain is the pioneer in tourism marketing, having begun its efforts back in the mid-1950s.

To date, he says, the country has had something in the order of 1.5 billion visitors (roughly equivalent to about a quarter of the world's
population) and many of these visitors are third and fourth-time tourists.

“The key is not to be different, but to be unique,” he says.

Focus on Asian market

Turespaña briefed 90 agencies worldwide to produce a series of four 30-second TV commercials, with the themes “Friends”, “Family”, “Seniors” and “Asian”. All use the Turespaña Miro Sun logo (which enjoys a 73% recognition rate and a high awareness in English-speaking countries), and the payoff line “I need Spain”.

“The adverts have a lifestyle theme, and the Asian one ensures that we do not concentrate on Chinese, or Japanese, but rather on ‘Asian' as a generic… more of a mix.

“The future is yellow,” says De Lera, adding in answer to a question on marketing Spain in the US, for example that Spain is well-established in the US as a tourism destination and the growth area in the future lies East - in Asia, hence Turespaña's advert aimed at the Asian market.

Sport in brand-building

Sport is the most valuable vector/platform in brand-building, says De Lera (though he adds, tongue-in cheek, so long as teams keep on winning).

“We concluded deals covering soccer (including one with the Royal Spanish Soccer Federation), motorcycling and basketball.

On the question of greed and its impact on tourism, Le Lera told Bizcommunity.com that while much effort has been put into countering it - for example around the Barcelona Olympics some years back - no one has yet come up with a sure-fire way to ensure visitors to sports events such as the Olympics or the World Cup will not be ripped off.

Maria Luisa Francoli

Maria Luisa Francoli has served many roles at MPG since she joined the company back in 1993. Currently Global CEO, she started her career with MPG as the corporate development manager responsible for MPG's geographical and business diversification.

Maria Luisa was chosen to create a Digital agency within Havas Media in 1997; Media Contacts today is a leading global interactive media network with offices in 26 countries and 33 cities. She began by developing the interactive marketing capabilities of the company and then expanding into a network across Europe, Latin America and the US.

In 2003, Maria Luisa was appointed CEO of what was then the Media Planning network, the largest division of MPG. She was appointed Global CEO of MPG in 2006 to concentrate on driving profitable and sustainable growth for clients and, as a result, MPG.

Maria Luisa started her professional career in the US in the travel industry. Then she spent four years in banking concentrating on mergers & acquisitions and project finance and then in 1993 she joined MPG.

MPG anchors Havas Media with more than 100 offices and 3000 people worldwide. A leading global media agency, MPG was founded in Spain in 1978.

Enrique Ruiz de Lera

Enrique Ruiz de Lera is marketing & commercial director, Turespaña, Spain's tourism marketing organisation. The Instituto de Turismo de España. It is the administrative unit of the Spanish government in charge of promoting Spain abroad as a tourism destination. It is involved in the planning, development and execution of activities aimed at promoting Spain as a tourism destination in the international markets, supports Spanish tourism marketing efforts and devises strategies to further promote the country as a tourist destination. It operates through a network of world-wide network of 33 tourist offices of Spain.

De Lera has spent his whole professional career working as the country's branding and marketing manager and in 1997 was head of emerging markets at the headquarters based in Madrid. He then moved to Berlin for three years as deputy director of the Spanish Tourism Board for Germany and Poland. In 2001 he relocated to Sao Paulo, Brazil, as director of the Spanish Tourism Board and in 2005, he moved to Singapore for four years as director of the Spanish Tourism Board for South East Asia, India, Australia and New Zealand. He is currently Spain's Tourism head of marketing. He is fluent in English, German and Portuguese as well as being conversant in French.

Bizcommunity.com is the Festival of Media's African media partner.

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