Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at Dubai’s high-stakes visual marketing, an airline merger in Southern Africa, and Selina’s delayed IPO.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, October 4. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.Destinations in the Middle East believe they’ve found a powerful tool for helping promote tourism through brand building. They’re increasingly turning to celebrities to market themselves to prospective visitors, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.
As Bhuta writes celebrity endorsements are significant factors in travelers’ decision-making process, brands such as Visit Dubai are including Hollywood stars in their marketing campaigns. Visit Dubai commissioned a promotional film titled A Romance to Remember featuring Zac Efron and Jessica Alba. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi has partnered with actor and professional wrestler John Cena in a tourism campaign while Nicole Kidman has appeared in ads for Etihad Airways. An executive at a marketing agency said celebrity endorsements can help bring attention to a destination travelers may be unaware of.In addition, Bhutia notes Middle East destinations are using celebrities to tap into niche markets, citing Qatar as an example. The host of this year’s World Cup is featuring English soccer icon David Beckham in its efforts to attract visitors from the United Kingdom and soccer fans.
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