Advertising, particularly in trade journals is a major weapon in the promotional armory of many business travel and tourism organizations. As business travel and tourism is a high-spending activity, advertising tends to be glossy and colorful. To be successful, however, advertising has to:
_ be undertaken frequently to remind customers of brand names
_ be integrated with other promotional techniques.
The Internet Just as in leisure travel, the Internet is beginning to play a growing role in business travel and tourism, both in terms of finding information and making reservations. A readers’ poll published in Conference and Incentive Travel in February 2000 found that:
_ while 35 per cent of readers preferred to book travel and accommodation via the Internet, 60 per cent still preferred other means
_ only 15 per cent of readers felt that conference venue web sites offered the optimum of information for conference organizers. It is clear, therefore, that more work needs to be done on developing this medium in the business travel and tourism field.
Trade journals Business travel and tourism is still a relatively small industry but it is a world in which buyers are always looking for information on new products or services. The trade journals therefore play a very important role in promoting products and allowing communication between buyers, suppliers and intermediaries. There are a large number of journals, most of which focus either on a sector (e.g. exhibitions), a region (e.g. the USA) or a particular angle (e.g. consumer advice for the business traveler). Furthermore, new journals are being launched all the time, around the world. For example, a new journal, CEI Asia Pacific, was launched in September 2000 covering conferences, exhibitions and incentives. Focusing on this region where business tourism is a major phenomena this journal promised its readers, that it would ‘publish industry news features,