The 2,500 year-old city of Suzhou in known for UNESCO World Heritage gardens, picturesque canals, and traditional Chinese architecture. Despite its location close to Shanghai, it is often overlooked by many North American travelers as a must-experience destination on their China travel itineraries, a situation created in part due to the North American market’s limited knowledge of Suzhou and its tourism offerings. Suzhou Tourism sought a partner to develop a long-term strategic plan that builds awareness of the destination among North American travel trade influencers and media and sets it apart from competitor destinations that are higher in the booking consideration set.
Client
Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Radio, Television, Culture and Tourism
Industry
Tourism
Services
PR & Media Relations
Travel Trade & Product Development (Tourism)
The Solution
PTG Consulting implemented a multi-pronged approach that included travel trade outreach in both the North American and domestic markets to grow tourism product offerings and bolster collaboration, along with media relations to elevate the destination’s position in North America while keeping domestic media informed of marketing efforts abroad. Through an integrated approach, PTG Consulting executed large scale events to educate travel advisors, tour operators, media, and consumers on Suzhou, while aligning the destination with well-known venues and cultural institutions to further elevate its profile.
The Results
Organized and hosted 115 North American and Chinese travel trade attendees on individual and group FAM trips
Attended more than 30 North American tradeshows promoting Suzhou product
Confirmed partnerships for Suzhou with prestigious U.S. organizations including the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the De Young Museum in San Francisco, and the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, and hosted events to promote the destination among media, travel trade professionals, industry influencers, and celebrities
Held annual press conferences in Suzhou to keep domestic media updated on international promotional efforts and engage them in Suzhou culture
Launched and maintained the destination’s English-language website
Held in-country educational sessions with tour operators and stakeholders, educating them on how to work with PTG Consulting to maximize sales and media opportunities in North America
Engaged in ongoing proactive and reactive travel trade and media outreach in both North America and China
13,000+
Articles secured
471 Billion
Earned Media Impressions
90
Tour operators began selling Suzhou
130%
Increase in North American itineraries that include Suzhou
Client Testimonial