MTPA WORKING ON NEW MARKET STRATEGY FOR EUROPE
Economic challenges across the European economies, coupled with the latest election results in France and Greece, which could spell more trouble for the Eurozone, has prompted the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, to take a fresh look at marketing and promotional activities in the islands core markets. The new approach is to focus more intensely on the use of social media, joint promotional efforts with airlines and travel industry partners, more familiarization tours for travel agents and the media and celebrity marketing revealing intriguing similarities to the successful strategy of another Vanilla Island. Towards this end MTPA is reportedly seeking closer ties with airlines flying to Mauritius, but also with hotels and resorts and other key stakeholders to present a united front when working the markets.
At the same time new and emerging markets in the Middle East, Russia, India and China are being targeted with road shows and sales blitz activities, to capture a greater market share from there, aimed to make up for the softening core markets Mauritius has been depending on for too long.
Tourism Minister Michael Sik Yuen also reassured the tourism industry on the island that: The restructuring of the MTPA is ongoing and will lead to a review of the operation of its offices abroad an apparently critical if not crucial issue with private sector stakeholders who in past comments to this correspondent repeatedly pointed out that MTPA requires an overhaul and a new vision.
In a related development it was also learned overnight that a photo shoot took place last week on Mauritius for Frances LOreal, which is expected to greatly enhance Mauritius visibility not just in France but across the world. A media release from MTPA said in this connection: It should be highlighted that Mauritius is a photo studio in the open, where there is no need for bulky and expensive equipments. Natural light and the different landscapes in a small space can limit production costs, whereas the conditions in Mauritius allow for creative freedom and fulfillment, which is impossible to attain in the studio. True enough that is, as amply demonstrated in successful campaigns of a similar nature elsewhere across the Vanilla Islands. Watch this space.
