British TV stars Bettany Hughes and Maisie Adam took to the stage at WTM London to share their tips about marketing travel and holidays.
Comedian and star of
Taskmaster and A League of Their Own, Maisie Adam, spoke on the marketing
summit panel ‘Comedy Sells’ whereby she told delegates: “It’s about making the
ordinary, extraordinary”, as she recalled interviews with passengers about
etiquette on planes. Having worked with several tourism boards, Adam went on to
explain “There is a human element to travel…we have to grab [consumers] with
more than just where it is. You don’t have to show off Machu Picchu; you could
be at an airport talking about the mundane”.
The comedian showed
clips from her recent Swiss tourism film, which featured activities such as
sliding down a bobsleigh run and trying a fondue. Adam said: “It’s about
telling a story well and enjoying yourself. Other people see you’re having a
great laugh, so they want to come and find out more”. She closed by telling the
audience: “Humour is a special language…and a great tool for connection.”
On the panel, was also
West Midlands Growth Company, including a screening of the brand’s recent
marketing video featuring Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, a tour guide called
William, who dresses as William Shakespeare, a taxi driver, a chef and a ballet
dancer.
“A West Midlands
Welcome” was produced by BBC Storyworks, the commercial content studio of BBC
Studios, showcasing the region’s varied culture, sights and food to the US and
Canadian markets. Martin Clarke, Senior Tourism Marketing Manager at West
Midlands Growth Company, said the humorous story-telling approach “hit the nail
on the head”.
The region welcomed a
record number of visitors over the past year, with overseas travellers up 2%
year on year, including a “big chunk” from North America. Naomi Taylor, BBC
Storyworks Managing Editor, explained how extensive research went into finding real
people who were “passionate advocates” for their region.
Ursula Horne, Head of
Insights at BBC Studios, said they used the “science of engagement” to study
how viewers of the videos responded to the content and found it humorous,
surprising and thought-provoking.
Later, a marketing
session featuring historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes, in conversation
with Wanderlust Editor-in-Chief, George Kipouros, heard how culture, history
and heritage can encourage a deeper understanding of destinations, with her TV
shows attracting 450 million viewers around the world last year.
Hughes shared clips of
some of her history documentaries, featuring the temple at Ephesus, the Magura
Cave complex and a rose festival in Bulgaria, and Nabataean sites from Saudi
Arabia to Jordan. Clips from some shows have gone viral, she said, as people
were fascinated by artefacts such as a 2,000-year-old Bulgarian perfume bottle
and colourful paint pots from Pompeii.
Musing on her Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World series, she said: “Wonder proves what we can do if
we collaborate. If we wonder, we engage; if we engage, we care; if we care, we
understand; and if we understand, we love. Travelling with wonder is literally
an act of love. Wonder makes us feel good and you guys should be selling it.”
Another marketing
session explored 12 factors which motivate travellers, ranging from curiosity
and happiness to mentorship, serendipity and empathy. Journalist Ash Bhardwaj
used examples from his own travels – ranging from a school rugby trip to New
Zealand to walking in Uganda and raving in Ibiza – to show how storytelling can
inspire travel.
He warned there is now
so much AI-generated content online that using it can lead to “rubbish”,
adding: “Real news stories generated by journalists and storytellers will still
matter. AI will not find what is new and interesting.”
Elsewhere, another
marketing session looked at how Generation Alpha – those born between 2010 and
2024 – are already redefining travel. Food futurist Tony Hunter said this
generation is “deeply attached” to technology, and by the age of nine, they
have access to at least four devices. They are also the gateway to the wallets
of their millennial parents, he said.
Hunter outlined technological advances in generative AT, biowearables and quantum computing that will accelerate change in food tech and the shift to greater personalisation, adding: “These technologies are science fact and their impact will be felt. “Catering to Gen A now ensures the relevance of the travel industry for decades to come.” -TradeArabia News Service