Dragon Trail Interactive Briefing – Digital Marketing 2017

On the 15th March, Dragon Trail Interactive hosted its first London based event to mark the appointment of Roy Graff as Managing Director Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) and the official opening of the agency’s London office.

“The number of Chinese outbound trips in 2016 reached an impressive 122 million, but the year-on-year growth rate has been one of the slowest to date at 3.4%.” remarked Roy Graff, newly appointed Managing Director Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Dragon Trail Interactive. The figure reveals a two speed growth, with arrivals in Greater China (Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) registering a negative 3.7% growth, and a positive 12.5% rise to the rest of the world thanks to friendlier visa policies and more direct connections.

Rising incomes and Chinese millennials are two important drivers of Chinese outbound tourism. Chinese households earning more than 35,000$ USD per year are more likely to book long haul trips and they are predicted to increase threefold by 2023. Finally Roy reminded the audience of the diversity among Chinese travelers. As travelers mature, they move away from pure sightseeing in large groups to semi-independent trips, of which shopping is a large component. On the next level up, there are those travelling independently and seeking unique experiences.

Michaela Mentasti, Marketing Director of Dragon Trail Interactive opened the section on digital by indicated that “With 80% of Chinese travelers going online to plan and book their trips, travel brands need to make digital and mobile a core part of their strategy”. Before establishing their own online channels, brands need to know what Chinese customers are saying about them online. Digital word of mouth is the most cost effective and powerful promotional tool.  Website and social media are consumer marketing’s main digital channels and brands with a strong trade focus should consider social media based solutions for more effective communications.

Weibo’s integration with short video platform Miao Pai and live streaming app Yizhibo have driven the platform’s revival to over 300 million monthly active users (MAUs), and WeChat is the most frequently used app on the phone, with over 846 million MAUs. Despite the wide reach of both platforms, good content marketing alone is no longer sufficient for brands to stand out.  KOL engagement, advertising and integration with live streaming and video platforms are all valuable visibility boosters. Finally brands should constantly be on the lookout for new platforms, as first mover advantage can earn great rewards.

To watch a replay of the seminar on Periscope click here.

Turn on your VPN to watch the presentation below, or click here to view the presentation on SlideShare.

Dragon Trail Interactive Briefing Digital Marketing 2017 Presentation from Dragon Trail Interactive