Hawaii Hospitality - July/August 2014 - (Page 8)

DIGITAL PURSUIT Testing new online strategies targeting Asia's coveted visitors BY PRISCILLA PÉREZ BILLIG A mid a steady increase in visitors from China, Korea and Taiwan, Hawaii continues to refine its digital presence. Of particular interest is the tourist from China, where a rising middle class, softening travel restrictions and growing social transformation has made it the largest contributor to global tourism revenue. To attract visitors from Asia to Waikiki, PacRim Marketing Group, Inc. cross markets client brands with advertorials, blogs, videos, posts and promotions on multiple social media platforms, combining and connecting with websites in what it calls an "omni-channel" approach that differs from English-language search engines and blogs. It uses campaigns and sweepstakes to boost client brands, advertising and promotions. PacRim's Asian language social media posts 8 Hawaii Hospitality July/August 2014 ■ point to either hotel and dining websites or to its Chinese, Korean or Japanese portal websites, which help travelers make reservations or arrange a dining experience. "Currently there is a huge shift in the way social media is being used in China," says Dave Erdman, president and CEO of PacRim and PRTech, LLC. "WeChat (Weixin in Chinese) is increasingly being used for day-today communication and to connect consumers with brands. While at its core it's an instant messaging service, WeChat also has robust social networking elements that make it very unique and effective." WeChat provides mobile multimedia communication with text messaging, hold-to-talk voice messaging, broadcast messaging, photo and video sharing, location sharing and contact information exchange. As mobile usage increases throughout Asia, the traveler is looking for responsive web design that offers easy reading and navigation across all IT devices. BY THE NUMBERS "Chinese tourists spent more than $102 billion last year on overseas trips," says Shao Qiwei, head of China's National Tourism Administration. "The United States received 1.47 million Chinese visitors in 2012, and the number is increasing by 35 percent each year, a figure that puts it far ahead of any other country. Chinese travelers also spent $8.8 billion last year in the U.S., making America the top spending destination for Chinese tourists." Chris Thomson, president and CEO of Brand USA, the official U.S.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hawaii Hospitality - July/August 2014

Women at the Top
Halekulani Celebrates 30 Years
Digital Pursuit
It's Expo Time!
Technology in the Kitchen
Meet Chef Sheldon Simeon
News Briefs
Talk Story with George Szigeti
Clean Talk with Rose Galera
At the Table with Roger Morey

Hawaii Hospitality - July/August 2014