The importance of a clear communications message and strategy in challenging times.
by Ida Gutiérrez de Escofet
Having an integrated and strategic communications strategy has proven key to how companies are effectively managing the current crisis. During the pandemic, health and safety and employee engagement have been cited as the top key communications pillars and priorities for businesses. There is no doubt that these are only the starting point. How do you go about creating a globally coordinated approach to recovery and communicating this both internally and across all your brand and external platforms?
Strong communication is crucial especially when faced with hard decisions that affect your workforce. Employees may be worried about the future of their industry and the business, so clear communications and transparency are vital to maintaining a positive brand image from the inside out. Communications also need to be timely and frequent. Both the consumer and employee need to understand the facts around health and safety, what regulations are in place and how we as a company are going to look after them either as a place of work or as a leisure/business destination.
How and what we communicate has fundamentally shifted and will be paramount in a brand’s successful return to normal. In the tourism industry, attracting back guests with confidence, and reassuring them that your hotel or resort is a safe destination to choose is paramount. We can no longer rely solely on communicating the hotel’s facilities, gastronomy, design, etc., we need to be flexible and take into account a new set of guest requirements for their stay and have an effective communication strategy from the start. This is the only way brands can achieve brand trust and confidence of travellers for the future.
A Google Travel study showed that 74% of travellers plan their trips from the internet while only 13% still use travel agencies. The pandemic will have altered these statistics even further. Using smart data will be a key tool for brands and communications directors to make their campaigns stand out from their competitors, optimize investment, and understand their guests from spending habits to reasons for their trip.
This year will have changed people’s desires, needs and capabilities when it comes to travel so brands should be looking to tailor their communication messages accordingly. Expanding into wider digital channels as people have more time to use their devices for example the use of augmented reality. The pandemic has also changed for the better people’s approach to sustainability and conscious travel so brands will need to try and respond to a traveller’s needs by developing products, functions and services that make discovering their brand and location easier.
Join us on December 8, at 11:30 CET to hear more on the topic in the EACD FORUM. The discussion between Gloria Guevara, President & CEO WTTC and Federico J. Gonzàlez, CEO Radisson Hotel Group, will be moderated by Richard Quest, Anchor & Correspondent CNN.
About Ida Gutiérrez de Escofet:
Ida holds a degree in Law by the University of Barcelona, an LLM in Business Law from the London City University and a PDG (General Management Programme) by the IESE University. Her vast professional experience includes roles of responsibility in various multinationals in Spain, Portugal and London.
From 2010 – 2018, Ida Gutiérrez de Escofet was Senior Vicepresident of Corporate Affairs & Communications at NH Hotel Group, reporting directly to the Company’s CEO. From this position, she led the Group’s Global Communications, Public Affairs and CSR strategy and supported the deployment of its business plan across the almost 400 hotels in 31 countries in which the Company had presence through an integrated 360º strategy. Since 2018, Ida Gutiérrez de Escofet has been heading the Communications & Corporate Affairs team of Radisson Hotel Group (in EMEA), providing the CEO and Global Executive Committee team members and the different Areas with strategic advice and support for all Corporate Affairs and communications-related issues, to support the Company objectives and vision through its major transformation plan.