Communication Strategies to Promote Holidays in China for British Citizens - Essay Example

Communication Strategies to promote Holidays in China for British Citizens Executive summary A significant number of people in the United Kingdom are financially capable, therefore, can afford to engage in international tourism. Many countries have realised the vast potential in international tourism and they have decided to market their tourists’ attractions in different countries. China is one of the countries that has benefited immensely from international tourism. The country occupies a very large area that possesses numerous cultural sites, many unique geographical types of scenery, a wide variety of wildlife and vegetation and other unique attractions like The Great Wall of China. In order to promote holidays in China amongst the British public, one needs to come up with a great communication plan that will ensure that the target audience receives the message. This can be done through advertisements in the local media, social media, billboards and cultural fairs and events. One can also highlight some of the cultural issues such as language barrier and some cultural practices that the British citizens would face once they arrived in China. This process would ensure that mutual respect is maintained and a good relationship fostered between the two cultures. 2. Introduction According to Noreen Barkley, Peiyi Ding and Timothy Lee, China recognised that international tourism was a key part of its economy, therefore, launching many initiatives to increase the business and provide a memorable experience that would help market its tourist attractions (Breakey, Ding and Lee 2008: 567). Through the use of excellent communication strategies and international marketing, China has successfully marketed its numerous attractions to many countries, therefore, swaying many of them to travel to the country and have a first-hand experience (Wen and Ximing, 2008: 580). A significant number of British citizens are financially secure, therefore, bearing the ability to spend a sizeable amount of money on holidays. The older generation comprising of senior citizens is also increasing, as baby boomers retire from their jobs. Therefore, Britain has a high number of potential international tourists who are willing to spend a lot of money for leisure travels and holidays. In order to persuade British citizens to visit China for holidays, one must establish a communication plan that will be appealing to them. It should be sensitive to the British culture and create awareness on the cultural differences between the two countries. It should also highlight China’s numerous cultural sites, unique geographical sceneries, the wide variety of wildlife and vegetation and other unique attractions like The Great Wall of China. China (Philo, 2013: 99). This will help to demonstrate the unique experiences that the British citizens will have when they visit China. 3. Main Finding 3.1 Different ways of communication When preparing a communication plan, one must be aware of the different methods of communication. Merinda Kramer states that communication is the process of transmitting and exchanging information between two or more individuals by utilising speech, writing, visual aids and behavioural techniques (Kramer, 2001: 12). For the British citizens to visit China during the holidays, a clear communication method must be used to pass the message. The message helps to promote holidays in China among the British public. In order to pass this information accurately, individuals need to practice effective communication. The communication process involves three aspects. It begins with the individual sending the message, the means used to convey the message and ends with the message receiver or the audience (Akers, 2011). An appropriate communication method must be used to convey the message in order to meet the target audience. There are many communication methods, which include the media, broadsheets, websites and social media among others. In order to target the British public, an individual can utilise the local media, social media, websites, cultural bazaars and billboards (Guffey and Loewy, 2010: 47). 3.2 The sensitivity and cultural differences in UK market There are many cultural differences between the Chinese and the Britons. The Britons maintain a Western culture while the Chinese have an Eastern culture. It is important for the Britons to understand some of the cultural differences that they would witness when visiting China for the holidays (Leung et al. 2013: 3). This would assist them to get accustomed to some practices and to react to some unfamiliar practices correctly. For example, in the United Kingdom, dogs are regarded as pets but in China, they are slaughtered for human food. Some Britons may view this cultural practice as animal cruelty but to the Chinese, it is a normal thing. Greetings also vary, as the Chinese prefer to bow their heads as a sign of respect. It is important for the British citizens travelling for holidays to be acquainted with this practice. Although the world is changing and many people are losing most their cultural norms, it is important for one to treat a person from a different culture respectfully (Philo, 2008: 535). 3.3 The Principles of Business Communications Effective communication is the base of every business operation. It is crucial for an individual to incorporate the seven principles of business communication in the communication process that is meant to promote business (Krizan, 2011: 4). This helps in increasing the message’s efficiency when reaching the audience. The principles of business communication include clarity, relevance, conciseness, completeness, consistency, objectivity and consideration (Murphy and Peck, 1980: 32). This means that communication needs to be grounded on correct and necessary information. The receiver must be able to understand the message. Therefore, the sender must ensure that the message is delivered clearly by utilising few but effective words (The Pell Institute, 2010). The information should be backed by facts to ensure that the audience is not deceived. One should also be considerate to the receivers by ensuring that the message is appropriate and specific (Monippally, 2013: 27). In this case, when promoting holidays in China amongst British people, one should consider that the message is clear, relevant to the audience, comprehensible, backed by facts and addressed to the right audience. 3.4 To propose a communication plan for Holidays in China for British people A communication plan describes the people one needs to communicate with, the message to be delivered, how it will be delivered and how frequently (Kramer, 2001: 412). It is an ongoing process, which changes as events continue to unfold and new developments arise. However, the most important things to consider when preparing a communication plan include, the audience, the message and the method used to convey the method (Torppa and Smith, 2011: 63). I this case, the message aims at informing the British citizens about the holidays in China and drawing them to visit the country. The best method of communicating this message is through advertisements. It is a method that will reach a wide array of British people in a vast geographical location and easily showcase the various events, tours, places and other things concerning the holidays in China (Morrison, 2013: 325). Considering the adoption of technology in Britain, one can promote holidays in China by utilising the internet. A website detailing the important events, tours, places, resorts and other crucial holiday matters should be established. This should give the potential clients enough information concerning the holidays in China. Advertisements can also be placed on various websites, therefore, creating awareness about the holidays (Waller, 2012: 10). The local media is an important method of communication that can be used to promote holidays in China. Almost every household in Britain possesses a television or a radio. This means that putting an advertisement on local media during family viewing time would promote the holidays in China amongst the British public. Placing the advertisement on appropriate billboards and newsletters read frequently by the British people would also create exposure for the holidays in China (Morrison, 2013: 325). 4. Conclusion Presently, many people have embraced international tourism as the world rapidly moves towards globalisation. People no longer want to be confined between national borders, as they want to see the world, meet new people and experience new cultures (Kadlec, 2012: 856; Richards, 2012). Over the years, China has grown to become a well-known tourist destination, since it adopted the open door policy in 1978 (Breakey, Ding and Lee 2008: 14). Consequently, there has been an increase in tourism, which has had a significant impact on many countries including the United Kingdom. However, to reach its full potential, China can attract more British citizens for holidays in the country. The paper shows that this can be achieved through the use of a communication plan involving advertisements. References Akers, H. (2011, May 4) The Steps in Developing an Integrated Marketing Communication Plan. Small Business, viewed April 13, 2014, from . Breakey, N., Ding, P. & Lee, T. (2009) ‘Impact of Chinese Outbound Tourism to Australia: Reviewing the Implications for the Future,’ Current Issues in Tourism, vol. 11, no. 6, pp. 567-587. Guffey, M.E. & Loewy, D. (2010) Essentials of business communication, Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning. Kadlec, J. 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