PUBLIC RELATIONS
Wednesday 7th October 2020
Hospitality PR is taking a kicking: how long for?
By James Knight.
The PR hospitality world during this Covid virus has been hit very badly and is in a dreadful state.
This I believe has affected the sole practitioner who has relied on a few accounts and does not have the protection of a larger agency.
Companies have slashed their budgets and I am finding working internationally hotel groups are not looking for PR because people are not travelling, especially in the USA markets, two clients I work with have put a block on PR coverage. Also international events have fell off a cliff with very little money being spent.
Young practitioners are being made redundant, when we come back to normal we could well have a very slimmed down market with fewer opportunities for young graduates, which is not good for our profession. Companies have put a hold on recruitment, I know this will affect universities courses for students, especially students from abroad.
Companies are using online campaigns more but you can only do such much online.
Trying to get new clients is virtually impossible, it is hard enough holding onto existing clients. London hotels are suffering through no internationally business, I am finding outside city hotels are holding up so PR is being switched more to that area of the market, especially country hotels.
We all know recessions hit marketing and PR first, the markets have held-up well in the past, this is a long-term problem.
I have spoken about PR hotels which includes the air lines, restaurants and other areas of hospitality have been hit worse.
When we come out of this I know we will see PR increasing considerably to stimulate the market, when this will happen is a million Dollar question.
Without going into the politics the Government have got to protect our industry for jobs and the effects it has on other businesses, in my opinion they are not.
We must help young professionals through this and offer help and advice, this is a positive way forward for us.
Keep safe and we'll fellow professionals.
Professor James Knight is an international businessman, public relations practitioners and academic. He was Fellow of Bournemouth University Public Relations School, guest speaker at Judge Cambridge, Surrey, Bath and Reading, International Mentor for Oxford Brookes on Hospitality. He is a Fellow of CIPR and the Society of Public Relations of America, as well as a fellow of the Institute of Directors. He sat for two years on one of Britain leading Cardiology Committees at Barts and is an Ambassador for Barts.
Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash
The PR hospitality world during this Covid virus has been hit very badly and is in a dreadful state.
This I believe has affected the sole practitioner who has relied on a few accounts and does not have the protection of a larger agency.
Companies have slashed their budgets and I am finding working internationally hotel groups are not looking for PR because people are not travelling, especially in the USA markets, two clients I work with have put a block on PR coverage. Also international events have fell off a cliff with very little money being spent.
Young practitioners are being made redundant, when we come back to normal we could well have a very slimmed down market with fewer opportunities for young graduates, which is not good for our profession. Companies have put a hold on recruitment, I know this will affect universities courses for students, especially students from abroad.
Companies are using online campaigns more but you can only do such much online.
Trying to get new clients is virtually impossible, it is hard enough holding onto existing clients. London hotels are suffering through no internationally business, I am finding outside city hotels are holding up so PR is being switched more to that area of the market, especially country hotels.
We all know recessions hit marketing and PR first, the markets have held-up well in the past, this is a long-term problem.
I have spoken about PR hotels which includes the air lines, restaurants and other areas of hospitality have been hit worse.
When we come out of this I know we will see PR increasing considerably to stimulate the market, when this will happen is a million Dollar question.
Without going into the politics the Government have got to protect our industry for jobs and the effects it has on other businesses, in my opinion they are not.
We must help young professionals through this and offer help and advice, this is a positive way forward for us.
Keep safe and we'll fellow professionals.
Professor James Knight is an international businessman, public relations practitioners and academic. He was Fellow of Bournemouth University Public Relations School, guest speaker at Judge Cambridge, Surrey, Bath and Reading, International Mentor for Oxford Brookes on Hospitality. He is a Fellow of CIPR and the Society of Public Relations of America, as well as a fellow of the Institute of Directors. He sat for two years on one of Britain leading Cardiology Committees at Barts and is an Ambassador for Barts.
Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash