How did Mexico enjoy record tourism and a brutal drug war?
For many outside Mexico, the country is increasingly synonymous with its brutal drug war. But in 2011, the country enjoyed record tourism. How? According to Mark McNeilly, Mexico hired a good PR firm:
The first obstacle to turning around Mexico's brand relative to tourism was facing up to the problem caused by the negative publicity about drug violence. The old approach was to stay silent and hope the news stories would stop. However, as Ogilvy PR's lead for the project, Jennifer Risi, stated, "Unless you are out there talking and putting those stories in context, you are losing the messaging battle." For example, per Risi, prior to implementing the new strategy CNN had run more than fifty stories in a row focused on the drug issue.While taking the issue head-on was a scary prospect for the Tourism Board, they stepped up to the plate. Gerardo Llanes, the CMO of the Tourism Board, agreed with the strategy, acknowledging that "being quiet was not working, especially for the tourism industry." To overcome the negative image they would need to craft a message to the media and their travel partners to put the issue in context....
The key proof points behind the message were twofold: one, showing that Mexico offers much more than just beaches by showcasing the country's adventure travel, cultural sites, and tours for foodies. Secondly, communicating the fact that, while there is violence in the country, it's limited to a few areas. Per Llanes, out of 2500 municipalities, only 80 are significantly affected.
(AP Photo)
