Delivering Asia Communications has entered into a strategic partnership with ScottAsia Communications to strengthen both firms’ ability to build brands and provide integrated communications and publishing solutions to Asia’s leading travel industry players.Effective July 16, ScottAsia Communications becomes the preferred communications partner for Delivering Asia Communications, which is part of a global network of travel industry marketing specialists with offices in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Sydney, Tokyo, Los Angeles and London.

“The partnership gives ScottAsia’s clients access to a global database of travel agents and media. In turn, Delivering Asia’s clients can benefit from ScottAsia’s specialist database of media in Thailand and the Mekong region,” said Mark Armsden, Director, Delivering Asia Communications.

The client and representation roster among both firms currently includes travel industry leaders such as Conde Nast Traveller UK, Travel Weekly UK, C9 Hotelworks, United Airlines (Thailand), Diethelm Travel Asia, Lonely Planet Publications, the Park Plaza Sukhumvit Bangkok, Samed Resorts (Thailand) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

According to PATA statistics, the travel industry in Asia Pacific has averaged growth of 6.2% a year for the last five years, with China, the Mekong region and India leading the way. However, Ken Scott, Managing Director of ScottAsia, warns that profitability for travel companies is far from guaranteed given the need to gain and retain market recognition and constantly upgrade products and service.

“While some travel operators are doing well,” said Mr Scott, “they have to constantly fight for market share in a world where hotels, airlines and tour operators are increasingly struggling to differentiate their brand from the competition. Purchasing decisions follow perception. That’s why impactful communications are indispensable.”

In May, Delivering Asia Communications appointed David Johnson as Director, Publishing Services. Johnson has a 16-year background in travel trade journalism, publication marketing and online travel distribution in Asia. He said the travel industry companies that will do well will be those that adopt innovative branding, embrace strategic partnerships and capitalise on the blurring of boundaries between sectors.

“We see the word ‘lifestyle’ everywhere,” said Mr Johnson. “Lifestyle communications reflects the new reality which is a convergence of the hotel, dining, travel, retail, fashion, fitness and entertainment experience - all underpinned by telecom, media and payment industry convergence. But when you go to the marketplace you must have the right brand message, and this should be consistently delivered by communications specialists.”
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