The Role of Public Relations in

Building Country Image

Presented by: Loula Zaklama Tehran, Iran

RadaResearch & PR. January 25th , 2005
IPRA President 2006
1
 The Agenda
• Egypt Overview
• What is country image
• Egypt case studies – two cases:
– Investment promotion
– Tourism promotion
– Crisis management

2
 Egypt Overview
History:
• Known as the world’s most wondrous open
air museum.
• Home of the vestiges of Pharaonic, Coptic,
Byzantine, Roman and Islamic Cultures.

3
 Egypt Overview

• Straddling a global trade crossroads.

• Major commercial transshipment
destination.
• Occupies crossroads between Europe,
Africa and Asia.

4
5
 What is Country Image
• How country is perceived – NOT
necessarily what it actually is.

Perception: more serious than reality

6
 The Role of PR
Building Country Image

• Communication of facts
• What PR can do
• What PR cannot do

7
 Components That Build A
Country Image
Two major components
• Attractive for direct foreign investments.
• An attractive tourism destination

8
 Components That Build A
Country Image

Egypt Enjoys Both These Components

PR Function: Tell the:

EGYPT STORY

9
 The Egypt Investment
Promotion Campaign
• Commissioned by Ministry of Foreign Affairs in
Egypt.
• Why: Politics and Economics cannot be separated
Political Stability

Economic Stability

Attractive For Investment

10
 What is The Story
• An era of economic reform
• An open, market oriented, decentralized
economy.
• Receptive to foreign direct investment and
private sector participation.

This was not known about Egypt

11
 The PR Program
• How did we communicate the story

12
 Program Title
Egypt
Wonder of the Past
YOUR
Investment for the Future

13
 Objectives
• To facilitate a broader understanding of the
range of the Egyptian economy
• To communicate the progressive and
healthy economic climate in Egypt
• To stimulate private sector interest in the
program, thus gaining its support and
contribution.

14
 Target Audience
• Multinational companies
• High networth individuals/businessmen
• Financial institutions
– IMF
– World Bank and others
(For endorsements)

15
 Target Countries
• U.S.A.
• U.K.
• France
• Germany

Duration of Program: 3 years

16
 Strategy

Media Outreach Business Outreach

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 Media Outreach
• Press kits
• Fact sheets
• Documentary: Success stories
• Media gatherings / private interviews – high
visibility in international conferences
• Familiarization trips for reporters giving
them true picture of Egypt’s economic
progress
18
 Business Outreach
• Concentrate on participation in high
visibility conferences (example Davos) –
Chetham House – UK.
• Individual specialized tailor-made
conferences in major cities
• PR support for ministerial visits.

19
 Result

Jan-June
2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995

General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI)

15.8 12.9 20.5 19 20.2 14.3 16.9 14.8 TotalInvestment

20
 Tourism
• Tourism Promotion
Leisure
Culture
• Crises Management

21
 PR To Promote Tourism
• The case of Al-Gouna Resort
• Where is it
• What it offers
• Need to expand to Eastern Europe
• The project: Romania: Pilot Project

22
 Objectives

• Introduce El-Gouna to tour

operators and travel agents

• Get related contacts/data-base

• Provide promotional material

23
 Activities
• Incentive for 10 tour operators and/or travel
agent, days package on full board basis

• Press Conference

• Participation at “The World Travel Market” in

Bucharest

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 Activities (Cont.)
• El-Gouna Day (seminar) within “The World
Travel Market” Fair in Romania

• Incentive trip to El-Gouna for 3-4 journalists

• Joint campaign with a large consumer company

operating in Romania

25
 Results
• Request for more information on El-Gouna,
by tour operators.

• Wide coverage.

• Very positive feedback

• Interest in selling El-Gouna to up market

customers.
26
 Culture
The Case of Opera Aida

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 A Tool to Promote
Culture is Opera Aida
•1997 marked 125th anniversary of the premiere
of Aida in Egypt
AND

•75th anniversary of the tomb of King Tut

28
 Hatshpsut Temple
Luxor
Chosen as site for Opera Aida

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Objectives

• Promote Egypt’s rich cultural heritage.

• Highlight it’s great desirability as a tourism

destination

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 PR Program

• Media Relations: Media Outreach

• Trade marketing in New York, Milan,

London, Paris, Madrid, Hamburg and Tokyo

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 Result

• Wide coverage in lay and specialized media.

• Reservations came through from tour operators.

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 The Unexpected Crises Hits
A terrorist attack

33
 What Happened with Opera Aida

A Terrorist Attack
Where : In Luxor!
Where : Hatshepsut Temple!
Where Opera Aida is scheduled
When : One month before the event
What : Attacked and killed the tourists

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 What happened to Opera Aida

• From 80% reservation to 100% cancellation

• What to do?

• What a crises for the country and the huge

investment in Aida !!!

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 The Immediate Reaction
• President’s apology
• Assumed responsibility
Lax security
• What was done
Improved security
• Need to communicate
What was done

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 PR Recovery Program

The Program title:

“Embrace Egypt”

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 Campaign Objectives: Simply:
Communicate Improved Security
Measures
Target
• Tour operators / wholesalers. Government foreign
departments, travel commentators, writers, opinion
formers.
Countries
• U.S.A., France, Germany, U.K.
Duration
• 3 months intense for immediate results
38
 Campaign Objectives: Simply:
Communicate Improved Security
Measures (Cont.)
Expected Outcome
• Save the Opera Aida performances
• Restore confidence in security system
• Put Egypt back into tourism brochures, for
continuous tourism.

39
 How

• Short – high impact program

• Kick – start an upturn in perception of
security Egypt.
Based on One Concept

Testimony of
40
Security Experts
 To Explain the Concept
• Identify and select from each target country – a
highly credible and respected security expert –
on matters of international security.

• Bring the experts to Egypt to view and inspect

security measures in tourist sites.

• This group of prestigious experts produced a

white paper with their analysis.
41
 The White Paper

• Released to all major

publications/general/specialized in the target
countries.

• High media coverage in 4 countries.

42
 Evaluation

Survey Results

• Post exposure quantitative study in 4

countries with tour operators / wholesalers.

• Results

43
 Change of Perception

70 66.5%

Total = 191
60

50

40

30 26.2%

20

10 6.8%
0.5%
0
Recomm end, Recommend, with Recom mended in Never recommend
Highly res ervations the pas t Egypt

44
 Post campaign Pre campaign Attitudes

22 54,6 Negative

33,8 31,9 Positive

4.5 20 Hesitant/doubts

45
 What Happened to
?Opera Aida

Attendance was relatively saved

Reached almost 55%

46
 What Happened to
Egypt’s Tourism

Egypt back in tour operators’ brochures

47
 Bottom Line
• YES!! PR CAN DO IT

• BUT : BE CAREFUL!

• SPECIFY CLEARLY AT THE OUTSET:

WHAT CAN PR DO! WHAT PR CANNOT
DO

48
 The Win Win Scenario
IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO
Total Partnership

PR + MARKETING

49 TO ACHIEVE RESULTS
50