Campeche - Channel Marketing Campaign

Campeche – the Mexican state on the Yucatan Peninsula – was once home to the second most productive oil field in the world. Today, an oil crises has had a devastating impact on its economy, including a loss of thousands of jobs.

With a wealth of unique historical attractions, impressive natural reserves and a burgeoning culinary scene, The Port Authority of Campeche tapped Newlink as its agency of record to boost its positioning in front of potential visitors and establish the destination as the Yucatan’s new it cruise port by attracting cruise lines to call at Seybaplaya, and boost tourism as an economic driver.

Objectives

Build relationships with cruise industry itinerary planners and executives.

Establish awareness of Campeche’s potential as a port of call on cruise itineraries.

Position Campeche as the new port option on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Reach niche target media including the cruise and trade segments.

Receptors

Cruise executives including deployment and itinerary planning managers as well as shore excursion managers.

Cruise industry, trade and consumer media.

Barriers

Campeche’s limited depth at Port of Seybaplaya drastically limits the size of cruise ships the state can welcome.

Lack of nearby ports impairs the ability to create full itineraries.

Campeche is a relatively unknown destination among North Americans.

Insight

Cruise itineraries are typically crafted two-three years in advance.

Cruise lines are always looking for off-the beaten path destinations and experiences to enhance their itineraries.

There is much interest among itinerary planners in the Yucatan Peninsula and Campeche as a destination.

Campeche boasts a comprehensive tourism offering when compared with other ports of call in the region.

Transformation

Newlink’s strategy to build interest in Campeche as a potential port of call for worldwide cruise lines and an up-and-coming tourism destination was at the center of the agency’s Channel Marketing program.

Using this program, Newlink executed a marketing strategy targeted at cruise line executives and itinerary planners.

The agency began by creating a robust agenda of meetings for Campeche at the 2017 edition of Seatrade Cruise Global – the premier event of the cruise industry. The client met with representatives from major cruise lines with vessels that comply with depth requirements, such as Viking Cruises, Silversea and Norwegian Cruise Line.

In April 2017, Newlink created a schedule of in-person and virtual meetings. Over the course of four days, the team met with executives from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Crystal Cruises, Carnival UK, P&O Cruises, Cruise & Maritime Hurtigruten, Pullmantur and Compagnie du Ponant.

Newlink also established relationships with lines in different markets that would be interested in continuous updates on the progress of the expansion project at Seybaplaya.

Throughout the months that followed, Newlink maintained contact with all cruise lines to share images and port updates including bathymetry studies, continuing the conversation with previous contacts and building new relationships.

In 2018, Newlink coordinated a second slate of meetings for the team at Seatrade, including follow-up conversations with numerous cruise lines.

These efforts were done in conjunction with a media relations campaign that also worked to build interest in Campeche among non-cruise travelers.

Newlink secured coverage for the state in top-tier outlets including Forbes, Huffington Post, Thrillist and My Domaine, and trade outlets such as Seatrade Insider, Travel Agent Magazine, Travel Pulse and Travelers Today.

Results

New relationships built with cruise lines by Newlink

Meetings secured for Campeche by Newlink

Number of cruise calls secured to Campeche from 2019-2021

Newlink provided strategic direction to Campeche executives and secured the opportunity to present their robust offering as a tourism destination as well as their expansion plans for Seybaplaya port to 19 top cruise line executives. Newlink has corresponded with a total of 36 cruise lines to share news about the state including press releases, images, port infrastructure updates and bathymetry studies. Most importantly, through our efforts three cruise lines have committed to include Campeche on itineraries beginning in 2019 – Ponant, the Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection and Victory Cruises - with at least 15 calls confirmed to the destination, some of which include multi-night pre-cruise stays and overnight calls, and all of which will represent a major influx of tourism.

Through press releases, content distribution and proactive pitching, Newlink also secured coverage for Campeche as a tourism destination in a variety of outlets with a total circulation of over 203 million.