The travel industry is changing.
Fast. Increased competition
and rewards, technological
advances, and shifting socio-
and demographic trends have
transformed it into a business
with new rules and accountability.
Nobody
understands these rules
better than LDPR —
a leader of a new breed
of PR agency.
Lean, fast
and smart, we have spent
the last 17 years perfecting
an approach we call "media
marketing" —
a mix of marketing skills
and traditional PR practices.
First we strategize with
our clients and prioritize
goals. Then we translate
those goals into words the
media can understand and
wants to hear. Strategic
partnerships, media outreach,
brand promotions, guerrilla
marketing and news-generating
events are all part of the
agency's creative mix.
The
results speak for themselves:
extraordinary coverage in
magazines, newspapers, broadcast
and online outlets…return
on investment as high as
200:1...a wide network of
media friends…a dedicated
and talented staff…and
a family of satisfied clients
who value our commitment,
expertise and enthusiasm.
Most of the time, LDPR makes the news happen, working behind the scenes to get the right stories in the right hands at the right time. But occasionally, we find ourselves on the other side of the story.
Life on the Road Laura Davidson shares some of her most memorable travel anecdotes
in the New York Times ³Frequent Flier² column that appeared on August 19,
2008.
click
on photo to enlarge
Making the Most of Airport
Delays
As a leading expert in the
travel business, Laura Davidson
(LDPR's president) is frequently
consulted by top journalists
and editors. In this case,
Joe Sharkey quotes Laura
in his weekly “Itineraries”
column in The New York
Times (April 2008).
click
on photo to enlarge
LDPR’s
Secret Weapon Hotel Interactive
describes LDPR's secret
weapon -- its staff -- and
how they are found, retained
and incentivized.
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on photo to enlarge
Laura Davidson Honored for
Public Relations Excellence
Agency President Laura Davidson
was recognized by the Hospitality
Sales & Marketing Association
International (HSMAI) with
the Winthrop Grice Lifetime
Achievement Award. The award
acknowledges individuals who
have made significant contributions
and lasting impressions on
the hospitality and travel
industry. Davidson was honored
during the 51st Annual Awards
gala on Monday, January 28th,
presented before a crowd of
1,000 attendees.
LDPR
measures its success
in a number of ways.
There are our long-standing
relationships with clients (we’ve worked with Mustique for 10 years; Curtain Bluff, eight years; VisitScotland, six years; The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, four years).
There is the willingness
of key members of the
media to act as our
references, the loyalty
of the our staff and,
of course, our remarkable
results — clip-books
with print, broadcast
and Internet placements.
Other industry-recognized
measurements of success
are those awards for
excellence earned from
prestigious organizations
like HSMAI (Hospitality
Sales & Marketing
Association International)
and PRSA (Public Relations
Society of America).
HSMAI
Platinum Awards
The Resort at Paws Up,
Montana
VisitScotland
The Cotton House &
the Villas of Mustique
Jake’s, Jamaica
Hotel Sofitel North
America
HSMAI
Gold Awards
Raffles Resort Canouan
Island
Cambridge Beaches, Bermuda
Marriott International
The Regency, A Loews
Hotel
The Mustique Company
VisitScotland
Tourism Australia
Accor Lodging North
America
Tauck World Discovery
Island Outpost
The Cotton House &
the Villas of Mustique
Jake’s, Jamaica
Hotel Sofitel North
America
HSMAI
Silver Awards
The Mustique Company
La Posada de Santa Fe,
New Mexico
VisitScotland
Marriott International
Peter Island Resort,
British Virgin Islands
Tourism Australia
The Equinox Resort &
Spa, Vermont
designhotels
Grande Lakes Orlando
Australian Tourist Commission
Curtain Bluff, Antigua
The Australian Tourist
Commission
The Cotton House &
the Villas of Mustique
American Classic Voyages
Company
Hotel Sofitel Philadelphia
Accor North America
American Classic Voyages
Hotel Sofitel North
America
Coco Palm, St. Lucia
HSMAI
Bronze Awards
Turtle Island, Fiji
Snake River Lodge, Wyoming
Curtain Bluff, Antigua
American Classic Voyages
Sundance
Tauck World Discovery
Marriott & Renaissance
Offshore Resorts
The Island of Mustique
in the Caribbean
Tourism Australia
PRSA
Big Apple Award
VisitScotland
Cushman
Awards Tourisme Montrèal
The Arrabelle at Vail
Square, A RockResort The Resort
at Paws Up, Montana
VisitScotland
Ever since LDPR was formed in 1991, the company has had an active philanthropic program. It's a part of who we are and we take it seriously. Our staff members put forward deserving causes; they are vetted by an internal committee and supported with time, talent and contributions.
THE KAKANITCHOE PRIMARY
SCHOOL IN BENIN, WEST
AFRICA
It all started back
in 2000 when Beth Walsh,
a VP at LDPR, decided
to leave the PR world
and follow her heart.
It led her first into
the Peace Corps and
then to Benin in West
Africa. In the course
of her work, she met
Pascal Gbenou, a Beninese
farmer, who had the
dream of building a
primary school in his
remote village, Kakanitchoé-Whenusu
(if you think it's hard
to pronounce, try finding
it on the map).
There was a real need.
The nearest school was
four miles away in Adjohoun
but there is no school
transportation in this
small West African country
and, especially for
the youngest elementary
school students, the
distance was just too
great.
So Pascal built his
primary school in Kakanitchoe
and staffed it with
help from LDPR. Now
it's in its eighth year
and more than a hundred
students have passed
through its grades and
gone on to middle school.
LDPR pays the salaries
of three of the school's
four teachers. For more
information, please
contact Beth Walsh at
walshbenin@yahoo.com
OLD
ROAD FUND
While many resorts make
a big show of their
corporate responsibility,
Curtain Bluff in Antigua
is the exception to
the rule. Since the
resort opened in 1974,
this luxurious all-inclusive
has been quietly, determinedly
and effectively raising
the fortunes of hundreds
of people in the nearby
village of Old Road.
In
the last 10 years alone,
the fund has provided
scholarships, paid additional
college expenses for
local students, and
sent more than 50 children
to tennis camp in the
US. Others have gone
as camp counselors.
It has given medical
and emergency relief
to those in need, computers
to Old Road's primary
school, and new uniforms
and sporting equipment
to the village football
(soccer) and cricket
teams. Additionally
Miami Dade Community
College (MDCC) and Florida
International University
(FIU) are helping the
fund to offer scholarships
for degrees in tourism
and hospitality.
LDPR
supports the efforts
of the Old Road Fund
by making yearly donations
on behalf of its employees.
LDPR'S
CARBON OFFSETTING PROGRAM
In January 2008, LDPR
partnered with www.carbonfund.org
to offset the tons of
carbon emissions that
are generated by staff
and journalists as they
travel on behalf of
the agency's clients.
These emissions are
offset through the production
of renewable energy
sources -- including
wind, solar and geothermal.
According
to the Travel Industry
Association of America,
travel and tourism is
a $1.3 trillion industry
in the United States.
There is no question
that this behemoth of
an industry brings considerable
benefits (local employment,
conservation, cultural
awareness, etc.) but
it's equally clear that
it's detrimental to
the environment. LDPR
is serious in its efforts
to mitigate this downside.
What
do journalists most want from PR agencies?
Access to accurate information in a
timely way. Something Laura Davidson
Public Relations consistently delivers.
Not only are LDPR account reps deadline-sensitive,
they're uniformly helpful and proactive
on behalf of their clients.
Bruce Serlen
Executive Editor, Hotel Business
