PHG Consulting, a global leader in crafting creative marketing solutions for the travel and hospitality industries, is pleased to announce the retention of its longest term client for another one-year contract. Following a competitive review, the company was selected to manage the Suzhou Radio, Television, and Tourism Bureau’s North American social media program for the 2019/2020 fiscal year. Since 2014, PHG Consulting has helped this captivating cultural destination grow inbound tourism from the United States and Canada thanks to its creative integrated marketing strategies, Chinese market knowledge, and strong connections to travel industry decision makers and influencers.
“It has been an honor to serve as the North American representative for Suzhou over the past six years,” said Ken Mastrandrea, Chief Operating Officer of PHG Consulting and Preferred Hospitality Group. “Thanks to the talent and dedication of the PHG Consulting team, Suzhou has gone from a relatively unknown tourism destination to one sought after by international tourists. We look forward to introducing even more travelers to this special part of the world in the coming year.”
From idyllic canals to classical Chinese gardens, romantic cobblestone streets, and unrivaled cultural experiences, Suzhou, known as the “Venice of China,” is a destination whose beauty moves visitors beyond words. For 2019/2020, PHG Consulting will launch the #SeenInSuzhou campaign to inspire travelers through vivid imagery and encourage them to visit Suzhou to capture it through their own Instagrammable lens. The campaign will kick off with a series of events at the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden (NYCSG) in partnership with Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden in Staten Island in New York City, which will give consumers a taste of the type of sights and scenes they can expect on a trip to Suzhou. The very first authentic classical outdoor Chinese gardens built in the United States, the NYCSG is based on Ming Dynasty gardens and all of its architectural components were fabricated in Suzhou. Visitors can explore eight pavilions, a bamboo forest path, waterfalls, a Koi-filled pond, Chinese calligraphy, and a variety of Ghongshi scholar’s rocks including a 15-foot formation that towers over the central courtyard.
Suzhou Tourism will serve as a sponsor for the garden’s 20th anniversary exhibition “Breaking Ground: Twenty Years of the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden” which will be on display October 19 – December 29, 2019 at Snug Harbor’s Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art. During this time, destination branding will be prevalent throughout the garden and in its marketing materials. In the spring, a special photography workshop in the garden will be presented by Suzhou Tourism.
In the coming year, Suzhou Tourism and PHG Consulting will also host a series of photography-friendly familiarization trips for North American media, influencers, and digital content creators; conduct a series of digital sweepstakes; and take part in the International Media Marketplace (IMM) in New York City. PHG Consulting will continue to maintain the destination’s English language Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channels, which currently reach an audience of more than 940,000, as well as TravelToSuzhou.com, its website for North American travelers.
