National Geographic and CNBC pledge to raise social tourism awareness

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) new three-year, $5 million multi-platform global partnership with CNBC, National Geographic Channel, and Sky News, a European news network, will allow for commercial air time, online marketing, and direct engagement in a global campaign to help promote awareness of the economic and social importance of the travel and tourism industry worldwide.

“WTTC is extremely pleased to have both CNBC and National Geographic Channel as our broadcast partners,” said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president and CEO of WTTC. “The combined reach of both channels enables us to raise awareness of travel and tourism’s contribution to national economies around the world.

“Together they’ll provide year-round exposure for WTTC and highly-targeted marketing campaigns to their own audiences, which will drive discussion and debate to raise awareness of the importance of travel and tourism as one of the world’s largest industries, employing 220 million people and generating over 9.4 percent of global GDP.”

National Geographic Channel

National Geographic Channel will provide commercial airtime to promote the Global Summit and WTTC’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, profiling the award winners to viewers around the world. Ads will also air on Sky News in Europe and be streamed online on National Geographic Channel websites and on its dedicated travel and tourism portal.

The channel will also be involved in the Global Travel&Tourism Summit, filming debates and networking events, and will undertake an email marketing campaign to its Viewers Club database in the UK and Asia.

“National Geographic Channel is delighted to be working with WTTC to build awareness of the importance of the travel industry,” said Deborah Armstrong, Senior VP, Sales & Partnership Marketing at National Geographic Channel. “With global reach and local programming feeds, NGC provides a ‘window on our world.’ inspiring, informing, and engaging our viewers with the key challenges shaping our planet. Sky News, as Europe’s most watched news channel, is dedicated to bringing viewers the news as it happens, anywhere around the world, and will provide WTTC with the opportunity to target its message to key influentials across the region.”

CNBC

Targeting its audience of CEOs, senior business leaders, and government officials via its global network, CNBC will underscore the travel and tourism industry’s contribution to the global economy and WTTC’s Global Travel & Tourism Summit, taking place next year in Beijing (May 25-27).

The partnership includes advertising in CNBC Business magazine and online at CNBC.com worldwide. CNBC’s database of CEOs and senior business leaders will also be targeted with an email marketing campaign highlighting key WTTC initiatives and events.

“We are delighted that the World Travel&Tourism Council has chosen a multi-platform, three-year partnership with CNBC,” said Paul Maraviglia, vice president, sales EMEA at CNBC. “The travel and tourism industry is an important sector for us, and we are eager to work with WTTC, not only to reinforce the important role that the industry plays in today’s economy, but also to help its members communicate their message to our influential senior business leader audience.”