HP Tourism empanels seven creative agencies

Himachal Pradesh Tourism has empanelled seven creative agencies after a month long multi agency pitch.

The agencies that have been empanelled include Percept Advertising (AMO Communications), Lowe Lintas, Mode Advertising and Marketing, Square Communications, Adman Advertising, Quantum Media and Partner.

All seven empanelled agencies will pitch for the forthcoming campaigns, the first of which is tentatively slated for a September-end release.

The brand will now focus on up-scaling its tourism profile by focusing on lesser known, less crowded destinations and by going beyond religious tourism, which does not generate much revenue. Efforts will be aimed towards popularising paragliding, fishing, trekking, water rafting and the lesser known 'orchard tourism'.

While the ad spends for the coming fiscal could not be determined, industry sources reveal that ad spends for the year 2009-10 were about Rs 4 crore for print ads and Rs 2.65 crore for television ads.

Himachal Pradesh Tourism has, thus far, focused on advertising in print (including in-flight advertising) and the brand's television advertising has largely been on news channels.

While media releases will be both domestic as well as international, the focus will be on the domestic market. Industry sources estimate the ratio of spends at 70:30 in favour of the domestic market.