Innovate Promo on Touchmedia by Turkish Tourism

Expo Stimulates Overseas Tourism by Chinese

SHANGHAI, June 18 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister, Mr. Ertugrul Gunay, is currently visiting China to attend the World Expo. His trip also includes a specially arranged meeting accompanied by Turkish Ambassador, Mr. Murat Salim Esenli and the Tourism Counsellor of Turkish Embassy Mrs. ILKNUR YIGIT with Mr. Micky Fung, the Founder and Chairman of Touchmedia, the largest in-taxi interactive media company in China. Mr. Ertugrul Gunay expressed high expectations for an innovative promotion of Turkish Tourism through Touchmedia's interactive in-taxi touchscreens aimed at "Substantially promoting tourism to Turkey among Chinese people and enhancing joint cooperation."

(Photo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/2010/06/18/20100618290865.jpg )

Touchmedia has delivered outstanding results for a number of national tourism programs, including Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, Britain and Chile, with responses measured in the tens of thousands. The key is that over 90% of passengers are affluent, 49% have made at least one overseas trip in the last 3 years, and more than 60% intend to make another within 12 months. They are also high spending tourists: over one quarter spending more than 10,000 RMB, apart from standard travel costs.

Mr. Ertugrul Gunay noted, "Our tourism officers told me about the interesting Expo icons on touchscreens in taxis. The two-way communication made me think that we also need to be more innovative in our promotion, especially when an unprecedented number of people are crowding into Shanghai to see the Expo." Turkish Tourism received an excellent response in its first program with Touchmedia and the minister anticipates delivering more interactive experiences for taxi passengers in the near future.

"To our passengers, 90% of whom are affluent, urban, educated and white collar, travel is a hugely interesting topic. We work closely with clients to develop interactive material that engages, entertains and educates their target audience, hence the high levels of involvement with the screens and the extremely high recall," said Mr. Fung. "In addition, all passenger responses are measurable, contact information can be collected and it can also be coupled with SMS/MMS technology to collect further information and extend the communications with passengers even out of the taxis."

According to the Turkish Culture and Tourism Department of Statistics, Turkey received nearly 7 million tourists from China last year, an increase of 12.1%. However, the proportion of Chinese tourists is still relatively low. There is a large potential for growth in the Chinese market. Hence Mr. Ertugrul Gunay's visit to China and his intention to make good use of innovative media platforms in China to enhance the promotion of Turkish tourism and culture.

About Touchmedia

Touchmedia was founded in 2003 by its Chairman, Micky Fung, to develop state-of-the-art touchscreen media technology in China. It is the largest in-taxi interactive media company, delivering innovative digital media solutions for clients and the out-of-home advertising industry in China, at a time when reaching affluent consumers through traditional media is increasingly challenging.