Tourism Case Study: Portugal 

In 2005 155,000 Americans visited Portugal. In 2006, Louis Karno & Company was hired to turn things around. By 2011, the number had surpassed 400,000. Today the US is Portugal's 9th biggest inbound market- and Americans rank 6th in spending per capita. This is the story of how the 250,000 new visitors were won with public relations alone– and of the dangers along the way. The conversation will focus on building a brand for Portugal, and working  one-on-one with the media to support that brand with no ad budget — and an online infrastructure aimed mostly at the UK market. It will also look at dangers ranging from Bird flu, to Maddy McCann, to the bailout… This is travel PR with small budget bringing in big results – winning a national award, and this is how Portugal became a major US destination.

This event will be held on September 20, 2012, 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at  PSNH, 780 North Commercial St., Manchester, NH.

The cost for members is $20, non-members $35, and students/interns $10.

About the Presenter:

Jayme Henriques Simões, President 

Jayme manages client accounts and directs strategy and marketing efforts.  He founded Louis Karno in 1999 and has grown it from two clients to more than 50.  Jayme twice received the Advertising and Public Relations Award from the New Hampshire Travel Council; is past president of the Public Relations Society of America-Yankee Chapter; he won  a Magellan Award for his Portugal work and in 2003 was named one of the state’s young leaders in the New Hampshire Union Leader’s “40 Under Forty” recognition. He has served on several local and statewide nonprofit boards. Simões is a Chicago native, a Boston University graduate, and is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish.

Special thanks to our professional development supporter: