Bacall Associates

Vietnam Airlines Announces Business Performance For First Six Months Of 2016

Hanoi, 22 July 2016 – Vietnam Airlines’ Joint Stock Company (Vietnam Airlines) has announced the company’s business performance from January to June 2016.

In the first six months of 2016, the aviation market grew by 27.2 per cent compared to the same period last year, with a 37 per cent increase in the domestic market. This was despite the difficulties and challenges that Vietnam Airlines was faced with due to economic slowdown, instability and terrorism in Europe and overcrowded infrastructures, especially at Tan Son Nhat international airport.

In responding swiftly to these circumstances Vietnam Airlines has captured the strong growth of the market, adopting effective measures to improve its operations and make good use of favourable conditions. Thanks to these measures, the business has achieved positive results with a high growth rate over the period, exceeding the set targets. Key achievements to note include:

• In the first six months of 2016, Vietnam Airlines operated over 70,300 safe flights (an increase of 10.7 per cent from the same period last year); carried 9.65 million passengers (an increase of 15.5 per cent from the same period last) and saw transport on international routes increase by 6.9 per cent and on domestic routes by 21.1 per cent . The corporation also achieved a freight output of 124,800 tons, exceeding its targets with an increase of 18.1 per cent over the same period last year.

• The company’s total consolidated revenue is estimated at more than 36 trillion VND and pre-tax profits are estimated at 1,600 billion VND, reaching nearly 7per cent of the target set for 2016. The airline’s parent company recorded an estimated revenue of over 29 trillion VND and nearly 1,140 billion VND in estimated profits, reaching over 7 per cent of the target set for 2016.

• Vietnam Airlines also accomplished two major tasks. Its restructuring and acquisition was completed with the signing and receipt of the share transaction payment made by ANA Holdings, who officially became a strategic shareholder on 1 July 2016. On 12 July, Vietnam Airlines was awarded 4-star airline certification at the SkyTrax World Airline Awards event at the Farnborough International Airshow. The airline is now officially a member of the world’s leading 4-5 star carriers and has been recognised as one of the world’s top three most improved airlines.

Vietnam Airlines has achieved these positive results thanks to its efforts in creating groundbreaking developments, taking advantage of opportunities to grow, increasing profitability, improving service quality and enhancing business efficiency.

Over the next six months, Vietnam Airlines will continue to mobilise its resources to ensure safety and security and improve the efficiency of its fleet. It will also coordinate with the airlines of the corporation, its strategic partner ANA and other SkyTeam members in order to introduce to the market further excellent products that are well-priced and comfortable in transit, meeting the quality required of a 4-star service and the increasing needs of passengers.

Vietnam Airlines offers the UK’s only nonstop flights to Vietnam, operating daily services from Heathrow Terminal 4 to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Flights are carefully scheduled to offer convenient overnight journeys in both directions, and excellent onward connections via its comprehensive network of over 40 destinations in Asia, including 23 within Vietnam and Indochina, as well as China, Japan and Taiwan.

Return fares from Heathrow to Ho Chi Minh City currently start from £396 per person, inclusive of taxes. For further information and reservations visit www.vietnamairlines.com or speak to a travel agent.

Today, several business owners engage in social media to improve their brand image; in the past, these platforms were only used for personal reasons. No wonder why many online-based and small businesses use social media for their public relations since it is perfect for direct involvement with the customers and the press.

Bacall Associates – a boutique sale, advertising, and PR support agency - will share a few techniques where you can use social media to boost your company’s public relations.

Create good content

Make sure to publish a social media friendly content that the customers will surely buy, share and value. Incorporating case studies in your content could add value to your post because they’re one of the strongest quantifiers you can use on the internet. They also provide a concise and clear data along with a perspective on the results. They should be presented in the right method to get an emotional reaction from your potential customers, which may cause direct involvement and possible sharing. Case studies are often shared by leading media outlets provided by businesses of different sizes and influence. You can also include videos or pictures to add life to your content. Publishing great content can improve your brand image and PR.

Make your brand caught bloggers' attention

Seeking bloggers' coverage can also help you boost your brand. The connection between public relations and social media known as the blogosphere serves as one of the most important factors for bloggers. Bacall Associates also affirmed that most bloggers are actively using social media platforms nowadays, and many of them are being carefully monitored by journalists.

Use social media to connect with the press

Since they can get a boatload of information on the web, the press has made the internet their home throughout the years. Major publications are now using Reddit to source fascinating stories while major news outlets are covering Twitter through the use of hashtags and trends.

It is now quick to connect with the media using social media platforms. If you have a great story to cover and use appropriate social media tagging and hashtags, it is possible to get a solid media coverage.

Bacall Associates now in Singapore is involved in this practice for several years now and they've been using social media to heighten their influence to their customers. The impact of social media on public relations indeed brought remarkable change to this practice, which helped many businesses around the world to enhance their brand image.

The phrase "With great effort comes great reward" never gets old to Bacall Associates. This phrase serves as their inspiration to provide great services to their clients. They make sure that they're giving their best in everything they do. The same can be applied to you because you just need to exert great effort to achieve effective PR campaign.

Along with other business owners, you want to increase your visibility and reach your target market, right? Then content and execution will be your saving grace. Remember that those are important to make sure that your PR campaign will not fail.

To make your PR campaigns effective, you need to consider the following in order to help you achieve success.

A crystal clear goal

It's apparent that it should be on the top of the list because without a goal, you can't score. You and your audience may become confused if you don't have a clear purpose for your campaign. Your answer to the question, "What do you want to achieve for your brand?” should be definite and clear. Keep in mind that this will be very important to you because this will serve as your steering wheel in driving the road to success.

Right audience

You should reach the right audience for your brand. Considering your potential media outlet's audience and tone is important. Make sure that your content matches them and is appropriate. To target different types of media, you should create different pieces of content such as press releases, content marketing articles, and creative media kits. But remember, spamming irrelevant content is not good for your brand's image, so avoid doing it to everyone on your contact list. Publishing your content may not be enough, so it's better to put more effort on your side and do your best to communicate the right message to the consumers.

Reachable content

It is clear that having a constant interaction with the consumers is a vital part of your campaign, and this is possible if you have reachable content. Nowadays, the power of social media platforms is undeniably changing the world of public relations, especially in countries like Singapore where social media is being used every day by the majority of its people. You can easily share your content through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or LinkedIn, that can lead to an effective communication between you and the consumers. Make sure that your content has a connection with your brand and that the message is not lost. But don't make it all about your brand. For example, tutorials on YouTube regarding beauty or fitness provide the demonstration of the product along with an entertaining and informative experience they can interact with.

False impression

You should definitely AVOID this. Your content may seem flawless, but according to reviews, it can still be misunderstood by some and have different meanings. Do some research and get different perspectives to minimize the chances of your PR campaign gaining attention for all the wrong reasons. Simple phrases, symbols and metaphors, altogether might have a different meaning, making this crucial for international campaigns.

Effectiveness

Measuring your campaign's effectiveness should also be a part of your concern. Think of how you will measure the success of your PR campaign before you begin sending press releases. Having different KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, is often a good idea according to the experts of Bacall Associates.

Trends

You can better understand the consumers and media by keeping yourself updated with the latest trends, from new apps to the latest publications, and even current affairs. This can help you communicate your message more efficiently, making your brand get the recognition it deserves.

Keep in touch with Bacall Associates if you'd like to discuss your public relations approach because they can greatly help you with your every need.

Wonder why a lot of clients had the pleasure and privilege of working with Bacall Associates? It’s because the company has been one of the most professional public relations companies around the world for several years and their shining reputation in the industry is one of a kind.

Each of Bacall Associates’ staff has a vast knowledge regarding travel as well as public relations, marketing and sales. You’ll witness exceptional professionalism in their work with their august ability and energy in providing ingenious and fresh story ideas. The staff’s positive attitude also leads them nine times out of ten to come up with a solution for any given situations.

Most of the testimonies from their clients include awe to the company’s unsurpassed knowledge and expertise in the field of all things luxury as well as their huge assistance for them. With this, Bacall Associates proved to have outshone all others.

Clients also have the greatest respect for Bacall Associates’ professionalism and competence. They’re also proud of the company’s devotion to their work as their queries are always promptly answered.

Bacall Associates always follow a proactive approach to the market via an excellent network to all relevant media, travel trade and society authorities. They have flawless style and know the most effective ways of getting the best media response. Most clients cherished their relationship with Bacall Associates and promised to remain being a partner of the company in the coming years.

Bacall Associates is proud to have a creative and diligent team that’s committed in achieving their objectives.  It is the only company to have succeeded in securing a major consumer award for one of the Hilton’s resort properties.

The company operates to a very high standard and represents their clients in the most professional and positive manner. Clients are also impressed with the level of contact that Bacall Associates have within media circles and with all their efforts that have benefited the clients greatly in promoting the image and profile of their firm.

Bacall Associates provides great care and attention to their clients through the unrivaled dedication of their team. Their team includes true professionals that have in-depth knowledge and extensive experience, and have an instinct for different publications’ needs.

For more than 20 years, Bacall Associates has always been honest and easy to work with in all of the dealings of their clients.

Meet Bacall Associates’ Team

Jeff Bacall is the company’s managing director. He has worked in public relations, marketing and sales for over 30 years. He has a good experience in both in-house and external consulting for travel and lifestyle firms. He has taken up leadership roles in the airline industry and has worked with both small and large scale hotels and residences.

Charlotte Lowe joined Bacall Associates after studying marketing at Bournemouth University. She gained great experience on a work placement year at a high profile rewards and incentive agency. She discovered her passion for travel at such a young age.

Zoe Slater graduated at University of Manchester in 2008 with a BA (Hons) in Politics and Modern History degree. After graduating with her masters in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University in 2009, she worked as a freelance journalist for several publications and the Press Association. She has always had a passion for travel and after working with the in-house press and marketing team of the Zetter Group, she decided to join Bacall Associates to work on adifferent portfolio of accounts spanning Europe and Asia.

Other dedicated members of Bacall Associates include Flora Gandolfo, Claire DaBreo, and Nat Frogley.

Give them a call at +44 (0)870 428 8401 because they’d really love to hear from you, or why not drop them an email at pr@bacall.net and they’ll get back to you as soon as they can.

Singaporeans moan that besides shopping, dining and the movies, there's not a lot you can do here. Ignore them. The must-see list for the one-day visitor to Singapore, especially the first-timer, is absorbingly long. There is very little chance you'll get bored. Most tourists tend to gravitate first towards the famed retail stretch of Orchard Road. Fine, get your fix of bold-faced names like Louis Vuitton, Chanel and every other couture label under the sun. When you've gotten that out of your system, dump your purchases back at the hotel and head out into the 'burbs where the real charm of Singapore lies. We're here to guide you to the top 10 places where tourists don't normally go; in short, the places where Singaporeans in the know live and play.

* Singapore Botanic Gardens

So, you've arrived. It's early and nothing really opens for business until around 11 a.m., so how are you going to kill time? Slip on the trainers and head out to the Botanic Gardens (open 5 a.m. to midnight). At this time of the day, downtown Singapore's last remaining green lung is a cool, bucolic retreat filled with joggers, dogs and tai-chi practitioners. Wander through the swaths of virgin rainforest (the main boardwalk through it is entered from Upper Palm Valley Road) and then take in the National Orchid Garden's many-colored collection of 1,000 orchid species and 2,000 hybrids. When you're done, drop into the food court near Tanglin Gate for a traditional local breakfast of soft-boiled eggs, coffee and toast slathered with coconut jam.

* Artwork at the Ritz-Carlton

It may seem a little strange to head to a hotel to look at artwork, but the Ritz-Carlton is no ordinary hotel. The massive three-ton Frank Stella installation at the entrance and the pair of Dale Chihuly crystal glass sculptures that anchor both wings of the building kick off one of Southeast Asia's finest (and under the radar) collections of modern and contemporary art. The majority of the pieces were specially commissioned for the public spaces and guest suites. The treasures on view include Andy Warhol and David Hockney's exuberant colors, Rainer Gross's geometric compositions, Henry Moore's restrained monochromatics and the lush botanicals of Robert Zakanitch. It's all free to view, and you even get an iPod-guided tour.

* Chinatown Heritage Centre

Let the other tourist hordes charge over to the newly minted Peranakan Museum or the gloomy Asian Civilisations Museum. If you do only one cultural thing during your 24-hour Singapore layover, it must be a tour of the unheralded Chinatown Heritage Centre, where entire sets of bedrooms, kitchens and street scenes from the late-19th century and early-20th century have been faithfully recreated. It's an authentic slice of Singapore's history that's made all the more fascinating by the gleaming skyscrapers just a few blocks away. And if you must, pick up a kitschy souvenir from the gift shop on your way out.

* Plastic Surgery

In case you missed the memo, the place for plastic surgery is Asia. While many people head to Bangkok and Seoul for assorted nips and tucks, the locals make a beeline for the ultra-swish, Richard Meier–designed Camden Medical Centre. You may not have time for a full makeover, but squeeze in a spot of Botox or a non-surgical facelift with local celebrity surgeon Woffles Wu. And then adjourn downstairs for snapper pie and Pavlova at Whitebait & Kale.