Create Consulting

Create Consulting was founded six years ago as a representation agency with the objective to promote tourism and lifestyle brands in the lucrative but challenging China market.

Eileen Zhang

Trade Relations Director

A co-founder of Create Consulting, Eileen has over ten years experience in marketing, sales, and executive management of Chinese outbound tourism operations.

Having worked for China Space, China Post & Telecom International Travel and Beijing North Star International Travel (first opened 9 ADS Travel Agencies in China), Eileen is a seasoned industry professional who is adept at marketing, sales, project management of tourism brands. She has worked closely with MICE agencies and leading travel media in Beijing and Shanghai.

In the past five years she has been involved in the successful marketing of several key destinations, attractions, hotel chains, resorts and leading DMC’s including Dubai, Garuda Airlines, Dreamworld, Movie World, Phillip Island, Sun International, South African Airways, Cape Town, Fancourt The Collection by Liz McGrath and Ker & Downey, Jordan Tourism, Royal Jordanian Airlines and South African Tourism.

A native of Beijing, Eileen graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University with her major in Business English, and studied a Master’s Degree of Tourism. She then worked for a leading IT company before moving to pursue her passion for the tourism industry.

Michael Jones

Media Relations Director

A co-founder of Create Consulting, Michael oversees the company’s operations and as such has the dual role of client liaison and China market implementation.

Having lived and worked in Beijing for 12 years the Cape Townian previously co-founded Weber Shandwick’s China Travel Practice and was instrumental in promoting numerous North American and European tourism brands in the Mainland market.

Throughout his career Michael has provided strategic communications advice to world class brands including Boeing, American Airlines, Etihad Airlines, South African Airways, The Bahamas, City of Cape Town, City of Amsterdam, City of Dusseldorf, South African government, Israel government, Texas Tourism, TUI Travel, New Zealand Wines, Wines of South Africa, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Sun International.

He has hosted media events for the Mayor of Cape Town, Mayor of Amsterdam, Starwood Hotel & Resorts top five global leadership, Alibaba’s founder/CEO Jack Ma, Yahoo’s Jerry Yang, Skype’s Niklas Zennström and US President Clinton.

Almost a Beijing native, Michael created Create Consulting as a vehicle to encourage greater growth of China-Africa business as a realistic tool in the fight for development and job creation.

JORDAN TOURISM BOARD

114% Growth of Chinese Arrivals for 1st Quarter 2017.

Conduct monthly sales calls and trainings through Beijing, Shanghai & Guangzhou
Plan and execute tourism exhibition participation and trade shows
Conduct national road shows targeted at tour operators and media
Arrange tour operator inspection tours
Arrange media inspection tours in cooperation with partner airlines
Arrange media interviews for visiting JTB officials
Press release development and distribution

I AM AMSTERDAM

Changing the image of Amsterdam to smart design

Create Consulting supported the city of Amsterdam during the Beijing International Design Week focusing specifically on promoting Amsterdam as a design and creative hub
Traditional public relations activities included pitching and securing interviews for the Mayor of Amsterdam (Eberhard van der Laan) and internationally famed designer such Marcel Wanders.
Design and executed China social media competitions on leading Chinese platforms raising awareness of Iamamsterdam
Overall media clippings for Iamamsterdam and Dutch Design Fashion & Architecture resulted in just under US$1 million.

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

Challenging environment

Created SAA’s official WeChat account and developed and managed content
Planned and executed a number of campaigns and competitions to significantly growth follower and interactive base
Provided strategic counsel and managed crisis communications during outbreak of Ebola that resulted in significant travel cancellations to Africa

WINES OF SOUTH AFRICA

Starting in late 2012, Create Consulting’s collaboration with Wines of South Africa saw a sizable increase in the latter’s China market influence and following, with extensive PR events, traditional media coverage and digital media presence coordinated on behalf of client.

Notable successes include gaining 5300 new WeChat followers over the span of a two-week competition, and gourmet wine pairing events in first-tier cities including Beijing and Shanghai.

DREAMWORLD

Significant China sales growth during retainer period.

Around 100,000 Chinese tourists visit Dreamworld per year (groups and FIT)
Australia’s leading theme park retainer client of Create Consulting for the past three years
Conduct at least 30 sales calls per month including cities Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou & Shenzhen. Quarterly visit 2nd tier cities including Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Qingdao, Dalian, Hangzhou, Changsha etc.
Develop content and manage their official WeChat and Weibo social media accounts
FIT business growing strongly

THE COLLECTION RELAIS & CHATEAUX

To make inroads in the Chinese outbound tour operator market we targeted high-end Chinese outbound tour operators, luxury travel clubs and VIP departments of large outbound tour operators focusing on on the experiential, highlighting their award winning food and wine offerings, educating on the seasonal and regional assets and ensuring the guest has the opportunity to have authentic local experiences.

A good story:

2011 – 2012: China was not in our top 30 nationalities
2012 –2013: China featured at no. 19
2013 –2014: China is our no. 15 nationality representing a YOY 86% revenue growth
2014-2015: China is our no. 10 biggest country sales market

Name	Logo	Date	Location	Focus	Website
We Are Africa		1-4 May	Cape Town	Luxury travel	weareafricatravel.com
PURE		11-14 September	Marrakech	Luxury travel	purelifeexperience.com
LE Miami		25-28 June	Miami	Luxury travel	lemiami.com
ILTM		5-8 June	Shanghai	Luxury travel	iltm.com
CITM		11-13 November	Shanghai	Inbound & outbound tourism	citm.com.cn
COTTM		29-31 March	Beijing	Outbound tourism	cotm.com
CIBTM		23-24 August	Beijing	MICE tourism	cibtm.com
ProWine		14-16 November	Shanghai	Wine industry	prowinechina.com
Seatrade Cruise Asia		12-13 May	China, TBC	Cruise industry	seatradecruiseevents.com/asia
Boat Show China		26-29 April	Shanghai	Cruise Industry	boatshowchina.com
Cruisworld China		21 March (Shanghai), 4 November (Guangzhou)	Shanghai & Guangzhou	Cruise Industry	travelweekly-china.com/eventsite/award/home/