Marketing Public Relations Strategy in Developing Atourin’s Brand Awareness (A Study Through Virtual Tour Events During COVID-19 Pandemic)

Abstract

Atourin is a technology Start-Up company engaged in the tourism sector. As a Start-Up company, they need to increase public brand awareness of Atourin. One of the events that Atourin is doing during the pandemic is a virtual tour. The purpose of this study was to explain Atourin's Marketing Public Relations strategy and the efforts made to overcome obstacles during the pandemic in developing brand awareness through virtual tours. This study uses several supporting concepts, namely Public Relations, Marketing Public Relations, and brand awareness. The author uses a qualitative approach and a case study method. Data from the research results were obtained through observation, interviews with four informants, documentation, and literature. The results showed that the virtual tour had a significant impact on Atourin's brand awareness. Public Relations Marketing Strategies and strategy manifestations that are mostly carried out by publication through online media and social media have made Atourin better known by the government and some people. The obstacles that Atourin got in implementing its strategy were the lack of public awareness of the virtual tour and Atourin, along with the reduced publicity from online media over time to Atourin's virtual tour. The COVID-19 pandemic is not an obstacle for Atourin in carrying out a virtual tour. Atourin used this situation as an opportunity to provide innovation for tourism activities in Indonesia.