…as it gains the Wales Tourist Board

The Wales Tourist Board has followed Jennifer Laing into Saatchi & Saatchi bringing its 2.5m account with it. The Board was reviewing its account at the Laing Henry agency when Cordiant bought the company for 1.

The Wales Tourist Board has followed Jennifer Laing into Saatchi & Saatchi bringing its 2.5m account with it.

The Board was reviewing its account at the Laing Henry agency when Cordiant bought the company for 1.3m and hired Laing as Saatchi & Saatchi chairman in March (MW March 17). The tourist board selected the agency from a four-strong shortlist that also included McCann-Erickson Manchester, Hall Harrison Cowley and Senior King.

WTB spent just 837,400 (Register-MEAL) last year on advertising. It also uses the direct marketing agency Purchasepoint which was transferred to Cordiant as part of the Laing Henry deal. The 2.5m includes all production costs, as well as media spend and fees.

“We have increased the budget,” says WTB senior director marketing Jonathan Jones. “Principally we are seeking to attract UK tourists but also want to attract more tourists to the UK which is outside the Saatchi brief and will require extra money.”

WTB is developing short breaks and additional holiday packages in a bid to draw up to 9.5 million tourists each year.