Articles tagged “destination marketing”

Saudi Arabia certainly put a lot of thought and money into its latest promotional pitch ahead of a rumored e-visa scheme. But it takes more than drone shots to kick off a successful tourism marketing strategy — clarity in message matters too.

Yes, websites still serve as a critical bridge between travel and tourism brands and their targeted customers. Because of the increasingly crowded landscape, it’s essential to engage with them within the first few seconds of a visit or risk losing them to competitors.

The U.S. territory of Guam is aiming to become the next Sun Valley of travel technology, with a creative forum that brings together tour operators and heavyweights like Airbnb, Booking, and United Airlines. Here’s a closer look at the premiere edition of this innovative summit.

In the wake of a tragedy, destinations are hugely beholden to the public perception of how safe it is to travel there, regardless of the reality on the ground. But the United States — which has experienced more mass shootings than there are days in 2019 — is unfairly exempt from that struggle.

Are destinations taxing visitors because they don't want them to show up? Actually, the conversation around tourism taxes shows that it's not really fewer visitors that destinations want — it's more resources and management tools to deal with them properly.

The talk at the Destinations International annual conference in St. Louis was all about how destination marketing organizations need to transform themselves into destination management organizations. The shift is starting to take place. Progressive destinations that have a head-start on this strategy will take a bigger slice of the pie.

Tourism pledges are commonly thought of as a way to improve visitor behavior. But done right, they can also potentially help attract a desirable kind of traveler: one who cares about the environment as much as locals.

With a rich history and a bright future, Guam is stepping up its efforts to appeal to a new generation of travelers by celebrating the past and embracing the way consumers travel now. A first of its kind travel industry summit this August should help foster innovation, too.

Brand USA is confident about securing future funding due to bipartisan support for the program. The reality, however, is that the program faces an administration not focused on welcoming visitors.

The intense media coverage of overtourism during high summer season makes sense, but putting the onus on travelers to solve it misrepresents the deeper issues at play.