10 Digital Marketing Trends from Destination Marketers
This September, we attended the eTourism Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada. We brought the award-winning, 5-star Destination on the Left podcast to the convention and conducted mini-interviews with 14 tourism leaders. Those interviews created a 3-part series for the show with each guest sharing the biggest change in their digital strategy that resulted in big…
Read MoreBeyond the Boost: Digging in to Facebook Advertising
The Facebook advertising platform has evolved since it first began and is now a digital advertising powerhouse. The platform offers technical support, learning modules through their BluePrint site, an easy ad builder, audience tools and tracking while delivering some of the lowest cost results in the digital space. In 2012, Facebook added the “Boost” button…
Read MoreWhat Makes Today’s Tour Guides Successful?
In today’s travel industry, tour guides are more important than ever. Guides who drive business have the responsibility to enhance the travel experience by keeping guests happy, safe and inspired. This is the person who can make or break a trip; therefore, finding the right match for your group is essential. We spoke with several…
Read More4 Tips for a Successful FAM Tour
In the wonderful and exciting world of tourism marketing, various tactics are used to market a destination. One of these is hosting a familiarization tour, otherwise known as a FAM tour or just simply FAMs. Hosting a successful FAM tour is a great tactic for driving sales and increasing motorcoach business in a destination. The…
Read MoreThe Growing Importance of SEO In Tourism Marketing
SEO is a term we hear often in our marketing and PR circles, but what does it really mean for tourism marketing? What strategies should tourism businesses and destination marketing organizations be focusing on to achieve SEO success? Before I answer these questions, let’s first define SEO. I like the definition provided by MOZ: Search…
Read MoreThe Evolution of Welcome Centers
Welcome centers were created to provide travelers with helpful information to improve their stay. They provide suggestions on things to do and aim to convince visitors to stay a little longer. Visitors often needed to seek out these centers to get brochures and maps, within a destination or at a highway stop on the way.…
Read MoreCreating Your Travel and Tourism Marketing Strategy and Plan
Planning is the most critical thing that we can do for our organizations if we want to continue to grow and be successful. Our process for travel and tourism marketing strategy planning has 7 steps: Research & Discovery, Situational Analysis, Goals & Objectives, Audience & Strategy, Tactical Plan, Measurement and Action Plan. 1. Research &…
Read More4 Common Types of Group Tours
When you’re driving down the highway and see a big motorcoach cruising along, do you ever wonder who’s in there? The possibilities of who participates in group tours are many. First, let’s start with answering the question “What exactly are group tours?” A group tour consists of a group of people who want to have…
Read MoreNavigating Tourism Marketing Now: 10 Themes from 26 Leaders
In July, I attended the Destinations International annual convention in Baltimore Maryland. It was my first live conference and the first convention to take place in Baltimore since before the pandemic. The energy at the event was contagious and the team at Visit Baltimore were amazing hosts. I brought my award-winning, 5-star podcast to the…
Read MoreCollaborative Marketing in Tourism: Working Together to Lift All Boats
In the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, we understand how difficult it can be to grab the attention – and reservation – of a visitor. With limited time and a set budget, travelers have the tough decision of choosing where to go. As a destination, you may often feel like you’re competing against other tourist…
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