marketing strategy for tourism destination

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Destination Marketing Strategies that Attract Attention

Marketing is integral to any business strategy, but targeted advertising is essential in hospitality and tourism. Although repeat guests and loyal customers provide critical revenue streams for local economies, locations must continually expand their audience reach to remain competitive and capture the attention of new visitors. The right destination marketing strategies can generate more interest in travel to your region, driving valuable tourism dollars into the local economy and the businesses in it.

Discover the value of location-based marketing and how every town, regardless of landscape or population size, can profit from strategically promoting its destination. Whether you’re by the beach, in the city, or just off the highway in a small town, we’ll show you how locations everywhere can use destination marketing strategies to boost business.

Destination marketing strategies that drive tourism dollars

What is a destination marketing strategy.

Destination marketing is a form of advertising designed to attract customers to a particular place. Instead of focusing on a distinct product or service, it centers around the unique atmosphere and experiences a specific location provides visitors.

From vacation hot spots to remote getaway locations, destination marketing strategies captivate consumers and promote travel to desirable places.

Who benefits from destination marketing?

Many businesses benefit from the revenue and tourist traffic destination marketing generates. Various hospitality and service-based companies use location-based advertising to attract the attention of potential travelers, including:

Destination management organizations and convention and visitors bureaus
Travel agencies
Transportation services (e.g., airlines, car companies, bus tours)
Entertainment and event venues (e.g., concert halls, wedding venues)
Attractions (e.g., amusement parks, museums, recreational facilities)
Service-based businesses (e.g., restaurants and retailers)
Lodging partners (e.g., hotels, resorts, convention centers)
Local and state governments (e.g., parks or historical sites)

Why do destination marketing strategies matter?

Destination marketing showcases what sets your destination apart from other enticing locations. It creates an immersive experience for consumers that enables them to imagine what it’s like to actually be in a particular place—to see the sights and smell the scents.

From corporate flyers and digital nomads to vacationers and off-the-grid adventure seekers, travelers turn to destination marketing to get an idea of what to expect from a particular location. Your marketing strategy helps lay the foundation of consumer expectations. For example, if your destination marketing focuses on luxurious tropical getaways, that’s what guests will expect.

The true power of destination tourism lies in its ability to impact every part of a local economy, attracting businesses, tourists, and other travelers to the region. By implementing various destination marketing strategies for distinct target audiences, you can measure which types of hotel guests or recreational groups are attracted to your market. The more you know about your ideal consumers, the better equipped you will be to advertise activities, amenities, and attractions that appeal to them.

How is destination marketing different from other regional marketing?

Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) are responsible for promoting their destination to tourists, travel planners, corporations, and other consumers that drive valuable revenue to the local economy. DMOs and similar organizations, like Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs), employ various marketing strategies to attract visitors. They may turn to social media to advertise the opening of a new park or engage in data-driven email marketing to get the word out about upcoming events. However, destination marketing is a specific advertising strategy that builds consumers’ desire to visit your location by advertising the attractions that set it apart.

Destination marketing lets consumers know what they can expect from a visit to your region. It captures the atmosphere, energy, and essence of your locale. Does your destination offer plentiful recreational opportunities or headlining entertainment? Is your destination a peaceful, remote location offering travelers an escape or a trendy tech hub in the middle of a bustling city?

Unlike other regional marketing campaigns , destination-focused advertising promotes the overall appeal of a location instead of a particular business or attraction. It pinpoints what makes your destination unique and why others should experience it.

Destinations that nailed their marketing campaigns

To better understand what destination marketing looks like in action, let’s review some of the most powerful location-based tourism campaigns from the last decade. These four destinations understood the power of destination marketing and used it to launch wildly successful campaigns.

1. Inspired by Iceland

In 2010, a volcanic eruption led to a downturn in Iceland’s tourism, with many travelers holding misconceptions about its safety. To reinstate the country’s place as a renowned tourist destination, the Icelandic government partnered with the City of Reykjavik, Promote Iceland, and other tourism companies to launch “Inspired by Iceland” in 2020.

In addition to strengthening Iceland’s image in the global tourism market, the Inspired by Iceland tourism initiative was part of a long-term destination marketing strategy designed to increase the production of Icelandic exports through government and industry cooperation. Many Icelandic industries have benefited from the campaign , including the creative, green energy, and seafood sectors.

2. Travel Oregon

Oregon, one of America's most scenic and awe-inspiring locations, is split into seven separate tourism regions . Each locale has a Regional Destination Tourism Management Organization (RMDO) that acts as the tourism liaison for that region. Working together, the RMDOs launched Travel Oregon to drive leisure and business travel to their area.

The Travel Oregon campaign put the state on the map as a premier travel destination. It appealed to customers by combining multiple marketing strategies, including captivating videos, sponsored posts, social media content, banner ads, and print ads. The engaging approach had something for everyone, with its fish-shaped robot tour guide and satirical content quickly garnering travelers’ attention. Travel Oregon maintains a formidable reputation for its memorable, humorous messaging.

3. Doors of Thrones

If you’re familiar with Game of Thrones, you might know that many scenes from the HBO hit show were filmed in Northern Ireland. In 2014, Northern Ireland’s destination marketing organization, Tourism Ireland , took advantage of the show's popularity and formed the first Thrones-based marketing partnership with HBO to launch Doors of Thrones.

The Doors of Thrones campaign centered around ten intricately carved doors. The wood for each door came from the Dark Hedges and was sculpted to represent a different episode from the show’s sixth season. They were placed at various locations (primarily pubs) nationwide and promoted on social media. Travelers flocked from around the world to see the intricately carved pieces and explore famous sites from the show.

Tourism Ireland used the show's incredible popularity to attract travelers and superfans. ITV News, MTV, Cosmopolitan, and other major media outlets raved about the creative pub crawl, further expanding the campaign’s already broad reach. Ultimately, the massively successful campaign reached 126 million people . It also drove tourism, traffic, and revenue to Northern Ireland and its businesses, generating £17 million ($22 million) in 2016 . Overall, the destination marketing strategy resulted in a record year-over-year tourism increase of 8%.

4. Explore Georgia

Explore Georgia was a fun and easily accessible destination marketing campaign launched in 2016 . The Instagram-based photo competition excited a variety of traveler types spanning all walks of life. Participants were encouraged to post photos of Fido, the #ExporeGeorgiaPup , adventuring through the state.

From domestic tourists to overseas travelers, Fido’s family-friendly appeal helped grow Georgia's presence in online tourism spaces by promoting the state as a pet-friendly travel destination. The inexpensive social campaign reached 1.1 million Facebook impressions and drove 14,000 Instagram users to the website of Parker Whidby, Explore Georgia’s destination marketing manager.

Industry-leading destination marketing strategies

You know how destination management organizations promote their destination, but how do individual businesses do it? From video advertising to social media marketing, there are so many content options to choose from. Here are four innovative and industry-leading destination marketing strategies from hospitality brands.

Check out 2023's top destinations

1. Feel the Beat of the City | Four Seasons Hotels

In 2022, the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans launched an engaging new campaign: Feel the Beat of the City. The marketing campaign consisted of advertisements celebrating New Orleans’ one-of-a-kind atmosphere. In vibrant video advertisements featuring big brass bands , The Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans appealed to consumers by capturing the spirit of The Big Easy.

The campaign invited consumers to experience the city’s culture, cuisine, and music in an exciting new way—and it worked. Due to the campaign's success, Four Seasons expanded the Feel the Beat campaign to promote multiple destinations worldwide , including Austin (TX) and Dubai.

2. 30 Stays, 300 Days | Marriott Bonvoy

30 Stays, 300 Stays was a spectacularly successful social media campaign from Marriott Hotels. The TikTok branded hashtag challenge promoted the Marriott brand all over social media while attracting travelers’ attention to ten of the chain’s most stunning hotels . Participants were instructed to create an engaging video explaining why they should be chosen to become one of three official 2022 TikTok Correspondents for Marriott.

To win, contestants had to follow Marriott Bonvoy’s TikTok account and post their video with the branded hashtag #30stays300days. Thanks to the viral challenge, the brand’s account exploded— growing from 6K followers to more than 70K. In addition to driving traffic to their TikTok account, the marketing campaign introduced a whole new audience to Marriott, particularly the magnificent destination stays included in the prize package.

3. Live Hologram Bar | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

In 2019, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines shook up destination marketing when they invited travelers to meet, chat, and exchange local tips at the Hologram Bar while waiting for their flights. Pop-up hologram bars were installed at airports in the Netherlands, Norway, and Brazil. The immersive video destination marketing campaign connected tourists and travel enthusiasts in real-time, enabling patrons to project themselves into their destination airport. KLM’s one-of-a-kind, engaging, and informational experience provided consumers with an exciting new way to explore global destinations.

4. Where do you want to go? | Melia Hotels

Melia Hotels spearheaded the industry’s approach to digital display marketing. Featuring a wide range of interactive elements and unique designs, their engaging display ads drove online traffic to specific landing pages through powerful messaging, interactive buttons, and personalized content. By asking travelers, “Where do you want to go,” Melia Hotels International launched its sprawling brand with online destination marketing.

Destination marketing strategies and best practices

Drive travel and tourism to your destination by showing consumers what makes it better than the alternative. Increase awareness about your region and strengthen its reputation with these marketing strategies:

1. Define your destination’s unique selling point (USP). Determine what sets your location apart from everywhere else in the world. What can visitors experience there and only there? What attractions, resources, or hidden gems should tourists know about? Identify what makes your location wholly unique and make it the focus of destination marketing campaigns. Maximize your destination’s USP by partnering with tourism-based businesses in the area to gain more feedback.

2. Know your target audience. Think about what travelers want from a visit to your area, and create destination-focused campaigns highlighting how you’ll give it to them. Campaigns showcasing high-tech coworking spaces, authentic international restaurants, and the town’s nightlife could help attract business travelers, remote workers, or young tourists looking for an exciting weekend away.

3. Use geotargeting. Geotargeting is a powerful form of digital marketing that utilizes location data to target consumers with relevant marketing materials. This location-based advertising strategy uses consumer data points (e.g., IP addresses or GPS coordinates) to identify their location, making it easier for DMOs to ensure their marketing materials reach the right customers at the right time. Incorporate geotargeting into your destination marketing strategy to capture consumers' attention when they’re in the area. Identify what brought them to town to learn more about your destination’s feeder cities.

4. Create experiential marketing campaigns. Engage customers’ senses with interactive marketing they’ll remember. Instead of telling travelers what to expect from your destination, create advertising that allows them to experience it for themselves. Immersive forms of experiential marketing , like augmented or virtual reality, make it easier for customers to imagine what being your destination would actually feel like. Invite prospective guests to take a virtual walk around your best local park or view the cityscape via high-definition drone footage. Sell more than the location; sell destination experiences .

5. Use star power to supercharge marketing campaigns. Partner with influencers, notable industry experts, and other recognizable faces to get the word out about your location. In addition to reaching new audience members through cross-promotion, adding star power to destination marketing can help it appear more credible to customers. With 90% of social media users admitting they’ve been influenced to buy something because of social media marketing, influencer marketing might be just what your destination needs.

6. Keep up with tourism trends. Stay ahead of travel and tourism trends so you know about shifting consumer preferences. Incorporate current trends, like wellness-focused travel and virtual tourism , into campaigns to capture the attention of trendy travelers. Hop on social media trends, like viral challenges or hashtag campaigns, subscribe to travel blogs, and watch how competing destinations connect with consumers.

Use destination marketing to generate more interest in your region

Put your knowledge of destination marketing to good use to create more compelling advertising campaigns. If your local government doesn’t provide destination marketing services, look for similar resources nearby. Keep reading to learn more about CVB marketing and how it can help hotels.

Kim Campbell

Kim is a full-time copy and content writer with many years of experience in the hospitality industry. She entered the hotel world in 2013 as a housekeeping team member and worked her way through various departments before being appointed to Director of Sales. Kim has championed numerous successful sales efforts, revenue strategies, and marketing campaigns — all of which landed her a spot on Hotel Management Magazine’s “Thirty Under 30” list.

Don’t be fooled though; she’s not all business! An avid forest forager, post-apocalyptic fiction fan, and free-sample-fiend, Kim prides herself on being well-rounded.

15 Destination Marketing Strategies to Attract More Visitors

Destination Marketing

Destination marketing involves promoting a specific location to attract tourists and visitors. This marketing is crucial as it enhances the area’s visibility, boosts the local economy, and can lead to infrastructure and cultural development, making the destination more appealing to potential visitors and improving the quality of life for residents.

Key Takeaways

Defining Unique Selling Points: Identifying and promoting what makes a destination unique, like natural features or cultural attractions.
Target Audience & Market Identification: Understanding the specific demographics and interests of potential visitors for targeted marketing.
Utilization of Data for Analytics: Leveraging data to gain insights into visitor behavior and preferences to optimize marketing strategies.
Sustainable Tourism Promotion: Focusing on eco-friendly and sustainable travel options to attract environmentally conscious visitors.
Monitoring Trends and Feedback: Keeping abreast of travel trends and customer feedback to adapt and improve marketing strategies continuously.

Table of Contents:

What is Destination Marketing?
Why is Destination Marketing Important?

Who is Responsible for Destination Marketing?

1. define the unique selling points, 2. define target audience & market, 3. utilize data for analytics, 4. brand your destination, 5. involve all stakeholders, 6. create an amazing destination website, 7. search engine optimization, 8. experience marketing, 9. video and virtual reality marketing, 10. social media strategies, 11. work with influencers, 12. promote your destination on travel websites, 13. online advertising strategies, 14. offline promotional strategies, 15. start blogging, tourism trends: opportunities for destination marketing, key technology trends emerging in the travel & tourism industry, destination marketing as a part of travel marketing.

Introduction

Destination marketing can be invaluable for anyone who makes money by increasing the number of people traveling to a location. This includes local and national governments, airlines, travel agents, entertainment venues, tourist attractions, and operators of hotels and resorts. In this article, you will learn more about some of the destination marketing strategies that can help to attract more visitors.

What Is Destination Marketing?

Destination marketing is a form of marketing in which a destination is promoted to potential visitors to increase the number of people who travel to that location. The destination can be fairly specific, as with town or city marketing , or much broader, as with region or country marketing .

Ultimately, destination marketing aims to make your location or destination seem more attractive than the main alternatives, boosting the number of people who travel there and assisting the local travel industry . It is also about increasing the destination’s awareness, raising demand and improving its reputation.

Why Is Destination Marketing Important?

To attract travelers to a certain destination, the plus points of that destination must be highlighted. This is especially crucial when one destination competes with another for the same tourists or visitors. An example would be the Caribbean and the Great Barrier Reef, offering excellent diving experiences.

Most destination marketing aims to promote your destination as superior to alternatives by highlighting the things that make it unique or a desirable place to travel to. Successful destination marketing can then greatly benefit the local tourism industry , including hotels, restaurants, bars, airlines, and related suppliers.

Table: Important Goals & Examples of Destination Marketing

Responsibility for destination marketing typically falls on a dedicated destination marketing organization (DMO) or tourist board. These organizations represent the promoted community or destination and attempt to drive interest in the region amongst travelers by using various marketing techniques.

In many ways, a DMO links the visitor and the destination, first encouraging the visit and providing important information. Hotels, local businesses, attractions, and their owners are often members of a DMO, and funding tends to come from government sources and/or membership fees.

Several different marketing strategies can be used for destination marketing purposes, helping to boost overall awareness of a destination and increase the number of people who visit. Below, you will find more information about 15 strategies and how destination marketing organizations can use them to get results.

Arguably the single most important step for any organization engaging in destination marketing is to take the time to define what makes your destination unique clearly. A destination can stand out in many ways, such as offering unique activities to visitors or unique natural features like mountains, beaches, or volcanoes.

It could be that your location has a fascinating history, or unique landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, or the Great Wall of China. Perhaps the location’s culture is its unique selling point , and visitors would want to travel to experience local events, museums, or sports clubs. Try to identify as many USPs as possible.

Another of the best destination marketing strategies involves identifying your target audiences. Consider who will likely want to visit the destination and for what reason. Often, you will need to break this down into several different audiences, who may have different reasons for wanting to travel to your location.

For instance, it could be that your destination appeals to youngsters on a gap year and elderly couples enjoying their retirement. It might appeal to people who enjoy outdoor sporting activities and want to relax on the beach. You must also consider the different groups, such as tourists, business travelers, and students.

Finally, consider whether certain markets are more likely to be interested than others. This could mean people in nearby countries, if you have excellent transport links, or people who speak the same language.

Destination marketing organizations can potentially obtain and utilize vast amounts of data for several different purposes. For example, the organization’s website can allow you to use tools like Google Analytics to find out about your visitors, who they are, where they came from, and their motivation.

Offline, you can find out information about existing visitors, such as the average age, whether your destination appeals more to men or women, and what methods of transport they use. Once you have gathered sufficient data, you can analyze it to identify the best people to reach out to, the best ways to reach them, and the best messages to push.

Branding is a technique used by businesses to make them easily identifiable. The concept of branding can include logos, color schemes, and other design principles, slogans, or repeated use of certain terminology. Ultimately, branding is about being recognizable and standing out from others.

This principle can be fairly easily applied to a destination. Try to develop a coherent color scheme, use a tagline that says something about the destination itself, create hashtags for people to use on social media, and try to be as consistent as possible with your promotional messaging so that people become familiar with it.

A significant component of destination management involves looking out for various stakeholders’ interests to establish trust and facilitate engagement. The stakeholders might include officials from your country, city, village, or state, hotels, attractions, restaurants, shopping venues, travel agents, and tour operators.

Try to develop destination marketing strategies that encourage these various parties to participate and support your destination. See if you can get stakeholders to agree to use some of your wider destination branding and to run their own advertising or marketing campaigns to maximize visitor interest.

Regardless of their reasons for traveling, most travelers now use the internet to research their destination before booking. A destination website is ideal for showcasing unique selling points, communicating directly with your target audience(s), and promoting your destination through images, videos, and virtual reality tours.

You can use the website to provide travelers with all the information they need ahead of their trip and promote accommodation options, attractions, events, places to eat and drink, and more. Your website must be optimized for mobile users, while an on-site blog can help to encourage people to keep coming back.

When people use search engines like Google to look for things related to your destination, or features that your destination can offer them, you want to ensure your website is near the top of those search engine results pages. The best way is to create a comprehensive search engine optimization strategy. According to Search Engine Market Share Worldwide Statistics by Statcounter, Google has the highest market share of 91.47% on January, 2024, followed by Bing with 3.43%.

This involves researching keywords, creating content that targets those keywords, and using various other techniques to improve your placement. You can also use SEO principles to promote videos and images too. An on-site blog can also be beneficial, giving you plenty of fresh content to optimize with strategic keyword usage.

Most travelers are motivated by experiences, so marketing a destination this way makes sense. Instead of showing attractions, use promotional material to show how people experience them. One way to do this is to stimulate the sharing of user-generated content so that people share their own moments on your website and social media.

When you achieve this, you turn your visitors into your destination’s ambassadors. Word-of-mouth promotion can be extremely successful because it is considered more trustworthy than hearing from an organization with a clear motive. On top of this, VR 360 tours can be a great way to allow online users to enjoy their own experiences.

Video and virtual reality marketing can go a long way toward boosting your destination marketing efforts. Video content can be easily shared across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. These videos can promote local places of interest or feature local people speaking about your destination.

Virtual reality marketing goes a step further and provides ways for your target audience to experience aspects of your destination from the comfort of their home. This could be a virtual tour of a local hotel, a virtual travel experience of a nearby entertainment venue, or 360-degree tours of attractions or landmarks.

Video: Destination Marketing Case Study

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are ideal for reaching people and promoting your destination. In truth, the destination marketing strategies offered here are almost endless, from simple promotional posts, images, and video content, to competitions and even viral content or memes.

Most social media platforms offer paid marketing opportunities, such as advertisements or sponsored posts. These can boost the visibility of your social media marketing efforts and be aimed at very specific demographics, meaning you can target people based on age, gender, location, and even their online browsing habits.

Many modern internet users naturally distrust direct advertising and other overt marketing methods. However, many of these people may be able to be reached indirectly through influencers. In simple terms, influencers are people with an established following on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, or their own blog. According to The State of Marketing Report by HubSpot, influencer marketing industry was valued at $16.4 billion in 2022.

Their followers tend to be loyal and trust the influencer’s opinions more than they would trust an organization. By partnering with influencers, you can promote your destination across different platforms, even to niche audiences, who are then significantly more likely to react positively to the message that is being promoted.

In addition to having your own destination website, it is important to be able to reach people who do not have an existing awareness of your destination. Travel websites provide a perfect solution, including international travel websites like TripAdvisor, local websites, or websites aimed at specific demographics.

You can use travel websites to promote your destination in various ways, including posting images, publishing stories, creating video content, and even promoting virtual reality tours. You can also use travel websites to monitor reviews, respond to criticism, and improve feedback over time.

The information and data you have gathered about your visitors and your target audience can be used to inform your online advertising . Using this information, you can target search advertising to specific regions, pay for display advertising on the right platforms, and promote content on third-party websites your target audience uses.

In addition, re-marketing allows you to reach out to people who have previously engaged with your destination website or your DMO’s social media channels. This allows you to remind people of your destination, knowing that they have already shown interest, which can be great for encouraging them to commit to a visit.

Once you know your target audience, what they are looking for, and where they are coming from, you should also identify when they are likely to travel. For instance, some destinations attract visitors in the summer months, while others attract people for winter sports. Some might hold greater appeal at Christmas or another holiday.

This then makes it easier to devise a comprehensive offline promotional strategy. Some of the offline methods you use might include television advertising, radio advertising, and promotion within newspapers and magazines. With the latter two examples, you could pay for advertisements, write features on your destination, and target specific local publications in areas where your target audience resides.

Blogging can play a key role in a destination marketing strategy because it provides an opportunity to share information, entertain an audience, educate them about the destination, and convince them that it is somewhere they want to visit. It also provides a great opportunity to establish yourself or your brand as an expert voice.

Adding new posts to a blog regularly is also an extremely effective way to get potential customers to visit your website multiple times. The blog can even promote specific travel products or special offers, and a comments section can allow readers to engage with your business and one another.

In the article “Tourism Trends: Opportunities for The Tourism Industry” , you will learn more about the latest trends within the tourism industry and why businesses need to keep up with them.

The tourism industry is constantly evolving, and always keeping your finger on the pulse is vital. While failing to keep up with the latest trends can have several serious negative consequences, staying up-to-date with industry changes provides several important opportunities to improve your business results.

In the article “Key Technology Trends Emerging in the Travel & Tourism Industry” , you will be able to learn more about how technology is helping to change the travel and tourism industry.

New technology has the power to disrupt entire industries, but the businesses that thrive are the ones that are willing to embrace new ways of working and adapt to the times. Whether it is capitalizing on the Internet of Things, embracing virtual reality technology, or deploying artificial intelligence, emerging trends can offer real benefits.

As a practice, destination marketing can form part of a wider travel marketing strategy. This marketing mix can include everything from personalization marketing to customer experience marketing, content marketing, social media marketing, and even virtual reality marketing.

In the article “ The Latest Travel Marketing Tips to Optimize Your Results “ , you can explore the importance of travel marketing in greater detail and access some specific travel marketing tips.

Destination Marketing FAQs

What is an example of a destination marketing strategy.

An example of a destination marketing strategy is creating a comprehensive social media campaign showcasing a city’s unique attractions, local cuisine, and cultural events to attract more visitors, accompanied by partnerships with influencers to extend reach.

What are the goals of destination marketing?

The goals of destination marketing include increasing visitor numbers, promoting a positive image of the destination, extending the average length of stay, enhancing the tourist experience, and boosting local economic development through tourism.

How do I become a destination marketer?

To become a destination marketer, pursue education in marketing, tourism, or related fields, gain experience through internships or working in the tourism industry, develop strong digital marketing skills, and understand the unique selling points of various destinations.

What is the difference between destination marketing and management?

Destination marketing focuses on promoting a place to attract visitors, while destination management involves planning, organizing, and coordinating resources to ensure sustainable tourism, improve visitor experiences, and address the impact of tourism on the destination.

What are the components of the destination marketing framework?

Components of the destination marketing framework include market research, brand development, target market segmentation, marketing communications (advertising, PR, social media), product and experience development, partnership building, and performance measurement and evaluation.

Almost any destination will have unique attractions, natural features, places of interest, or cultural aspects that appeal to visitors. The destination marketing strategies listed can all be used to highlight these qualities so potential visitors become more likely to travel to the destination and spend money, boosting the local tourism industry.

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Effective Destination Marketing Strategies to Attract More Visitors

In today's competitive tourism industry, crafting effective destination marketing strategies is essential for attracting more visitors and standing out in the global marketplace.

This article will guide tour and experience business owners through the key components and benefits of destination marketing, offering insights into how to develop, implement, and optimize strategies that drive tourism and generate significant revenue.

What is Tourism Destination Marketing?

Tourism destination marketing involves strategies and actions to promote a specific location or destination to attract visitors and tourists. It's about showcasing the experience, culture, and attractions of a place to entice people from around the world to visit.

What are the Key Elements of Destination Marketing?

Destination marketing is a must for travel and hospitality businesses looking to market services toward specific locales. By touting the benefits of your destination, you can inspire users to book a stay.

Some core elements of destination marketing to look out for are:

Audience data
Focus on key markets
Storytelling
Social media marketing
Influencer marketing
Visual marketing
Video marketing
Destination branding
Experiential marketing

Why is Destination Marketing Important?

Destination marketing offers a plethora of benefits that can significantly enhance a location's appeal and its economic prosperity. Overall, destination marketing not only drives tourism and economic growth but also fosters a sense of pride and identity for the local community.

Authenticity in marketing ensures that the message resonates with the target audience by reflecting the true experience and culture of the destination.
Social Proof, such as reviews and testimonials from previous visitors, influencers, and locals, can significantly boost a destination's reputation and attract more tourists.
Cost-effective: Destination marketing can be more cost-effective than traditional advertising, especially when leveraging digital and social media platforms to reach a wider audience.
Viral Potential: Social media and content sharing have the potential to make a destination go viral, attracting attention and interest from globally.
Improve Engagement and Interaction: Engaging content and interactive campaigns can improve engagement and interaction with potential visitors, building a community around the destination.
Fosters Job Creation: With the expansion of tourism, new employment opportunities emerge in the hospitality and tourism sectors, offering jobs to locals, decreasing unemployment rates, and uplifting the economic landscape.
Elevates the Destination's Reputation: By showcasing its distinct characteristics and attractions, destination marketing can improve a place's image and counteract any existing negative impressions or stereotypes.
Boosts Tourism Revenue: Successful destination marketing strategies can increase visitor numbers, leading to higher tourism-related earnings. This influx of funds can be reinvested to upgrade infrastructure, amenities, and attractions, making the destination even more enticing to future visitors.

What are the Best Destination Marketing Strategies?

The best destination marketing strategies are those that effectively combine digital innovation with authentic storytelling to captivate and engage potential visitors. Embracing these strategies not only attracts more visitors but also fosters a positive and lasting impression of the destination.

An important strategy in our arsenal for tourism destination marketing is leveraging online advertising. This encompasses a wide array of formats, including email, video, social media, native, affiliate, and display advertising.

While the goal is to draw vacationers to a distinctive destination, it's imperative to manage this without compromising the financial stability of your hotel or resort.

Mobile Experience

Mobile is one of the most effective ways for travel companies to share relevant messages with customers at key touchpoints in their travel journey — from dreaming and planning to booking and flying to the in-destination experience, with utilitarian services like check-in reminders and nearby activity recommendations.

Data-Driven Campaigns

Data-driven decision-making is crucial for DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations) as it enables them to stay competitive in the dynamic tourism market. By leveraging data, DMOs can gain insights into tourist behavior, preferences, and trends, which can guide their marketing and operational strategies.

Data-driven campaigns allow businesses to target and engage their audience more effectively by analyzing user behavior and preferences.

Partnerships

Partnerships with local businesses, hotels, and events can expand reach and offer bundled experiences to visitors. Destination marketing cannot be successful without meaningful community partnerships.

Branding is crucial for creating a memorable identity for a destination, differentiating it from the competition.

Your hotel brand includes your tone, communication style, logo, and design aesthetics. Having a distinctive brand further separates you from your competitors and gives you a memorable appeal that your audience won’t soon forget.

Visual content significantly impacts people's perceptions and decisions. While storytelling paints a vivid picture of what it's like to stay at a vacation destination, seeing the actual offerings is what truly captivates your audience.

Enhance your digital presence by incorporating high-quality images and graphics on your website, landing pages, and social media platforms. Showcasing stunning photos and videos on social media and websites can capture the imagination of potential visitors.

Influencers

If your current destination marketing efforts seem insufficient to attract visitors to a less-known tourist spot, consider leveraging influencer marketing as a powerful ally. Influencers command the attention of a vast and engaged audience, many of whom are willing to explore new products and destinations based on these trusted recommendations.

Personalization

Personalization is a key strategy to attract and retain customers in the travel and tourism industry. By tailoring your marketing messages and offers to the preferences, needs, and behaviors of your target audience, you can increase engagement, loyalty, and conversions.

Best Destination Advertising Examples

Among the myriad of destination advertising campaigns, some stand out for their creativity, impact, and ability to draw tourists. These campaigns exemplify how innovative and strategic advertising can elevate a destination's appeal and attract visitors from around the globe.

Inspired by Iceland

In 2010, the eruption of Eyjafjallajökul, an Icelandic volcano, disrupted air travel across Europe and sparked numerous misunderstandings about visiting the breathtaking nation. To counteract this, the Icelandic government collaborated with the City of Reykjavík, airlines including Icelandair and Iceland Express, Promote Iceland, and approximately 80 other entities in the tourism sector to launch the "Inspired by Iceland" campaign.

Travel Oregon

Travel Oregon is renowned for its exceptionally creative marketing campaigns, setting a high standard in the industry. Their innovative approaches range from a robotic fish serving as a tour guide to satirical articles, skillfully blending various mediums like print, sponsored posts, social media, banner ads, and video for impactful results.

Doors of Thrones

In 2016, Storm Gertrude wreaked havoc on the Dark Hedges, the famous tree-lined road that served as the backdrop for the Kingsroad in HBO's blockbuster series, "Game of Thrones." Rather than seeing this as a loss, a creative opportunity was seized from the aftermath.

Explore Georgia

"Georgia" utilized social media to showcase its attractions, culture, and events, engaging visitors with compelling content.

How is Destination Marketing Different from Other Regional Marketing?

Destination marketing focuses specifically on promoting a place for tourism, emphasizing experiences, culture, and attractions unique to that location. It differs from broader regional marketing, which may target businesses, investors, or residents in addition to tourists.

Unlike other regional marketing campaigns, destination-focused advertising promotes the overall appeal of a location instead of a particular business or attraction. It pinpoints what makes your destination unique and why others should experience it.

Tourism Trends: Opportunities for Destination Marketing

Emerging trends in tourism, such as sustainable travel, cultural immersion, and digital nomadism, offer new opportunities for destination marketing.

Digital marketing has become crucial for destination marketers as the internet increasingly influences travel planning and bookings. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are key for showcasing a destination's allure, with strategies like influencer marketing, content marketing, and virtual reality experiences gaining traction to attract visitors.
Sustainability is a growing priority among travelers seeking eco-friendly options, prompting marketers to emphasize green initiatives and responsible travel practices, such as minimizing carbon footprints and supporting local conservation efforts.
Personalization is shaping destination marketing, with travelers desiring unique experiences tailored to their interests. Marketers are meeting this demand by offering customized itineraries and tour packages, enhancing visitor satisfaction and recommendations.
Collaboration among tourism boards, local businesses, and governments is vital for a unified marketing approach. Sharing knowledge and best practices with other destinations enhances marketing campaigns and the destination's overall appeal.

Staying ahead in destination marketing requires an understanding of the latest trends. Our exploration of current travel marketing trends delves into personalization and customization, offering insights on how these strategies can be leveraged to attract more visitors in a changing landscape.

Key Takeaways

Digital Innovation and Authentic Storytelling: Utilizing social media, influencer partnerships, and data-driven campaigns are key strategies for engaging potential visitors and creating a buzz around a destination.
Sustainability and Personalization: Highlighting eco-friendly practices and offering personalized experiences cater to the growing demand for responsible travel and unique, tailored tourism experiences.
Emphasis on Local Culture and Collaboration: Promoting local culture and fostering collaborations with local businesses, tourism boards, and other stakeholders enhance the authenticity and appeal of a destination, supporting the local economy and cultural heritage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the success factors of destination marketing.

Successful destination marketing relies on authenticity, engagement, innovation, and personalization to attract and retain visitors.

Who is the Target Market of a Destination?

The target market can vary but generally includes tourists looking for unique experiences, cultural immersion, or specific activities and attractions.

What is Tourism Destination Demand?

Tourism destination demand refers to the interest and desire of people to visit a place, influenced by marketing, reputation, and available experiences.

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Tourism Marketing Strategy: Boosting Your Destination’s Appeal in 2024

David Ciccarelli

January 18, 2024

In the dynamic realm of travel and tourism, leaving your marketing efforts to chance is akin to setting sail without a compass. It is crucial to understand the pulse of the market, from shifting trends and algorithm changes to staff turnover and technological advancements. Without a strategic framework, you could squander valuable resources, lag behind competitors, and miss out on potential growth opportunities.

Having a structured tourism marketing strategy is not just beneficial but essential. It serves as the foundation upon which you can build and refine your marketing initiatives, ensuring that experimentation comes with direction and purpose. In a sector where every click could translate to a booking and every shared experience could lead to a loyal customer, it’s vital that your marketing plan isn’t left to random acts but is a deliberate storyboard of success.

Crafting Your Tourism Marketing Strategy

Imagine you’re the captain of a ship; your tourism marketing strategy is the map that guides you through the vast ocean of the travel industry. It’s a well-thought-out plan that aims to pinpoint your current standing in the marketplace and chart a course for future achievements.

Think of it as your navigational chart through the competitive seas, geared with tools to keep you on course and to adapt when unexpected waves hit. Here’s what you can expect to incorporate:

SWOT Analysis : Assess your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to stay two steps ahead.
Unique Value Proposition : Clearly define what makes your offering irresistibly attractive.
Customer Personas : Know your audience as if they were your travel buddies.
Competitor Insights : Keep an eye on fellow voyagers, learning from their adventures and missteps.
Marketing Mix : Blend the perfect cocktail of price, product, promotion, and place.
Budget & Resources : Allocate your treasures wisely for a prosperous journey.
Objectives & Metrics : Set clear destinations and measure the nautical miles you’ve covered.
Marketing Itinerary : Outline the routes and stops of your promotional exertions.

Crafting a Strategic Framework for Tourism Promotion

Assessing Your Tourism Business Through SWOT Analysis

Embarking on a SWOT Analysis sets the groundwork for a robust tourism marketing plan. Dive into a thorough examination of internal and external elements that could impact your success. Evaluate your team’s expertise, location perks, and resource availability , considering them your enterprise’s strengths and weaknesses. Similarly, pinpoint external opportunities and threats stemming from market trends and competitive actions. Engage diverse team members for a well-rounded perspective, culminating your insights into a visual SWOT grid.

Clarifying Your Unique Tourist Attraction Proposition

Unearth your company’s unique allure by distilling your strengths into a captivating value proposition. This clear, persuasive statement should spell out why travelers should choose your offerings. Focus on attributes that distinguish your service in the marketplace, and ensure that this key message is a prominent fixture on your digital storefront.

Painting a Portrait of Your Ideal Visitor

Narrow down your ideal market segment to avoid the pitfalls of overly generic marketing. Fashion a detailed guest persona that answers critical questions about demographics, psychographics, and online behaviors. Surveys and analytics tools are your allies in crafting this persona, helping you to personalize your communications and align your tactics with your audience’s preferences.

Benchmarking Against Your Competition

A nuanced understanding of your competitors arms you with the knowledge to outmaneuver them. Compile profiles of top competitors, including their marketing strategies , audience, and unique selling points. Stay informed of their movements through online alerts and social monitoring, allowing you to anticipate industry shifts and adapt your strategies accordingly.

Piecing Together Your Tourism Marketing Framework

Construct a tourism marketing strategy that takes into account the nuances of your services. This mix should involve a strategic selection of your offerings, ideal booking avenues, pricing mechanisms, and promotional activities. Additionally, weigh in on the personal touch your team brings and the operational plans in place to ensure memorable experiences.

Allocating Finances and Resources Wisely

Your strategy’s effectiveness hinges on a realistic assessment of your financial capacity and available assets. Budgeting forms the cornerstone of your plan, influencing which marketing activities you pursue. Strike a balance between ambitious goals and the practicalities of your resource pool to ensure sustainable execution of your strategy.

Setting Clear Objectives and Success Metrics

Anchor your tourism marketing plan with specific, measurable goals. Define what success looks like with a set of key performance indicators, and outline the steps necessary to reach these milestones. This goal-oriented approach ensures focused efforts and a clear understanding of what constitutes progress.

Laying Out Your Strategic Marketing Roadmap

Your marketing roadmap translates your strategy into tangible steps over time. It should consider long-term aspirations and short-term actions, integrating content strategy, digital marketing, and social media engagement . Construct a timeline that maps out brand awareness campaigns, conversion tactics, and opportunities for customer advocacy, ensuring that you navigate the journey from awareness to inspiration to booking with clear direction.

Streamlining your marketing efforts with a structured plan creates a clear path for captivating and converting your target audience, propelling your tourism business toward sustained growth and success.

Where to go from here?

You’ve reached a pivotal moment! Flexibility is key in any marketing plan, especially when reflecting on the unpredictable nature of events like COVID-19. Haven’t we all learned that lesson?

Adapt and Overcome:

Reassess Regularly : Circumstances change; ensure to regularly evaluate your progress.
Be Prepared for Challenges : Unforeseen events may prompt shifts in tactics.

Remember, your strategy is living and breathing—adjust as needed! Keep pushing forward with eyes on your goals, and modify your approach when necessary. Isn’t it exciting to think on your feet?

Elevate Your Tourism Tactics

Leverage your tourism enterprise by harnessing a powerful, results-driven marketing approach. With the right blend of the tourism marketing mix, strategic partnerships, and an efficient booking system, you can magnify your market presence.

Tourism Marketing Mix: Tailor your services to the traveler’s needs and desires.
Partnerships: Collaborate with complementary businesses to broaden your reach.
Booking System: Simplify reservations with a user-friendly booking system.

Common Questions Regarding Tourism Marketing Tactics

Utilizing the Fundamental Aspects of Tourism Marketing for Effective Campaigns

Understanding the 4 A’s of tourism marketing—Accessibility, Accommodation, Attractions, and Amenities —is vital for shaping successful campaigns.

Accessibility : How easily can tourists access the destination?
Accommodation: Are there adequate facilities for different budgets and preferences?
Attractions: What are the unique, must-see places or events?
Amenities : Are the necessary services available to enhance the visitor experience?

Incorporating these elements ensures each aspect of a visitor’s experience is considered.

Success Stories in Tourism Marketing

One standout example is the “Share a Coke” campaign by Coca-Cola which, although not exclusively a tourism strategy, inspired destination marketing with its personalized approach. You can see how personalization creates a connection with audiences globally, inviting them to be part of the experience.

Key Steps for Crafting a Tourism Marketing Plan

For crafting a well-rounded tourism marketing plan, pivotal steps include:

Market Research: Understand your audience and competition.
Establish Objectives: Set clear, measurable goals.
Budgeting: Allocate your financial resources efficiently.
Strategic Development: Choose the appropriate marketing channels and tactics.
Implementation: Deploy the strategy with precision.
Monitoring: Track progress against objectives regularly.

Adapting Marketing Tactics to Current Tourism Trends

Modern marketing strategies stay aligned with the current trends by being flexible and responsive. Whether it is the rise of eco-conscious travel or the growing emphasis on local experiences, making adaptations to these evolving preferences is fundamental to remain relevant.

Influence of Marketing Mix on Campaign Efficacy

The tourism marketing mix—Product, Price, Place, Promotion—significantly influences the success of a campaign. Balancing these elements ensures that the offering is attractive, communicated effectively, and priced competitively, thereby influencing a traveler’s decision-making process.

Cutting-edge Strategies for Marketing Tourism Destinations

Innovative strategies for this year include leveraging user-generated content, virtual reality experiences, and sustainable travel incentives. Embracing digital transformation has also been key, as seen in destinations using data analytics to understand traveler behavior and personalize marketing efforts.

Engaging with the audience on a personal level and utilizing technology to enhance traditional marketing efforts are at the forefront of successful strategies today.

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David Ciccarelli, is the Founder and CEO of Lake. He is based in Toronto, Canada, and is an expert in management, business administration, strategy, product development, and customer experience. His educational achievements include the Owner President Management Program at Harvard Business School (2019-2022) and the QuantumShift Program at Ivey Business School in 2017, aimed at CEOs of growing businesses.

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The 8-Step Tourism Marketing Strategy (Free Template)

By Kyla Steeves

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Hands resting on open laptop keyboard surrounded by travel items

You should never leave your marketing up to chance.

Sure, it’s important to be nimble to changing conditions, such as tourism marketing trends , algorithm updates, employee churn, and evolving technology. But if you’re always throwing tactics at the wall to see what sticks, you’ll likely waste resources, fall behind your competitors, and miss out on future opportunities.

Instead, it’s far better to have a well-thought-out marketing strategy in place.

Trial and error can come afterwards.

What is a tourism marketing strategy?

A tourism marketing strategy is a structured document that outlines your current position in the marketplace, what you hope to achieve going forward, and how you’re going to make that happen.

In other words, it provides a framework, so you’re not floundering around, wondering what to do next. All while giving you a way to track your progress so that you can be confident you’re heading in the right direction. And if things change drastically, as we witnessed in 2020, you’ll always have a foundation to build off and make adjustments.

So, are you ready to come up with a master plan? We’ll cover what goes into marketing strategies for travel and tourism, which includes a:

SWOT Analysis
Value Proposition
Guest Personas
Competitor Profiles
Marketing Mix
Budget & Resources
Goals, Metrics & Activities
Marketing Roadmap

Follow along by downloading our free 8-Step Marketing Strategy Workbook.

How to write a tourism marketing plan, 1. run a swot analysis.

A SWOT analysis is a fun exercise that identifies your company’s S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities, and T hreats.

Strengths and Weaknesses are internal factors that you can control, like your team, resources, and location. In contrast, Opportunities and Threats are external factors that come and go randomly, leaving you with no other choice but to react and adapt — such as travel trends, economic downturns, and your competitor landscape.

To help you with this step, it’s a good idea to round up key members of your team across departments. Why? Because each representative will bring a unique perspective, allowing you to get outside of your business owner bubble. For instance, your tour guides know your guests the best and can offer insight into what they’re thinking and feeling.

Once you have everyone together — in the same room or Zoom meeting — you can start the process. First, answer a few questions that relate to each element.

Like for Strengths, you can ask, “what does our tour company do well?” and “what do guests like about our experiences?” Weaknesses, “what areas of the business need improvement?” and “what do our competitors do better?” As for Opportunities, “is there an underserved market we can tap into?” and Threats, “ are there new regulations that impact our business?”

Try to answer at least five questions each, and then summarize what you come up with in a 2×2 SWOT grid for a visual overview.

SWOT analysis grid for tourism marketing strategy

2. Identify your value proposition

After doing your SWOT Analysis, you should have a general idea of your value proposition — which is a simple statement that answers why someone should book with you instead of your competitors. Essentially, it’s what sets your travel business apart based on the desirable attributes you bring to the experience.

Your value prop is the most important piece in your marketing strategy, as it dictates your messaging and ultimately serves as the first thing guests look at when evaluating your brand with the “what’s in it for me?” mindset. That’s why it should be front and center on your homepage.

But it can be difficult narrowing down all of your unique qualities into one or two sentences. So, your best bet is to compile a list of features and benefits, along with the emotional value for each, and see if there are any obvious patterns.

Value proposition chart outlining features, benefits, and value

Looking at the example above, you can see there’s a trend towards a local experience, so the value proposition for this company could be something along the lines of: Experience Hanalei Bay the local way with a paddleboard that looks nothing like a rental.

3. Create a guest persona

If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll wind up appealing to no one. That’s probably one of the biggest tourism branding mistakes.

Instead, go after 20-35% of people most likely to enjoy your experiences. That way, you can be more effective with your targeting because you’ll understand what makes them tick, or better yet, what makes them book.

How do you go about doing that? Create a guest persona!

What’s a guest persona?

A guest persona is a detailed description of a fictional character that represents your ideal guest. It answers who they are, where they’re from, what matters to them, and where they hang out online.

Thinking of them as a real person before check-in will make it so much easier to craft personalized marketing messages they won’t be able to resist. Plus, you’ll know the best way to reach them. No more unanswered ads!

To create a guest persona:

Start by combing through your booking data for common demographics like age, gender, geolocation, and language
Refer to Facebook Audience Insights for psychographics, such as interests and hobbies, lifestyle, and online spending behaviour
Send out a guest survey to get more details

Then, compile all of your information into a guest persona template with a stock image to put a face to the data. As well as a fun and fictional name — like Solo Travel Sarah , Corporate Catrina , or Vacation Dad Victor .

Guest persona example for a tour company targeting solo travelers

Now, you might only require one guest persona, but if you offer multiple experiences that appeal to different types of people, like tourism products for senior citizens , it’s best to segment your guests into a few personas seeing as your marketing tactics will change accordingly.

4. Create a competitor profile

The travel industry is tight-knit, so much so that you can even turn your competitors into partners. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still keep tabs on them.

Knowing what your rivals are doing is the best way to gain a competitive edge. Not only does it give you valuable insight into their strengths and weaknesses so that you can see how you stack up, but it also helps you stay one step ahead since you can spot potential threats and opportunities before they happen.

Similar to a guest persona, you can create a profile for your top three competitors, which should include the following marketing information:

Their value proposition
The experiences they offer and what they charge
Who their target audience appears to be
Unique features and benefits they highlight
Overall rating on review sites, along with what their guests say about them
The social media channels they dominate and the type of content they post
What distribution channels they rely on
Their domain authority score and top ranking keywords (use a tool like Moz Keyword Explorer to get this information)

It doesn’t stop there. After you’ve built your competitor profiles, you can monitor what they get up to in real-time by:

Setting up Google Alerts to track mentions of them online
Following their social media accounts
And subscribing to their newsletter if they have one

You can always use a fake email address or Instagram account (AKA a Finsta) if you don’t want them to know you’re spying.

5. Develop a tourism marketing mix

A tourism marketing mix is a combination of factors you can control to influence a guest’s decision to book with you. Think of it as a broad guideline for how to market travel and tours so that everything works together seamlessly.

Historically, there are 7ps of tourism marketing, but since tourism operators are unique in the products and services they provide, we’ve stretched it to include eight.

What is a tourism marketing mix?

The experiences you offer and what’s included. Take note of everything that would go into the product description, such as duration, itinerary, special features, and other important details.

Where people can book your experiences. Traditionally, that would be your ticket office or travel agents, but there are now countless ways people can book — OTAs, email, chatbots, Facebook, your website. Figure out the number one place you want to direct prospects.

The price guests will pay based on the perceived value. Factor in what your competitors charge, how much it costs you to provide the experience, your revenue target, and where the market is heading.

4. Promotion

How you’re going to get the word out. Look at what has worked well in the past, where you already have some traction, new social media opportunities, and the best content format for your target audience.

The people who facilitate the experience. What are the standout qualities your staff has that align with your brand? What skills do your guides have that make the experience memorable, entertaining, and informative?

6. Planning

The measures you take to keep guests in the loop. How do you ensure they show up prepared? How do you tell them about your flexible cancellation policy? Are there any tactics you use to prevent refunds? What if you have to make unwanted changes?

7. Processes

The processes you have in place to guarantee guests get the experience they expect. Everything should run smoothly from the get-go. Consider ways to shorten check-in, stay on schedule, and make them feel valued.

The physical evidence that proves your guests had the best time. This could be in the form of professional photos or merchandise. But it can also be online reviews you encourage them to write on popular platforms.

6. Factor in budget and resources

Everyone wishes they could have marketing clout like the big-name online travel agencies. But the reality is you might never have the same budget and resources to run global campaigns. And that’s okay.

You don’t need deep pockets to make an impact. Thanks to the internet, you can use plenty of cheap marketing ideas to generate buzz around your brand. You just have to channel your creativity.

That said, be sensible with what you take on. For example, if you want to start a blog but don’t have time to commit to a regular publishing schedule, see whether someone on your team has the skills and bandwidth. If not, it isn’t in the cards for you right now.

So, check in with your budget for how much you can reasonably put towards various marketing activities while keeping in mind the software tools and staff you’ll need to execute successfully.

Budget breakdown for marketing activities

7. Pinpoint goals, metrics, and activities

Now that you know all that you know, give yourself something to work towards by determining what you want to achieve this year and how you’re going to make it happen. We suggest starting with the arbitrary number of four goals and key activities. Why?

Because if you chase too many rabbits at once, you won’t get the results you want. Instead, it’s better to prioritize goals that make sense for your business right now. That way, you can focus on doing a few things well, rather than lots of things badly that’ll only hurt your brand in the long run, which you’ll end up having to fix later anyway.

When it comes to setting marketing goals , it’s important to be SMART . Don’t just put your finger to the wind and say, “I think we should go this way.” Your goals should be:

S pecific: clearly explains what you want to achieve
M easurable: has a metric you can objectively measure
A ttainable: something you have to stretch for, but still within your reach
R ealistic: relevant to your business and where you want to go
T ime-bound: when you want to accomplish the goal by

Here’s an example using the SMART method:

Increase organic website traffic 40% by the end of 2021 from getting 1000 visitors per month from Google.

How are you going to track your progress? As you can see in the above example, the number of website visitors is the primary metric. Now, many people will tell you to steer clear of vanity metrics — like traffic, followers, and shares — because they don’t directly impact your bottom line.

We couldn’t agree less. Marketing is about the long-game. While those metrics don’t always translate into transactions, they do strengthen brand equity, which in turn drives bookings over time because guests gravitate towards operators with extra oomph online.

The Content Marketing Institute puts it best : think of vanity metrics as optimization metrics. Instead of tying them to ROI, consider their overall value for better understanding your audience on specific channels.

For instance, if a particular social media post generates way more likes than average, it indicates something about that content resonates with your audience. You can pinpoint what that may be and replicate it in future posts or use it as a blueprint for creating effective Facebook ads .

For each goal you set, figure out one key activity that’ll help you hit it. Don’t be afraid to think big here. By that, I mean, come up with a significant marketing project that you and your team can chip away at — more on that in the next step.

Overall goals, metrics, and activities for travel industry marketing strategies

8. Plan your marketing roadmap

After you’ve assigned an activity per goal, break each one down into smaller, manageable tasks to complete from quarter to quarter. Using the example above, let’s say you decide to start a blog as your key activity.

In Q1, you’d get the ball rolling with a few foundation tasks. So, for building a blog, you might start with the following:

Set up the blog on your website
Develop a content strategy
Research topic and keyword opportunities
Create an editorial calendar

Then, you’d build from there for Q2 and so on.

Try starting with four tasks per activity. Unless you have a marketing team, it’s best not to bog yourself down with a marketing plan that will either a) pull your team away from other responsibilities or b) feel so overwhelming that you abandon it altogether.

With a list of tasks, you can then organize everything onto a visual roadmap however you see fit — just so long as it includes a way to assign staff and track work progress. For instance, you can create a makeshift roadmap if you’re savvy with Google Sheets or use a project management tool like Trello and set-up a kanban board workflow.

Where to go from here?

It’s time to go after it, of course! Just remember that your marketing strategy isn’t set in stone since anything can happen to derail your plans — as we learned the hard way in 2020. So check in with your marketing strategy workbook from time to time to make any necessary adjustments.

Ready to write down your marketing strategy and make it real?

Download the 8-Step Marketing Strategy Workbook

And take command of your brand with a well-thought-out marketing strategy that’s bound to get you results.

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The Ultimate Guide to Winning Tourism Marketing Strategies

Unlocking the Potential of Tourism Marketing: Your Ultimate Guide

In the ever-evolving tourism industry, destinations and attractions face the exciting challenge of distinguishing themselves in a world of travel choices. The secret to effective marketing in this dynamic space lies in a blend of creative flair, data-driven strategies, and an intimate understanding of your audience.

Let's journey through the key strategies for triumphant tourism marketing. From pinpointing what makes your destination uniquely appealing to leveraging the influence of modern digital ambassadors, we'll explore how to elevate your destination in the eyes of travelers.

Carving Out Your Unique Space

The first step in successful marketing is grasping what sets your destination apart. It could be New Zealand's breathtaking landscapes, Rome's enchanting history, Thailand's culinary delights, or Miami's vibrant nightlife. Emphasizing these unique aspects is crucial in capturing your audience's attention and drawing them to your destination.

Knowing Your Audience Inside Out

Understanding your target audience requires more than just surface-level insights. It involves delving into their deeper desires, subconscious biases, and the societal influences shaping their views. This deep dive allows us to create marketing strategies that resonate more profoundly. Suppose your audience craves adventure. In that case, we can craft messages highlighting exploration thrills and utilize targeted digital platforms to create immersive experiences that speak directly to their sense of adventure.

Data: The Compass of Destination Marketing

Data is indispensable in steering marketing decisions. Tools like Google Analytics offer rich insights into visitor demographics, preferences, and behaviors. This knowledge allows us to develop targeted strategies that captivate our audience. Analyzing trends and user data enables us to make informed decisions about content creation and resource allocation, leading to more effective and memorable marketing campaigns.

Branding: Crafting Your Destination's Story

Developing a distinct brand identity for your destination sets it apart in a crowded market. Identifying your target audience allows you to tailor your brand messaging effectively. A unique logo, consistent color scheme, and catchy tagline contribute to making your destination memorable. Consistent messaging across all channels solidifies this brand identity while engaging with visitors for feedback ensures your brand remains relevant and resonant.

Partnership: The Power of Collaboration

Successful destination marketing thrives on solid industry partnerships. Collaborating with local hotels, restaurants, and tour operators creates a unified front that enhances visitor experiences and supports the local economy. These partnerships can lead to innovative tourism products and experiences that adapt to changing visitor needs, ensuring the destination's continued growth and success.

Your Website: The Gateway to Discovery

An engaging website is crucial in today's digital world. It should highlight your destination's unique aspects and provide practical information to enhance pre-visit experiences. High-quality images, local culture insights, and visitor testimonials establish a positive reputation and build trust with potential visitors. Interactive features like virtual tours and online booking systems further enrich the user experience, setting your destination apart.

SEO: Enhancing Your Online Footprint

SEO is vital for improving your online visibility. You can increase your search engine rankings by carefully selecting keywords and optimizing your website for mobile and user experience. A well-executed SEO strategy brings your destination closer to potential visitors, attracting more traffic.

Content Marketing: Deepening Visitor Engagement

Strategic content can significantly deepen engagement with potential visitors. Informative posts that offer insider tips and insights can turn your blog into a trusted travel guide. This attracts more visitors to your destination and enhances your brand's credibility.

Experience Marketing: The Power of Authentic Stories

Encouraging visitors to share their experiences on social media can create authentic content that promotes your destination. Offering unique experiences that stand out in the travel market leaves a lasting impression on travelers and encourages them to share their stories, attracting more visitors.

Video and Virtual Reality: Bringing Your Destination to Life

Videos and virtual reality offer immersive ways to showcase your destination. Engaging virtual tours and videos featuring local attractions can transport viewers to your destination, increasing their desire to experience it in person.

Social Media: Connecting with Travelers

Social media is an essential tool for promoting your destination. It allows you to share captivating content and engage with a broad audience, building an active online community that supports your marketing efforts.

Traditional Media: Complementing Digital Strategies

Traditional media remains a valuable component of comprehensive marketing strategies. Combining offline promotions with digital efforts ensures a broader reach and adds depth to your marketing campaign.

Your Journey to Successful Tourism Marketing Begins Here

Are you ready to transform your destination into a top choice for travelers? Dive into these strategies and watch your destination come to life in the hearts and minds of tourists worldwide. For further insights and support in your tourism marketing journey, contact us at LaneTerralever , where we specialize in turning marketing potential into real-world success.

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In Blog , marketing .

By Tom Mcloughlin, Founder, SEO Travel

When it comes to booking a travel experience, what drives you to visit a new destination? Have you been given a recommendation by a friend? Was the location promoted by a publication or influencer whose judgement you trust? Or have you seen the destination promoted in video ads, on billboards or in print, and been inspired by the captivating visuals and promise of a unique travel experience.

If your answer is the latter, then you’ve had a firsthand experience of the impact of destination marketing.

From promoting an entire country to trying to get more people to visit an unheard-of town or village, destination marketing uses a range of engaging techniques to sell the benefits and features of a location to inspire more people to visit it. This post discusses the use of destination marketing in the tourism industry , explaining how this approach impacts tourism and what brands need to know to make an impression in this sector with their destination marketing campaigns.

What is Destination Marketing?

Destination marketing is a specific approach used by brands in the travel and tourism industry to promote a specific location. Whilst more conventional travel marketing tends to showcase the service or product of a travel company, destination marketing illustrates the features and benefits of a place to get more people to come to it.

The overall aim of destination marketing is to increase customer awareness of a location. By promoting it as a desirable place to visit, the idea is that travellers will think of that destination when they decide to plan a holiday and want to go there. And if it’s a travel company that is promoting a destination, the idea is that the customer will be motivated to book their trip through this brand.

Whilst destination marketing is used by plenty of travel brands as a way of promoting the tours, accommodation or services they offer in specific countries, it’s also a key method of marketing in the tourism industry. Tourist boards and local authorities often rely on destination marketing as a way to promote their town, region or even country with the intention of getting more travellers to visit to boost the local economy and improve their reputation as a holiday destination.

How Does Destination Marketing Impact Tourism?

When used as part of a tourism marketing strategy, destination marketing can have a big impact on how many people visit a location, the kind of travellers that book trips there, and the overall image and reputation of a place.

The goal of this approach is to generate more interest in visiting a location, which increases tourism by bringing more people to an area on holidays and day trips. When done successfully, this can impact a range of factors.

Perhaps the biggest impact that destination marketing has on tourism is that it can massively boost the local economy. Bringing more tourists to an area is better for all kinds of businesses, not just ones providing accommodation and food, and enough growth in popularity also means that there’s the capacity for more businesses to open or expand to meet increasing demand.

Having more people visit a location because of successful destination marketing has the potential to improve its reputation through word of mouth, as if tourists have a good time during their trip they’re likely to recommend a visit to others. This increases interest in a destination further, helping a positive reputation to reach a wider audience and bring in even more tourists.

Destination marketing can also have an impact on the kind of tourism that a location receives, depending on the approach used in marketing campaigns and material. For example, if a destination is advertised as a prime place to visit for outdoor pursuits like hiking or cycling, the majority of the tourists that are going to visit will be interested in these kinds of activities. This means that the location’s most successful attractions and facilities will appeal to this demographic, which may lead local businesses to change their offering to remain relevant.

A more negative impact that destination marketing may have is that it can lead to over-tourism. There are many recorded instances where the popularity of a particular destination has led to environmental damage, locals getting driven out by rising living costs, and overcrowding to the point where the destination gains a negative reputation for being too busy.

This isn’t an issue that many destination marketing companies have to deal with, but it is a potential outcome to bear in mind.

How to Make It Work for Your Brand

Whether you’re a marketing agency working with a tourism board or as part of a travel and tourism marketing campaign, or a travel brand wanting to take a ‘tourism’ angle in your destination marketing approach, here are some of the most important things to remember when it comes to delivering a successful destination marketing campaign.

Find What Makes You Unique

When you’re marketing a destination with the aim of attracting more visitors, what’s going to have the biggest pull is the appeal of a unique attraction or experience. Therefore, all of your destination marketing content should revolve around this unique selling point so that you have the best chance of standing out against competitive destinations.

The more specific your destination, the easier it will be to draw out a unique quality. When marketing a country or a region to increase tourism this can be harder, so instead of trying to identify an attraction or feature that stands out, think about advertising a unique travel experience that the location can provide.

Build your entire destination marketing campaign around this unique selling point, even if it’s not that explicit in some approaches. It will help to deliver a much more cohesive campaign overall and ensure that your location sticks in potential visitors’ minds .

Choose a Traveller Demographic

Any kind of marketing campaign works best when you have a specific audience in mind. Advertising a location is no different.

Whilst you may think that promoting a location as part of tourism efforts should try and target as many potential visitors as possible, it also means that a lot of your marketing efforts are going to be quite vague as they try to appeal to numerous different groups. Sure, you’ll still get a reasonable response from some people that are engaged by your promotion of the place, but conversion rates tend to be lower when you don’t have a specific demographic in mind.

After you’ve identified what it is that makes your destination unique, establish the kind of traveller to whom this unique factor is going to appeal. You should create profiles for typical people within this demographic, detailing the kinds of travel experiences they enjoy, their pain points when visiting new destinations, and any particular content formats or marketing techniques they respond well to or frequently engage with.

Once you have this target audience in mind, try and shape your destination marketing around them. You may be appealing to a smaller group, but you’re likely to get a much higher percentage of them to engage with what you’re sharing.

Make it Personal

One of the most effective techniques you can use in a destination marketing campaign is using a personal hook to make your content more engaging.

This is particularly useful when you’re simply promoting a location, as your main intention is to get your target audience to start picturing themselves there so that they develop the desire to visit. It’s much easier for them to do this when you present a personal, relatable experience with your content, be that in text, video or audio format.

One of the simplest ways to make destination marketing personal is to capture real people experiencing the location, focusing on finding the best ways to present different sensory elements. Video is one of the best formats to do this, especially when you create content with lots of stunning visual elements that elicits an emotional response.

Getting local people to tell stories about a destination is also a brilliant technique for making your destination marketing content more personal, which also works really well in a written or audio format. This also allows you to share exclusive insight into a place, giving a more authentic feel to your marketing material.

Recognise Trends, but Think Long-Term

The popularity of plenty of destinations is affected by travel trends. Whether your destination offers a desirable climate, activity or cultural experience, responding to trends to capture audience interest as it peaks can seem like the ideal marketing strategy.

The thing to remember with trends however is that they don’t often last for long. Your destination may be all the rage for a single season, but hype often quickly dies down as travellers find something new to get excited about, meaning that what was once ‘trendy’ about your location may not stay that way for long.

Acknowledging and capitalising on trends as part of your destination marketing campaign is a good idea, but it’s important not to put all of your eggs in this brand new basket and keep long-term planning in mind as well. The last thing you want is to splurge all your resources on an approach that’s only going to be relevant for a few months. So use more instant channels like social media and email to respond to trends, and ensure that things like written and video content and advertisements are more evergreen.

Utilise Reputation and Association

Influencer marketing is an incredibly useful approach to include in your destination marketing strategy if possible. A key objective for destination marketing companies is to increase awareness of a location, and having an affiliation with a well-known figure can have a really positive impact on this.

The more famous or recognized the person you work with is, the more attention your marketing campaigns are going to get. But whilst we’d all like to dream of partnering with an A-list celebrity to promote our target destination, this probably won’t be a reality for most brands, which is where working with influencers comes in.

Whether they’re known for their presence on social media, in print or on a video channel like YouTube, we recommend working with either a travel influencer or someone who has a following that overlaps with the demographic you’re trying to appeal to. Having your destination endorsed and associated with someone that already has a trusted reputation will bring positive associations to your location and increase the reach of your promotional material.

Deliver What You’re Advertising

This last piece of advice might seem obvious, but it’s very important not to oversell your target location in any of your marketing material. You’re obviously going to promote the best version of your destination to catch as much attention as possible, but when people do actually visit you need to ensure that they’ll experience what they were promised.

If the place you advertise is nothing like the place visitors arrive, your destination marketing campaign is quickly going to stop bringing in any kind of tourism. It’s okay to romanticise and glamourise aspects to engage your target audience, but ensure that you’re promising an experience that you can deliver on if you want word to spread about your location in a positive way.

Whilst destination marketing was initially just associated with tourist boards and adverts for different countries, it’s an approach that has been used by a wide variety of travel brands as a new way to reach customers and subtly promote their services. It’s still important to understand the best practices and the potential impact if you’re using destination marketing in tourism to help raise awareness and improve the image of a location, and we recommend you check out our other posts in the destination marketing series if you’re looking for more information and inspiration.

If you need more information or help with your travel marketing strategy or want to find out more about approaches like destination marketing, get in touch with SEO Travel for a chat and to find out more about the range of marketing services that we offer.

The Most Efficient Destination Marketing Strategies and How to Implement Them

What is destination marketing?

Top 4 destination marketing strategies.

Destination marketing is not a brand new thing in the tourism industry. Many hotels, restaurants, and even OTAs saw great value in making a particular destination highly popular . Most of the challenges in the past came from technological restrictions.

Today, with a valid digital marketing plan, one can run countless campaigns to increase the popularity of specific destinations . Some other strategies still work too. Today, we bring you the most efficient destination marketing strategies and how to implement them .

Destination marketing has become an inseparable part of the modern marketing mix used by hotels, restaurants, OTAs, cities, and even countries. What does it imply?

First of all, destination marketing is just another marketing approach . However, there is one thing that makes it unique. Instead of focusing on marketing a room, service, hotel, or restaurant, destination marketing is about promoting specific locations and their benefits.

Destination marketing can advertise attractions, towns, cities, or an entire country. It focuses on advertising the object of the ad as a whole and everything it offers. The goal is to increase travelers’ awareness of certain destinations.

Destination marketing uses subtle calls to action to invite travelers to visit the location and book a venue through the company that advertises the destination in question. The content thus remains evergreen even if the old hotels and resorts close and new ones open, paving the way for sustainable tourism.

Here are four destination marketing strategies that provide incredible results.

Strategy 1: Strategic destination branding

Strategic destination branding is all about stepping up traditional destination marketing strategies. It refers to approaching a destination as a brand . This strategy focuses on building a consistent brand image for a destination in the medium or long term.

Why is it good

Strategic destination branding is good because it provides you with messaging that you can use for all your future marketing campaigns . While it can be exceptionally requiring in terms of research, planning, and execution, this type of approach is perhaps the most sustainable. It can also affect pro-poor tourism (PPT) marketing strategies because increasing the influx of tourists can create new business opportunities.

How to do it

Strategic destination branding calls for extensive research and strategic planning. First, you need to identify the destination’s products, research the target audience, and finally decide on the brand tone of voice.

Real-life example

The most noteworthy real-life example of this strategy is Hamburg’s city branding . The city became a major tourist attraction in Europe and even saw the rise of some of the most significant events. Even today, this city has one of the most elaborate tourist destination management initiatives.

Strategy 2: Focus on unique selling propositions

A unique selling proposition refers to attractions and benefits only one destination can offer . Destination marketing campaigns focused on USPs will showcase the unique selling points of a destination.

Destination marketing strategy based on USPs is good because it can help you:

Make travelers realize why the destination stands out from other popular destinations .
Attract more people to visit it .
Focus more on target customers and destinations to discover more USPs.

To excel at it, you need to devote time and effort to discovering USPs in a specific destination. USPs can be specific or borderline crazy as long as they highlight the quality of a location. Once you have USPs, you need to decide the best content and channel to use. Launching a video marketing campaign or running paid ads on social media and search engines is a good option.

The best real-life example for this strategy is the marketing campaign “Sheep View” by the Faroe Islands . The goal was to put the islands on the map of tourism. The campaign helped generate 2 billion impressions and over $56 in PR value .

Strategy 3: Focused on key markets

A destination marketing strategy focused on key markets is self-explanatory. Instead of focusing on the destination’s unique values, the marketing team focuses on what travelers need and want. Once they identify a traveler’s desires and know the destination’s values, they have a conceptual framework to work with.

This strategy is good because it shifts focus from the destination to target markets. Choosing what unique offers to focus on is easier and significantly more relevant because marketers know who needs to receive the message .

A focused-on-critical-markets strategy is straightforward to plan and execute. You need to do extensive target market research to create ideal customer profiles. The key would be to discover which offers cater to target market needs to entice people to travel to your destination.

Colorado’s “Come to Life” campaign is a real-life example of a destination marketing strategy built on extensive market research. Marketers on the campaign decided not to maximize the reach but to maximize conversions. They focused on Houston, Chicago, and Dallas markets to do it. The campaign did cost $4.5 million, but it stirred $898 million in spending in the state .

Strategy 4: Influencer marketing works!

You are probably well aware of influencer marketing. It’s a marketing approach that leverages social media users with a considerable following to showcase your product , service, or, in this case, destination. It helps maximize the reach, and with a relevant influencer, one can even increase conversion rates.

Influencers in destination marketing campaigns are suitable for several reasons. First, influencer marketing works . Then, it is a shortcut to reaching a vast and relevant audience . And, finally, it’s versatile. You can use it for advertising all sorts of attractions and destinations .

There are two critical aspects of every influencer-based destination marketing campaign . First, you have to decide what you want to promote. And secondly, you need to find a relevant influencer with a big enough audience. Here is how it looks in practice.

One of the recent successful influencer-based destination marketing strategies is Sun Peak . Sun Peak is a ski resort in British Columbia. They decided to promote crowd-free ski runs, the regions’ natural beauty, and seasonal festivals. They partnered with Callum Snape, an adventure photographer, and Instagram influencer. The result – over 200,000 article views , the resort has become known as an “insider secret.”

All parties in the hospitality industry have access to various marketing strategies that work. The destination marketing strategies we went through have been put to the test and proved they deliver outstanding results . But since every destination is unique and caters to a unique market, we will leave it to you to decide which strategy to use.

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Mor is Senior Account Manager, Global Learning & Organizational Development . She holds a M.B.A. in Business and Management, Organizational Behavior and a BA in Hotel and Tourism Management Graduate from Ben Gurion University. The travel industry sparked Mor’s interest because of its endless opportunities and constantly evolving nature. She has more than a decade of experience in the hospitality and travel technology industry in Israel and United States. Mor is currently helping us grow not only with her account management abilities but also i mproving our cutting edge tool and responsible for many innovative projects that Hotelmize builds for the future, thanks to her analytical and technical skills.

Mize is the leading hotel booking optimization solution in the world. With over 170 partners using our fintech products, Mize creates new extra profit for the hotel booking industry using its fully automated proprietary technology and has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue across its suite of products for its partners. Mize was founded in 2016 with its headquarters in Tel Aviv and offices worldwide.

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Tourism Marketing: 7 Ideas to Promote Your Destination in 2022

Table of Content

How tourism marketing changed in 2020, what can you do differently to attract tourists.

2020 hasn’t been easy for the tourism industry. The United Nations World Tourism Organization released a report back in September warning that 120 million jobs are at risk due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But we made it through and with most countries starting to vaccinate, we can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Pre-pandemic, the tourism industry was incredibly competitive and this certainly hasn’t changed. This is why your tourism marketing needs to really stand out if you want to attract visitors once again and revive the sector.

In this article, we’re going to look at 7 ways to promote your destination in 2021, taking into account the effects of the global pandemic.

Let’s dive in.

If you go back and read the predictions for tourism marketing in 2020, written back in December ‘19 or January ‘20, they are in no way comparable to what actually happened. Marketing campaigns had to be shelved, and new cost-effective ideas created in limited time frames.

A survey from MMGY Travel Intelligence and Destinations International found that 95% of destination organizations surveyed in the US reduced or completely postponed marketing spend last year. This is understandable, but it meant that those companies that did create new campaigns had less competition for grabbing people’s attention.

Pre-2020, the primary objective of tourism marketing campaigns was to convince travelers to take the plunge and buy tickets or book hotels. Over the last 12 months, however, we have seen that the focus shifted to staying top of mind for when travel is allowed again.

VisitEngland decided to produce a series of posts connected to films and TV shows which showcased the country, from “The Crown” to “Love Actually”. Their aim? Keep top of mind and be number 1 on the list when people are planning their first trip post-lockdown.

Virtual tours have also become extremely popular in 2020, providing an escape from the day-to-day. Despite existing pre-pandemic, we have seen much more money invested in state-of-the-art virtual experiences from tourism organizations.

EnjoyIllinois.com changed their homepage to feature an image of a forest and cliffs and the caption ‘These views took 300 years to make. They’re not going anywhere anytime soon’ and then encouraged visitors to travel around the state from the comfort of their own homes, offering the option to explore cities, forests, and smaller historic towns.

A number of tourism companies have since started offering virtual tours, from amusement parks to city tours .

Better safe than sorry

Customer safety has always been important in the tourism industry but in 2022 it has jumped to the top of the list due to the pandemic. Travelers are much more conscious of hygiene than in previous years, so this needs to be reflected in your marketing plan.

Emphasize the steps you are taking to maintain social distancing and keep high levels of cleanliness. Essentially, your marketing needs to convince your visitors that they will be safe and secure. If you are a tour operator, get those creative juices flowing to design new itineraries that avoid large crowds and focus on smaller group sizes.

Think local

Yes, vaccinations are underway and experts are predicting international travel to make a comeback at the end of spring or the beginning of summer. However, even when international travelers are allowed to enter, it might take some time for people to start traveling longer distances again.

You should focus your marketing efforts for 2021 on domestic tourists. Don’t advertise your great weather as this won’t be news for them. Change the focus of your campaigns to highlight off-the-beaten-track activities or secret gems that might not be so obvious – and that would attract a more local customer base. Think about creating a discount for local residents, or a loyalty program that would entice them to become recurrent visitors.

Act sustainable

This is an important one. Consumers are now taking a more local outlook and are trying to offset some of the environmental harm that was done by travel pre-COVID. The enforced tourism ‘break’ has given us more time and space to notice how tourism impacts the environment. Over 65% of travelers are making more sustainable choices than in previous years so we can’t ignore this trend.

Travel companies can help their customers to minimize the footprint of their activities and make sure that they contribute to the environment and communities. For example, you could partner with your local train company to encourage visitors to travel sustainably. Make sure any campaigns you undertake are promoted on social media as people are likely to spread the word around sustainability.

Be smart with influencers

In 2019, it seemed that influencers in the tourism world were unstoppable. It remains a successful model and is one of the most cost-effective methods for brand awareness and customer acquisition.

However, 2020 has taught us to work smarter with influencers, otherwise, the backlash can be costly. We have seen travel influencers continue their lives in 2020 as if Covid-19 never existed, and as a result of this, both the influencer and travel companies sponsoring the trips have been understandably hit by bad press.

Investigate local micro-influencers instead, who don’t have to break any regulations to visit you. They tend to have between 1,000 and 100,000 followers and are viewed as experts or specialists in their niche. Their followers are much more likely to buy into whatever they are selling, and they are much cheaper than larger influencers. For more influencer tips, check out our blog article .

Tik Tok Time!

Unless you have been offline the whole of 2020, you must have heard of Tik Tok. The most downloaded app of 2020 is a firm favorite amongst Gen Z-ers and it is spreading to other age-groups. In fact, 30% of its users are over the age of 30.

Its algorithm is very effective in showing users what they like, based on what they have previously viewed, and features everything from beauty tutorials to dance choreography. With TikTok predicted to continue its exponential growth, it would be wise for travel brands to get on board and start sharing content.

First off, you should download the app and secure your username. We would recommend not posting straight away, so you and keep your profile private. Take your time to look through existing travel content, jot down what works and what doesn’t, and get used to the algorithm. Then you can formulate your approach and start testing the platform.

Recommended reading: How to Use Social Media to Promote Tour Packages

Keep an eye on reviews

Of course, reviews have always been crucial. But according to Podium’s ‘2020 State of Reviews’, they have ‘never been so important or influential’ . 3.4 is the average star rating consumers require in order to even consider engaging with a business. But the content has now changed. Instead of focusing on keywords such as ‘price,’ and ‘customer service’, people are searching more for social distancing, hygiene, and mask-wearing policies.

So, what do you need to do? Actively request feedback in your post-visit email correspondence. Block out an hour or so a week to go through all reviews and comments on review sites and social media. Make sure that you respond with empathy to all comments, good and bad. Reflect on the more critical comments, and see if there are areas that you can improve.

Recommended reading: The Ultimate Guide to Generating Positive Customer Reviews

Stay digital

In 2020 we all upped our digital offerings to stay relevant and keep top of mind. This needs to continue. Yes, we will start welcoming back visitors this year but there will be some people that don’t want to travel just yet. For this segment, virtual reality is a promising area to explore, allowing potential visitors to experience an attraction, tourist activities, or hotels from the safety and security of their own home – enticing them for an in-person visit. Even the Vatican is doing it!

Have a think of what you could include in a virtual reality tour of your destination. Make sure that your content is optimized for both desktop and mobile, and use social media to promote it. You can also use VR as an extra tool of persuasion during the booking process.

That’s it for our top 7 ideas to make your tourism marketing stand out in 2021. As visitors begin to make their first plans for 2021, make sure that you differentiate your offer from the competition in order to win their business.

One last tip? Continue to engage with your customers and potential visitors. Talk to them, listen, and understand why they want to visit your attraction and what could stop them. By adapting to their fears and requirements, you’re more likely to climb up their 2021 ‘to-do’ list.

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How to Build a Tourism Marketing Strategy or Plan in 6 Easy Steps

When it comes to your tourism marketing strategy, it’s important to know exactly where you’re headed. Having a wishy-washy plan of action is where most destination marketing strategies fall a little short.

It’s important that you get very specific and granular about the goals you would like to achieve because this means you’ll be a whole lot closer to actually achieving them. But before we dive into marketing in tourism , let’s find out what destination marketing is in the first place.

What is a Tourism Marketing Plan?

Having a marketing strategy in tourism means having a specific plan that aims at promoting touristic products or services such as tours, accommodation, or concierge services.

A well-executed tourist marketing plan or strategy is ultra important to the success of your business. After all, if you fail to let potential customers know the value that your business can add to their travels, they have no reason to use your business.

6 Step Marketing Strategy for Tourism

If you’re hoping to come up with a travel and tourism marketing plan that will actually generate leads, then follow these steps closely for the best results.

1. Identify Your Target Audience

If you are hoping to implement an effective marketing strategy, you need to know exactly who it is that your marketing needs to be geared towards. If you try to market to EVERYONE, very often, it turns out that you’re reaching NO ONE.

You’ll need to come up with a customer persona that represents your ideal audience or customer. While you’ll need to outline their general demographic, you also want to get a little more granular with their description as if they were a real person.

Having this detail will help you to market directly to your ideal audience as well as effectively manage your marketing budget. So you can spend more time focusing on developing customer loyalty.

When creating a buyer persona, include information such as the following:

Physical location

Creating a buyer persona is often overlooked, but without this step, your marketing strategy could be completely ineffective. You want your message to come through loud and clear to the people whose attention you are trying to grab. So make sure you know exactly who that is.

2. Create Clear Goals

Your marketing strategy should have very clear goals. This way, you’ll be able to measure whether your marketing is effective or whether you need to reassess your strategy to help reach your goals. Each goal that you come up with should be a SMART goal :

If you ensure that each of your marketing objectives is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely, then you know that you have a list of very strong goals.

3. Analyze Your Competitors

The best way to get ahead in any industry is to learn from other companies’ mistakes so that you don’t have to go out and make them for yourself. The best way to do this is to analyze your competitors to understand their strengths and weaknesses. This allows you to excel where they excel and improve on their weaknesses.

Take at least three of your top competitors, and run them through this analysis to get a better understanding of their marketing strategy:

What makes them attractive to their customers?
What experiences do they offer, and at what price?
Who is their target audience?
What unique features and benefits do they offer?
What is their overall rating on review sites?
What do their guests/customers say about them?
What type of social media platforms do they use?
What kind of content are they posting?
What kind of distribution channels do they rely on?
Their domain authority score (that can be checked on Moz Keyword Explorer or Ahrefs )
What keywords do they rank for? (can also be checked on Moz or Ahrefs)

This type of analysis will give you a better idea of where to start and how you can improve on your competitor’s marketing strategies when creating your own.

4. Choose Your Tourism Marketing Platforms

Unless you are a big company that can outsource its marketing efforts, you’ll likely have to refine your marketing to a couple of key platforms. So how do you decide which platforms are worth the ROI?

The best place to start is by looking at which platforms the majority of your competitors are focusing their marketing efforts on. There’s probably a good reason that most of them spend a lot of time on the same platforms. While that’s a good place to start, it may also take a little trial and error until you find the platforms that are converting best for you.

It’s important to remember that tourism is a highly visual niche, so whichever platform you are using to market your products or services, make sure it can support your high-quality content. These are some of the platforms that work well for tourism marketing :

Pinterest marketing
SEO (search engine marketing)
PPC (pay-per-click advertising)
Content marketing

As you can see, there are many directions you can go in when it comes to tourism marketing. So it’s best to refine the process early on and decide on a couple of main platforms rather than half-heartedly trying to use every single one.

5. Ensure That You Are Selling a Unique Proposition

When creating your marketing content, you want to ensure that what you are selling has a clear message and one that sets you apart from your competitors. Here’s an example of what we are referring to:

M&M’s – “Melts in your mouth. Not in your hand.” – this slogan tells people exactly what sets M&M apart as a candy.
Domino’s – “Fresh, hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” – they are not claiming to have the best pizza; they are claiming to have pizza in your hand quickly.

So what does this look like for a tourism company? Well, that is entirely up to you, but here are some examples of how you could make your offer different from industry competitors:

Tour company: book your tours last minute, let us handle your entire trip or no person-to-person contact booking.
Accommodation: last-minute bookings, free cancellation policy, or return visitors get a night free.

There are many different directions you can go with your USP ( unique selling proposition ), and they don’t have to come at a cost to the company. Think about how you want to set your business apart from industry competitors and make sure that message comes across loud and clear in your marketing strategy.

6. Create Tourism Marketing Content

When creating a strategy for each of the platforms you have chosen, you need to make sure that each platform is working together as a cohesive team. For instance, you could run a competition on Instagram or Facebook that aims to collect emails for your email marketing campaign.

You should also ensure that the content being produced is not simply copied from one platform to another. The users of each platform are looking for something slightly different, so you will need to adapt your content to suit the audience of each platform.

Tips for Creating Marketing Content That Converts

Once you have chosen your marketing platforms, it’s important to understand that having a presence on those platforms is simply not enough. You need your copy to really speak to the right audience.

Speak to your customer persona – You need to speak directly to the audience that you want to sell to, and your customer persona is a great example of your target audience. The voice present in your copy needs to speak to the values and perceptions held by your target audience. After all, if you try to speak to EVERYONE, you end up speaking to NO ONE at all.
Use benefit-driven copy – when you are trying to entice your audience with an offer, focus on the benefits that you offer rather than just stating facts. If you are trying to sell a destination, focus on the benefits of visiting that location rather than just spewing out facts about the city or town.
Collect emails ASAP – Having an email list that contains the emails of people interested in visiting your location or staying at your accommodation is one of the most valuable things you have. You can collect emails by having CTAs in your marketing content, offering freebies in return for emails, etc. This is important because you can send emails to people on your list, providing them with valuable content that can eventually lead to a conversion .

Implement Your Tourism Marketing Strategies

Now that you know exactly how to come up with a tourism marketing strategy, it’s time to implement it and get those bookings or sales. The marketing of tourism can seem tricky at first, but if you follow the steps provided above, you’ll be well on your way to running a successful company in the tourism industry.

We have been working with industry leaders for over 5 years. So if you would like to leave your tourism marketing strategy in safe hands, let us handle your marketing content so you can focus on building your business.

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4 destination marketing strategies to attract more travelers

By Rezdy — 18 Apr 2016

destination marketing local marketing

Updated March 2023 – In today’s competitive travel industry, having a strong travel marketing strategy is crucial for success. And one of the key components of a successful travel marketing strategy is a well-executed tourism destination marketing strategy.

Tourism destination marketing strategy involves promoting a destination as a desirable travel location for potential visitors. It aims to create awareness and generate interest in the destination, ultimately leading to increased visitor numbers and revenue.

In this article, we’ll showcase effective tourism destination marketing strategies that can help attract more travelers to your destination. From leveraging social media to partnering with local businesses, these strategies are designed to help you stand out in a crowded marketplace.

What is destination marketing?

A destination marketing strategy is a plan that is developed to promote an entire region or destination. The importance of destination marketing in the tourism industry cannot be overstated, as it unlocks further growth for your business by reaching new and untapped audiences. As a tour and activity provider, you should partner with travel professionals in your area in order to create strategies that attract a variety of travelers. For instance, you could work with your local visitor information center, local hotels, and several other tour and activity providers who offer complementary services to yours.

What makes a good destination marketing strategy?

Here are the things your tourism destination marketing strategy needs to address and accomplish:

It showcases what makes the destination unique

There’s probably a general atmosphere or vibe that people will experience when they travel to your part of the world. You need to create an identity for your destination based on the local culture and then showcase to potential travelers the unique opportunities available where you are located. For instance, if you are a beach town with an artistic flair, promote the art galleries, the local restaurants, and the water activities that can be enjoyed while traveling to your city.

It speaks to customer expectations

Travelers have a certain expectations of their trips, and they want to choose destinations that will allow them to enjoy a new experience. A solid tourism destination marketing solution will utilize integrated product development and promotions that encourage people to explore the region. As a tour operator, you could partner with a local hotel in order to create a package deal that will entice travelers to book during a certain time of the year. By combining products and allowing agents to resell your packages, you are showcasing the beauty and potential of the entire destination.

It taps into demand from specific traveler personas

Photographers, religious organizations, fitness clubs, and a variety of other special interest groups love to travel together. If your destination offers unique experiences for a specific type of special interest group, be sure to include that in your destination marketing strategy. Work with other travel providers in your area in order to create special tours, activities, and events for these types of travelers. For example, you could create a scenic tour for photographers, and offer camera rental equipment to your travelers. You could partner with a local restaurant in order to include lunch in the middle of the tour as a way to help promote the entire destination.

Our 4 destination marketing strategies for attracting more travelers

By implementing these strategies, you can increase your visibility, engage potential visitors, and ultimately drive more bookings and revenue for your destination.

1. Conduct market research

Conducting market research is an essential aspect of any successful tourism destination marketing strategy. Market research helps you understand your target audience, their travel preferences, and what motivates them to visit a destination. By understanding these factors, you can tailor your marketing efforts to be more effective in attracting tourists to your city or even country. Market research can also help you identify gaps in the market, allowing you to develop unique selling points and differentiate your destination from competitors. This in turn allows you to make more informed decisions and allocate your resources more efficiently, leading to a more successful and profitable tourism destination marketing strategy.

2. Create your destination brand

Your destination brand should communicate your destination’s unique value proposition and what sets it apart from other destinations.

To create your destination brand, you need to first identify your target audience and what they are looking for in a travel destination. Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, you can then develop a brand identity that speaks to their interests and desires.

Your destination brand should encompass all aspects of the visitor experience, from attractions and activities to food and accommodations. It should also be reflected in your marketing materials, website, and social media presence.

By creating a strong destination brand, you can differentiate your destination from competitors, build a loyal following of repeat visitors, and attract new visitors who are looking for a unique and memorable travel experience.

3. Craft your destination’s story

Crafting a compelling destination story is a powerful way to engage potential visitors and create a sense of emotional connection with your destination. Your destination story should convey the unique cultural and natural assets of your destination, and why visitors should choose to experience it.

To craft your destination story, start by identifying the key elements that make your destination unique. This could include historical landmarks, natural beauty, local cuisine, or cultural festivals. Once you have recognized these key elements, think about how they can be woven into a narrative that captures the essence of your destination.

Your destination story should also be consistent with your brand identity and be reflected in all of your marketing efforts. Ideally, it should be told through a variety of mediums, such as website content, social media posts, and videos.

4. Leverage digital marketing

With so many potential visitors using digital platforms to plan and book their travels, having a solid digital marketing presence can help you reach a wider audience and attract more visitors to your destination.

One of the most effective digital marketing channels is social media platforms such as Instagram or TikTok. Both TikTok and Instagram are visual platforms that allow you to showcase your destination’s natural beauty, local cuisine, and cultural attractions through stunning imagery and videos. By sharing high-quality content that showcases your destination’s unique features, you can attract the attention of potential visitors and inspire them to book a trip.

Another effective digital marketing channel is search engine optimization (SEO). By optimizing your website for search engines, you can improve your search engine rankings and increase your visibility to potential visitors who are actively searching for travel destinations.

In addition to social media and SEO, there are many other digital marketing channels that can be used to promote your destination, such as email marketing, influencer marketing, and online advertising.

Once you’ve set up your destination marketing strategy, it’s best to have an online booking software in place that will help you easily manage your reservations.

For instance, Rezdy is an online booking software for tour and activity operators that equips your business to handle bookings seamlessly. With the advanced features that Rezdy provides such as real-time availability viewer, automatic communication, and payment gateway integrations, your admin and duties are automated, thus, streamlining your business and customers’ booking processes.

Furthermore, as a Rezdy booking software customer, you’ll have instant access to the industry’s biggest operator marketplace, Rezdy Channel Manager . With over 25,000 active resellers ready to resell your products, broadening your distribution channels has never been easier.

Curious to see how Rezdy can fit within your business? Start your FREE 21-day trial today, or book a demo to understand our products in greater detail.

If you enjoyed this article, then be sure to subscribe to the Rezdy newsletter , where you’ll receive up-to-date learnings from the experiences industry, straight into your inbox.

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Master tourism marketing: strategies for a thriving business

Master tourism marketing: strategies for a thriving business

In an age where the tourism industry is constantly evolving, staying ahead of the competition and effectively marketing your tourism business has never been more crucial. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out in the field, this comprehensive guide is your passport to success. We’ll look at innovative marketing strategies tailored specifically for the tourism and hospitality industry , equipping you with the knowledge and tools to thrive in this dynamic and competitive field.

Introduction to tourism marketing strategies

Tourism marketing is aimed at potential customers from all over the world. To stand out in a crowded market, innovative strategies are crucial. Here’s what comprises effective tourism marketing:

Understanding your audience : Tailor your approach to a range of demographics, connecting with them personally based on their preferences and interests.
Developing a unique brand identity: Create a distinctive visual and narrative identity that encapsulates your organization’s values and essence.
Creating engaging content: Go beyond static images, embracing blog posts, real-time social media updates, and vlogs to captivate prospects and entice them to visit.

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Understanding your target audience

Effective tourism marketing begins with a deep understanding of your target audience. To attract and engage potential visitors, it’s vital to recognize their preferences and interests. Some are attracted to cultural heritage, while others seek vibrant nightlife or culinary experiences.

To understand a range of demographics, conduct thorough consumer research to identify patterns among prospective travelers, using data from customer surveys, travel agents, and online feedback. Build detailed personas to profile typical tourists who visit or may use your travel business. These personas become the foundation for shaping campaigns.

Key considerations:

Focus on what tourists find attractive, not what you think they find attractive
Rely on market research and verifiable data sources for insights
Knowing customers’ wants and needs is vital for effectively tailored campaigns
Stay adaptable to evolving visitor behavior and trends for sustainable growth

Understanding your audience and staying attuned to changing preferences are central to destination marketing, ensuring your efforts generate maximum impact.

Developing a unique brand identity

Oscar Wong/Moment Getty Images

Developing a distinctive brand identity is vital. As you deepen your understanding of what marketing is in tourism, you will realize how important it is for your destination or attraction to have its own niche.

Uniqueness: make your destination stand out

Think about the irresistible attractions your destination offers. Perhaps it’s culturally rich heritage steeped in history or maybe it’s rainforest and its wildlife. When you’re embarking on promoting travel to your location, make sure these distinguishing features are highlighted by using them as hooks in your tourism marketing strategies. The idea is to conjure up an image so potent that travelers instantly recognize it.

Relevance: aligning factors that attract tourists

One area where many falter is not aligning their offerings with market demands. Even if you can offer Northern Lights viewing spots in Norway, this won’t resonate with tourists if it doesn’t address their specific needs and interests. This is where consumer research in tourism comes in handy.

Consistency: keeping the promise

Once you’ve developed your unique brand identity and aligned it with what attracts tourists, make sure all marketing touchpoints — digital or offline — feature consistent messaging. Of course, varying content types necessitate a tweak in style, but the core substance should remain stable across all platforms.

Leveraging local listings

Local listings, like Google My Business and Tripadvisor, are vital for tourism marketing. They provide essential information and reviews to travelers. To maximize their potential:

Claim your business listing on popular platforms
Ensure consistent data across all platforms
Encourage customer reviews and respond promptly
Continuously analyze visitor feedback for optimization

Utilizing these platforms builds legitimacy and trust, as online reviews can play a significant role in travelers’ decision-making.

Creating compelling content

Engaging content is a powerful strategy in tourism marketing. It resonates with emotions, tells captivating stories, and showcases your destination creatively. Here are three ways engaging content can enhance your strategies:

Storytelling: Share local legends and anecdotes to add depth to your destination’s persona, appealing to tourists’ emotions and curiosity.
Visual content: Use high-quality images and enticing descriptions to showcase your destination’s attractions, and stimulate the interest of potential tourists.
Interactive content: Offer virtual tours or quizzes to engage audiences at an experiential level, increasing their curiosity and perception of your destination.

Authenticity is essential in content creation, as it builds credibility in tourism marketing.

Engaging with social media platforms

In today’s digital world, social media is essential in tourism marketing. Different platforms cater to various demographics and interests, so you need to carefully tailor your social media posts to your target markets on each channel. Here are some key points to consider:

Tailored content: Create content suitable for each platform, such as stunning images on Instagram and engaging travel stories on X (Twitter).
Two-way interaction: Respond promptly to reviews and comments on social media, building loyalty among customers. You can also encourage user-generated content about your business, nearby tourist attractions, or about the customer service they experienced.
Influencer collaboration: Partner with social media influencers to promote your destination to their followers.
Hashtag movements and contests : Participate in trending hashtag movements and initiate contests or games related to destinations to boost visibility and generate positive publicity.

By understanding the unique features and demographics of each social media platform, you can meet travelers where they spend time and enhance your tourism marketing strategies.

Paid social media advertising

Paid social media advertisements are also important for any modern tourism company. They can be targeted to deliver messages to specific demographics. To make the most of social media advertising, here are a few key considerations:

Identify your key demographics – know who you want to reach.
Set clear objectives – understand what return on investment looks like.
Develop engaging ad creatives – images or videos that represent what is being marketed.
Monitor results frequently – adjust where necessary.

Sending email newsletters

Among the various tourism marketing strategies, email has emerged as an enduring tactic. Don’t underestimate the efficacy of a well-crafted email newsletter, as it stands at the intersection of providing information and subtle promotion.

Here’s a peek into how you can engage prospective travelers through strategic email newsletters.

Schedule regularly : Choose a frequency – weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly – that aligns with your offerings and can be consistent. This gives subscribers something to look forward to while keeping your brand on their minds.
Personalize communications : To make each subscriber feel acknowledged, use advanced CRM tools for personalization and tailored offerings based on previous interactions or noted preferences.
Showcase compelling stories : Emotionally charged narratives about real guest experiences can stir interest and spark the imagination.
Promote upcoming attractions : Give dormant clients reasons to reactivate by featuring must-see events or unbeatable seasonal deals.
Incorporate reviews and testimonials : Customer reviews paint a convincing picture of what awaits future tourists. Their first-hand accounts — featuring praise or constructive feedback — can often build trust more effectively than promotional text.

Displaying online banners

An effective strategy in mastering tourism marketing involves harnessing the power of online banners. Banner advertising, a form of digital outreach, helps create awareness about your destination and may catch a potential tourist’s eye.

Here’s how best to take advantage of this potent bit of marketing strategy in tourism:

Design with purpose : Creating compelling banner designs requires an understanding of what attracts tourists. Your banners must effectively communicate the unique appeal of the location you’re promoting. Does it offer historical and cultural significance? Is its natural scenery superb, or does it provide high-end luxury experiences?
Location, location, location : Destination tourism is all about presenting prospective visitors with an irresistible locale they’d love to explore. Online banners should be strategically displayed on websites that your target audience visits, such as travel blogs or holiday booking sites.
Clear call-to-action (CTA) : The most successful online banners have a clear CTA that prompts visitors to learn more or make bookings. This simple yet assertive instruction can enhance user engagement and increase bookings substantially.
Mobile-friendly designs : Given our world has become increasingly mobile-centric, ensuring your online banners are optimized for mobile viewing is non-negotiable. This will also help make sure your mobile websites or advertisements are seen in search engines.

Offline promotional activities

Online marketing is powerful, but don’t overlook offline strategies. Traditional tourism marketing methods remain effective for personal connections with your audience.

Explore event sponsorships and collaborations at local events to showcase your brand. Print materials like brochures and flyers provide valuable tourism information and visibility in target areas. Roadshows educate potential customers in various locations, stirring interest. Utilize television and radio ads for wide-reaching awareness.

Tailor these techniques to your unique business needs while maintaining consistency across online and offline platforms.

Contextual advertising and SEO

Contextual advertising leverages relevance to attract tourists effectively. By placing your ads within content that aligns with travelers’ interests, you capture their attention when their tourism curiosity is at its peak. This targeted approach can lead you to your ideal customer base.

Search engine optimization (SEO) helps people find you in a sea of competitors when they go searching for what you offer online. Honing your site’s SEO capabilities can increase the likelihood of appearing in search results, so potential tourists can move toward becoming actual visitors.

Using promotional videos

In the quest to implement effective tourism marketing strategies, don’t overlook promotional videos. This type of content can effectively portray what attracts tourists to a particular location, destination, or service.

The power of promoting travel through video

Visual storytelling is compelling and engaging by nature. It can transport viewers directly into your destination’s most appealing spots. When considering marketing attractions or marketing a destination, creating videos that convey what is unique about your tourist spot can significantly boost your campaign.

How videos enhance tourism marketing strategies

Showcase scenic views: Highlight the incredible views from the highest peak or show underwater adventures featuring vibrant marine life. Let viewers feel as if they’re already on an extraordinary journey.
Provide local insight: Film a local tour guide telling stories about a historic castle or local attraction that you won’t find easily in travel pamphlets.
Highlight experiences: Use this chance to display exhilarating possibilities like zip lining over lush forests, relaxing at a secluded beach, or sampling delicacies at markets

Try and ensure the video depictions will match expectations when tourists arrive.

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Key considerations

Successful application of promotional videos as part of tourism marketing strategies hinges on factors such as:

Solid marketing plans
Quality production
Meaningful narratives that highlight customer experience
Resonating with your ideal customers
Optimization for viewing on different devices
Keeping up to date with tourism marketing trends

Mastering tourism marketing strategies is instrumental in developing a tourism marketing plan. They are also instrumental for sustaining the growth of a destination tourism business and ensuring success in a tourism or hospitality career .

Social media platforms offer many opportunities for promoting travel adventures and facets of the tourism business, from sharing compelling imagery to sharing delightful experiences, or even connecting personally with potential patrons. Get started on the journey to becoming a tourism marketing professional with a hospitality degree from Glion. Or read more about the tourism and hospitality industry in the new normal .

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Digital Marketing

Top 15 Tourism Marketing Strategies for 2024

As the travel industry undergoes rapid changes, it’s time to explore innovative strategies that will redefine your approach. From crafting personalized experiences to unlocking digital opportunities, join us on a journey to discover the keys to success in the dynamic world of tourism marketing.

In this article, we’ll unveil the top strategies that will not only keep you ahead of the curve but also elevate your business to new heights.

What is Tourism Marketing?

Tourism marketing involves promoting destinations, attractions, and travel services to potential customers. Effective tourism marketing doesn’t just showcase a place; it crafts an experience that beckons travelers and creates lasting memories.

What is a Tourism Marketing Strategy?

A tourism marketing strategy is a well-thought-out plan that outlines how a business in the travel sector will reach and engage its target audience. It encompasses a myriad of activities, from understanding your audience to embracing the latest technological advancements. In the following sections, we unravel the best tourism marketing strategies that will redefine your approach to attracting and retaining customers.

1. Understand Your Audience and Personalize Content

Before creating a thorough tourism marketing plan, dedicate time to understanding who you need to reach. Understanding your audience helps you shape strategies that match their likes, making sure your marketing not only gets noticed but also connects with potential customers.

Understanding your audience in the tourism industry involves thorough research and data analysis. Begin by creating detailed customer personas , considering factors such as demographics, interests, and travel preferences. Reach your audience on social media, conduct surveys, and analyze website analytics to refine your understanding of their evolving needs and preferences continuously.

Once you understand your audiences, you can craft unique and tailored experiences for them using the power of personalized marketing. This means curating marketing messages and offers that truly speak to people’s desires and attract your ideal customers.

2. Create a Content Marketing Strategy

A strong content plan is crucial for reaching potential travelers and leaving a lasting impression. Customize your content to match what your audience likes and needs. Consider crafting engaging blog posts that delve into the heart of your destination, offering immersive storytelling that goes beyond the typical travelogue.

Highlight local experiences, insider tips, and lesser-known gems, providing a glimpse into the authentic and captivating aspects of your locale. Additionally, practical guides, travel itineraries, and themed content, such as “Foodie Adventures” or “Off-the-Beaten-Path Escapes,” can serve as valuable resources, catering to diverse traveler interests.

3. Optimize Your Website For Search Engines

Mastering SEO in the tourism industry requires attention to key aspects that enhance online visibility and drive organic traffic.

Keyword Research: Identify and target relevant keywords that align with travel trends and user search intent. Incorporate these keywords strategically into website content, meta tags, and headings.
Optimized Website: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly for a seamless user experience across devices. Prioritize fast loading times to enhance user satisfaction and improve search engine rankings.
Content Quality: Regularly update your website with fresh, high-quality content that reflects current trends and addresses user queries. Craft informative content that resonates with travelers.
User Experience: Enhance the overall user experience by optimizing website navigation and layout. Implement clear calls to action to guide visitors through the booking or exploration process.
Backlink Building: Cultivate reputable backlinks from authoritative sources in the travel industry. Focus on quality over quantity, aiming for links that enhance your website’s credibility.

In the end, keep up with SEO trends and algorithm updates to adapt your strategy accordingly. Use tools and analytics to check how well your website is doing and see if your SEO strategies are working.

A holistic approach to SEO will not only boost your website’s visibility but also contribute to a strong and sustainable online presence in the competitive landscape of tourism marketing.

4. Live Video Marketing

Live video marketing in tourism means using live videos to show off travel destinations and experiences as they happen. It’s like taking people on a virtual tour in real time . For example, hotels can give live looks at their rooms, or tour guides can show popular attractions as if viewers are there.

It’s more engaging and authentic, letting people ask questions and get immediate responses. This way, viewers can get a better feel for a place and what it offers, making them more excited and confident about choosing it for their travels.

5. Create Effective Social Media Strategies

Crafting an effective social media strategy involves more than just posting regular updates; it requires creativity, engagement, and a deep understanding of your audience. Let’s go over some tips and examples to help you make the most of social media marketing in the tourism industry.

Platform Selection: First, you need to choose effective marketing channels. That means choosing the social platform where your target audience spends a lot of time. Instagram and Pinterest are visual platforms great for showcasing stunning destinations, while Twitter and Facebook can be used for sharing news updates and engaging with your audience.
Consistent Branding: Use cohesive visuals, including logos, color schemes, and fonts, to create a unified and recognizable brand identity.
Engaging Content Calendar: Develop a content calendar that includes a mix of content types. Share breathtaking photos, travel tips, and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Keep your audience engaged with a variety of content that reflects the diversity of your destination.
User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage your audience to talk about their experiences with your products or services. Reposting UGC not only showcases authentic interactions with your brand but also turns your customers into brand ambassadors.

Here are some examples of social media content you can use:

Instagram Stories: Use Instagram Stories to provide real-time updates, share behind-the-scenes content, and conduct polls or Q&A sessions. For instance, take your audience on a virtual tour of your property, showcase local attractions, or share stories from satisfied customers.
Facebook Live Events : Host live events on Facebook, such as virtual tours, interviews with locals, or live Q&A sessions. This provides an interactive experience for your audience and allows them to participate in real time.
Interactive Contests: Run contests that encourage user participation. For example, ask followers to share their favorite travel memories, use a specific hashtag, and offer a prize for the best entry. This not only boosts engagement but also expands your brand reach.
Travel Tips and Guides: Create and share informative content, such as travel guides, packing tips, or destination highlights. Position yourself as a valuable resource for your audience, providing information that goes beyond self-promotion.
Visual Content on Pinterest: Utilize Pinterest to create visually appealing boards that showcase different aspects of your destination. Pin not only your content but also collaborate with influencers and pin user-generated content that aligns with your brand.

Try different types of content, see what your audience likes, and adjust your strategy to make the most impact on social media in the tourism industry. By diversifying your social media content and engaging with your audience authentically, you can turn your social media platforms into dynamic channels that not only attract potential travelers but also foster a community around your brand.

6. Accept Online Bookings

In the fast-paced world of travel, convenience is king. Accepting online bookings is not just a modern trend; it’s a fundamental aspect of successful tourism marketing. Streamlining the booking process and providing potential visitors with a user-friendly experience can significantly impact their decision-making and ultimately boost your business.

Why Accepting Online Bookings Matters

In a world where information is at our fingertips, modern customers seek instant gratification. Allowing them to book online provides immediate confirmation, meeting their desire for quick and efficient transactions.

Online bookings also break down geographical barriers. Potential visitors from around the world can explore your offerings and secure their reservations at any time, opening up your business to a global audience.

In the end, businesses that embrace online booking systems gain a competitive edge. Customers are more likely to choose a destination or service that offers the convenience of online reservations over those with a more complicated booking process.

Here’s how to implement online bookings:

User-Friendly Website: Ensure your website is user-friendly, with a clear and intuitive layout. The booking process should be straightforward, with minimal steps required for customers to complete their reservations.
Mobile Optimization: A significant portion of travelers use mobile devices to research and book their trips. Optimize your website for mobile users, providing a seamless experience across various devices.
Secure Payment Options: Build consumer trust by offering secure online payment options. Clearly communicate the security measures in place to protect their sensitive information.
Real-Time Availability: Implement a system that reflects real-time availability. This prevents overbooking and provides accurate information to potential customers, reducing the likelihood of dissatisfaction.
Promotional Packages: Encourage online bookings by offering exclusive promotions or packages available only to those who book through your website. This not only incentivizes direct bookings but also adds value for your customers.

7. Email Marketing

Establishing and nurturing an email list is a foundational step, accomplished by strategically integrating sign-up forms on your website , during the booking process, and across various touchpoints. Offering incentives, such as exclusive discounts or travel guides, can entice visitors to subscribe, ensuring a growing pool of engaged potential customers.

Crafting an effective marketing list involves:

Segmentation: Divide your email list based on factors like travel preferences, location, or past interactions. This segmentation allows for personalized and targeted customer communication, enhancing the relevance of your messages.
Personalization: Leverage collected data to personalize your emails. Address recipients by their name and tailor content based on their interests or previous interactions with your brand, creating a more intimate and engaging connection.

Here are the types of emails you can use to elevate your tourism marketing efforts:

Special Offers and Promotions: Share exclusive deals, limited-time discounts, or early access promotions to spark excitement and drive immediate bookings.
Travel Tips and Guides: Provide valuable information about destinations, travel tips, and insider guides. Position your brand as an authority, offering insights that enhance the overall travel experience.
Event Updates: Keep subscribers informed about upcoming events, festivals, or activities in your destination. This not only fosters anticipation but also positions your business as a source of comprehensive local knowledge.
Personalized Recommendations: Analyze customer preferences and behaviors to offer personalized travel recommendations, showcasing your commitment to meeting individual needs.
Post-Visit Follow-Ups: After a customer’s visit, send a follow-up email expressing gratitude, seeking feedback, and encouraging the sharing of their experience on review platforms. This not only strengthens customer relationships but also contributes to your online reputation.

In the bustling tourism industry, a well-crafted email campaign serves as a direct line to your audience, fostering engagement and loyalty. Tailor your emails to provide value, evoke excitement, and showcase the unique experiences your destination or service offers, ensuring that each communication contributes to a journey of anticipation and adventure for your subscribers.

8. Make the Most Out of Customer Reviews

In the realm of tourism, online reviews are vital for building trust . Utilize platforms like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Local to establish a positive online presence. Actively encourage users to share their experiences and leave reviews, both positive and negative. Responding promptly to all reviews reinforces your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Additionally, user-generated content not only enhances your website’s ranking but also plays a key role in transforming potential customers into excited travelers. Make leaving reviews a seamless and encouraged part of your customer experience, fostering a community of engaged and satisfied visitors.

9. Focus on Experience

Embracing the concept of experiential marketing can transform the way your audience perceives your brand. Experiential marketing, also known as engagement marketing, is a strategy that prioritizes creating memorable, immersive, and shareable experiences for consumers.

Instead of merely promoting a product or service, this approach aims to engage the audience on a deeper level, leaving a lasting impression that extends far beyond a transaction.

Here are some ideas for executing experiential marketing in the tourism sector:

Create Themed Events: Develop events or festivals that align with the unique aspects of your destination. For instance, if your location is known for its historical significance, organize a themed historical reenactment or festival to transport visitors to another era.
Collaborate with Local Artisans: Showcase the local culture and craftsmanship by collaborating with local artisans. This could involve art exhibitions, workshops, or performances that highlight the authenticity and uniqueness of your destination.
Interactive Tours: Move beyond conventional tours by introducing interactive experiences. Incorporate elements like treasure hunts, mystery tours, or interactive storytelling that actively involve participants, making their exploration of the destination not just informative but also entertaining.
Culinary Experiences: Food is a universal language, and culinary experiences can be a powerful way to engage visitors. Offer food tours, cooking classes, or unique dining experiences that showcase the local cuisine, providing a sensory journey for your guests.

Now, here’s an example to inspire you in this ambitious but worthy endeavor. Airbnb’s “Night At” campaign allowed guests to book superior experiences, such as spending a night at iconic locations like the Louvre or Dracula’s Castle. This gave guests a unique place to stay and immersed them in an unforgettable experience.

10. Engage Micro-Influencers

Influencer marketing remains a potent tool in tourism marketing. Work with influencers who align with your brand and target audience. These influencers can provide authentic insights, reviews, and captivating content that resonate with their followers.

The key is to identify influencers whose values and interests align with your tourism offerings, ensuring a seamless integration that feels genuine to their audience. In particular, micro-influencers wield significant influence in niche markets. The genuine connections they have with their followers can amplify your reach and credibility within your niche.

11. Utilize Augmented Reality Technology

Augmented Reality (AR) technology presents a unique opportunity to engage and captivate your audience. Consider implementing virtual reality tours that allow potential visitors to explore your destination from the comfort of their homes. Provide interactive and immersive experiences that go beyond traditional brochures, giving travelers a taste of what awaits them.

12. Embrace the Power of Artificial Intelligence

As technology continues to evolve, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integral to effective marketing strategies. Incorporating live chatbots for customer service on your website can enhance customer experience, providing instant responses to queries and guiding potential visitors through the booking process.

The convenience and efficiency of AI-driven solutions contribute to an enhanced customer experience, setting your tourism business apart in a competitive market.

13. Customer Safety and Communication

Clearly communicate your commitment to safety through all marketing channels, outlining the specific measures in place to ensure a secure and enjoyable experience. Regularly update your audience on any changes, reassuring them that their well-being is paramount.

Transparency in communication about safety protocols not only fosters confidence but also establishes your brand as one that prioritizes the welfare of its customers. Consistently highlight this dedication at every interaction to leave a lasting positive impression on potential travelers.

14. Monitor Travel Trends

Keep a keen eye on evolving tourism marketing trends and consumer behaviors. The travel industry is dynamic, with preferences and interests changing rapidly . By staying informed and adapting your marketing strategies to align with current trends, you position your business as forward-thinking and in tune with the needs of modern travelers.

15. Set Goals, Monitor, and Optimize

Set clear business goals for your tourism marketing strategy, whether focusing on increasing online bookings, boosting social media engagement, or enhancing customer experiences. These goals serve as your guiding principles. To measure success, keep an eye on key performance indicators (KPIs) for real-time insights.

Regularly analyze data to identify trends and areas for improvement. Optimization is an ongoing process, ensuring your strategy remains flexible in the dynamic tourism industry.

Use tools like Google Analytics for detailed insights into website performance, user behavior, and campaign effectiveness. Also, social media analytics platforms like Hootsuite or Buffer help you monitor engagement, audience demographics, and content effectiveness across various channels.

Navigating the Future of Tourism Marketing: Final Words

Use the strategies outlined in this guide as a compass for success. From the foundational principles of understanding your audience to embracing cutting-edge technologies like AR and AI, each strategy contributes to a comprehensive and effective digital marketing strategy.

In tourism marketing, success comes from being adaptable and innovative. So, stay informed, use technology, and create meaningful experiences to position your tourism business for success in 2024 and beyond.

If you find yourself seeking expert guidance or assistance in elevating your tourism marketing efforts, don’t hesitate to reach out to Play Media. Our dedicated team is here to help you unlock the full potential of your brand in the dynamic world of travel and tourism.

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Planning for Success

A successful tourism marketing plan is an essential and powerful business tool.

Not only does it focus on the why, how, when, where, who and what of your marketing, but also outlines the specific, measurable steps you need to take to achieve your goals.

AND, it will give your tourism business the power to:

Plan for business growth
Meet and exceed industry benchmarks
Uncover gaps, opportunities and trends
Keep your mission at the core of all activities
Focus your resources and inspire your staff
Create content and track, test, and tweak the ROI (return on investment)
Measure the effectiveness of each marketing campaign
Reach more of your target audience
Boost your customer base
And ultimately, increase sales

Marketing and specifically, having a PLAN for your marketing is crucial to the success of your tourism business. Think of it as your roadmap to success.

Sadly, many tourism business owners and operators settle for the less than inspiring goal – “ sell more this year than last year so we don’t go broke”.

The reasoning behind this attitude is most likely because they don’t know where to start with a marketing plan or know how powerful a business tool it really is.

To help your business succeed, we suggest working your way through these ten simple, yet highly effective steps below.

Within a short-time you will have created your 2023 Tourism Marketing Plan.

Step 1 – Reflect on the Previous Year

According to Harvard Business School , reflecting on what we’ve done teaches us to do it more effectively the next time around.

Conduct a marketing review of what worked, what did not, what could be improved and what scope you have for new initiatives. You’ll most likely be amazed at how much you did accomplish in 2022!

Also, use your history to work out your numbers – month on month income, room occupancy, new vs returning – whatever figures are important to your unique tourism business. These figures will become a driving factor in what defines the success of your marketing in 2023.

Use this review to create in-house benchmark figures for crucial elements such as customer attraction, satisfaction and loyalty – whatever results you’d like to exceed.

Step 2 – Research Your Industry

Researching the current market trends and actual figures in tourism helps gauge the climate in which you are doing business.

By reviewing your industry trends, competitor successes and failures you can avoid repeating any mistakes made and capitalise on any successful initiatives.

You can also benchmark your unique tourism offering against industry standards to provide another measurement for success.

TIP: To gain this type of information you may need to undertake the research yourself. However, first stop is your regional Visitor Information Centre, as well as local and state Tourism Industry Associations.

Tourism Industry averages – tourism research

Information supplied by South Australian Regional Tourism Profiles

Step 3 – Analyse Your Competitors

With the advent of technology and the online world, small tourism operators can know more about their competition than ever before.

A competitive analysis covers the strengths and weaknesses of your competition.

By performing a thorough competitor analysis, you will be able to:

Identify gaps in the market
Develop new products and services
Uncover further market trends
Market and sell more effectively

Keep in mind, there are two types of competitors you may be facing.

Direct competitors are businesses that offer a product or service that could pass as a similar substitute for yours, and that operate in close proximity.
Indirect competitors provide products that are not the same as yours, but could satisfy the same customer need or solve the same problem.

TIP: These are some common questions to ask yourself when undertaking a marketing competitor analysis:

Who are your competitors – direct and indirect?
What is their product or service offering?
How much market share do they have?
What were their past marketing strategies?
Are they using the same strategies now?
How aggressive are they on the advertising front?
How competitive are they?
Are their strengths and weaknesses the same as yours?
How big of a threat are they to you?
How do their strategies affect your business?

Step 4 – Write Your Mission Statement

While so often overlooked, your mission statement is crucial as it shapes the culture of your individual business.

It is what you do/the core of the business and from it comes the goals and finally, what it takes to reach those goals.

It drives the business by conveying your reason for being to your staff, stakeholders and guests.

Every piece of content you create should be rooted in your mission statement, from the tone of voice to the call-to-action.

Mission statement questions look like:

What do we do?
Whom do we serve?
How do we serve them?

Examples from the tourism industry

TripAdvisor “To help people around the world plan and have the perfect trip.”

Virgin Atlantic Airways “To embrace the human spirit and let it fly.”

Tourism Australia “To make Australia the most desirable destination on earth.”

TIP: Your marketing and content strategy should support your business mission statement — think of it as the HOW of what you do.

This helps you stay on track, true to your brand and true to your goals.

Step 5 – Undertake a SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis refers to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and is a simple yet powerful planning tool.

It is one of the easiest ways to learn more about your business and where it sits in the external and internal environment.

SWOT divides an overall environmental analysis into two components: internal issues (strengths and weaknesses) and external issues (opportunities and threats).

FURTHER READING: Tourism SWOT Analysis: A Step-by-Step Guide with Examples

Step 6 – Determine Your Ideal Target Audience

An essential element in your marketing plan is knowing who you want your marketing campaigns to connect with.

You don’t just want anyone and everyone – you want to create a very clear picture of who your ideal customers are.

They’re the ones your marketing messages will hit home with, who love and appreciate what you offer and will happily pay the price you charge.

You may have several audiences, but the clearer you become, the easier it is to:

Understand their why for choosing your tourism business
Shape your product and service offering
Set your price points
Align the efforts of your management, marketing, sales and customer service teams
Know what types of marketing campaigns will be most attractive
Understand and easily hone in on particular benefits and features in your marketing
Create key messages and content that truly resonates and connects with your ideal audience

TIP: Start by creating an ideal customer avatar for your tourism business offerings. This will enable you to relate on a personal level to your target audience and will set the tone, content and marketing strategies. A great place to start is by using The HubSpot Ideal Customer Avatar (Free Tool).

Step 7 – Define Your 4Ps

Your marketing mix is the combination of factors your small tourism business can control to promote your brand, attract and influence customers to purchase your product.

The 4Ps are a central part of your marketing plan and are made up of:

The easiest way to define your 4P’s is to ask yourself a series of questions relating to each element.

What does your customer want from your product or service? Does it satisfy a specific need?
How and where will your customer use your product?
What features and benefits does your product have?
How is your product different from the offerings of your competitors?
What does your product look like in terms of colour, shape and size?
What is the name of your product?
How will you brand your product?
What is the customer’s perceived value of your product?
Are there established price points for the product or service you offer?
How will a small increase or decrease in price affect bookings and sales?
Are your customers price sensitive?
Can you undercut your competition without hurting your bottom line?
What discounts can you offer? Can you offer extra value that will allow you to charge more for the product?
Where do people look for products such as yours?
Who offers products similar to yours?
What distribution channels do you need, and how can you access them?
Do you need a sales force or intermediaries to help you sell?
Where are your competitors selling their products?
Can you reach your customers through traditional advertising channels such as TV, radio, press or outdoor advertising?
How can you promote your business to consumers online & using social media?
Are there certain times of the year when your customers are more likely to buy?
How do your competitors promote their products?
What ideas of your competitors can you use?
How can you promote your products differently than your competitors?

TIP: You can use the above questions to help you define your 4 P’s. Your answers in turn, will help you determine which direction to take in terms of marketing strategy and tactics.

Step 8 – Set your SMART Goals

Your marketing goals need to be tied into your overall business goals.

Examples might include:

Increase brand advocacy and awareness – growing the number of people who know about your tourism business.
Enhance market penetration – selling more to existing customers.
Increase lead acquisition – capturing details so you can remarket.
Market development – selling to new target markets.

However, you need to then go one step further and turn them into tourism SMART goals .

S – Specific M – Measurable A – Achievable R – Relevant T – Time-bound

“If it can’t be measured it can’t be managed” – Peter Ducker

By having clear and manageable goals, you can more effectively direct your resources, and most importantly, you can measure the success of your marketing strategy.

TIP: What is so wonderful about the digital age is that your online marketing efforts can now be measured, so it is easy to create SMART goals. Examples include – Increase website traffic by 30% by the end of 30 June 2019. Increase email subscribers each month by 100.

Step 9 – Outline Your Strategies & Tactics

Now that your SMART goals for your tourism business are set, you can then create the strategies and tactics you will use to reach these goals.

Put simply, the strategy is HOW you will achieve your goal, and the tactic is the WHAT.

This forms the actionable steps of your marketing plan and the timing to put them into place.

Your strategies could be achieved by using any or all of the following:

Printed marketing collateral
Online & digital marketing
Social media
PPC advertising
Traditional media (press, radio, TV, outdoor)
Trade shows and events
Public relations
Email marketing
Referral campaigns and word-of-mouth
Lead generation

You may find it easiest to list your tourism SMART goals and then make bullet points of what strategies can support each goal, as well as what target audience you’ll reach.

From this, you can then expand into each tactic and explain the actions needed – for example, this could include your social media calendar or your content marketing plan.

Let’s take the first SMART goal in Step 8 – to achieve this, you may need to create regular content and post on social media. You may also wish to create a PPC campaign.

TIP: When creating your action plan for executing your strategies and tactics, make sure you include what metrics you will use to measure your success! If you don’t analyse your campaigns, you’re wasting your precious dollars.

Step 10 – Set Your Budget

In your business plan, you detailed the entire financial side of your business.

But in your marketing plan, stay focused strictly on marketing related activities.

How much do you plan to spend on marketing and promotion throughout the next year, and how much will the action items you listed above cost you?

And where will this money come from?

FURTHER READING: Crafting and Effective Tourism Marketing Budget: Tips & Strategies

TIP: Make sure that you are realistic about what tactics you can employ in the coming year – keeping in mind what internal and external resources you have available.

It is one thing to clearly identify your target market, objectives, strategies and action plan – but you need to ensure you can pay for the resources to get it done!

Step 11 – Get to It!

Once you’ve worked your way through these steps, your successful tourism marketing plan will include the following elements:

Executive Summary (write this last)
Mission Statement
Industry & Competitor Review
SWOT Analysis
Target Audience
Marketing Mix
Objectives & SMART goals
Strategies & Action Plan
Evaluation & Measurement

Of course, now you have a marketing plan, don’t let it sit in a draw and gather dust. Put it into action and review it monthly and quarterly.

If a strategy is not working, review and refine it.

Need More Help?

Writing your Tourism Marketing Plan doesn’t need to be overwhelming if you break it down into these steps, but if you need help, please reach out .

Tania Shirgwin

Founder + Head Consultant

Tania is a marketing strategist specialising in tourism, wine and hospitality marketing. As founder of Decant Digital (formerly bizeez communications), Tania’s unique role over the past 14 years has enabled her to follow her passions of travel and her marketing obsessions of strategic marketing planning, consumer-focused web development, search optimisation, and training. With over 80 customised websites built to date, successful event marketing campaigns and new business branding, Tania’s wealth of experience ensures businesses continually increase website traffic, direct bookings, and sales via proven marketing tactics.

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What are Top Digital Marketing Strategies to Promote Tourism Destinations?

November 10th, 2022 | 4 min. read

By Julia Elliott

What are Top Digital Marketing Strategies to Promote Tourism Destinations?

People everywhere are itching to get out of town. Domestic travel is thriving, the U.S. Travel Association says; in fact, it's back at pre-pandemic levels.

That's the good news. The challenge is that many getaways are beckoning folks to pack their suitcases. What's the best way to stand out and convince travelers to book a trip to your destination?

At Zoe Marketing & Communications, we've helped tourism bureaus get their message to the right audiences — especially the desirable family market — for 35+ years with our sister media companies, Metro Parent in metro Detroit and Chicago Parent .

In this blog, we'll highlight several proven digital marketing strategies and insights:

Segment your audience and find out who "owns" them

Consistency is key; seasonality is huge

Digital ads on the general web + social media

Emails that plant seeds + push decisions, content marketing for longer-term seo.

By the end, you'll have a solid roadmap (or reminder!) of how to invest your digital marketing dollars best to move forward with confidence.

Segment your audience and find out who 'owns' them

Where does your ideal traveler live? Start here. Consider factors such as:

Are they flying to you?

Are they driving to you?

Do they live close to you or farther away?

Do they have a certain income?

What are their interests/hobbies?

Are they single/coupled?

Do they have kids?

Next, consider: Who "owns" this audience? For example, is there a niche publication or influencers that really know this market? Advertising on content creators' websites might be a good alignment.

Marketing agencies can also help you get in front of your target audience, especially with opt-in email subscribers, digital ads and other tactics (more on those below).

When do people visit your destination? When do they think about visiting your destination? How long does it typically take them to book a reservation?

The answer for a balmy lakefront beach town will differ from a snowy skiing haven — and be miles from a year-round resort that isn't as dependent on the weather. A mini checklist:

Determine your "key times." Marketing may be more robust in some months; dialed back in others.

Consider both your "pre-planners" and your "last-minuters." People usually need time to plan and save; they can also sometimes splurge.

Launch campaigns at least 1-2 quarters before any given season, to build excitement.

Think of marketing as a year-round effort. Always keep a steady "drip" going.

Digital ads are a strong strategy for tourism. There are many choices, but it comes down to being strategic about who you're trying to reach — and testing it.

Here are a few digital ad methods worth trying.

1. Search engine marketing (SEM) ads

Search engines like Google Ads and Bing Ads offer various options to get your ads in front of the right audience. It's all based on what people are searching for. If it aligns with what you're offering, you can serve up these types of ads to them:

Search (text-only ads)

Display (image-based ads)

Video (ads most often shown on YouTube)

Local (ads that appear Google Business Profile results)

You can also narrow in on your ideal geographic regions and interests, including:

Location: filters by state, ZIP code, city, metro area, etc.

Radius: a set number of miles around your location

Affinity segments: targets people by search interests ("vacation," "travel," etc.)

Demographics: sorts by age, household income and other data

2. SEM retargeting campaigns

What if someone clicks your ad, looks at your site and clicks away? Super common, right? People don't typically book a trip on the spot like that. So you want to remind them you exist.

The best way to do this is with retargeting ad campaigns . By placing a piece of code called a "pixel" on the page, you can later serve "reminder" ads to these folks. Those follow them around as they browse other sites and apps.

It's a savvy method because you're targeting people who've actually shown interest in you.

3. Social media ads

Finally, grab eyeballs where they're cruising most often: social media. Facebook and Instagram in particular draw high traffic. And, since they're both run by Meta, posting ads to both is easy.

As with SEM, you can target people by geography and interests on social, such as:

People who like similar travel destinations

People interested in activities at your destination (skiing, hiking, sailing, etc.)

People interested in events and things to do

Parents of kids of specific ages (if applicable)

Of course, remember to schedule organic content for your followers, too. Your posts, Reels and Stories are good ways to showcase what's happening at your destination now — and soon.

Email marketing offers a powerful combination. You can give people the idea to visit you. And you can include a direct call to action to explore your website and hopefully plan a trip.

Inboxes are high-visibility places to connect with key travelers (chew on this: millennials spend over 6 hours a day checking their email!). Work two angles here:

Paid email lists

Put your message in front of hungry prospective travelers. Teaming up with a media partner is one choice, if they allow you to reach their audience via email.

A more common option is connecting with a marketing agency with access to opt-in subscriber lists. In these cases — as with social media — you can target the interests, demographics and geography that best match the audience you're trying to reach. Consider:

Display emails. These have a strong image, minimal copy and a clear call to action.

A-B testing subject lines for your emails. Which one entices more opens?

Creating a series of emails. You can send strategic follow-up emails to people who opened your emails but didn't click anything, and those who didn't open them at all.

Your email lists

Of course, you also have free, direct access to those who've signed up for your enewsletter, if you have one. Use it to your advantage, showcasing upcoming events, seasons and specials.

These emails can (and should) be a bit more conversational and "familiar" than paid emails. That's because you're reaching folks you already have a relationship with.

Finally, blogs and articles can boost your organic web search volumes over time.

Publish pieces to your website that give the 101 on what's outstanding about your destination. Aim to inform, educate and — most of all — answer common questions. Plus, aim for quality, consistency (at least monthly) and substance (600 words per article, at least).

After time, once you have enough content, pooling it into a pillar page is another excellent way to let Google know you're the definitive source for your destination.

Remember, though, that this content requires a dedicated in-house or hired writer.

What are the next steps to marketing my tourist destination?

Marketing your tourism destination takes a multi-pronged approach. As we explored, knowing your audience is big. Consistency is key. And digital ads, emails and content can all help.

As you might have guessed, only one approach won't do the job well. Your tactics should work in tandem. A professional marketing agency can help map your visitors' "buyer's journey " — before they book their actual journey.

Looking for some guidance? Talk to your advisor at Zoe Marketing & Communications. We'll pull from our 35+ years of experience marketing travel destinations, especially to the family market.

In the meantime, keep exploring your options! Discover our top two next-step articles for tourism marketing:

Why marketing to families is important for destinations like yours

Tips on setting a budget for a digital marketing campaign

Julia Elliott

For 17 years, Julia Elliott crafted strategies and stories for Zoe, along with its sister companies, Metro Parent and Chicago Parent. A deep background in journalism helped her create customized content marketing to drive client success.

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Marketing Tourism Destinations

First Online: 09 May 2021

Cite this chapter

Richard George 2

2965 Accesses

This chapter discusses explores the key issues in the marketing of tourism destinations. The chapter begins with a discussion on why the concept of destination marketing is more complicated than the marketing of individual tourism product offerings. Next, the role of destination marketing organisations (DMOs) and discuss the challenges they face is described. Further, this chapter presents the various stages of the destination marketing campaign and the components of a destination marketing plan. Next, the concept of destination image, one of the crucial factors that prospective visitors take into account when choosing a holiday is discussed. Then the concept destination branding is considered. The tourism area lifecycle model as well as the various promotional techniques used by DMOs such as social media and other digital marketing tools are discussed. Finally, the role of events to attract visitors to destinations is considered. The chapter’s in-depth case study applies the concept of destination branding to the central African country Rwanda.

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George, R. (2021). Marketing Tourism Destinations. In: Marketing Tourism and Hospitality. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64111-5_14

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Destination Marketing Strategies that Attract Attention
Destination marketing strategies and best practices. Drive travel and tourism to your destination by showing consumers what makes it better than the alternative. Increase awareness about your region and strengthen its reputation with these marketing strategies: 1. Define your destination's unique selling point (USP).
Destination Marketing 101: Your Ultimate Guide
Embarking on successful destination marketing involves employing a set of strategic moves that go beyond the basics, ensuring your efforts resonate with your audience and leave a lasting impact. Let's dive into these key strategies and see what they entail. 1. Understand Your Target Audience.
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So now that we know the difference between a strategy and a tactic, and we have the key considerations in place, it's time to look at our pick of the best destination marketing strategies. Here we go. 1. Go all-in with online ads. Digital advertising is replacing offline and mass media advertising.
15 Destination Marketing Strategies to Attract More Visitors
15 Destination Marketing Strategies to Attract More Visitors. Find destination marketing strategies that can help to attract more visitors to a specific destination of the hospitality industry.
Effective Destination Marketing Strategies to Attract More Visitors
Boosts Tourism Revenue: Successful destination marketing strategies can increase visitor numbers, leading to higher tourism-related earnings. This influx of funds can be reinvested to upgrade infrastructure, amenities, and attractions, making the destination even more enticing to future visitors.
Destination Marketing: Strategies for Success
It elevates the destination's brand and establishes it as a must-visit place. Destination marketing is an integral part of the marketing strategies for destination marketing organizations (DMOs), hotels, attractions and other types of businesses that rely on tourism revenue. The Importance of Destination Marketing
Tourism Marketing Strategy: Boosting Your Destination's Appeal in 2024
Success Stories in Tourism Marketing. One standout example is the "Share a Coke" campaign by Coca-Cola which, although not exclusively a tourism strategy, inspired destination marketing with its personalized approach. You can see how personalization creates a connection with audiences globally, inviting them to be part of the experience.
Tourism Marketing: 12 Strategies for Success With Examples
Tourism marketing is essential to drive success to a company in the tourism industry. In this article, you will learn 12 strategies for effective tourism marketing, with examples from different sectors and destinations. You will also find out how to apply the marketing mix to your tourism business or country and create a strong brand identity.
The 8-Step Tourism Marketing Strategy (Free Template)
How to write a tourism marketing plan. 1. Run a SWOT analysis. A SWOT analysis is a fun exercise that identifies your company's S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities, and T hreats. Strengths and Weaknesses are internal factors that you can control, like your team, resources, and location.
The Ultimate Guide to Winning Tourism Marketing Strategies
Unlocking the Potential of Tourism Marketing: Your Ultimate Guide. In the ever-evolving tourism industry, destinations and attractions face the exciting challenge of distinguishing themselves in a world of travel choices. The secret to effective marketing in this dynamic space lies in a blend of creative flair, data-driven strategies, and an ...
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Destination marketing is a marketing approach in the travel industry that involves promoting a specific location and its benefits instead of the product or service that a company offers. This could be a country, a town or city, or even a specific holiday resort or attraction. The purpose of destination marketing is to increase customer ...
Destination Marketing in Tourism: What Brands Need to Know
Destination marketing is a specific approach used by brands in the travel and tourism industry to promote a specific location. Whilst more conventional travel marketing tends to showcase the service or product of a travel company, destination marketing illustrates the features and benefits of a place to get more people to come to it.
The Most Efficient Destination Marketing Strategies and How to ...
Destination marketing is not a brand new thing in the tourism industry. Many hotels, restaurants, and even OTAs saw great value in making a particular destination highly popular.Most of the challenges in the past came from technological restrictions.. Today, with a valid digital marketing plan, one can run countless campaigns to increase the popularity of specific destinations.
Tourism Marketing: 7 Ideas to Promote Your Destination in 2021
Marketing campaigns had to be shelved, and new cost-effective ideas created in limited time frames. A survey from MMGY Travel Intelligence and Destinations International found that 95% of destination organizations surveyed in the US reduced or completely postponed marketing spend last year. This is understandable, but it meant that those ...
How to Build a Tourism Marketing Strategy or Plan in 6 Easy Steps
So make sure you know exactly who that is. 2. Create Clear Goals. Your marketing strategy should have very clear goals. This way, you'll be able to measure whether your marketing is effective or whether you need to reassess your strategy to help reach your goals. Each goal that you come up with should be a SMART goal:
Destination Marketing Strategies for Tour Operators
By implementing these strategies, you can increase your visibility, engage potential visitors, and ultimately drive more bookings and revenue for your destination. 1. Conduct market research. Conducting market research is an essential aspect of any successful tourism destination marketing strategy. Market research helps you understand your ...
Master Tourism Marketing: Strategies for a Thriving Business
An effective strategy in mastering tourism marketing involves harnessing the power of online banners. Banner advertising, a form of digital outreach, helps create awareness about your destination and may catch a potential tourist's eye. Here's how best to take advantage of this potent bit of marketing strategy in tourism:
Top 15 Tourism Marketing Strategies for 2024
A tourism marketing strategy is a well-thought-out plan that outlines how a business in the travel sector will reach and engage its target audience. ... Destination Marketing 101: Your Ultimate Guide. Related Posts. Chill Out the Competition: 6 HVAC Marketing Strategies That Drive Results.
How to Write a Successful Tourism Marketing Plan in 10 Steps
Create content and track, test, and tweak the ROI (return on investment) Measure the effectiveness of each marketing campaign. Reach more of your target audience. Boost your customer base. And ultimately, increase sales. Marketing and specifically, having a PLAN for your marketing is crucial to the success of your tourism business. Think of it ...
Top Digital Marketing Strategies to Promote Tourism Destinations
Talk to your advisor at Zoe Marketing & Communications. We'll pull from our 35+ years of experience marketing travel destinations, especially to the family market. In the meantime, keep exploring your options! Discover our top two next-step articles for tourism marketing: Why marketing to families is important for destinations like yours . Tips ...
Marketing Tourism Destinations
Destination marketing is not a new activity. Destinations began to engage in adopting the principles of marketing in the 1970s when the advent of mass international tourism enhanced competition between destinations (Cooper & Hall, 2019: 261).The concept has continued to evolve, and destination marketing has emerged as a central element of tourism research (Fyall, Garrod & Wang, 2012; Wang ...
Trove's Top 12 Tourism Marketing Trends for Destinations in 2023
We have aligned on twelve trends for the tourism and travel sector in 2023. These are trends specifically for destinations (tourism boards, tourism authorities, destination marketing organizations) as they plan their international marketing strategies for 2023. Without further adieu, here are our 12 tourism marketing trends for this coming year:
PDF The All-England Destination Marketing Strategy: A New Approach
Strategic Framework for Tourism is to increase England's share of global visitor markets. The main goals of a new, cohesive, better co-ordinated ... The All-England Destination Marketing Strategy: A New Approach 6 9.1 Creating an Advocacy Journey Activity should be geared towards creating
Ghana's tourism sector focusing on diaspora and business travel
The GTA manages the regulation of tourism businesses through marketing promotion, as well as the licensing and classification of tourism facilities and services. ... It aims to transform Ghana into the leading tourist destination in sub-Saharan Africa by 2028. MoTAC introduced the 15-year National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2013-27 in 2012 ...

Destination Marketing Strategies that Attract Attention

Destination marketing strategies that drive tourism dollars

Who benefits from destination marketing?

Why do destination marketing strategies matter?

How is destination marketing different from other regional marketing?

Destinations that nailed their marketing campaigns

1. Inspired by Iceland

2. Travel Oregon

3. Doors of Thrones

4. Explore Georgia

Industry-leading destination marketing strategies

1. Feel the Beat of the City | Four Seasons Hotels

2. 30 Stays, 300 Days | Marriott Bonvoy

3. Live Hologram Bar | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

4. Where do you want to go? | Melia Hotels

Destination marketing strategies and best practices

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Inspired by Iceland

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Welcome to Lake

Tourism Marketing Strategy: Boosting Your Destination’s Appeal in 2024

In this article

Crafting Your Tourism Marketing Strategy

Crafting a Strategic Framework for Tourism Promotion

Assessing Your Tourism Business Through SWOT Analysis

Clarifying Your Unique Tourist Attraction Proposition

Painting a Portrait of Your Ideal Visitor

Benchmarking Against Your Competition

Piecing Together Your Tourism Marketing Framework

Allocating Finances and Resources Wisely

Setting Clear Objectives and Success Metrics