1. Be the Storyteller

We need to make our brands come alive by telling the story. When someone searches a destination, they see many links and results. They don’t see the stories or explanations as to what makes your destination so thrilling. That’s for you to tackle.

As Josiah Brown, the New York Sherpa, explained in his presentation on branding that we need to be inspirational marketers. None of us own our brand. Our brand is the emotional response others have to our product, and lives within the minds of the consumers. Because of this, we need to make sure we’re telling the right story. Most brands say what they do, some explain how, but very few explain why. The consumer experience is the most important piece. They want to know why they should choose your destination over any of the others. Which is why we must not only tell, but show them.

Representatives from The Wild Center and Trampoline Design highlighted millennials’ travel behaviors in a panel presentation. Millennials (anyone born between 1981 and 1996) use their phones for almost everything. Think online banking where they can snap a picture and deposit a check right into their account. They also research travel destinations online, especially through social media, oftentimes asking friends for suggestions on food and activities before looking at a CVB’s website. In fact, 86% of millennials know where they are going to eat before picking what hotel they will stay at. Creating experiences within your content to highlight what people can expect and look forward to is key.

In a wholly different mode of storytelling, Tait Wardlaw and John Bourbonais from Adworkshop dove into how Virtual Reality (VR) is disrupting the tourism industry. Consumers want to get a real look and feel for a destination before ever deciding to travel there. In fact, 360-degree video ads earn 41% more desired actions than 2D traditional video ads. Eventually, they said, VR will be just as important as a website because consumers will want a chance to “try before they buy.” While we are still waiting for the VR and AR (augmented reality) tech trends to really take hold in the tourism space, the advent of Web3 means that the future of tourism marketing is on the horizon.

2. Be the Choreographer

It’s great to have one attraction that draws people in, but if you want them to stay and be engaged, you need to create overall experiences, not just one event. The example that Geist gave was of an owner of a candle-making studio who wasn’t getting much traffic. Eventually he partnered with a wine tasting shop down the street. Together they offered a unique and complete experience of making a candle while enjoying a wine tasting – and business boomed! In this example, creating an experience was fulfilled through collaboration.

Based on the research findings of Schireson Associates, The Wild Center and Trampoline Design understood how far millennials are willing to drive for experiences. Millennials are looking to travel 1-2 hours for a day trip, or 2-3 hours for one night with 2-3 days’ worth of opportunities. Although visitors won’t get to all activities, they want a variety of options to choose from.

A great way to present the variety of experiences is through sample itineraries. Although people are not likely to follow an itinerary from start-to-finish, they enjoy having enough information to choose from. It allows them to curate their own trip.

3. Be the Glue

Engage the attractions and visitors. Make sure you’re chatting “with” the consumers, not “at” them. You can do this by regularly checking social media (through hashtags, geo-tags, etc.) to see what people are saying about your destination. Then join the conversation. If you see a great photo that a visitor took of your destination, reach out and ask if you can use it on your own social media channels. That will both provide you with great content and get them excited that you saw and liked their photo!

Be the reason that people come to visit for one day, then come back for a weekend, and then stay for a whole week.

At the 2016 NYSTIA membership meeting and awards dinner, Elizabeth Anne Shaw, Editor in Chief of Meredith Travel Marketing’s FamilyFun, explained that we have to create experiences that last longer than just the few days a person is at our destination.

• Pre-trip: Most people start getting excited for an upcoming trip a few months in advance and begin discussing it with family, friends, and coworkers.
• During the trip: Most travelers share posts and pictures on social media. (If you didn’t post a picture of yourself on vacation, did you really even go?)
• Post-trip: Once someone returns from vacation, they continue to share their pictures and stories with family, friends, and coworkers.

Josiah Brown wrapped up his presentation by saying that people’s strongest, best childhood memories are from their family vacations. By creating experiences, you’re not only giving visitors something to look forward to; you’re giving them memories to last a lifetime.

So think beyond marketing, advertising and collaborating. Think of how much you’re investing into people’s strongest, best memories.

The post Creating Experiences to Create Memories appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Step One: How To Find Media To Pitch

It’ll take a lot of research. Start by going through media contacts you already have a relationship with – these will be low-hanging fruit. Keep in mind, just because you’ve worked with them in the past doesn’t automatically make them a good fit for what you’re pitching.

If you have access to lists of media contacts, skim through them to see if any jump out as a good fit based on their publications or bios. Then move on to step 2 and dig a little deeper.

Beyond that, roll up your sleeves and jump in. Search for publications that could be a fit for your pitch – think broadly, like general travel magazines and think more narrow, like niche blogs. Then, try to find the best contact person – it could be the food and beverage contributor, news writer, or travel editor depending on the angle of your story.

PRO TIP: Find a way to keep track of your contacts and the interactions you have with them. This could be a spreadsheet, or via an online tool like a CRM (customer relationship management). We currently use MuckRack.

Step Two: Know Who You’re Pitching

Once you have the contact, learn more about this person, their publication, their beat, and their interests. Read their bio to see if there are connections you can make, such as the same hometown, college, or favorite sports team. Look over attendance lists or spreadsheets from previous trade shows, conferences, and media events, to see if your paths may have crossed before. You’ll want to reference any prior connection in your pitch. If not, read through their social media posts and recent articles to find a connection point to reference.

Step Three: Write A Killer Opening

Some of your recipients don’t know who you are. You’re lucky if they even open your email, let alone read the first sentence. In the hopes that they do, make sure it’s a good one. Leave the long intro out of it, and jump right to the captivating point. Some pitches may work better with a short, interesting narrative first, while others use an attention-grabbing statistic. And remember to have a subject line that also plays into the hook, while being clear about the topic.

Step Four: Personalize

Once you have their attention, include a sentence or two to explain why you’re emailing them out of the blue, how you know them, or how you think you can help them. Review articles they’ve written to see if they’ve covered something similar to what you’re pitching. You’d be surprised what ties you can make!

PRO TIP: I once referenced a contributor’s article about places to celebrate the change in NYC’s boozy brunch law and compared it to great alcoholic stops that also happen to be haunted. That personalized pitch started a conversation which eventually led to a 4-day FAM tour, multiple social media posts, and article in Sherman’s Travels.

Step Five: Keep It Short

You know the deal – leave them wanting more. Make sure to tell them enough to pique their interest but leave out the long-winded details. The media is not interested in reading a novel of an email, so stop while you’re ahead. A good practice is to go through and add links for additional information, revise and edit down a couple of times until the email is very short. On MuckRack, some journalists give specific information about how long or short they want pitches to be.

Step Six: Call-To-Action

Make it clear what you want them to do. Do you want them to include information about your destination in their next article? Or attend a media FAM you’re planning? Either way, make your expectations clear and tell them what to do next.

Step Seven: Follow Up

Each situation is different so handle it carefully. Some writers will thank you for the information and say they will reach out in the future if they find an article that fits. You are now on their radar so graciously take that answer and leave it be. Follow up in a couple of months to continue to stoke the relationship without being too aggressive.

Other pitches will probably go unanswered. Don’t take it personally. Keep these contacts on your list for when you have another pitch that aligns with their beat and try again.

PRO TIP: When it comes to juggling multiple drafts of a pitch (personalized for each publication or person) and many media contacts, you need to stay organized. The last thing you want to do is embarrassingly reference a different publication, article, or even someone else’s name in your pitch. (That’s is a sure shot it won’t get picked up.)

Learn how to vet and pitch influencers in our tourism trend guide.

The post How to Pen the Perfect Pitch appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

In 2019, I attended the PRSA Travel & Tourism Conference in Philadelphia where the topic of overtourism came up frequently. The key message? As destination marketers, we are responsible for doing our part to combat overtourism. Below are some marketing and PR angles that hold true post-pandemic and can help ease the influx and impact on your destination.

Second- and Third-Tier Cities

Editors repeatedly tell us they’re looking to focus on second- and third-tier cities. Use this to your advantage and pitch stories around destinations that are off the beaten path.

Travelers feel the same way. Gone are the days when people are looking to see the same monument their friends, family and coworkers have been to. Now, travelers want to be the first one to discover a new destination and induce FOMO in everyone else. Feature new stops and attractions on your website and social media. Post quirky dishes and Instagram-able locations that will grab visitors’ attention. (Check here for tips on Instagram for tourism)

New Neighborhoods

Include up-and-coming neighborhoods in your “must-see” pitches and blog posts. Highlight new restaurants, accommodations or farmers markets that have popped up in under-the-radar areas. Encourage visits to places one or two neighborhoods over from the popular streets. Create tours around these areas or include a stop on an existing food, wine or architecture trail.

Undiscovered Activities

For destinations considered “on the beaten path,” turn your focus to promoting off-the-beaten-path experiences. Find the things that happen only in your destination. And pitch your unusual and undiscovered activities – such as cow cuddling.

Shoulder Seasons and Atypical Times

Some destinations (or events) simply can’t stop the masses. But you can encourage visitors to choose a different time of day or year to come. Use your blogs and social posts to explain the benefits of coming at a different time. These could be smaller crowds, more personal experiences or special deals and packages.

See how we helped a summer-centered county go all-in on winter marketing.

Pitch the media off-season angles. Is your most popular summer attraction also open in the winter? How do the views change with fall foliage? Does your local chef create seasonal menus? Provide reasons to visit any time of year.

Overtourism Solutions

Overtourism was coined as a term in 2017, which means publications aren’t likely to consider the topic by itself as newsworthy. Editors are interested in hearing creative solutions to the issue and highlighting the people who are doing it. Similarly, sharing green travel practices on your website helps visitors slow the impact of their travel and minimize their footprint.

Wandering Walks

Some of the most memorable experiences are unexpected. Instead, they’re stumbled upon. Guide visitors off the normal path to places they can explore on their own. When hosting writers, include time in the itinerary for them to wander and discover on their own.

The post How to Combat Overtourism Through Marketing & PR appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Back in elementary school, building relationships was easy. You’d share your pudding with someone and bam, you’re best friends, telling each other secrets. Fast forward to your current role. Those friends you’re trying to make are trusted media members – anchors, editors, journalists, bloggers or influencers. And those secrets are actually stories you want the world to know. The ones worth the telling. The ones that could attract visitors to your destination.

On top of it, you’re not the only person trying to be their friend. Many other destinations are also vying for media attention. To break through the noise and develop these key relationships, it takes time, effort – and sometimes a little bit of luck. But when you crack the code of PR, it can pay off big time.

Earned media is about reaching the right person, with the right story, at the right time.

Planning for Public Relations

Always start with strategy. While you may be eager to start talking to media, taking the time to set up a strategy makes the whole process go smoother. Our 7-step strategic approach helps you determine the best path forward by utilizing research and determining situational insights. A strategic plan will determine your target audience, key messages and tactics, which will directly correlate with your public relations outreach.

Target Audience

By determining who you want to visit your destination, you can identify the publications that they read or interact with. For example, if you are looking to attract middle-aged gardeners, you may consider adding “Better Homes & Gardens” to your media list. If you are looking to get on Gen Z’s radar, you might look up TikTok influencers.

Key Messages

As you consider your target audiences, think through what resonates most with them. What information will pique their interest? What stories will sway them to visit? These ideas and details will transform into story threads.

Tactical Plan

The tactical plan outlines the tasks. For an integrated marketing plan, these might include your website, email newsletters, digital marketing and more. In a PR plan, tactics may be a mixture of proactive and reactive – such as press releases, story pitches and lead monitoring.

Identifying the right media members

Once you know who your audience is, begin thinking about what publications they read or content creators they follow. Identify between 50 and 150 KPI (Key Performance Indicator) Publications – the magazines, websites, newspapers and social media accounts where you think your story should be told.

Need help identifying your KPI Publications? Ask us!

Build out your media list(s) by finding the appropriate contacts at each of these. Keep in mind, there may be multiple people you want to connect with. Some traditional publications still have full staffs, meaning you may want to reach out to the Food & Beverage editor about your new restaurants, the Arts & Culture editor about an upcoming performance and the Lifestyle editor about the unique locale where every visitor must go.

When building out your media list(s), note any relevant information. This should include topics they write about, how frequently they’re published, where they live (or used to live, in case there’s a connection to your destination!), how they like to be reached and whether you’ve ever met or have something in common. People are switching jobs and moving industries, especially nowadays, so it’s important to research and refresh your lists frequently.

This task may seem tedious but is key to your outreach. You will want to make sure you are spending your time building relationships with the right people. PRO TIP: Organize media lists by different beats or geographies. That will make it easier to determine the best fit based on the topic of your press release or goal of your pitch.   

Crafting the right pitch

Think about the different topics you want the media (or influencers) to talk about.  We usually start by drafting an editorial calendar to outline which stories will be timely throughout the year, considering seasonality, events, holidays and anniversaries. Include evergreen topics that will benefit your destination any time of year. Consider the best outreach for each story – a press release for news and announcements, a pitch for an interview or in-depth story, a media alert to get on-site coverage during an event, etc.

Next, draft your outreach. It may feel like you’re sending your story out into the abyss, but there’s a real person on the other end of each email address. Use the research from your media list-building to personalize your message. Reference related articles the journalist has written or mention the media event where you last spoke with them. As you work through your media list, ask yourself:

• “Does this writer cover this topic?” If they write about craft beer and you’re pitching a new restaurant, they won’t be interested. Them being in the “food and beverage space” doesn’t cut it.
• “Do they write this type of story?” If you’re pitching an in-depth interview with one of your hotel owners, but the writer only produces listicles of properties, it’s probably not a fit.
• “What am I asking of them?” If you’re talking up the great video opportunities at your upcoming event and they write for a print publication, it’s not going to work out.

According to Muck Rack’s Annual Journalist Survey, the number one reason why journalists ignore otherwise relevant pitches is lack of personalization. Read that again.

Pitching at the right time

The third piece to the PR puzzle is timing.

Time of Day: While everyone is different, the majority of journalists prefer to be pitched in the morning – between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. This timing also works well if you are pitching broadcast media. News producers start their day very early and wrap up around lunch time.

Goal of Coverage: Your outreach depends on the goal for the coverage. What do you want it to achieve and when do you want it to land? For on-site coverage at an event, send a media alert a day or two beforehand. Follow up with calls to the newsroom. (PRO TIP: This is one of the only acceptable times to call media.) For coverage of an event in order to create awareness and drive ticket purchases, send out a press release 4-6 weeks beforehand. Then, start pitching interviews in the weeks leading up to the event. If you’re looking to invite media on a FAM or hosted trip, reach out months in advance to get on their calendar.

Type of Publication: Similarly, consider the type of publication and its turnaround time. If you’re looking for immediate coverage, consider short lead publications – such as daily newspapers or morning news broadcasts. Then there are long lead publications that have more time to interview individuals, take photos, carefully craft a beautiful article and have it published in a monthly or quarterly publication. Somewhere in the middle are influencers and bloggers. It may take a little bit of planning to arrange a visit, but they will likely produce content while on site and shortly after their visit.

Now that you’ve reached out to the media, what’s next?

• Are they interested? Great! But the work still isn’t done. Start planning the interview, itinerary or content agreement.
• Did your message go unanswered? That’s expected. Follow up a few days to a week later. If they still don’t respond, consider a different approach or story angle.
• Did they say no or it’s not a fit? Bummer, but at least you know they read your message! Go back to the drawing board to find new writers for your pitch or a different angle for this writer.  

Building Momentum

I’ll say it again… public relations is a marathon, not a sprint. Once you’ve put in the time and effort to build relationships with key media members, you are more likely to land future pitches and placements because you’ve created mutual trust. They trust your recommendations and you trust them to deliver. You will find your tried-and-true partners: the travel writer who will start booking their travel the moment you say, “I have a new attraction and I know you’ll love it!” or the morning news producer who comes to you when they have an open interview slot to fill.

Looking for a partner for your travel PR?

Public relations is about momentum. One placement isn’t going to drive the masses to your destination. (Unless it’s in a really big publication…) But a bunch of stories across different publications will get travelers’ attention. And as word starts getting out, more publications, bloggers and influencers will start noticing and want to cover it as well.

If you’re looking for a quick, flash-in-the-pan tactic that will increase – and sustain – visitation, PR isn’t it. You won’t be as successful if your approach to public relations is full of starts and stops. It’s important to consistently reach out to the media. Expect to spend at least six months to a year on consistent PR outreach before you start seeing a real return on your efforts.

The post Public Relations Takes Time: Setting Realistic Expectations for Your PR Efforts appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

How to find local influencers

Identifying influencers in your community can feel like the biggest hurdle to overcome. First, define what an influencer means to your organization- is it 2,500 followers? 5,000? 10,000? Is it important for them to be on multiple channels, or is Instagram enough? Once you’ve figured this out, the search begins.

• Search by top posts on Instagram. Look under “places” to find geotagged locations, or “tags” to search by your own hashtags or similar/relevant hashtags.
• Google them. There’s a good chance your local news has covered one or more influencers in your area. The search results for “Rochester NY influencers” yields lists of influencers in the area from aggregating websites and local news channels, reddit threads and more.
• Use influence.co to filter by location, number of followers, platforms, reach and more.
• Ask around! Who do your coworkers, neighbors, friends, and family follow in the area? What do they like about them?
• Look at your own followers. As a destination or attraction, local influencers may already be following you!

Also consider local groups or individuals that may be part of your target market and have influence or clout in the community. A networking group of executives? Maybe a foodie group exists or craft beer club. Keep the search going on Facebook, LinkedIn and Meetup – all popular sites for getting together.

Starting the conversation

Cultivating a relationship is key to any partnership and influencers are no different. Start the conversation by supporting their work or letting them know how much you appreciate what they’re doing for the destination.

• Engage with their work. Like or comment on their posts to show support for what they’re doing. Make sure that your comments are genuine and valuable- not repetitive or canned. This added engagement is good for their metrics, so it’s win-win.
• Repost their photos (with permission!). Comment or DM them and ask to share their work. Most influencers are happy to share and show their work to a new audience. These photos, videos, or blogs are great user-generated content (UGM) for your channels.
• Send them a message. A short and sweet note that says how much you love the work they’re doing in the area is all it takes. Everyone likes to be recognized!
• Send them destination swag. A branded pen, notebook, or reusable bag is a great way to show your appreciation. You might even get a post out of it!

Collaboration opportunities

Once you’ve initiated a conversation, the next step is showing them how you can add value to their content and audience. An influencer’s brand is themself, so authenticity is key above all else. They want to provide value to their audience in the same way you do. Offering them something exclusive or special is a great way to do this. For groups and other individuals in the community, it’s still about value and often about content, too.

• Ask them to do a takeover of your blog or social channels. A guest post or day-in-the-life creates variety for your content and pulls in a new audience.
• Invite them to an event as a special guest. If you’re attending a festival, celebration, or exclusive event, consider adding them to your invite list. Any kind of special showing or behind-the-scenes peek is great content for their channels. Maybe it’s a soft opening of a new restaurant, backstage tour at a concert, or VIP area at a festival.
• Take them on a mini-FAM. They already do a great job promoting the area, but you know it better than just about anyone else. What hidden treasures can you show them they may not be aware of?
• Cultivate a partnership. What opportunities for an ongoing partnership can you offer? You can offer value to them through the platform you provide, payment, or whatever works best for you. They can offer authentic reviews, a different perspective and a fresh audience. Examples include:
  • Speaking at a local event
  • Producing a video series highlighting things to do around your city
  • Partnering with a stakeholder to host a VIP event

Curious to learn more about working with influencers? Check out our Influencer Marketing eBook, with 30 pages of tips, tricks and advice based on our experience.

The post Identifying Local Influencers appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Niche market tourism uses programs to attract visitors focusing on a very specific market segment built around a well-defined product.

We’ve said it before, tourists are looking for experiences. So it only makes sense that visitors are throwing out generic “everything but the kitchen sink” trips, and planning vacations that align directly with their interests. Tourists are now travelling to destinations (or a string of destinations) with opportunities that match their passions. Thus, niche market tourism is a great way to grow visitation to your destination.

But let’s make one thing clear – “niche” does not have to mean small. There are plenty of niche markets that have a large following and pull in plenty of tourists.

Examples of some popular niche tourism markets include:

• Agri-tourism: agriculturally-based activities that bring visitors to a farm.
• Eco-tourism: the unique ecology of an area – its flora and fauna – that bring in tourists.
• Wine tourism: wine-growing regions, vineyards, wineries, wine festivals attract visitors who are interested in consuming or purchasing wine. (I see you, Finger Lakes region.)

How to Create a Niche Tourism Product

Identify products with a common thread.

Look for the one-of-a-kind assets in your region. Attractions can take advantage of a niche market that’s just become popular.

When the Lincoln movie came out in 2012, Cayuga County’s Seward House added special tours around the relationship between Secretary of State Seward and Lincoln. Where else can you see pressed flowers from Lincoln’s funeral casket?

Develop a trail. 

If you have the capacity to create and manage a trail, string together multiple stops with a specific theme in an easy-to-travel way. Trails are very popular because they do all the work for tourists. Visitors pick a place to start and just enjoy the journey.

The Haunted History Trail of New York State is a statewide paranormal product that appeals to both serious ghost hunters and the paranormal curious. It has over 65 creepy, spooky and downright scary stops, including haunted inns, museums, amusement parks, and restaurants.

Find out how we created year-round demand with storytelling & strategy for the Haunted History Trail of NYS.

Create a website, landing page or brochure. 

Bundle information so consumers can easily find it. Group assets and experiences that appeal to niche markets and display them on your destination’s website or in a printed guide.

Corning and the Southern Finger Lakes do a great job with this. In the things to do section on their website, various activities are categorized based on special interests and audiences. Examples include Art Aficionados, History Buffs, Outdoor Enthusiasts and Agri-Tourism. Their Chocolate Trail also thinks outside the box, taking visitors beyond standard places where you can eat chocolate. The trail includes funky stops like a spa with chocolate creme waxing and a cigar shop with chocolate pipe tobacco!

If you have enough content, create a website dedicated to one niche market (as the Pot Guide does for marijuana users).

Marketing a Niche Tourism Product

Target niche tourists. 

This may be a no-brainer, but target the people who have a special interest in your product or asset. When you’re creating an audience for Facebook ads, choose target interests that align with the niche market.

Old Sturbridge Village is the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast, with historical interpreters who recreate a rural New England town of the 1830s. Our Facebook ads target different groups interested in different aspects of the museum. History buffs are attracted to the American history aspect, while others love to be on guided cultural tours and hands-on explorers want to experience history through crafts and makers. The museum has all of these, and targets each group specifically with the pieces that are most interesting to them.

Produce content. 

Consumers are looking for relevant content that interests them. Talk about the niche product(s) across all the destination marketing channels in your toolbox. Tell consumers about your assets by creating blog posts, round-ups or listicles that appeal to specific niche audiences.

Cayuga County Tourism in NYS recently kicked off an initiative to reposition their destination around its connection to Harriet Tubman and inspire visitors to come to a place where equal rights history took root in the U.S. Their blog has already started highlighting attractions related to Harriet Tubman, and equal rights history and present are woven into their social media channels as well.

Talk the talk.

This is the one time I will let jargon slide. Now don’t overdo it on the technical speak, but if you’re talking to people who are really passionate about something, use vocab they’ll relate to.

The post Tapping into Niche Market Tourism appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Traditional Travel Writers

These writers work for a newspaper, magazine, website or other publication. They may have a regular column or specific niche that they write about. But as staff sizes continue to decrease, writers have taken on more beats – broadening their focus from travel to general lifestyle.

Deliverables

An article for their publication published online, in print or both. They publication may also share it across its social media channels. In some rare cases, they may have a photographer take pictures to accompany the piece. The rest of the time, they will lean heavily on your destination to supply high-res photos.

Itineraries

Travel writers are on assignment by their publication. (However, they don’t always have a say in when the article will come out.) This means they have a specific story in mind and unless they are a reviewer, they provide an objective look into a destination. In many cases, their itinerary should be broad. Include the “must-see” stops, best restaurants and most popular activities.

Keep in mind, there may be specific rules from their publication that they must follow. For example, some publications do not accept free products or comped meals, trips and experiences, while others will not cover alcoholic beverages.

Measurement

Print publications are measured by circulation – the number of copies distributed through subscriptions and newsstands. Online publications and articles are measured by unique visitors per month (UVM) or impressions. You can also track the additional reach of an article shared from the publication’s social media. Beyond impressions, we reference the Barcelona Principles to measure the impact of a placement, including whether it appeared in a KPI (key performance indicator) publication, the sentiment or tone of the article, and inclusion of the campaign’s key messages.

Proactive vs. Reactive PR: Why Both are Essential to Your Public Relations Strategy

Freelancers

Freelancers are independent writers that get paid per writing assignment or series of articles. They may work for one publication or website, but more often, write for several publications at a time.

Deliverables

When working with a freelancer, deliverables may not be set in stone upfront. Some will pitch the story (or FAM visit) to the publication(s) to get it assigned, while others look to have their piece picked up afterwards. Some are on assignment by a publication while others look to have their piece picked up afterwards. Since freelancers write for a variety of publications throughout their career, your destination has the opportunity to be covered multiple times in different articles. (Even years after a media FAM!)

Itineraries

For most, the idea of an assignment letter has gone out the window. That means freelancers are looking for a unique story, angle or topic that is likely to get picked up. Work with them to identify stops that are both popular and have a special backstory. You may consider including stops that cover multiple angles (such as unique food scene and your historic sites), that can result in placements in multiple publications.

Measurement

Articles and publications are measured the same way as for traditional travel writers.

Influencer Outreach and Media FAMs Stimulate Drive Market Visitation for Open Air Museum

Bloggers

Bloggers regularly write content (or posts) for a blog. Some run their own blog while others are part of a network of bloggers, such as Traveling Mom. Most bloggers make money through cost per click advertisements or referral programs.

Deliverables

Bloggers produce blog posts – informal, narrative text entries. Post formats vary but usually have a first-person point of view. Some posts include general overviews or a recap of a trip, while others share numbered lists of the best places to visit, eat, or stay in a destination. Most are accompanied by photographs taken by the blogger.

Itineraries

Because of the story-telling nature of blog posts, bloggers are looking for experiences. They want to get hands-on, knee-deep and up-close-and-personal with your destination. As you choose experiences, be sure they align with the theme or niche of their blog. Mommy bloggers want to see family-friendly stops while craft beverage bloggers would enjoy a gin-making class.

Measurement

Blogs are measured by unique visitors per month (UVM) or impressions. Bloggers commonly share posts on social media (Pinterest especially!), in newsletters and among niche networks. They may even be able to tell you the number of users that viewed a specific post.

An inside look at working with bloggers.

Influencers

Influencers are the newest content producers to the group. They are known for their loyal social media following that looks to them for recommendations and is willing to take action as a result. Some run their accounts as a side-gig while others focus on social media full-time. In some instances, influencers look to receive compensation for their content. Compensation is becoming more popular since the pandemic, as destinations and brands understand the influence of content creators, and as influencers quit their full-time jobs to focus on their content.

Deliverables

Influencers can offer a variety of deliverables: static posts, videos, ephemeral content (Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook stories), highlight reels, TikToks and going “live.” It’s important to discuss deliverables ahead of time to agree on not only the type of content they will produce but also the angle of it. Set expectations around influencers tagging your or your partners’ accounts, using the appropriate campaign hashtags and geotags. It’s important to have a discussion ahead of time of what works best for your destination, and agree on what they will produce. In addition to their social posts, some influencers also have a blog that they post on.

Itineraries

As you work through their itinerary, think visuals. Skip a world-class museum that doesn’t allow photography. Instead, pick the prettiest view of a park during the best time of day. Unlike traditional travel writers, influencers post from their personal perspective. That means the itinerary process may take longer because influencers want to be sure each spot will spark joy with them (and their followers). Be sure to build in plenty of time at and in between each location. Influencers are known to explore on their own and find a visual you didn’t even think about!

Measurement

Start with the number followers they have on their social media channels, that’s their potential reach. Then look at the engagement on their posts about your destination: comments, reactions, shares. Ask the influencer for stats on their ephemeral content that disappears after a set time.

Pro tip: For both bloggers and influencers, create packages or promo codes to help track visitation to your destination in response to a post.

Get more insights into working with influencers in our Guide to Influencer Marketing.

The post The Difference Among Travel Media appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Over time, welcome centers have changed based on visitor habits. The “what” is the same. Travelers are still looking for information about a destination. But where they’re looking and how they want the information has changed completely. What started as a brochure rack with printed guides has evolved to beautifully-designed buildings with impressive displays.

Changing Location

Visitor centers should be where visitors already are. Travelers don’t want to go out of their way – in a city they’re unfamiliar with – to find a welcome center. Destinations are starting to install digital kiosks in popular attractions such as hotels, shopping malls and sporting complexes. For example, Seneca County set up a digital visitor concierge platform inside of del Lago Resort and Casino. Visitors can now plan their next steps by viewing nearby restaurants, shops, and attractions.

Promoting nearby places is key. The Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, the TPA for Ontario County, created high quality, interactive visitor experiences in its gateway hubs or communities. These informative visitor experiences – ranging from signs with a map to digital concierge platforms – promote other gateway hubs in the county. This gateway concept not only creates community connections, it fosters extended stays and repeat visitation within the county.

Fresh Content

In December 2016, the New York State governor’s office announced $55 million in funding to open ten welcome centers across New York State. (The Finger Lakes vacation region is fortunate to have three of these new welcome centers!) Each welcome center takes into consideration how travelers want to consume information. Visitors want to be entertained. They want facts without having to read much. Visitor centers are evolving to include high-res photography, videos, hands-on exhibits – even virtual reality. The pandemic challenged this further. QR codes replaced hard-copy information and high-touch surfaces. And tourism partners were required to keep their digital footprint (websites, Google, social media) up to date on current hours and offerings.

Each of these I Love NY welcome centers are created with a theme in mind, promoting the regional history, most popular activity or largest asset. For example, the welcome center at Destiny USA – America’s sixth largest shopping center – in Syracuse, NY is themed around outdoor recreation, a popular pastime for those in Central New York. A full-size camper fitted with a large screen plays beautiful drone footage of attractions and destinations across the region. A screen placed inside of a kayak invites visitors to take a quiz to see what kind of traveler they are. Their answers then suggest area attractions that fit the visitor’s personality.

Additional activities encourage visitors to stay longer and learn more. I Love NY’s welcome centers also have artifact displays to showcase historically and regionally significant items, and a Taste NY Market to highlight locally-made food and gifts. The welcome center located in Geneva, NY honors the Finger Lakes region with a “wine and water” theme, serving wine and craft beverages from area producers.

What comes next?

Travelers will always want information. But they don’t want to have to track it down. In addition to standalone visitors centers, I believe more interactive kiosks will pop up at attractions, hotels, etc. The pandemic showed us the need to be able to update content within minutes (if not seconds!). I think digital information will continue to replace printed pieces and perhaps even in-person help. We may even see more virtual experiences that can be downloaded or accessed by people’s phones. For example, the Apple Tasting Tour turned their paper-and-stamp brochure into a mobile app as a touchless, virtual way to travel the trail.

Welcome centers will become more than information houses. They will provide other activities or benefits. If travelers choose to visit a welcome center, they will expect as much of an experience as the destination itself. I think we will see more complementary content – like videos and sounds clips, themed playgrounds, tasting rooms and boutique shops – to help tell the destination’s story.

Tnooz thinks we should transition from visitor centers to visitor lounges. The idea is to give travelers a place to recharge – both their mind/body and their mobile devices. Give them a little break – instead of heading back to the hotel – so they can continue exploring the destination.

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What is Collaborative Marketing?

Collaborative marketing means leveraging the resources of multiple partners to create successful marketing programs. We like to think of these programs as co-opetition. Partners cooperate with their perceived competitors to create a product that is larger than one they can execute on their own. Partners could include neighboring counties, different destinations or themed assets.

Let’s start with the benefits of working together.

• Bigger Budget. When partners pool their budgets together, you are able to do bigger and better things that are mutually beneficial. More money could mean building a new website, buying more digital advertising, printing additional collateral, or attending more shows.
• More Exposure. The more partners involved, the more people who are promoting your product. Each entity can talk about it on their social media channels, post it on their website, include it in their collateral or mention it during trade and media shows.
• Broader Appeal. Travelers are more likely to take a trip when there are multiple points of interests. Think: the more things there are to do, the more appealing the trip is. Travelers may be more interested in your destination when it’s packaged within a region, because there are more things to see and do. By adding more assets to your inventory, you’re providing a something-for-everyone approach. This is especially important when it comes to international tourism. FIT (what is FIT?) need to know there are enough assets to fill their time before booking a trip to another country.

How to implement collaborative marketing in tourism:

Trails string together multiple stops with a specific theme in an easy-to-travel way.

They do most of the work for visitors, allowing people to choose their beginning and end points. Trails are also very trendy because they encourage visitation to multiple stops. That means you’re more likely to attract visitors that wouldn’t necessarily make a one-off stop. Travelers want to feel a sense of accomplishment as they check off trail stops, especially if they receive a prize for completing the route. Wayne County’s Apple Tasting Tour – local farms, farm markets and wineries that showcase apple products during October – asks visitors to participate in a challenge to collect stamps or digital badges at each stop. Completed entries can be entered to win various prizes.

See how we helped Wayne County adapt the tour in 2020 to be digital and keep their gamification.

Regional DMOs act as the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for multiple destinations.

The organization administers marketing campaigns on behalf of the region, creating one shared voice and presence. Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council (FLRTC) represents the 14 Official County TPAs  in the Finger Lakes Region and Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism /Lake Placid CVB (ROOST) represents Lake Placid, Essex County, Franklin County and Hamilton County. For example, the FLRTC PR program is one of the ways it successfully promotes the region as a whole.

Listen to Episode 245: Building Successful Partnerships, with Annette Rummel where she describes forming the Great Lakes Bay Regional Convention & Visitors Bureaus.

Products and Programs identify a specific initiative or target an identified market.

For example, the Go North program includes partners from part of the New York State capital region, Saratoga, Queensbury, the Lake George region and through the Adirondacks. It is an effort to attract international travel trade through an itinerary they use when speaking to that market. As Hilarie Logan-Dechene from the Wild Center explains in episode 52 of Destination on the Left, “It’s going to help everybody, and that’s the kind of sea change in thinking that we’ve gone through over the last 20 years or so. This is not a little trite statement, but if we can work together, we’ll all succeed.”

In many instances, a product or program is first created and the tactics follow.

• Itineraries outline a suggested route or order to visit recommended stops. Some itineraries take visitors to the must-see assets in a specific region, while others speak to a theme such as family-friendly or history and arts. They help travelers envision what their visit may look like – whether that’s across a county, region or even a state. Rhonda provides some great examples of collaborative itineraries as well as tips for creating your own FIT itinerary.
• Collateral visually explains collaborative programs or highlights activities in a region. Guides can be downloaded off websites, distributed via welcome centers or passed out at shows. Fresh Air Adventures‘ brochure colorfully showcases the fun and thrilling things to do across the communities of Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston & Orleans Counties.
• Trade Shows introduce collaborative marketing programs to specific audiences, such as international groups. These programs can also benefit from attending media shows. For example, the Haunted History Trail meets journalists, bloggers and influencers interested in learning about the spooky history of New York State attractions.
• Media Buys put a product or region in front of an audience via traditional or digital advertising. Collaborative media buys are more affordable because each partner contributes to the overall cost of the buy.

The post Collaborative Marketing in Tourism: Working Together to Lift All Boats appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

What makes creative travel writing? 

Use these elements to make your destination stand out from the rest of the world.

1. Sense of Place: Give readers a full sense of your destination – the sights, sounds, and smells. From just a few sentences, your writing should be able to take them to the place in their mind. But make sure to tell the story through the eyes of a visitor. What can guests expect when they visit? Their experience and mindset may be different from that of the locals, since it’s all brand new to them. View your destination through fresh eyes to really let them know what they can expect.
2. Strong Voice: Does your writing have character? Make the voice and the tone of the destination come through.

Try this exercise: Write for 10 minutes about your destination, attraction, or event. Now turn to your friend or colleague and tell them about it, out loud, without looking at what you wrote. If the juicy details or interesting facts you said out loud weren’t included in your writing, go back and add them in.

3. Lots of details: Focus on the specifics. Peel back layers until you get to the story within the story. Instead of saying your city is known for great cuisine, give an example of a special dish that visitors can’t get anywhere else. An example from the workshop was, “Only in Memphis can you eat a burger fried in 100-year-old grease.” (Not my cup of tea, but to each their own!) These are the things that are most memorable to travelers. Remember, everyone’s looking for an experience these days.

Common Creative Travel Writing Pitfalls & How to Overcome Them

Before the final save, do one more edit to ensure you aren’t making these mistakes.

1. Using Jargon & Buzzwords: Death to jargon! Stick with standard speak so that everyone understands what you’re describing. Try to stay away from using the current buzzwords that everyone is boasting. You may be trying to stand out but in the end, you’re lumping yourself in with the rest of the crowd. For example, the phrase “farm-to-table” peaked several years ago and is overused.
2. Being Vague: Details and specifics should be your BFFs. Whenever possible, add more “decoration.”  Stay away from words that are ambiguous such as “experience.” Keep asking “what?” or “how?” until you can come up with a more descriptive verb. Choose to describe one thing instead of listing everything.

Do this: Kayak through a channel of sparkling green-blue water as the sun peeks through the trees and warms your face.

Not that: You can hike, bike, jog, or walk along 37 trails.

3. Focus: Narrow in on things that are specifically and solely your destination. Everyone knows the basics of a beach: soft sand, pretty water, big waves. Skip those assumed attributes, and focus on the ice cream stand at the end of the beach that has been serving sweet treats to beach goers and their dogs for 30 years.

Try this exercise: Re-read your writing but replace the name of your destination with another. If the rest of the description still works, add more details.

4. Holding Back: Your writing doesn’t have to be stuffy. Pam suggested writing the most outrageous copy you can, and then scaling it back from there. And go ahead, share your destination’s quirky fact or festival. As Pam said, “Whatever makes you weird is probably your greatest asset.”

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