How we use AI

AI is a tool. It’s a powerful tool, no doubt, but this is not Terminator. ChatGPT and tools like it are simply that – tools. It cannot replace our unique human creativity and critical thinking skills. AI can be used to supplement creativity, find efficiencies and assist productivity. We always thoroughly review and edit anything produced with AI assistance.

Anything done with AI still needs a human touch – or even a heavy hand – in editing. AI can even help to edit itself, as long as a human eye has the last look. My favorite way to talk about AI is as “our digital intern.” Not an intern specializing in tech, but rather a technology tool that acts as an intern. Just as you would check anyone else’s work for accuracy, typos, style and brand voice, the same goes for your AI “assistants.”

Drafts

AI can be a tool for writing first drafts of some content. One of our favorite AI tools for marketers called Jasper, is known for its writing skills. Tell the tool your main points and other supporting information like style and tone, and it will spit out a first draft. An important point to note about AI first drafts is that they are known for being over-the-top with adjectives, overly formal or flowery.

Top tips for using AI on any draft:

• Be as specific as possible in your prompts.
• Starting small, ask it for one piece of content at a time, not a week’s worth of social posts.
• Ask for three versions and you can piece together the best parts.

Editing with AI

What AI is even better at helping with is editing content that you (or another human) already wrote. Refining and rephrasing content is the strong suit. The above tips still work in this case, and I also like to be specific in what I’m asking the AI to do when it edits.

Using AI to edit – no matter who drafted the content – is a chat-worthy process. Give your AI tool direct feedback like “that’s too salesy” or “use fewer adjectives” or “I want the tone to be friendly, not sappy.” The tool will give you a revised version. I also sometimes ask it to review or refine a version I wrote based on all of the back-and-forth.

Naming

AI comes up with fun, clever names and snappy headlines and email subject lines in seconds. So often, we spend time coming up with the “just right” name for an event or themed itinerary when we could be planning the event or mapping out the itinerary (not pieces I would totally trust AI with just yet). AI is great at these – try it out and see what you get!

Summarizing

Another fantastic use for AI tools is creating summaries. Feed in your meeting notes, research notes or long-form feedback from your audience and ask AI for a summary. It can also pull out some themes to organize your thoughts or a report.

How we don’t use AI

We never use AI to create a final version of anything without human intervention. Even those snappy headlines in the example above will need tweaking. This is where the conversation with AI comes in, giving it feedback to come up with better and better versions until you find one you like. Sometimes, it’s straight editing. One other tactic for editing AI content is to have AI draft a few versions, then weave your favorite parts together into a human-touched final version.

Privacy

Unless you have the paid version of ChatGPT and have enabled privacy settings, the recommendations we’re hearing now is to never enter proprietary information into an AI tool. So that means no client, sensitive or proprietary data goes in to AI as a chat prompt or file upload. Open-source Large Language Models are designed to learn from all the data entered, so it’s best not to feed in anything that isn’t already accessible publicly.

AI and Visuals

AI-generated imagery and other creative works – authors are very wary of AI usage – are shrouded in some controversy. When it comes to visuals and art, the concern is over how the AI tools learned to create art and copyright concerns for artists whose works were learned from. Many marketers are using AI art, images and graphics now with the understanding that just like copy drafts, the art drafted by AI needs edits. Some digital artists are embracing AI as a tool, and are creating very cool works using its power, and their own personal creativity.

There are so many AI tools for generating visuals, editing images, cutting together videos and other graphics. Dall E is the open source version put out by OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT. Adobe’s Firefly tool is another popular one for those using the Creative Suite. We have dabbled in AI-generated images and use them for creative ideas in proposals, social media graphics and ads.

AI Tools for Tourism Marketing Innovation & Creativity

Our favorite tools for content are Jasper and ChatGPT, and those are a great place to start as you are experimenting in using AI for tourism marketing purposes. They write well and take direction on the project, just as if you were delegating it to someone. You just get the result in seconds instead of hours or days! There are so many resources available right now on creative ways to use AI

There are so many tools to try out, and so many different uses. From Seamless.AI and Apollo.io for sales prospecting, to PressPal by MuckRack for PR and Yoodli speech coach. Scribe AI can write down your processes (like how you use collaboration in your organization…) and all the big names in tech are developing their own. You may have already seen that Google, Zoom and Microsoft have AI tools now available. There are even websites dedicated to finding the right AI tool, although I’m partial to just asking ChatGPT for what it suggests.

The post How to Use AI For Tourism Marketing appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Branding is more than a wordmark, icon, or a color palette. It is a representation of who you are as a company, what you stand for and what your customers can expect from you. In a way, it seems like an abstract concept, but it is anything but abstract. In fact, when you have a solid brand, you have a concrete foundation to build and grow your business. 

Lesson 1: Start with a Clear Vision

A clear vision serves as the foundation for any successful branding project. Back in 2018, we embarked on a journey to build a company that transcended traditional marketing services, envisioning a community-driven platform for industry collaboration and growth. This vision, crafted with a 10-year outlook, provided a roadmap for our aspirations and guided our strategic decisions. 

Your vision should be written as if you were talking to someone on a future date. Pick a date 5 or 10 years in the future and write about yourself as if you have transported there. When you create your vision using a present tense it is easier to believe and to see what is possible. We created our first vision imagining how we would describe ourselves in 2028. This is important because without a vision, you cannot attract what you need to achieve it. It would be like driving somewhere without a map, just wandering aimlessly ahead. 

Lesson 2: Vision Drives Decision-Making

Throughout our journey, our vision has been our guiding light, steering us through uncertainties and informing strategic decisions. Even during challenging times like the pandemic, our vision provided clarity and direction, guiding us toward our long-term goals. With a clear vision in place, we were able to weather storms and stay focused on our mission of serving the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. 

It was because of our 10-year vision that we decided to acquire Travel Alliance Partners (TAP) at the end of 2021. We had been the marketing and operational partner for TAP since 2018 and we helped the organization that was owned by 26 tour operators survive the pandemic. At the end of that huge downturn, the tour operators who owned TAP needed to put their energy and focus into rebuilding their own businesses. Our team saw the value that TAP brought to the industry and how it aligned with our vision, so we decided to acquire the company and help to rebuild it into the collaborative innovative organization that it had been known for.  

Lesson 3: Define the Problem Before Branding

When you set out to create a new brand, recognize why you are embarking on this journey before starting it. In our case, we had three distinct brands: Break the Ice Media, Travel Alliance Partners, and our podcast, Destination on the Left. Recognizing the need for a branding overhaul, we sought expert guidance to define our challenges clearly. This step was crucial in laying the groundwork for our rebranding efforts and ensuring alignment with our overarching goals. Our initial conversation with branding expert Karley Cunningham from Big Bold Brand helped us pinpoint key challenges, such as communicating the value of our diverse offerings under three distinct brands. 

Lesson 4: Engage Employees in the Process

Our team’s involvement from the early stages proved instrumental in the success of our rebranding project. By keeping our employees informed and engaged, we fostered a sense of ownership and commitment to the new brand vision. We shared our progress transparently, solicited feedback, and empowered our team members to contribute their ideas and insights. 

Lesson 5: Build a Strong Foundation

A lasting brand requires a solid foundation built on purpose, values, and a clear brand promise. We invested time and effort in crafting these essential elements, ensuring they reflected our company’s ethos and aspirations. Working with Karley and her team, we developed a comprehensive toolkit encompassing our purpose statement, guiding principles, brand character, and more. 

Lesson 6: Recognize the Need for Additional Resources

As our branding project evolved, we recognized the need for additional resources to bring our vision to life. Hiring a dedicated team member proved invaluable in supporting the branding process and driving its success. We also leveraged external expertise to supplement our internal capabilities, ensuring a comprehensive approach to brand development. 

Lesson 7: Focus Internally and Externally

Balancing internal alignment with external brand development was key to our rebranding journey. By addressing operational aspects alongside brand strategy, we ensured a seamless transition and maximized organizational buy-in. Our quarterly leadership team meetings became forums for discussing operational changes, while our external communication efforts focused on generating excitement and anticipation for the new brand. 

We started using our new brand language externally before launching our new brand. This gave us the opportunity to start testing the language and practicing with it before launch. We included it in our job postings, client proposals and marketing materials. Our combined brands each used the language. We didn’t give away that we were becoming one brand, but we had strategic language that better aligned with the value we bring to our clients and members and we started using it as we were evolving in small steps. 

Internally, we focused on aligning everything with the new brand, including our organizational chart, job descriptions, accounting systems, internal communications, meeting cadence, project management and our standard operating procedures.  

Lesson 8: Brand Launch is Just the Beginning

A brand launch marks the beginning of an ongoing journey, not the endpoint. We adopted a phased approach to rollout, recognizing that continued engagement and refinement are essential for sustained brand success. Our launch plan included a timeline for quarterly activities extending through 2024, ensuring that our brand evolution remains dynamic and responsive to evolving market trends. 

Our brand launch plan identified four key goals: 

1. Create intentional content

2. Generate awareness & buzz

3. Provide a positive & exciting experience

4. Highlight our expanded offerings

The plan included our key messages, launch strategies, and paid, earned, shared and owned tactics. As you can imagine, a brand rollout plan has a lot of moving parts and a lot of details in it. It is important to have a written document that everyone on the team can follow with lists for all areas that need to be considered. Here is a checklist of things to consider when rolling out a new brand. 

Lesson 9: Embrace Cathedral Thinking

Embracing cathedral thinking, we approached our branding journey with a long-term perspective. We envisioned the impact of our brand for generations to come. By thinking beyond immediate results, we set the stage for enduring success. Just as medieval stonemasons, architects and artisans built cathedrals with future generations in mind, we laid the groundwork for a brand that will stand the test of time. 

Our branding journey has been a transformative experience, filled with valuable lessons and insights. From starting with a clear vision to embracing cathedral thinking, each lesson has shaped our brand’s evolution and will continue to guide our future endeavors. As we embark on this new chapter with our refreshed brand, we invite you to join us in embracing these lessons and charting your own path to branding success. 

We invite you to explore our new brand and learn more about our company’s journey. Explore our website to discover how a clear vision and strategic approach can transform your own branding efforts. Join us in embracing cathedral thinking and building brands that leave a lasting legacy in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. 

The post Lessons Learned from a Branding Journey: Insights from Our Company’s Transformation appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

1. Destination on the Left

Of course my show, Destination on the Left, kicks off the list. Over 6 years, host Nicole Mahoney (that’s me) has interviewed people from all over the world who are passionate about travel, tourism and hospitality. The podcast focuses on tourism marketing, specifically showcasing the creative collaborative work that is unique to the industry. Whether it’s an airline, hotel, and attraction working together to create a travel package or a regional approach to market a tourist destination, I believe travel and tourism professionals are leaders in demonstrating how collaborating to leverage resources and expertise can deliver big results. With 300 episodes and counting, this show explores creativity and collaboration from all viewpoints and segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry with guests from a mix of backgrounds including DMOs, Accommodations, Attractions, Tour Operators and Industry Consultants.

2. No Vacancy with Glenn Hausman

No Vacancy with Glenn Hausman is a show I have been listening to for over 5 years. Glenn focuses primarily on the hotel and hospitality industry. His guests are industry insiders who will give you a glimpse of how the biggest brands operate. As described on the podcast website this show is, “a fun, fast-paced genre-bending program peeling back the travel business veneer. Perfect for road warriors, leisure travelers and industry insiders, we look behind-the-scenes of the travel business by sharing stories, experiences, and with interviews featuring the industry’s biggest names.”

3. Skift Podcasts

This is another long-standing series of shows. Skift Podcasts publishes four podcasts each week and you can subscribe to the ones that interest you the most. I subscribe to the Skift Travel Podcast, which brings me the latest industry trends and thought leadership from an international perspective.

4. DMOU- Destination Marketing University

DMOU is a show launched by longtime industry thought-leader, Bill Geist. I enjoy Bill’s format of three questions plus a bonus round. Bill takes a lot of care in selecting and preparing questions for his guests with a focus of sharing innovative case studies and evolving philosophies in destination marketing.

5. Destination Marketing Podcast

Destination Marketing Podcast is hosted by Adam Stoker of Relic Agency. This show focuses on real-world tips and perspectives from people in the field of marketing within the tourism industry. This show promises no fluff and actionable strategies and tactics. The topics are as varied as marketing attribution, managing budgets, stakeholder engagement and branding your destination.

6. Architects of Destination Advocacy

Destinations International produces this podcast hosted by Andreas Weissenborn, Vice President of Research and Advocacy. Architects of Destination Advocacy is for advocates in the tourism sector featuring stories of tackling the biggest issues in the industry.

7. The Travel Vertical Podcast

The Travel Vertical Podcast offers bi-weekly episodes of the latest news in the tourism industry curated specifically for tourism marketers and agencies. The show co-hosts are Laurie Jo Miller from The Travel Vertical and Adam Stoker from Relic Agency.

8. The Future of Tourism Podcast

The Future of Tourism Podcast is a series of candid conversations with industry leaders, luminaries and visionaries about the challenges and opportunities facing the travel and tourism industry today. It’s hosted by David Peacock, Senior Advisor to the Future Tourism Group at Simpleview.

9. Eventful: The Podcast for Meeting Professionals

Hosted by Northstar Meetings Group, Eventful: The Podcast for Meeting Professionals features insightful conversations about hot topics in the meetings and events industry. Tune in for interviews and analysis of the editorial coverage in Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, and Meeting News and Incentive.

10. Tourism Heads and Their Tales

Tourism Heads and Their Tales is a new podcast featuring interviews and conversation with today’s tourism leaders and influencers, exploring how they are shaping the future of travel and tourism. The show is hosted by Bob Gilbert, who for over three decades, has focused on the ever-changing dynamics of travel and tourism. I recently found this show and see many of my colleagues featured as early guests. With that line-up, you know this will be a show to follow!

The post 10 Must-listen Podcasts for Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Professionals appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Start planning early

To get a jump on the 10 year celebration planning at Break the Ice Media, we started talking about the anniversary over a year before it happened. We started by collecting ideas and inspiration from other companies who had celebrated a milestone birthday. About 6 months before the anniversary we formed a committee or as our team liked to call it the “Party Planning Committee,” also known as the PPC.

In episode 149 of Destination on the Left, I got to talk with Ross Levi and Sarah Emmert from I Love NY about the success of the celebration surrounding the 50^th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in NYC. This historic NYC event credited with starting the modern LGBTQ movement. One of the keys to their success was the advance planning. The I Love NY team recognized the anniversary as an opportunity to reach this important niche audience and showcase New York State’s varied attractions and welcoming communities across the entire state.

With the advance planning, New York was successful in attracting 2019 World Pride to NYC, which provided an international platform. With the anniversary and World Pride in the works, communities across the state were encouraged to promote pride events. Those events were folded into the overall campaign, strengthening the message that NYS is welcoming while taking advantage of an international limelight. While these events broke all kinds of records, most impressive is how those events provided a boost to attractions. One attraction saw a 20% increase in visitation, while another reportedly surpassed projections by 1,000 visitors.

Engage a committee

Whether you are planning an internal celebration such as a 10 year company anniversary, or a community-wide milestone like the Bicentennial of the Erie Canal, the more people you can pull together, the stronger your celebration will be. 

On episode 161 of Destination on the Left, I talk to Aileen Ramos from Visit Laredo Texas. She describes an upcoming anniversary celebration they were planning for May 2020. Visit Laredo was involved with the planning and promotion of the 265th year anniversary of the founding of Laredo and 180 years since Laredo was part of the Republic of the Rio Grande. For the Laredo community, this annual celebration is a way to show off their community pride by bringing together various groups committed to the future of the city. Even when the course of events in 2020 changed the nature of their celebration, the celebration pivoted to virtual and found ways to commemorate their anniversary.

Identify the audience

At the first PPC meeting for BTI, we focused on who we wanted to include in our celebration. We needed to identify the audience before we could figure out how we were going to celebrate. In our case, we had three audiences: our team, our clients and those supporters who have been part of our journey. Then we started to brainstorm what we wanted to do and how we could include each of them in the celebration. I go into great detail about our planning in my solocast on Destination on the Left, Episode 155.

In my interview with Rob Casetti from Corning Museum of Glass on episode 148, we talk about his organization’s 150-year anniversary celebration in 2018. The museum had gone on the road with their Hot Glass Demos to show off the artistry and skill of glassmaking. These road trips were often outside of New York State where the museum is based. When approaching the 150th anniversary, they wanted to celebrate with the communities who had been part of their journey when the company moved from Brooklyn to Corning, NY in 1868. The trip took place on the Erie Canal and Rob’s team thought recreating that trip would be the best way to celebrate with their audience.

Over the course of five months in the spring and summer of 2018, the Glassbarge made its voyage along the Erie Canal. It made 30 stops in communities stretching from Brooklyn to Buffalo and through the Finger Lakes region. Rob credits the success of such a massive undertaking to partnerships with numerous outlets, including CVBs, museums, canalside villages, and other key partners. Understanding the complexity of the project and leveraging these partnerships helped bring the Glass Barge to 55,000 people!

Collaboration for Celebration

For the Break the Ice Media anniversary, collaboration meant engaging the entire team and not just the PPC. Of course, collaboration is a core value at our company and we wouldn’t have approached this special occasion any other way. We also know how powerful working together can be.

2020 marked the 100^th anniversary of women’s right to vote in the US. As the epicenter of the Women’s Rights movement 100 years ago, the Finger Lakes vacation region highlighted the celebration. As a woman owned business, we are especially excited about what the Finger Lakes did to celebrate this anniversary. To help bring attention to this monumental year and the role that the Finger Lakes played, they collaborated with the 14 counties that make up the region to compile a list of 100 ways to celebrate women empowerment in the Finger Lakes. The impressive list includes historical stops, women-led workshops, female foodies, women and craft beverages, women in education, entrepreneurs and more.

About the awards…

In October 2019, I was recognized as the Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Council of Rochester. I have also had the honor of interviewing award winners for the NYS Tourism Excellence awards from 2018 and 2019. Through these experiences, I’d like to share a few final thoughts on celebration.

• Awards are a fantastic way to celebrate your hard work and passion so when you see an opportunity to nominate yourself or someone else, GO FOR IT!
• Once you have been nominated or notified that you are being recognized- PROMOTE IT! Everyone who has been part of your journey will want to celebrate right alongside you.
• When you are at the award ceremony and afterwards, show gratitude, be humble but most importantly – ENJOY IT! You deserve it!

NYSTIA Award series

• NYS Awards Episode 1
• NYS Awards Episode 2
• NYS Awards Episode 3
• NYS Awards Series 2 Episode 1
• NYS Awards Series 2 Episode 2

The post Using Anniversaries, Celebrations and Awards for Tourism Marketing appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Here are our five favorites, standing out over the last 12 months in another challenging year:

#1 Visit Iceland: Icelandverse

There shouldn’t be any surprise about our first “Top Tourism Campaign” of the year. Mark Zuckerberg made national news with Facebook’s name change to Meta in 2021 and the unveiling of his virtual Metaverse. Riding quickly on the coattails of the announcement, Visit Iceland news-jacked the story with their own version – the “Icelandverse.”

Featuring a Zuckerberg lookalike as the host, the “Icelandverse” shares “how to connect our world without being super weird,” which pretty much sums up public reaction to the Metaverse and accompanying video. It talks about the lights you can see, waterfalls you can visit (for real) and horses you can ride … with real hair you can touch. While striking a sarcastic tone and poking fun at the virtual world – it also does a nice job reminding us that nothing can truly replace reality. Travel offers the chance to have real, meaningful and memorable experiences.

#2 Visit Scotland: Yours to Enjoy – Responsibly

We’ve seen a shift in tourism marketing over the last several years from some of the most popular travel destinations. Even as visitation has slowed due to COVID, many are still struggling with the effects of overtourism on their wildlife, natural resources and within their communities.

In inviting travelers back, Visit Scotland’s 2021 campaign strikes a delicate balance – a welcome and a request to travel responsibly. Stunning drone and nature footage are set against messages of conservation and sustainable tourism with peaceful background music. The video does a nice job of demonstrating what responsible travel looks like (e.g. “take only pictures and leave only footprints”) and the impact it can have, while still making visitors feel like this is the Scotland of their dreams.

#3 Visit Israel: Welcome Back to Israel!

The pandemic remains a huge topic of conversation in the global travel sphere – and destinations would be remiss if they didn’t address health and safety in their tourism campaigns in 2021. Visit Israel’s newest campaign “Welcome Back to Israel!” brings the topic to the forefront of their message to travelers – while still making the destination sound open, active, and full of fun.

The video calls attention to Israel’s “new landmark” as one of the most vaccinated countries on the planet. It highlights masks, green (vaccinated) passports and sanitization methods, while also showing off the local beaches, historical landmarks, cuisine and shopping. By employing upbeat music and a charismatic host, the campaign plays like a special on the travel channel. It’s easy to forget you are watching a piece of brilliant marketing, while imagining yourself lounging with a drink in hand.

#4 Airbnb: Made Possible by Hosts

Pet travel is poised to be one of the major travel trends of 2022. Airbnb saw the signs and hopped on the bandwagon early. Unveiling a series of commercials set to familiar songs (like Dolly Parton’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You” or “Wild Thing” by The Troggs) and featuring real trips, the brand showcased some of its gracious hosts and unique properties – and the two- and four-legged guests who came to enjoy them.

The videos are masterfully done in the sense that they aren’t overly produced – in fact, they feel more like going through vacation photos with a good friend. The slow pace reminds travelers that pets are travel partners as well as at-home companions and that Airbnb hosts are more than willing to accommodate. The cute kitty in one video and adorable golden retriever featured in another doesn’t hurt the brand’s cause either.

See the full “Made Possible by Hosts” series in this playlist:

#5 Visit Sweden: Discover the Originals

It seems that Sweden has a bit of a branding problem when it comes to the names of its towns, lakes, mountains and communities. The problem being that Ikea has commandeered them and assigned these names to some less desirable products – everything from a gaming chair to a toilet brush. In the digital age, this causes a true SEO nightmare – and quite the conundrum for a destination trying to stand out among the conveniently priced furniture.

In Visit Sweden’s 2021 campaign, they encourage travelers to “Discover the Originals” and go beyond the Ikea names to learn more about the country that they came from. While the video is masterfully done, the destination goes beyond a one-minute spot with a companion website and map that breaks down the name (“Stubbarp – more than IKEA cabinet legs”) and then shares the special meaning behind each place in a tongue-in-cheek way (“If you’re happy to use your own legs to explore…”). Not only does it bring attention to the destination in a hilarious way, but it also truly makes you want to explore each and every stop on the map firsthand.

See Sweden’s “Discover the Originals” website and start shopping for a Sweden getaway.

These are the top tourism campaigns of 2021, now go back in time for more inspiration! Check out our Top Tourism Campaign round ups from 2018-2020 and our blog where we break down the elements of a Top Campaign:

Top Travel Campaigns of 2020: Tourism Marketers Get Creative in the Face of Adversity

The 5 Top Tourism Campaigns of 2019

2018’s Best Tourism Campaigns: Our Five Favorites

Elements of Top Tourism Campaigns

The post Top Tourism Campaigns of 2021 appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

1. The value of values

A strong company culture starts with a set of values that everyone knows, understands, and believes. We’ve spent several years integrating our values into all aspects of our company. When NY on Pause started in 2020, these values became foundational for sustaining our culture in a remote environment and enabled our team to make quick and meaningful decisions to get us through the year.

Our core values: Passionate, Light-hearted, Authentic, Collaborative, Equitable, Growth-minded and Transparent. I could write an entire book citing the examples of our team using these core values throughout the last 12 months. To illustrate the power of our values, we leaned on passionate, collaborative and growth-minded when we helped our client, Travel Alliance Partners convert their live travel show into a virtual event while keeping profits, connections and the experience intact.

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2. Importance of mindset

Growth mindset is one of our core values, but the lesson goes beyond the value. We chose to approach the uncertainty and challenges that presented themselves during the past 12 months with a forward-thinking mindset instead of a fixed-mindset and a growth-mindset instead of a scarcity mindset. By making conscious choices, we were able to see many more opportunities to overcome obstacles.

Employing a growth mindset allowed us to see the opportunity to help our industry. We believe that now more than ever, tourism marketers need to have plans that are based in research and strategy. So we shared our proven 7-step process for strategic planning through a free infographic, online course and new Recovery Roadmap product. These tools help tourism marketing professionals find their greatest opportunity.

3. Kindness and helpfulness are part of our passion

A few weeks after shutdowns started happening across the world, we hosted our second virtual summit. The summit had been planned prior to the shutdown. However, once we realized the impact of the crisis on the industry we love, we decided to hold the summit open to all with no cost to attend. That started us down the path of being as helpful as we could for the industry.

We offered help in many ways over the past 12 months. We continued our weekly podcast, Destination on the Left and our weekly blogs (like this one). In addition, we developed Executive Briefings – offered for free – to any organization interested in inviting us to share. The presentations cover insights and information to help travel and tourism organizations pivot and plan for the future. We have presented to 15 organizations and continue to offer this free service. If you are interested in scheduling a presentation or would like to know more, please email Rhonda@breaktheicemedia.com.

4. Technology is empowering

Technology enabled us to seamlessly move from an in-person office to a successful remote team. Our tech stack includes Zoom, Teams, SharePoint, Slack, Teamwork Project Management and others. These technologies empower collaboration, productivity and efficiency. We know how powerful technology is for our team and we saw how it transformed the industry and helped our clients.

When the Wayne County Office of Tourism was looking for a way to promote their annual Apple Tasting tour in October 2020, we helped them create an experience that would promote touchless participation. Using an app and gamification, the tour transformed from a high-touch pen-and-paper experience to an online interactive adventure.

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Technology has been instrumental most recently for connecting destinations, attractions, and travel buyers virtually. We produced a virtual travel trade show for our client Africa’s Eden. Delegates attended this global event for 3 days of meetings, seminars and networking. The virtual event aimed to foster relationships and create opportunities for future economic impact.

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5. Collaboration enables surviving and thriving

Amazing collaborations happened across all sectors of the industry over the past 12 months. We believe that collaboration will be a critical ingredient for recovery. In November 2020, we held a study on collaboration in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. The insights from this study will help organizations achieve the best that collaboration can offer — while avoiding the pitfalls. Watch the study results webinar or check out the visualized results of the collaboration study.

It has been a year of the unexpected. This experience has taught us many lessons. We are poised and ready to help our clients and colleagues benefit from the knowledge gained over the past 12 months and stand together moving forward toward a bright future.

The post 5 Lessons Learned During the Travel Pause appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

It has been a decade of tourism marketing! The official date of incorporation for Break the Ice Media is October 14, 2009 which makes October officially our “birthday month”. As the marketing and tourism industries have changed, we have evolved right along with them. When we started our company, we were focused on integrating social media, which was basically Facebook at that time, with public relations to help small businesses reach new customers. Small businesses and the communities that they support are at the heart of what our company is built on. We have learned and grown alongside our clients and I wanted to share ten key changes that we believe have made an impact on tourism marketing.

Digital marketing is the new standard in marketing

Ten years ago, tourism brands and businesses in the industry were trying to figure out what to do about Facebook and Twitter. One article in PCWorld, “2009: the year of the Social Network” described it like this:

“It looks like 2009 will be known as the year that social networking went mainstream,” said Dan Olds, an analyst with the Gabriel Consulting Group. “This was the year when Mom, Dad, and even Grandma found Facebook and Twitter, and used them to make the Web a part of their lives — often for the first time.”

Flashforward 10 years and there are countless social networks with more than 4.4 billion users. More people are online than ever before and we have changed the way we search, recommend, shop and buy products, services and travel. Digital is no longer an added tactic in a strategic marketing plan, it is now central.

Greater focus on measurement and attribution

Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) is not new. The importance of measuring results from a campaign or marketing program has always been on the minds of marketers, business owners and destination marketers. But with the advent of digital marketing and technology, there are more ways than ever to measure a campaign’s success. Tools like Google Analytics, Facebook, email marketing platforms and others offer resources for tracking and understanding campaign effectiveness. New tools and technologies such as Adara’s destination marketing cloud and Arrivalist help marketers understand how marketing campaigns convert target audiences from awareness to action. 

Expanding tourism product

We are seeing more destinations developing tourism product. From explosive growth in the craft beverage industry (think wine, beer, spirts and cider) to new hotel developments, to new tour products, to new ways to experience a destination (think AirB&B), we have been on an upward curve of tourism product development. This development brings new opportunities; new reasons for visitors to come to a destination and greater reach of tourism markets as this development hits second- and third-tier markets.

On the other hand, this growth has also provided some challenges as attractions and tourism businesses have seen declines in visitation because there are more places for people to be. This is especially noticeable in smaller markets where tourism product development may be outpacing visitation growth.

The insider trend

As more product and information becomes available online, visitors have been increasingly turning to the DMO for help and guidance. DMOs have found creative ways to deliver insider information to the public, basically sharing the inside secrets about where the locals go. We have seen this through focused blogs, newsletters, Instagram takeovers, video series and more.

Rise of the Influencer

Visitors and consumers are looking for ways to help them navigate the many choices available to them and Influencers have been able to fill that gap. Influencers come in many forms, from micro to macro, serving niche audiences from families to girlfriends to LGBTQ and covering topics from fashion to consumer goods to travel. With different needs and expectations than traditional media, reaching and working with influencers successfully has become an art in itself. To help our team and our clients approach this market, we wrote an ebook offering every tool in our toolbox.

Less focus on the press release

In 2009, one of the key tools in our PR toolbox was the press release. We used it as our cornerstone piece of content and then re-purposed it into social posts, email marketing and follow-up pitches. That is not the case anymore. One can no longer rely solely on a press release to do the trick. Most PR placements that we receive are accomplished through a strategic PR plan. That includes direct pitching, desk side visits, FAM tours, Influencer visits, media shows, reactive PR to inquiries from resources like HARO and occasionally a press release.

Changing local media landscape

As local newspaper, TV and radio outlets race to adapt to a digital world, we have seen a shift in focus, high turnover in journalists and strengthening of niche publications. National corporations have been buying local media outlets and centralizing reporting. Many times, those reporters are no longer in the local market. If they are, there are fewer of them and they are stretched thin. This has caused us to change our approach to local media, including keeping up with the changes as many news reporters leave. We work to pitch those local niche publications in a similar way that we approach national travel media. We have found success in helping overstretched reporters through release style outreach that they can repurpose into a story with little editing.

Marketing automation

Marketing automation is no longer just a B2B tactic. Today it allows marketers to automate tasks that guide individuals through the visitor journey. Effective digital campaigns use automation to increase conversions through on-going nurturing campaigns that lead a visitor from consideration to the decision to visit. Tools like Salesforce, Hubspot, Infusionsoft, and Sharpspring have made this tool more accessible and easier to learn and use.

Mobile websites are now table stakes

Most visitors’ first impression of a business is its website. More and more often, they are browsing those sites through their mobile devices, which can include phones, tablets and e-readers, rather than a desktop. That means it is no longer acceptable to have a website that does not adapt for mobile viewing. Many website designs are starting with a mobile first approach to ensure clients don’t lose potential business before they’ve even explored the site.

Freestyle trips in the group market

The groups and motorcoach market is stronger than ever. On a recent episode of Destination on the Left, a tour operator told me that these are not the golden years of travel, but the platinum years. Tour operators have been seeing steady growth over the last decade. What has changed is the types of groups that are traveling, their interests and how they want experiences. Group tours are starting to add in more “free time” and more “choice,” allowing individuals the ability to customize portions of their trip such as meals and excursions. This freestyle approach was taken right from the cruise industry where you see more choice for passengers than ever before.

The next 10 years

It has been a fun decade of growth, learning and evolution. We are excited about the next decade of tourism marketing and are already watching some trends that we believe are going to make a huge impact on the future. A few of those include:

• AI
• Data science
• Increased international visitors to U.S. 2^nd and 3^rd tier markets
• The evolving role of the DMO
• Accessible tourism
• Overtourism

But more on those trends later.

The post A Decade of Tourism Marketing – 10 Key Changes Making an Impact appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Needing a new structure

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Stewardship means different things to different people. It’s a word I have been thinking about a lot lately.

“A leader is performing the act of stewardship whenever he or she is actively preparing for an organization’s future vitality” – Excerpt from “What is Stewardship, and should all great leaders practice it?”

It is 2017 and Break The Ice Media is in its 8^th year of business – we have passed the 5 year hump when most businesses fail and are around the corner from our ten year anniversary. The journey of growing a business is exciting and provides the opportunity to build something that is greater than oneself. As the business grows and the years move on, I want to be sure that I am a good steward for the business. I want the business to survive into year ten and be around long after I retire. I want this business to provide a solid foundation for its employees and offer them the opportunity to grow personally and professionally.

With this in mind, I have made a personal and professional commitment to stewardship. Here are the ways that I am practicing stewardship in my business:

Continuous learning

As the owner of a business, there are challenges that I struggle with that others in my circles might not. Decisions I make can impact the overall health and success of the business. My commitment to continuous learning includes membership in a small agency owners group that requires me to travel to meetings 2-4 times per year. When our group gets together, we share financial statements, talk about our challenges, share great ideas and create a network of support and offer accountability for each other. This commitment requires time and money resources and it is well worth the investment.

Strategic Planning Retreat

In December, we hosted a strategy day for the entire team. Even though we were in the midst of planning a large campaign for one of our clients, we dedicated a full day to thinking and visioning for Break the Ice Media. The day was productive and ended up being the perfect way to end our year. We created our company mission and vision statements and defined our core company values. We also spent time looking at projections for 2017 and reviewing financials with our accountant. Another big commitment requiring time and money resources, and well worth the investment.

Marketing Ourselves

We are a marketing firm and we produce awesome programs for our clients. When it comes to marketing ourselves however, those tasks get pushed to the bottom of the priority list. In 2016, I made a commitment to making marketing a priority. First step, dedicate budget to hiring outside help. Paying someone else to make our marketing a priority is the best thing I ever did. (It’s kind of like hiring a house cleaner – also something I did in 2016 – even though I can do it myself, someone else will make sure it gets done.) We launched a podcast in October 2016, dedicated to the travel & tourism industry. In addition, we have hired a writer (even though we have awesome writers on staff), a programmer and designer to create a new Break The Ice Media website. The website has a launch date of March 15^th, which is when I will be with my owners group again and I told them it was my goal to have a new website. Remember the accountability thing I mentioned?

These are three steps that I am taking now to make sure that this business continues to grow and thrive. To ensure that our employees have a solid foundation. To prepare for our future vitality! What are you doing to be a good steward for your business?

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Last week, I spent two days at a workshop on Best Practices for Agency Owners hosted by Agency Management Institute. My excitement leading up to this workshop was a strong contender to beat my daughters’ first day of school excitement. Why? Because I knew that the information that I would learn, not only through the workshop material but from talking and sharing with peers in the industry would inspire me and lead to new ideas and ways of doing business.

Even the most experienced business leaders benefit from learning. The workshop I attended focused on 7 key business areas: Goals, Organization, Systems, Financial, Management, Staffing and Marketing.

Key takeaways that I jotted down included:

• Define mission, vision & values
• Have a vision for where you are going. Imagine a typical day 6 years from now – what will you be doing? How will you spend your time?
• Focus on your financial metrics. Know your benchmarks and strive for those goals.
• Develop a new business development machine that works even when you are busy.
• Dot your “i’s” and cross your “t’s” – when it comes to proposals, contracts and freelance agreements.
• Establish bonus programs for your staff that are tied to business objectives and financial results.

Learning is only the first step. After being inspired, the next step is taking action. Yesterday I met with my Accountant and Business Advisor to discuss the ideas that I learned at the workshop and to identify the ones that we will focus on for my business. The next step is to meet with my team and share the information that I learned with them. Then we will begin to implement a few of the ideas that are the best fit for the business at this point in time.

The Wikipedia definition of Lifelong learning is the “ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated” pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. As I reflect on the growth of my business over the last 7 years, I can clearly track its evolution to the lifelong learning opportunities that I have sought out and the series of small changes that have been made as a result. My fourth quarter schedule includes three more learning opportunities and I can only imagine what will be next!

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