Establishing Strategic Positioning

The first part of our strategic planning process is research and discovery. During this time, we interview organization leadership, hold a team visit in the case of destinations and attractions, conduct secondary research and host a creative strategy workshop with leadership and stakeholders.

We first started working with tour operator Old Sod Travel on their digital advertising in 2021 as people started returning to travel. During the research and discovery phase, we learned why travelers would want to use their service, what differentiates them from competitors, and what luxury travelers are looking for. The results of this research formed the strategic positioning for the brand:

• Transformational Experiences. Relaying the emotions of travel and connect with the aspiration of planning a trip of a lifetime.
• Authentic Luxury Tours. Guests wake up knowing they’re someplace special and spend the day among the new and different. This is about having cultural immersion within a destination, and soaking in high-end experiences.
• Hand in Hand Planning. Tours are fully customized for each trip, there are no pre-set itineraries. The travel consultants at Old Sod tailor each itinerary to the travelers wants and interests.
• Once, Again. Taking more than one trip of a lifetime. Crossing off multiple bucket list items with the singular experiences Old Sod provides to many destinations.

In addition to positioning themes, every strategy we work on contains strategic insights. Both the insights and strategic positioning form the basis for the key messages and inform the messaging across all channels. With these

What are Strategic Insights?

According to Mercer Island Group, a top agency search firm that works with some of the world’s largest brands, a strategic insight is “a penetrating truth that elevates strategy, enabling highly differentiated tactics.”

Defining a strategic insight starts with collecting research and data points that fit into several focus areas. We pull all that knowledge together through evaluation and analysis to come up with a strategic insight for each focus area. These focus areas typically are brand, consumer, and competition. We’ll sometimes bring in community for a focus area too, as it fits so well with destination marketing.

Using Your Data

Once the data is collected, we look at it to draw conclusions and comparisons about what is there. The data is telling a story, and we want to look at what’s on the page and make sense of it in terms of the focus area it’s in. As we pull these interpretations out of the data, we distill all of the research and work into clear, strategy-driving statements that will lay the foundation for messaging, approach and tactics.

The Overall Strategic Insight

Creating the focus area insights involves going beyond the data on the page, beyond the comparisons and coming to the big-picture truth for each focus area that makes the most sense for your organization. In defining a strategic insight, we look for the point where the insights from the 3-5 focus areas intersect. It is a compelling statement rather than a simple summary. It’s all at once an “ah-ha!” and an “oh! of course!”

Once we reach the strategic insight, it informs the messaging, tactics, approach and much of the rest of the strategy. It is a piece of the strategy that we come back to again and again to keep the marketing pointed in the right direction (the goals).

A Strategic Insights Example

This example comes from our work with Cayuga County, NY on the Harriet Tubman campaign. These brief summaries show a glimpse into the research completed and findings of the competition, product and consumer analyses. Then, you’ll see the corresponding insights and overall positioning statement.

Focus Area: Competition

Three other destinations can claim Harriet Tubman among their residents during her life: Dorchester, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; St. Catharine’s, Ontario. Of the three, Maryland has focused most heavily on Tubman in their tourism marketing with both Visit Dorchester and Visit Maryland promoting her prominently on their websites.​ However, the communities don’t seem to embrace Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad story as most of the focus is on the history. 

Competition insight: Cayuga County has the opportunity to tell her story differently by embracing her spirit.

Focus Area: Product

Auburn is surrounded by places known for their part in the equal rights and women’s equal rights movements. Auburn is full of places Harriet visited and frequented along with tributes and sculptures. ​Unlike anywhere else, Auburn is Harriet’s final resting place, her chosen home. It’s where she brought her family, married her husband, owned her own home and land, and spent her time in freedom. Auburn is where she lived as an equal with her neighbors and found community.​

Product insight: Auburn has historically been a leading community in equal rights and still is to this day.​

Focus Area: Consumer

Social justice travel is an upcoming tourism trend. Socially conscious people’s demographics and travel patterns have not been widely studied. However, social justice tours and tour operators have started to pop up. Articles about how to travel in a socially conscious or equitable way are being written. These travelers’ interests overlap with popular travel trends today: conscientious spending, experiential tourism, connecting with nature, togetherness, demand for authenticity, searching for fulfillment. Socially conscious travelers want to learn the history that’s not taught in schools. They want to go deeper and especially show their children the Truth, the history and break stereotypes.

Consumer insight: Socially conscious travelers want to learn the history that’s not taught in schools.

The Overall Insight

Now with our insights identified, we looked at how these insights intersect and where Cayuga County could stand out from the crowd in telling the story of Harriet Tubman in Auburn, New York.

The challenge: How do we promote Cayuga County’s current and historical connections of equal rights to attract visitors?

Overall insight: Welcome visitors to walk in Harriet’s steps to discover their truth in Cayuga County.

The post The Art of Strategic Positioning for Attracting More Visitors appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

The Power of Out-of-Home Travel Marketing

Out-of-home advertising has evolved significantly in recent years. Traditional methods, such as billboards and transit ads, remain effective but are now complemented by lifestyle and experiential channels. These newer methods allow brands to engage with consumers in their everyday lives.

“It really is thinking about where the consumer is throughout their daily routine, understanding who your audience is and utilizing specific media formats within their everyday life, where it just seems like a very nonchalant way to put your brand in front of them.” – Frederick Strebeck, DOTL Episode 393, Elevating Travel Marketing through Out-of-Home Advertising

Here are some examples of new OOH methods that can integrate your brand into the daily routines of your target audience in creative and non-intrusive ways:

• Digital signage at convenience stores
• Gas pump ads
• Branded coffee sleeves at their local coffee shop

Planning Your Travel Marketing Campaign

Planning and strategy is critical to any successful marketing campaign, including OOH. Strebeck highlights the importance of taking the time to understand the goals and then strategize how to achieve them through the right mix of OOH channels. This process begins with listening carefully to understand the client’s vision and how it can be brought to life.

“When I say we listen to our clients, it is to listen to understand, not listen to simply respond in return. And what we take, learn, and utilize is through our expertise to build something extremely creative for them.” – Frederick Strebeck, DOTL Episode 393, Elevating Travel Marketing through Out-of-Home Advertising

Collaborative Travel Marketing

To stand out in a crowded marketplace, campaigns should be multi-layered and build strategies upon each other. Collaboration is a perfect way for marketing organizations and agencies to combine their expertise. As they work together, they can achieve a level of success that would not be possible on their own.

Case Study: A Creative Collaboration with Visit Seattle

A perfect example of creative OOH advertising in action is the “I Know A Place” campaign for Visit Seattle. EMC Outdoor worked closely with a full-service agency to develop a unique approach that went beyond traditional billboards. Instead of relying solely on signage, they introduced a branded treat truck that brought a taste of Seattle to key feeder cities like Dallas, Minneapolis, and Sacramento.

This mobile campaign featured Seattle Pops, a local ice cream shop. The treat truck was strategically placed at local events and parks, creating a memorable experience for potential tourists. The campaign gained significant attention, even landing a spot on “Good Morning Sacramento,” which showcased the truck in action.

This collaboration exemplifies how coopetition can lead to successful outcomes. By working together with their agency partner, they were able to amplify the message in a more creative and impactful way.

“When we think of coopetition, we could have definitely tried to work with Visit Seattle on our own and show them this idea that we had. But we wanted to work in collaboration with our agency partner, to make sure that it was an amplified piece to the overall campaign that they were running.” – Frederick Strebeck, DOTL Episode 393, Elevating Travel Marketing through Out-of-Home Advertising

The Changing Landscape of OOH Advertising

Adapting OOH to a Hybrid World Post-Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for the OOH industry, particularly as public spaces saw less foot traffic. However, EMC Outdoor adapted by leveraging digital integration. They shifted focus to areas with increased traffic, such as grocery stores and local walking routes. This approach allowed them to maintain visibility and relevance during a time of uncertainty.

We collaborated with our clients to create messages that resonated with the times, focusing on community support, health, safety. This approach not only kept our clients’ brands visible, but also fostered a sense of connection and solidarity with the public in a time that it was extremely necessary. – Frederick Strebeck, DOTL Episode 393, Elevating Travel Marketing through Out-of-Home Advertising

As we emerge from the pandemic, the hybrid lifestyle—where work and life increasingly blend—has become the norm. OOH advertising has proven to be an essential player in marketing campaigns. It provides a non-intrusive and contextually relevant way to reach audiences both at home and on the go.

Strebeck explains that out-of-home has really taken on the role of supporting other media channels as a secondary amplification that helps get your message across to your audience in a meaningful way.

The Future of OOH: Embracing Artificial Intelligence

Looking ahead, EMC Outdoor is excited about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) as a game-changer to enhance their business practices. The agency is actively exploring AI tools to speed up the creative process, from ideation to the development of mockups and renderings. By incorporating AI, they aim to stay ahead of the curve and deliver more efficient and effective solutions for their clients.

Make a Lasting Impression with OOH Advertising

Out-of-home advertising continues to be a powerful tool for travel marketing. Tourism brands are looking to connect with their audience in creative and impactful ways. By understanding the different OOH channels, focusing on thorough planning and strategy, and embracing new technologies like AI, brands can elevate their travel marketing campaigns and stand out in a competitive landscape.

As Freddie Striebeck and the team at EMC Outdoor demonstrate, the key to success lies in innovation, collaboration, and a deep understanding of the audience. Whether through traditional billboards, experiential campaigns, or digital integrations, OOH advertising offers endless possibilities for brands to make a lasting impression.

The post Innovative Out-of-Home Strategies for Travel Marketing appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

When we build a tourism marketing and/or PR strategy for our clients, we use the PESO model. This is a model for strategy developed by Gini Dietrich, founder, author and CEO of Spin Sucks. She created it to empower PR professionals to be more and do more than the typical idea of public relations. It is also a fantastic approach to building strategy. The ‘PESO’ acronym stands for Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned Media. We use the framework to take our strategy into action, tying all tactics back to the main goals and messages for a holistic campaign.

P is for Paid

Paid media is often the first thing people think of when they want to promote an idea or service. And it definitely has a place in a robust strategic plan. But it doesn’t have to break the bank, and it really needs the support of its three companions.

Paid media needs to drive toward your goals and make the most of your budget. Google (and YouTube) and Meta (aka Facebook and Instagram) are among the most affordable, cost-effective and versatile options in the digital advertising realm. Those channels are often foundational for our paid media plans, followed by other popular or desired channels. Recently, requested and explored channels include streaming video, Pinterest and direct mail.

See how we paired paid media with owned to generate demand for a tour operator.

E is for Earned

Earned media may be mistaken as only representing public relations or media relations. It’s actually about earning third-party endorsements. Very often for destinations, this takes the form of PR as the lowest-hanging fruit. However, when working with tour operators, we turn to review management. Awards are another way of building credibility.

Earned media means the end results are not paid advertisements. With PR, the results are placements with impressions. With reviews, the results are ratings and comments. Awards are the awards themselves, but for certain arenas may also be nominations or runner-up status. This publicity helps promote your organization and tell your story through different voices and angles, including ways you may not be able to talk about yourself.

As specialists in travel PR, it’s worthwhile to note that PR does have a place for almost every organization, even if it’s not the first tactic we recommend for every client.

Our approach to earned media involves both proactive and reactive methods. We build relationships with media by seeking out relevant journalists and influencers with highly-targeted pitches. We measure earned media results using the industry-standard Barcelona Principles.

Read about strategic PR in action with a history and DEI campaign for Auburn, NY.

S is for Shared

Shared platforms – social media – were long debated. Who “owns” and takes responsibility for a brand’s social channels? I love that this model essentially ends the tug-of-war between marketing, sales and PR. Social is its own thing – a channel and a way of reaching people in its own right. Managing social media requires a unique skillset and knowledge of the digital landscape.

Another reason I love that this is called Shared Media and doesn’t fall under owned media, is because these social platforms are separate entities. Your email provider cannot take away your customers’ emails, that’s an owned channel that you control. But a social media platform has the final say in how you reach your customers on their platform. This is a concept covered really well in the book Killing Marketing by Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose. Shared media is also about community and includes private social channels.

Our approach in this pillar revolves around maintaining a consistent presence across channels by recycling evergreen, key message posts to keep up with the never-ending nature of social media. This allows us the flexibility to curate trendy and timely content while ensuring a steady hum of activity.

See how this approach to social media is working for one of our tour operator clients.

O is for Owned

Owned Media are the places you can share your messages that you have full control over. It’s the channels that you own – your website, blog, email newsletters, even direct mailing lists and phone numbers. It’s wherever you can reach your audience, it’s where you are in control of how and when and what the message is.

Owned media is the most valuable marketing asset because of this full ownership. These tactics are the foundation that carry your strategic messaging to your audience in the clearest way. The basics of owned media is a website that’s up-to-date, information-rich and easy to navigate paired with a growing email list that receives frequent and relevant communications. Then we build from there.

Owned media is also where some of the most fun tactics and ideas live. Apps, contests, surveys, games are the fun, creative projects that add to – and stem from – owned media.

This example of owned media combines growing an email list using a creative contest.

Each of these elements is an important pillar of marketing and PR strategy, but it’s only when they are planned in conjunction that you reap the full benefits of a strong tourism marketing strategy.

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We asked some of our TAP Guild Members how they manage expectations with tour operators, partners, and stakeholders to create the best visitor experience and here’s what they had to say:

Set Realistic Expectations:

Communication

I establish straightforward and consistent communication channels and make sure clients understand the scope, timelines, what to expect. But most importantly, I listen.

Shawna Faniel, Alabama Tourism

Travelers want to be prepared for anything. In your marketing and outreach, be sure to provide detailed information about what is included in packages, any additional costs, and what travelers need to keep in mind. This can include everything from weather conditions to local customs and potential challenges, depending on your destination and offerings.

Transparency

Full transparency is key to trust. I am completely candid with clients.  If I don’t think an attraction, hotel, dining experience or destination is going to be a good fit for them, I would rather be up front than get the sale. Of course, I always offer a better option when possible! 

Marlene Smith, Traverse City Tourism

Underpromise and overdeliver. While destinations obviously want to ensure their marketing materials positively depict the experience, full transparency leads to trust between destinations and their visitors. In an article from Business.com, millennial and Gen Z consumers, with 79 percent and 74 percent respectively, say that transparency is important to them in marketing and communications. By setting realistic expectations and then exceeding them, destinations can create memorable experiences that leave guests pleasantly surprised. This strategy not only enhances satisfaction but also encourages repeat visits and long-term loyalty.

Enhance The Experience:

Personalization

Listen, Listen, Listen. Know your clients’ market, whether senior adult market, student market, church group, etc. Give the clients assistance in knowing your product, if they have never visited your destination or venue before; invite them for a FAM. 

Sandy Haines, Visit Myrtle Beach

Personalized recommendations and services can turn a good trip into a great one. The travel and tourism industry is seeing increased interest across the board in hyper-personalized experiences using previous booking data. Use this information to your advantage.

Creativity

Share positivity always, don’t get discouraged easily, find plan B,C or Z!  Be creative and think “out of the box”.  Your creativity shows them you are really trying to provide their best experience! 

Jill Shorkey, Go Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB

Think outside the box! Creativity shows that you’re trying to provide the best experience. Plus, innovative ways of thinking could provide new opportunities for your destination to venture into.

Engagement

Be grateful.  Thank them for choosing you, your venue, region etc.  Thanking them for their business never gets old!

Jill Shorkey, Go Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB

Engage with visitors and partners before, during, and after their trip. Pre-arrival emails with tips and suggestions, real-time support through apps or chat services during their stay, and follow-up surveys or thank-you notes post-visit can enhance the overall experience. Managing expectations is an ongoing process, so don’t be afraid to ask for feedback to make the process smoother.

When I get an inquiry from an operator who needs help tweaking an itinerary, or a VTN member with a question, I work hard at replying by the end of the day or the next day at the latest. The reply may not include a solution but may simply be a message that I acknowledge their inquiry and will get back to them soon. 

Marc Plouffe, Vermont Tourism Network

Effectively managing expectations is more than just a marketing strategy—it’s the key to creating exceptional travel experiences. By embracing creativity and maintaining engagement throughout the visitor journey, you can not only meet but surpass expectations, fostering memorable experiences and long-term loyalty. As the travel landscape continues to evolve, staying ahead by exceeding expectations will set your destination apart, ensuring visitors and partners return and recommend you to others.

The post Managing Expectations: Key Strategies for Destination Success appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Why is Sustainable Tourism Important?

Sustainable tourism is critical for maintaining the natural beauty of a destination, minimizing littering and waste, protecting cultural and historical sites, and respecting the local communities. On Destination on the Left episode 290, we spoke with Professor Joe Conto, Dr. Eric Holmund, and Dr. Kelly Cerialo of Paul Smith’s College about why sustainability is an issue that destinations shouldn’t wait to address. They told us that more than ever, tourists are leaving the cities and visiting natural destinations like national parks and popular hiking spots. In order for places like this to avoid getting overrun and maintain the beauty that makes them so special to begin with, destinations need to recognize that sustainability is a necessity not just in tourism, but in every industry.

Collaboration Between Communities and Travelers

As a destination, you might be wondering how you can achieve sustainability while still increasing visitation. Through conversations with several industry professionals that recognize the importance of sustainable tourism, we’ve learned that it cannot be a one-sided effort. All the stakeholders need to be involved including the DMOs, residents, governments, local businesses, and visitors.

Jennifer Wesselhoff spoke with us on episode 223 about her experience leading the development of Arizona’s first sustainable tourism plan when she was with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau. She learned that even though tourism was having a huge economic impact on Sedona, residents were struggling with things like traffic congestion, parking issues, noise, and short-term rentals. As a result, Sedona put forth a collaborative effort with the community to evaluate just how sustainable the city was. One of the most important parts of this process was including residents and local businesses in the conversation.

As a result of the whole community’s efforts, Sedona increased their role in visitors’ behavior by encouraging walking and the use of public transportation. They also implemented a Leave no Trace program and diverted visitors from the popular hiking trails by helping them find hidden gems. All these changes had a positive impact on residents of Sedona and made it possible for Sedona to maintain its status as a popular tourist destination, without having a negative impact on residents or the environment.

Looking to the Future

While every destination is unique, we all can learn from the model set forth by Sedona. The job of a DMO doesn’t stop after visitors arrive in a destination, they also have a responsibility to impact visitor behavior while there. As champions of the tourism industry, we want destinations to continue to thrive and see a rise in visitation. This is why it is so important that DMOs learn more about sustainable tourism and collaborate with their communities to protect the environment and the quality of life for residents. If they do this, destinations can remain beautiful places to visit for generations to come.

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What Does Curated Travel Even Mean?

Curation is to collect, select and present information for people to use or enjoy, using your professional or expert knowledge. You may already be getting your social media or news content through curation. Content curation is simply filtering through the content across your social channels and news outlets based on your interests. Your results are an individualized collection for you. Curated travel is about selecting accommodations, restaurants and activities to create the perfect trip based on your individualized interests.

Industries Leading the Way

Curated Group Travel

Industry leaders recognize the need to individualize experiences. In episode 75 of Destination on the Left, Peter Pantuso, President of the American Bus Association commented:

“Our challenge as an industry in the group travel space has been that we’ve always typically offered one experience for 50 people on a coach. So, I began to start talking about creating that individualized experience within that group of 50 and replicating, to a certain degree, the cruise experience where it feels like an individual experience. I began to see and hear people say, ‘Well I’m already doing that.’ It was a very limited number. By talking about it more and by featuring those change agents in our publications or doing presentations where we could identify different individuals who were doing that, or giving examples through our educational programs, we’ve been able to move the industry a little bit in that direction, to be able to offer that individualized group travel experience and not just one size fits all”.

Curated Cruise Experiences

Cruise excursions have always been popular and now curated cruising brings travelers’ individualized experiences to a whole new level. Curated land adventures include immersive shore excursions, creative pre- and post-cruise options, small group programs and private arrangements. Imagine stepping off your ship in Bagan and taking to the air in a hot-air balloon and floating over thousands of stupas.

In 2018, Crystal River Cruises added more than 225 curated experiences within destinations. With a focus on authenticity, these experiences are designed for small groups and many can be tailored to travelers’ interests. They fall into five focused areas:

1. Personal Connections, hosted by local residents, artisans and experts.
2. Tantalizing Gastronomy, tours reflecting regional culinary styles with both dining and hands-on culinary activities.
3. Cultural Discoveries feature expert guides about historical landmarks, museums and iconic sites.
4. Exhilarating Adventures combine historical and cultural experiences.
5. Lastly, with Design Your Time, a concierge will create a private tour or guests can select from a menu of customized choices.

How Destinations and Attractions Can Use This Trend for Marketing

How do you make your destination or attraction stand out from the crowd with curated travel? For destination and attraction marketers, the desire for individualized travel can be addressed in marketing by creating curated experiences from all your destination or attraction has to offer. Rather than a list of restaurants on your web site, create a progressive culinary package to deliver an experience rather than just a dinner. Attractions can go beyond passively entertaining travelers. Create interactive and behind the scenes experiences to accommodate different interests, ages, and budgets. Multiple experiences will entice travelers to return again and again.

Dig in to these culinary tourism trends.

Connect travelers with your outdoor experiences.

Explore luxury travel trends.

Remember to highlight accessibility with individualized travel.

Grow Your Business with Curated Experiences

Whether you are a destination, attraction or industry leader, understanding the demand from today’s travelers for curated experiences is essential to growing your business. Experience-driven travel is not going away, and has only gotten stronger over the past 18 months. Local experiences made number 2 on this list of top travel trends. Make sure you are on every traveler’s “bucket list of experiences!”

The post Can Curated Experiences Help Your Tourism Marketing? appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Taking the time for tracking

Everyone always wants to know the numbers. I don’t think I’ve met a tourism marketer who didn’t want to know their stats. Whether they are the Tourism Director at a DMO, Marketing Director of a museum, Owner of a Tour Operator company or anyone in-between. When things feel rushed, it can be difficult to get campaigns up and running with the proper tracking in place. Measurement can take time to set up properly. Sometimes we have to choose between setting up detailed tracking, and launching a campaign on time. In our strategic planning, we plan out the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure. If we can set up the KPI data quickly, we can launch in a timely manner. Then we’ll set up more detailed measurement later (if we’re pressed for time). Fall is the perfect time to start planning for next year, because it leaves extra time to set up strategy and measurement ahead of high-season launches.

The evolution of tracking

Measurement is evolving, with quite a few significant changes rolling out in recent years, and more to come. Privacy updates with Apple’s iOS 14 changed what data we can see, especially with pixels, and rumor has it that more restrictions will come out with iOS 16. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) changed what data is tracked, how it is tracked and how reporting is done. That’s not all Google is changing – within the next 6 months, it will start to disable third-party cookies for some Chrome users.

Digital tracking tools

Now, pixels and cookies are still effective tracking methods overall. Google Analytics is still one of the most powerful and accessible measurement tools, even though it may look different from before.

Google Tag Manager

GTM is a great way to track activities on your website, but you will likely need the expertise of a web developer to implement it.

Meta / Facebook Pixel

The Facebook Pixel got an upgrade in recent years with the addition of the Meta Conversions API. Again, you’ll probably need developer help to set it up. Other social media ad platforms now have their own pixels and tracking methods, and each need to be set up individually to measure ad performance.

UTM Codes

UTM codes are a universal way to bring activity from any digital place back to your Google Analytics. Meta even has a built in tool for adding the parameters, but Google also created a UTM builder tool I use all the time to easily set up these parameters to use in ads. The only exception is you don’t need to add UTM on your Google Ads urls, those are already included as long as you’ve linked your GA4 property to your Google Ad Account.

Honorable mentions in the world of tracking include link shorteners, QR codes and offline data trackers. Offline data is actually more than an honorable mention – for more on what this is and how it helps in tourism, check out Destination on the Left episode 351 with Mike Sladony of Semcasting.

Working around measurement challenges

When I think about tracking for our clients, there are commonalities between the types of organizations we work with and the challenges they face.

DMOs

DMOs are often challenged with being the go-between. Their websites and digital campaigns are doing big work to attract visitors into their destination, but they don’t usually have a direct way to track bookings and purchases. Those offline data models are popular for this reason, tracking mobile data and movement of people who saw the campaign. There are also instances where the destination takes the reins and does the bookings, like Genesee County does with their golf program, acting as the receptive agent. They also have a co-op program with one of their major accommodations that gives more conversion data since we can track the off-site clicks to the lodging partner, and see how many people used the promo code.

Attractions

Attractions, especially museums and cultural institutions, often use third-party booking tools that simply don’t have external tracking built in. How these tools are operating without that is beyond me, but here we are. Sometimes we can add Google tracking, but that’s actually been pretty rare. But we can track actions taken on the website such as form submissions, downloads and clicks. We recently ran a campaign for Plimoth Patuxet Museums to gather email signups for niche groups like homeschool parents that worked really well. Since lead generation is built right in to the platform (Meta) or the website (Google), we get to know how many people we’re adding to their audience with our campaign.

Tour Operators & Private Businesses

Tour Operators and private businesses have a leg up on measurement. They are typically working with several resources like CRMs and booking platforms that do allow for measurement. The tricky part here is getting several disparate systems to talk to each other. If the systems don’t talk to each other already, there are tools like Zapier and Make that will create connections. These tools are relatively easy to use, again it’s just a matter of taking the time to set them up.

Effective measurement allows tourism businesses to make informed decisions and optimize their marketing strategies for success. The advent of web3 means more privacy and more focus on the individuals. Despite the obstacles, there are still effective ways to track our efforts. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, digital tracking methods will continue to change and adapt. And we will change and adapt with them.

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Accessibility of Information

Making accessibility information easily available creates an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere from the first time someone visits your website. It enables people with accessibility challenges to properly plan out their visit and also helps show that your destination values every visitor’s experience.

On Episode 103 of Destination on the Left we spoke with Cory Lee, a travel blogger and accessibility advocate. When he is planning a trip, he searches for wheelchair accessibility on the destination’s website. If accessibility information isn’t readily available, it becomes very difficult for people with disabilities to plan their visit. DMOs can start by adding accessibility information to their FAQs section of their website and then incorporating the information throughout the site so it’s easily searchable.

Discover Lancaster is a fantastic example of a DMO making their accessibility information readily available. Discover Lancaster spent over a year developing a comprehensive guide on their website to show they are an accessible destination. Olivia Novak, Marketing Manager at Discover Lancaster, described how they worked with partners to create a list of all ADA-accessible attractions and hotels and provide local resources and travel tips for visitors with varying abilities. They also hosted a panel to educate partners. An influencer campaign will show what visiting Lancaster is like for individuals with varying abilities.

Where to Find Information

One of the most important things to remember is that decisions about accessibility should not be made without the individuals affected being part of the conversation.

In Episode 339 with Santiago C. Corrada, he recalls the moment he learned they needed to add accessibility to their diversity efforts. The team at Visit Tampa Bay brought in a group of ambassadors and influencers to consult on the development of videos, campaigns. Now accessibility representation is integrated throughout all of their tourism marketing efforts.

When we spoke with Billy Kolber, CEO of Hospitable ME, at the Travel Unity Road Show, he emphasized the importance of inviting historically marginalized or excluded groups to the table to help make informed decisions. By including these people in the conversations, destinations can make sure that their voices and experience are reflected in all accessibility efforts.

At the Destinations International Annual Convention in 2022, we learned about resources for accessibility information. AccessNow is an app about accessibility in travel where travelers can log their experiences in a destination, much like other review sites. AccessOutdoors is a related app that maps accessibility of outdoor trails (currently available for Canada). The best information comes from people living with disabilities. Residents in your destination are a great resource for getting the information travelers will need.

Inclusive Experiences

Accessibility also goes beyond those facing physical disabilities. Creating inclusive experiences for people with other types of limitations opens opportunities for both the traveler and the destination.

Autism Certified City

We spoke with Marc Garcia of Visit Mesa (episode 275) about his journey helping Mesa, Arizona earn the first-ever Autism Certified City distinction. Garcia sought to have Mesa certified by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. Over 58 businesses and almost 5,000 people in Mesa completed training to help the city receive its certification. These trainings helped people understand what the world looks like to someone who lives with Autism. As a result of Garcia’s efforts, Visit Mesa booked several conferences and experienced a high return on investment.

After earning the certification, Visit Mesa continued its efforts to make the city welcoming for individuals with autism. They partnered with two microbreweries to release a Spectrum Double IPA in honor of National Autism Awareness Month. Destinations can learn from the efforts put forth by Garcia and the city of Mesa. There are many creative ways destinations, attractions and professionals in our industry can make individuals feel welcomed and safe.

Autism Nature Trail

Attractions looking to become more accessible can learn a valuable lesson from the Autism Nature Trail (ANT) at Letchworth State Park. Loren Penman (episode 221), a retired educator who brought the ANT to fruition, spoke with us about this first-of-its-kind experience. What started as a project with a focus on individuals on the spectrum resulted in an ADA-compliant one-mile natural trail with eight sensory stations. After learning the calming effects of the combination of moving water and pine trees, Penman worked with an expert from Colorado State University and a retired Speech and Language Pathologist to develop the trail. The ANT was paid for through a public fundraising initiative, raising $1.9 million in 10 months to fund the trail. It would not have been possible without collaboration and strong community partners.

The travel, tourism and hospitality industry has the ability to bring people together, bridge gaps between cultures and celebrate diversity. We need to take steps towards inclusivity and accessibility if it is truly going to be an enriching experience for all. Let’s make the world more enjoyable for everyone by exploring opportunities to include detailed information about accessibility or teaming up with other organizations for memorable experiences that welcome everybody. Together, we can have a positive impact and create an even better world ready to be discovered!

The post What is Accessibility in Tourism? appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Using Food Tourism to Tell Your Story

Every destination is competing to stand out among its competition, and food tourism has become a creative way for destinations to define their unique selling proposition and share local stories. We spoke with Rebecca Mackenzie, President and CEO of Culinary Tourism Alliance, on Episode 325 of Destination on the Left about how destinations can craft their “taste of place” by sharing stories about the people and businesses producing unique food and beverage options. Destinations can utilize food and culinary tourism to create multi-sensory experiences that will leave a lasting impression on visitors and have them coming back for more.

Karolina Guilcapi of luxury tour company Sated Ventures carved out a niche in the travel industry by telling the stories of South American destinations through the unique culinary adventures and flavors that are found there. Rather than just taking her tours to typical attractions, Guilcapi partners with local chefs and restaurants to showcase the unique dining experiences in South America. Food can tell a powerful story and help showcase your destination.

Create a Tourism Product

Destinations already have local restaurants and food producers, so developing a tourism product centered around food is an effective way to attract visitors while benefiting local businesses.

Maple in the County

Over 20 years ago, Rebecca Mackenzie developed Maple in the County in Prince Edward County, Canada. Maple producers were already putting on maple syrup-related events, and the county wanted to capitalize on this and bring in other local businesses. This led to a program called Maple in the County, an event that encouraged local businesses to develop creative maple-themed products and experiences. Nearly 100 businesses participated, and the event led to more visitors spending more time in the county. Developing one clear brand allowed Prince Edward County to tell its story in a unique way that would attract visitors and showcase local businesses.

Food Tours

On Episode 329 of Destination on the Left, we spoke with Bonnie Hayes, Director of Tourism Development for the City of Thomasville, and Debra Smith, founder of Taste of Thomasville, about turning a food tour into a tourism experience. Taste of Thomasville was born in 2013, after Debra Smith attended a food tour in another city, and realized that was exactly what Thomasville, GA was missing. She attended Food Pros courses to learn how to develop a food tour and has since hosted 1,469 tours for Thomasville visitors.

In the episode, Hayes talks about the value of creating a tourism product such as Taste of Thomasville. The tour is not simply one size fits all, Smith has developed tours to fit the needs of both the visitors and the Thomasville Visitor’s Center. She offers daytime tours, evening tours for visitors interested in trying local cocktails, and even tours for children and high schoolers. The food tours have become valuable to Thomasville when they host group visits. Food tours are the perfect way to fill a group’s day, teach them about the destination, and show off a variety of local restaurants.

Every year Thomasville holds a holiday Victorian Festival that takes place in the evening. The city needed a daytime activity to fill visitors’ time, so they turned to Taste of Thomasville, who in turn developed a Victorian Sweets tour. The possibilities are endless when you create a versatile tourism product such as a food tour that can be adjusted to any situation and any kind of visitor. Food tours have the power to become a destination of their own, with Taste of Thomasville being one reason many visitors come to Thomasville.

Partnerships Drive Success

In their episode, Bonnie Hayes and Debra Smith also talk about the value of partnerships in the tourism industry. Taste of Thomasville would not have experienced the success it has without a positive partnership with the Thomasville Visitor’s Center. As a result of the partnership, the food tours have sold more tickets and Thomasville has gained more visitors.

Food tours also create mutually beneficial relationships with the restaurants in your destination. Restaurants will promote the tours, and the tours promote the restaurants. Food tours can help local restaurants acquire new customers and often result in return visitation when tour attendees find a restaurant they love.

Another creative way to partner with local restaurants is through a restaurant week. On Episode 294, Olivia Novak shared how Discover Lancaster partnered with Lancaster City to hold Lancaster County Restaurant Week, an event that would help raise money for the Lancaster Farmland Trust. They partnered with local restaurants that featured menu items made with locally sourced ingredients. This partnership drove visitors to Lancaster, increased visitation to local restaurants, and raised money and awareness for Lancaster Farmland Trust.

Unforgettable food experiences likely already exist in your destination. Lean into those experiences and partner with your local restaurants to tell your story in a way that will have visitors hungry for more.

The post Driving Visitation Through Food Tourism appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Destination Podcasts

1. Go Great Lakes Bay

Go Great Lakes Bay is a weekly podcast that explores all the attractions that make the Great Lakes Bay region of Michigan a special place to visit. Hosted by the Director of Marketing at Go Great Lakes Bay CVB, Michael Hensley, the podcast tells the story of businesses and gives the region a chance to expand its relationship with stakeholders. We spoke with Hensley on Episode 333 of Destination on the Left, and he told us that his passion for the area led to the podcast. Each week Hensley interviews the people of the Great Lakes Bay region who are making the destination an amazing place to visit.

2. For the Love of Mesa

This podcast was created to feature long-form conversations about news and happenings in Mesa, Arizona. For the Love of Mesa introduces listeners to people who are making the city one of the biggest hotspots in the Southwest. Episodes include everything from conversations with local pizza shop owners to the story of a world-class sports complex.

3. California Now

The California Now Podcast produces bi-weekly episodes that explore the people and places that make California a unique place to visit. The show explores different regions of California, interviews California residents, and gives travel tips for those looking to visit the state.

4. The Inner Coastal Podcast

The Inner Coastal Podcast explores Beaufort, SC through bi-weekly episodes hosted by the team at Visit Beaufort. This podcast stands out because, in addition to inviting listeners to discover Beaufort and the surrounding areas, it also speaks to the community’s passion for preserving and protecting the Lowcountry coast. The podcast interviews local business owners and talks about the lasting impact the Lowcountry of South Carolina has on visitors.

5. Walk in Her Footsteps

Cayuga County in the Finger Lakes prides itself in being the chosen home of Harriet Tubman and in 2022 the region set out to tell her story as they got ready to celebrate her 200^th birthday. As a way to invite both visitors and residents to walk in Harriet Tubman’s footsteps, the county developed a four-episode podcast to tell her story and show how her legacy lives on in Cayuga County. This show is an excellent example of using a podcast to add an element of long-form storytelling to a destination’s marketing campaign.

6. Love & Grit

Developed by Visit Philly, Love & Grit celebrates the people and culture that drive Philadelphia to greatness. The podcast tells authentic stories about the people, music, and culture of Philadelphia. The goal of the podcast is to help people discover the greatness of Philadelphians and drive listeners to go experience the city for themselves.

7. Unexpected Adventures in North Alabama

With new episodes twice a month, Unexpected Adventures in North Alabama takes listeners through a variety of activities in North Alabama from hiking and fishing to museums and restaurants. The podcast tells the story of hidden gems and gives an inside look into what visitors can expect when they make a trip.

8. The Magic of Kanab

The host of The Magic of Kanab takes listeners on an enchanting tour of Southern Utah. The show explores Kane County’s diverse attractions and tells stories about secret gems hidden around every corner of this expansive region.

9. Hello Wyoming

Hello Wyoming transports listeners to the Cowboy State and makes it easy for them to imagine a trip to the picturesque area. Hosted by the Wyoming Office of Tourism and produced weekly, the podcast shares some of the state’s best-kept secrets and favorite local attractions.

10. Find Your Flow in MoCo

With episodes released every other week, Find Your Flow in MoCo shares the stories, history, events, and attractions of Morgan County, Alabama that both visitors and locals love. The podcast inspires listeners to take their next adventure to Alabama and experience all that the region has to offer.

Getting Started

While these podcasts will provide you with plenty of inspiration, you might be wondering… where do I start? When we spoke with Michael Hensley about what it was like starting Go Great Lakes Bay, he gave us some great advice on how to get started when developing a podcast.

1. Consistency is Key

One of the most challenging parts of starting a podcast is developing your audience. Consistency is the key to building momentum. Don’t get discouraged if your episodes don’t start off with a huge number of listeners, keep producing high-quality content and you will see results. Go Great Lakes Bay releases episodes every week, while some of the other destination podcasts release episodes bi-weekly. Find what works for you and stick with it.

2. Have a Conversation

When Hensley started his podcast, he felt like he needed to be an expert journalist and he stressed about how he would conduct interviews. He learned that he didn’t need to be the next great interviewer, he simply needed to open up the space for his guest to talk and share their story. Don’t feel like you need to have the perfect questions, simply have a conversation with your guest and the rest will come naturally.

3. Podcasts are a Team Effort

Collaboration is extremely important when it comes to producing a podcast. Here at Destination on the Left, we work with an agency to produce and release our content. At Go Great Lakes Bay they work with the radio station to have their episodes edited on time every week. Many destinations work with The Destination Marketing Podcast Network to get their episodes on all the right platforms. If you have a quality team behind you, then you can focus on the storytelling without getting bogged down with the technical side of things. Don’t be afraid to use your resources so you can focus on what it is you do best, telling your destination’s story.

And a few resources that Nicole Mahoney, host of Destination on the Left recommends include:

Profitable Podcasting by Stephen Woessner, this book provides a step-by-step guide to launching and producing a podcast and Stephen’s company Predictive ROI produces Destination on the Left.

This interview on Episode 264 with Tom Ritter on Destination on the left talks about using podcasting as a marketing tool and provides great insights into building a successful show.

The post Destination Podcasts: Telling Your Story appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.