In our recent 2022 Most Visited Destinations Report research, the travel demand has not subsided. These latest travel industry trends show that travel intent continues to increase: eight in 10 consumers intend to take at least one leisure trip in the next 12 months and more than half plan to take two.
This is great news for destination marketing organizations (DMOs), but it also means that you need to know how to capture this demand for travel and translate that into an increase in travellers.
And while traveller behaviours are in constant flux – everything from geography to generational differences can influence travellers’ choices and decisions – it’s important to understand how they are changing, connect with travellers actively searching for their next trip and get them to return hopefully. Can one person on a tourism board do this by relying on the old tools of the past, like airport arrival surveys? The short answer is no.
However, we have prepared a checklist of six steps that could help you and your organization get ahead of the curb in 2023. Are you ready?
Welcome to the World of DMOs
Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) are crucial in promoting and attracting visitors to a particular location. These organizations are responsible for developing and implementing marketing campaigns, amongst other responsibilities such as flight connectivity, that display the unique features and attractions of a destination to potential visitors.
Think back to all the TV adverts, billboards and Instagram reels with snappy slogans or fun jingles…that was created by an agency hired by a DMO (Destination Management Organization) to get your 3sec attention span to book a trip there.
The Six Steps for Effective Destination Marketing
To effectively plan and execute these campaigns, DMOs must follow a strategic and systematic approach covering both above-the-line and below-the-line channels. And a framework needs to be put into place that covers everything from planning marketing campaigns, incorporating travel intelligence and understanding the role data plays in the scheme of things. This is where ForwardKeys can help you.
From sharing the latest travel insights and data with external agencies that represent your advertising, and PR to programmatic buying and partner collaborations – data needs to be shared and used optimally by all.
This may sound like a lot to cover but when your marketing plan is paired with ForwardKeys’ data, not only can you save a lot of time and money spent on paid advertising campaigns, but you can track the real conversion rate of your marketing efforts via the Performance Model in Destination Gateway through the bookings made.
This way, DMOs can ensure that their campaigns reach the right people, at the right time, and with the right message, which leads to the jackpot, the tourism Holy Grail: increased tourism and revenue for the destination. A win/win for all.
Follow the six steps to destination marketing success and download the useful checklist with real data examples.
Access the full report here.