As the year comes to a close, we look back at the trends and articles that were of most interest to you, our readers. Our top five posts this year range from Wonderful Copenhagen’s provocative destination marketing strategy, to overtourism, to niche marketing. Here they are: 5) What does the ideal DMO look like? […]
Technology and Innovation
Tread carefully: Our critique of the DestinationNEXT 2017 Futures Study Update report
Earlier this year, Destination Think!’s Chief Strategist, William Bakker, was a member of the advisory panel for the DestinationNEXT 2017 Futures Study Update report published by Destinations International. At Destination Think!, we’ve been quietly elated ever since the first DestinationNEXT report came out in 2014. It validated everything we’d learned about effective destination marketing through […]
4 perspectives on Airbnb from leading destination marketers
Airbnb and the sharing economy have forever changed the way we travel. In just over a decade, the online platform has grown to over 2 million listings in 191 countries, opening up a world of possibilities for travellers seeking accommodations. Airbnb’s rapid growth has impacted not only the hotel industry but the residents who call […]
Top 10 countdown: 2016’s ultimate destination marketing reading list
2016 has been a year of collaboration like no other. Destinations around the world, including many of our readers and contributors, have worked to recognize and address many common challenges together. Before the ball drops on the New Year, it’s time to acknowledge some of our most popular articles and the issues that generated the […]
Two sides of the same coin? The sharing economy and the future of the DMO
Does your destination marketing organization (DMO) have a relevant vision for its role when it comes to tourism sustainability and the balance between profit and planet? Are you marketing, managing, or developing your destination? As a region comprising 28 nations, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s mission emphasizes “Leading Sustainable Tourism” to create a healthy and […]
Tel Aviv’s hi-tech “Smart Tourism Initiative” inspires collaboration through technology
For Tel Aviv, technological innovation is at the heart of a destination-wide strategy aimed at creating a seamless visitor experience. The city is a hotbed for startups and innovative entrepreneurs, and its “Smart Tourism Initiative” is designed to stimulate tourism innovation. In doing so, Tel Aviv Global (a branch of the municipal government focused on […]
Don’t fall into a technology sinkhole
What’s a DMO sinkhole? A DMO sinkhole is a single priority that ends up consuming a disproportionate amount of time and money. It gets DMOs boxed in or unwillingly committed to specific things for a long period of time because a large investment was made that needs to be justified, it was hyped up too […]
Why a vibrant future for destination marketing means innovating together
Amid all the changes and disruption to tourism caused by technology, who’s keeping track of the bigger picture? Brilliant destination marketers face many of the same challenges as their global colleagues, but typically work in isolation. Today’s destination marketing leaders have identified four critical trends that reflect the current disruption: Profit and Planet, Cost and […]
4 outdated destination marketing ideas that need to die
It’s time to bust some destination marketing myths. As consumer behaviour evolves, older models for promoting a destination are crumbling and it’s important to know why and what you can do about it. Is your destination ready? Here are four destination marketing ideas whose days are numbered: Idea 1: That there is a business case […]
Destinations, technology and storytelling: Google’s “Beyond the Map” gives users an immersive Rio experience
Can you truly explore a destination through the internet? Having mapped the world with Google Earth and dabbled in advanced video and virtual reality (VR) storytelling through a mobile app, Google has brought us one step closer to full immersion with “Beyond the Map”, a virtual, guided tour of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, released just […]
Insights for destinations: Mary Meeker’s 2016 Internet Trends Report
Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends Report is one of the tech industry’s most highly anticipated annual presentations, summarizing the development of the online world and how it will impact marketing. How will this year’s trends affect destination marketers? We sent the 2016 Report (all 213 slides’ worth, or watch the video for a fly by) around […]
How should destinations respond to Airbnb and the sharing economy?
As more people participate in the new sharing economy, companies like Airbnb, Inc., VRBO and Wimdu are disrupting the travel industry by offering travellers direct access to peer-to-peer accommodation rentals. A surging demand from visitors who want to travel like a local is forcing many destinations and places to respond and balance the needs of […]
Visit Victoria’s UK foreign office leads innovation in working with trade partners
As destination marketing organizations (DMOs), their international offices and their trade partners work together to promote their experiences and services, strong collaboration is essential to ensure that all stakeholders’ needs are met. Through digital-first marketing, the London, UK office of Visit Victoria (which changes its name from Tourism Victoria as of July 1, 2016) has […]
Brian Solis guest post – Innovation is a gift worth getting: Competing for the future starts with letting go of the past
As one of the world’s most sought-after digital thinkers, Brian Solis studies disruptive technology and its impact on business and society. Solis was a keynote speaker at Destination Think! Forum 2016 in New York City, where he spoke about how destinations can prepare for the future business landscape. In this guest post, he outlines the urgent need for innovation by […]
Will destinations benefit from virtual reality?
Virtual reality (VR) is among the most important emerging technology platforms that destinations must consider over the next few years. VR is now developing beyond a science-fiction dream into a household consumer product with sales expected to skyrocket to 24 million units by 2018 and half a billion by 2025. This leads to a few […]
Martyn Collins describes barriers to DMO innovation in the UK
Many destination marketing organizations (DMOs) have a real aversion to risk. For some, the need to justify their funding to government stakeholders can cause fear of pursuing newer models and strategies. Meanwhile, leading destination marketers are isolated, finding themselves unable to make the changes that are necessary to address the critical problems faced by today’s […]
How destinations use data to better collaborate with industry and reach consumers
The use of big data has become pervasive across the world’s leading business organizations. Making data-driven decisions is essential to business planning, and our ability to search, share, curate, manage and analyze information is now more nuanced and complex than ever before. With so much valuable consumer data available, destination marketing organizations (DMOs) must become […]
Is Google disrupting destination marketing?
Destinations on Google is a brand new mobile search feature that offers the ability to compare trip prices, dates and locations. Users can explore itineraries and compare travel options to help plan an upcoming vacation by searching for a place name followed by the word “destination” or “vacation.” It’s a shiny new tool, but what does […]