In the years that we have been involved in destination marketing, three recurring themes have dominated the conversation at conferences and in industry circles. They will most likely be talked about for many years to come.
What’s in a name?
Over the past decade, there has been much discussion about the role of a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) within the community. The local tourism team — regardless of what they are called — should be involved in community building and product development conversations. These decisions greatly impact the visitor experience. Positive visitor experiences are an important first step to future economic activity. In some circles, people have begun wondering if a more accurate name for the associations should be Destination Management Organizations.
I’m not ready to make that leap. The reason undoubtedly stems from my career in marketing. I caution DMOs to never relegate their marketing function to any place other than priority number one. The “if you build it they will come” strategy only works in the movies. Potential visitors need to hear about the destination and need to be inspired to visit. Marketing efforts need to be creative and ongoing. Always.
Be authentic.
This term has been spoken at tourism conferences more than any other, with a close second being, “Hey bartender, pass me another beer.” DMOs are encouraged to use their authentic voice to communicate to the public. We’re told that people are eager to have authentic experiences when they arrive in market.
We agree wholeheartedly with the importance of being authentic. While it’s simple for an individual to be authentic, it’s not always as easy for a destination.
Pulling it off requires two things:
- Strong branding that perfectly identifies and captures what is special about a destination. The research that should go into such branding will guide the tone used to speak for the brand and discover some of the authentic experiences that visitors will love.
- Marketing staff (or agency) that is well trained in how to communicate for the brand and the discipline to stay on message. It’s a natural instinct for someone whose job is to attract as many visitors as possible, to want to appeal to every niche market. Adopting different language and tone for disparate niches like contemporary art and four-wheel trail riders can seem downright phony. It’s a fine line to navigate. It’s beyond comprehension that a destination striving to be authentic would use AI generated slop. It can be as harmful to the brand as trying to pass off stunning stock photos that were taken in a different state.
Sustainability
In this context, sustainability is not about energy-efficient, carbon-neutral hotels and attractions. It’s about preserving the quality of a visitor experience. Bar Harbor, Maine is a beautiful and charming seaside community. It becomes a living hell when a cruise ship docks and unleashes a couple of thousands tourists onto the sidewalks and into the cafes. It’s a temporary hell for Bar Harbor because the ship will depart in a few hours. It’s an existential problem for destination where tourists trodding over beaches or trails are causing erosion or killing flora and fauna.
While sustainability has reached critical mass in places like Venice and Barcelona, we think it will be an important topic in our corner of the southeast very soon.
