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DMO Dollars to Fund Travel 2.0

September 12th, 2006 · No Comments · Destination Marketing

The big non-news here is the terminal condition of the analog advertising paradigm. What I find most telling is the suggestion that “consumer-generated” content will be the magnet that draws these dollars in.

The Travel Industry Association of America reports consumer response is less likely to be triggered by “paid media channels as opposed to ‘interactive marketing’ communications such as organic search engine results, e-mail recommendations by friends or colleagues, links, and opt-in e-mail newsletters.” Forrester points out the influence online consumer-generated reviews have in helping consumers find accommodations, attractions, and places to visit.

Clearly, the fastest route to joining the 2.0 movement is to buy your way into the new centers-of-gravity, but for the long-term implementing your own Web 2.0 strategy is the cheapest and most effective.

Hearing the call of social media, DMOs and CVBs seem to be contemplating building their own communities. Latching onto social media buzzwords like “blogging,” “RSS,” “podcasting,” “wikis,” “online video,” “viral marketing,” and “interactive gaming,” DMOs now seem more inclined to spend their marketing dollars on these kinds of tactics.

I know this can be done without spending big dollars, but if these organizations want to spend money, someone should take it. Thus the rise of Social Media Optimizers. Better yet, it’s time someone specialized in creating a comprehensive DMO Web 2.0 marketing program. Any DMO’s out there with big bucks burning a hole in their budget should contact me ASAP.
Destination Marketers Shift Their Digital Spend (via Hotel Marketing)

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