In this
Newsletter Our industry of tourism has a vast and rich heritage--one that offers us special insights for marketing destinations today. |
Long before I became a part of the tourism industry, I daydreamed as a young child about the great adventures of travel (and I'm sure you did, too). It was in church bible study where I first discovered wondrous places and exciting travel stories such as the exodus of Moses and the voyage of Noah's great ark. Then later in elementary school, I learned about the far reaching travels of Marco Polo, Pizarro, Alexander the Great and Christopher Columbus. But frankly, I was just as delighted, and actually daydreamed more, about the fictional adventures of Gulliver, the escapades of Alice down the rabbit hole, Captain Ahab's relentless search for his nemesis, Moby Dick, and most of all, the rousing Greek legend of Odysseus who left home and journeyed non-stop for twenty years. Now that was some travel adventure! (By the way, these kinds of stories still move me; have you read the Game of Thrones, upon which the new HBO Series is based? Now that's a wild ride). By now you are probably asking yourself, what does all this have to do with modern day tourism marketing? I make the connection with these revered travel stories to suggest that they may have first peaked our interest with the allure of adventure, excitement, unique experiences and wonderful memories--and after all, isn't that at the core of what we seek to convey today through our travel destinations ? Not so very long ago, many travelers took trips just to "see and do", but now, consumer research confirms their interests are deeper and more reflective. Certainly, consumer travel should offer personal memories that can last a lifetime, as well as provide meaningful experiences that enrich the journey of our lives. This emerging trend has become known as "experiential" or "enrichment" travel, and it is now frequently found in marketing messages everywhere. Just Google up "experience" in connection with travel and you'll see what I mean. In fact, it is also becoming part of the new official name for CVBs/DMOs such as in "Experience Grand Rapids", "Experience Colorado Springs, the CVB", and "Experience Columbus." How else can you connect and draw on the benefits of the great travel sagas of old and the destinations they featured? I suggest you can certainly do so by emulating the manner in which the stories were creatively told through passionate, persuasive writing that captured and fed the reader's imagination. Does your creative communications copy do that? It certainly should strive to do so. To illustrate this point, here are some good recent examples from the Black Hills of South Dakota: "The Badlands…gave me an indescribable sense of mysterious otherwhere…rising into pyramid and temple…spreading into the sky on every side," A powerful, inspiring description attributed to architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright. Another excellent example is, "An all-American road trip, filled with cowboys and Indians, buffalo and prairie dogs, and dreamers…" Employing powerful Testimonials I'm also a firm believer based on years of consumer focus group interviews, that strong testimonials—particularly from travel writers--can do more for you in one single statement than a whole page of traditional copy. For example, here is one of the briefest, yet most motivational testimonials I've ever read. It describes Natchitoches, Louisiana, which may not be on your radar screen, but is compellingly described as, "the best small town in the USA". The source? Oprah Winfrey; what a truly winning testimonial. So are these—again about the Black Hills: "The Black Hills Region is…Spectacular" .. Miami Herald And my personal favorite: "The Black Hills rises out of the Badlands, inviting exploration of Not everyone can say their destination is truly unique. After all, there is only one Eiffel Tower, one Broadway, and one Grand Canyon. But if there are distinctions you are fortunate to have, you should "own them" by consistently touting them with great authority. Acapulco, for example, has truly one of the best urban beaches in the world according to millions who have visited there, along with the most reliable and pleasant weather found just about anywhere. Convenient location is also a major attribute for tourism marketing communications --again, with an illustration from the Black Hills: "…In the middle of everything special about the Great Plains West…" The Arizona Republic Being honest in tourism marketing communications is also a given.
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