Report Overview

Destination marketing is a changing landscape. Technological innovations and emerging trends in content marketing and data analytics are paving the way for numerous exciting opportunities for those working in the destination marketing space. Programmatic advertising is making automation and targeting easier, and a number of key players in the travel tech space have released solutions specifically designed for use by DMOs and convention visitors bureaus (CVBs). Facebook’s dynamic ads are yielding good returns and some DMOs are implementing video (and, in some cases, virtual reality) marketing strategies, refining how they work with influencers and exploring opportunities for partnerships with online travel agencies (OTAs). However, in some instances, DMO funding models are starting to shift from publicly funded operations to public-private partnerships, providing key tourism industry players with more autonomy in the destination promotion landscape than might otherwise be possible under fully governmentally funded and executed programs. Moreover, many local and regional governments, notably in the U.S., have been considering or executing strict budget cuts for destination marketing initiatives, citing perceived concerns about the value of such organizations in generating tourism revenue. Because of this climate, DMOs are faced with a number of challenges, from leveraging data to justify their advertising spend to reimagining what role they play in the overall promotion of their destinations.

What You'll Learn From This Report

  • The current landscape of DMOs and Digital Advertising
  • How DMOs approach spending on Digital Advertising
  • New Types of Advertising, their use and effectiveness
  • Leveraging Data to improve results DMOs
  • Major challenges still facing DMOs

Executives Interviewed

  • Darren Dunn, Vice President of Travel and Tourism at ADARA
  • Wendy Olson-Killion, Global Senior Director, Expedia Media Solutions
  • Greg Newland, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Travel Portland