September 15, 2016
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but it’s often not enough to cut through the clutter and engage with new customers. A recent study shows people generally lose concentration after eight seconds, a shorter attention span than a goldfish. With that in mind, getting consumers to not only consider, but also book a trip is no small feat for destination marketing organizations (DMOs). DMOs however have a unique opportunity to reach travelers during their inspiration phase, using more than just a photo.
Enter the age of digital concierge marketing.
Our digital concierge campaign is a one-stop-shop, leveraging gamification and content marketing, to give users a chance to explore all that a destination has to offer, tailored to their personal preferences. It cuts down on the time and effort needed to plan a vacation for the consumer, acting as a personalized, digital concierge service, and it utilizes existing content from the DMO to cut down on expensive and timely execution. A recent report from Tnooz said DMOs have to better leverage their existing content, noting that “‘curating’ the content into what can be marketed as ‘experiences’ worth having, is a skill and an art.”
Let’s take a look at three campaigns we developed with marketing partners that successfully married this art form.
Morocco National Tourist Office
The Office National Marocain du Tourisme (ONMT), the destination organization of Morocco, was ready to implement a creative campaign to promote their new ‘Much Morocco’ brand and encourage visitation to the region.
We recently launched an interactive, content-rich microsite on Morocco, which is currently running, prompting users to answer a series of questions about the travel experience they are seeking, to reveal which cities they should visit, sites they should see and activities they should book. After reviewing their results, potential travelers can book a customized itinerary featuring the elements of their hand-picked holiday.
Destination British Columbia (BC)
We created a ‘Concierge Service’ microsite for Destination BC to increase bookings and generate awareness for the wide array of activities the diverse destination has to offer. For the outdoor adventure type, the site featured imagery of the stunning mountainous terrain, water views and natural beauty that makes BC unique. For other types of travelers, the Concierge Service offered a streamlined way to discover other options through a quiz – from romantic getaways to foodie-focused experiences, to rainforest and wildlife adventures. The personalized online experience made the planning and booking process inspirational and convenient.
The end result of the nine-month campaign: demand to BC increased more than ten percent year-over-year. In their report, Tnooz said the Destination BC campaign is a great example of “how a DMO can generate more business as a Content Curator,” and also “reflects the powerful benefit of partnerships. The DMO didn’t need to make any technology bets and could stay focused on its core value proposition—Curated Content. Their partner provided the technology and the sales channels.”
Jordan Tourism Board
Rich with both history and culture, The Jordan Tourism Board also recognized the need to educate and inspire travelers to book a trip through an easy-to-use online experience. Looking to increase awareness for points of interest beyond the famous city of Petra and build positive perceptions about the country, Jordan launched a campaign featuring a microsite filled with content highlighting the country’s selling points. Showcasing historical and spiritual landmarks, family-friendly activities, and unique natural wonders, the microsite appealed to a broad spectrum of consumers and positioned the country as the complete tourist destination.
The campaign resulted in 35 and over 40 percent increases year-over-year during the four-month campaign in air passenger and room night demand, respectively, from the targeted regions which included Germany, France and the U.K.
Do you want to see how other marketers approached their advertising challenges? Check out other success stories {{cta(‘1e82c166-8a34-44b8-b6dd-67bc5a1df3e9’)}}
