All you have is stories.
Your destination marketing organization (DMO) benefits from the stories your guests tell about their experiences in your region. That’s part of what makes tech savvy travel writers and content creators of all sorts (think video, audio, photos too!) such an important part of your marketing effort.
- The good news: Travelers are beginning to tell stories. 1/3 of travelers have reported publishing feedback on the places they have visited at least once. The bad news: DMO’s and travel regions cannot control these stories.
- Stories are influential: 19% of travelers visit blogs prior to their visit, 27% check out reviews on TripAdvisor.com.
- Multimedia Matters: An incredible 42% of Travelers head over to Youtube to check out video on their chosen travel region.
- Spreading the Word: 33% of travelers use Facebook to learn more about travel options.
Travel Bloggers
Travel writers are well known advocates for the Travel Industry. Tech Savvy Travel writers (travel bloggers) tell interesting, compelling stories using a variety of online media. Travel Bloggers can strongly influence how people feel about visiting your region. Savvy DMO’s are now recruiting bloggers and giving them engaging travel experiences that the Destination Marketing Organization believes cast a positive light on their region.
Travel Bloggers are more than just a writers
Tech literate travel writers not only write stories about your region, they also:
* tell stories before, during and after their experience.
* are masters of multimedia: photograph, record audio and video.
* distribute stories across multiple Web sites and blogs.
* have followers across a variety of social media: blogs, facebook, twitter!
It’s all about getting your STORIES seen.
Last week I met with Lucy Izon, an award-winning travel writer at the Ontario Tourism Summit and we stopped for a quick chat on the value of tech savvy travel writers to grow visibility for your travel region.
Lucy is also a big fan of Twitter (@canadacool) with almost 30 000 followers! Talk about the ability to influence an audience.
Recruit a Blogger as a permanent Travel Writer for your Destination Marketing Organizaton
Bloggers are the new Travel Writers. Bloggers are multimedia specialists and are an important and underutilized asset that can quickly get your region the attention it deserves. Consider putting a blogger on the payroll of your Destination Marketing organization and set them loose in your community.
Regional Travel Blogs
Other Travel Blogging Posts
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Great post Todd. CVBs and destinations already have a wealth of ‘bloggers’ right at their fingertips – their own staff. From my own experience, nearly everyone who works for a bureau, hotel, or a destination has a plethora of stories (and enthusiasm) about their particular location. And who better to tell the tale than those who experience it daily? Granted not everyone is a gifted writer, but the content well is wide and deep.