Award Vacation Management Program
Promoting and Selling Your Destination
When attempting to convince others to visit your destination, ask yourself... What makes your destination special or unique? Would you honestly spend a day traveling to visit your locale? If yes, then emphasize what makes your destination so different. If no, then ask what you need to do to make your destination worth a day's travel.
Know what your community does offer and what it does not. A major marketing mistake in tourism is trying to be too many things to too many segments of the tourism population. No location or activity is meant for everyone.
In a world in which everyone is copying everyone else, remember that the reason people come to a destination is not what you offer that is similar, but what you offer that is distinct. Make sure that you offer local products and experiences. Be unique and provide fun.
Make each day count. People have less time to travel; so have easy to use travel packages ready to go! Because people have less time and more stress, the travel experience has to be developed in such a way that personal flexibility is maintained while time is not lost.
Too many tourism sites believe that if you build it they will come. Plan around realism rather than pure hope. For example, a golf course may be a wonderful extra for the local community, but unless it is a very unique and world-class golf course, few people will travel hundreds of miles simply to play golf. In a like manner, what do you offer that will pull people in from long distances.
Don’t go it alone. Concentrate on your tourism rather than the competitions. Try to appeal to an audience that matches your product. Bring in experts; get help!
