Online marketing for destinations- Examples and advices

online marketing strategy & use of

social media & technology by destinations

How destinations can utilize online marketing tools  for increasing their competitiveness

& offer value to their customers?

Themis Papadimopoulos, MBAAnkara 28/6/2012

My goal today..

CHANGE THE WAY YOU APPROACH ONLINE TRAVEL TILL TODAY

Our goal?Competitiveness- sustainability for

destinations

Greece EDEN 2007-2008

The destination website reality I

Greece EDEN 2009-2011

The destination website reality II

Turkey

EDEN 2009

The destination website reality III

Turkey

EDEN 2010

The destination website reality IV

EDEN DESTINATION WEBSITESbrief comparative index

Greece Turkey • Just a info website• No relative

information • No goals • No customer • No social media

presence

• Just a tourism info website

• Some relative information

• No goals• Hmm.. customer • A basic social media

presence

PLANNING• No travel

philosophy.. • No defined

goals• No coherent

quality – necessary content

• No interconnectivity

• Where is the customer?

IMPLEMENTATION

• No completed goals

• No real time information

• No updates• No participation-

user engagement

=Not so good for travel sites

What are the common destination websites mistakes?

Marketing = value for (our) customer

A definition of destination marketing is how can we give more value to our (potential) guest as a destination & make him DECIDE to come

So online destination marketing is how can we give more value to our (potential) guest as a destination ONLINE & make him DECIDE to come (?)

(& if is planned & long term= sustainable(?)

But today no1. information source is online, so?

Is online mkt= offline mkt??? NO So let’s define them!!!

The travel environment offline online

A direct approach to travel

The Tourism phenomenon

Destination(?)

Home

what a destination is

All tourists get

somewhere to do

something(Medlik &

Middleton 1973)

Place

Destinations are amalgams of

tourist products, offering

experience to the customers

(Murphy et al.2000, p. 44).

Experience

Theories that have

recognized travelers

(customers) as stakeholders are very few (except Buhalis

2000 και Kotler et al.1993).

Travelers

Planned ACTIONS

that attract travelers by

creating experiences

(?)

DESTINATION

MARKETING

=

Destination attraction elements

activities

attractions

accommodation

YOU

Whatever destination decides…

Eg. destination BİTLİS NEMRUT CRATER LAKE

activities

attractions

accommodation

YOU

Whatever destination decides…

BİTLİS NEMRUT CRATER LAKE Destination marketing

activities

attractions

accommodation

Whatever destination decides…

Marketing??? Where is our happy customer?

BİTLİS NEMRUT CRATER LAKE Destination marketing

activities

attractions

accommodation

Whatever destination decides…X

BİTLİS NEMRUT CRATER LAKE Destination marketing

customer

Destination marketing no1 goal is customer satisfaction

Strategic planning

ImplementationEvaluation

Marketing research = who is the

customer

activities

attractions

accommodation

Whatever destination decides…

Offline ACTIONS

that attract (before) and satisfy (after) the travelers

So… Offline DESTINATION MARKETING

Offline ACTIONS

that attract (before) & satisfy (after) the

travelers& WANT TO visit AGAIN = REPEAT

VISIT = THE MO$T tangible GOAL!!!

OK with OFFLINE DEST. MKT- plus…

• It is obvious that there is not such thing as “destination expert”

• there are processes that a destination can follow, its up to the stakeholders.

• What is absolutely obvious is that the first step

should do research about the customer

* Can you please explain branding, please?is there any relation between

destination branding & destination marketing? What is the difference?

Branding is for products

Marketing is for businesses

BUT

Offline mkt conclusions • Every destination has its own id, characteristics,

procedure can not be same.. • We have to decide that we want to do it right • We need a plan and targets. • And follow it- execute it correct. • The first thing we need is…

KNOWLEDGE < RESEARCH (knowledge in strategy is always the sustainable competitive advantage,

right?)

LETS GO TO ONLINE destination marketing…• How do we know that travel websites complete their

targets? Which are our targets?

ONLINE DESTINATION MARKETING

is a bit more complicated…we have more & new parameters

here!

The questions are many

Formulas are more…

Information is much more!!

Online Life cycles are enormous

Travelers are more than ever!!!

USER share Online awards!!

What does this mean?

• What has changed?• Simply that the power NOW is the

hands of the customer- user and NOT traditional destination stakeholders

It is USER GENERATED

AND WHAT ALL THESE HAVE IN COMMON???

THE USER!! Who now is a prod-uSer!

So what the destination should do for that?

ONLINEACTIONS

that attract USERS/

POTENTIAL travelers

ONLINE DESTINATION MARKETING

Why is this change?

Technology is everywhere!!

Mobile devices that affect two things!

Technology & information revolution

1. Time has changed everything INSTANT2. Information is mobile and everywhere3. Systems integration BOOKINGS, SEARCH

4. Transactions also mobile I WANT IT NOW5. Social media is like a telephone line today..6. Social media is not technology… its

distribution= more than necessary!!!

= personalization of services & constant enviroment CHANGE

So today the travelers are our new stakeholders !!

A sustainable and competitive destination?

Sustainability = long term planning Competitiveness = technology adoption

(not only in communication)

KNOW the network!!!

KNOW the user/ customerKNOWING THE PRESENT IS LIKE KNOWING THE

FUTURE

ENOUGH with theory

Any SOCIAL practical advice, Mr.?

Social… Philosophy

First define the online GOAL!!!! 1. Social media is social, you have to offer

through them2. Be real & as instant as you can be3. Assist users as you would like some help 4. You need TIME- 2-3 months to see results 5. Be adoptive with planning, everything

changes and needs update online

Content… is the King!First define the online GOAL!!!!

1. Create unique photos, videos and adopt a timeline to upload

2. Relate your content with destination USP’s3. Relate your content with your dates / events 4. Make offers, ask for feedback, not customers5. Interact with the users as much as you can!

Social Prerequisites

1. Define the …

2. Be patient with results3. It’s a learning experience, just like bicycle4. Investing money doesn’t mean that you

bring money, you have to learn WHERE to invest it

5. You have to know that you need a PLAN first and follow up with the implementation

6. It doesn’t need a lot, you need to be fully focused on the CUSTOMER = marketing!

Your… social outcome

1. Define first your preferred outcome* 2. Its like having a new telephone line 3. You have to play and learn with YOUR

product, try and fail, there is no other way (The more you play, the more you learn!)

*Update your goals as you learn

Lets see some goals and online efforts!!

Everybody wants a free FB pic!!!

Even Richard Quest does!!

March – May 2012

Everybody is on FBFB is fair

Users give you power

Pages have more

NOW

Time & tran$action

nice… clear what is missing NOW…?

Parameters that need further research

• Online traveler behavior (travel patterns, satisfaction etc)

• The relation of online tourism supply and demand

• Destinations as networks (behavioral) • Infomediaries and their role to the experience

Online MKT research is still back…

And finally…

ISTANBUL ONLINE POPULATION

ISTANBUL BRAND ANALYSIS

Tourists come to Istanbul to visit heritage sites but they cannot go everywhere because there is lack of information.

They need contact with the locals that they cannot communicate with them, because of language barriers.

They also feel as walking wallets. The most important factor that affects

brand equity is the the history of the city, BUT its NOT a success factor regarding the branding efforts.

Plus, the low brand loyalty is not very good- they don’t find what they have been looking for, so they don’t see any reason for revisiting…

(Stella Kladou PhD Research)

Hope I did it!!

Tesekkur ederim!!!

for your invitation and your attention!

& YOUR TIME!!!!