LATTE recently attended the MyTravelResearch.com Tourism Marketing Rockstar Convention, held at the Royal Automotive Club on Macquarie Street in the Sydney CBD on Wednesday 17 August 2016.
The convention took an ‘unconventional’ approach to tourism marketing, homing in on the ‘rockstar’ component with the speakers and a couple of those in attendance dressing up as their favourite rockstars.
LATTE and destination marketing professionals listened to Adam Ant (aka Carolyn Childs) and Amy Winehouse (aka Bronwyn White), co-founders of MyTravelResearch.com, cover back-to-basics marketing tools and techniques.
Childs and White told the audience that modern destination marketers have to “be there, be useful and be quick”. Modern DMOs have to excel in social media, video, content marketing, maximising Google platforms and mobile. In an age of digital metrics, there is no room for ‘hope’ marketing, they said.
All marketing should seek to enhance the travel brand’s reputation, trust and authority. Without these, your marketing will come to naught. White told the audience: “By remaining consistent in your communications, you will strengthen your position and give clarity to the brand as well as a strong competitive position. You will be more resilient in the face of changing circumstances as new competitors enter the market.”
The two speakers emphasised the rise of micro-moments when tourists on their mobile devices make travel decisions, often based on the search term “near me”. The power of mobile is increasing its hold. Research shows that consumers are already checking their phones 150 times a day; 68 per cent check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up; 87 per cent of millennials have their phones by their side, day and night.
Successful marketers also need to turn their customers into “personas” based on factors such as their location, family profile, needs and interests, and solve their unique travel requirements.
The two rock divas said the top 10 trends that modern tourism has to deal with are: mobile, new SEO (semantic search), content marketing, intent marketing, local marketing, accessibility, seniors, multi-generational travel, solo travel and diversity.
In a session called “Rock the SWOT”, each attendee was encouraged to turn the numerous insights into action by completing SWOT analyses unique to their destination or business.
“Our rock star convention was our Tourism Marketing Plan Blueprint performed live,” said Childs after the event. “For DMOs and tourism businesses who missed it but want to be top of the hit parade, they can still get their own copy and use it as a ‘done for you’ practical tool kit.”
She added: “It’s time for DMOs to think of themselves as publishers of compelling content. It takes effort and time. We’ll show you how.”
