| The DMO World Destination Branding Master Class |
Mountains don't smile back
In the March edition of DMO World, TEAM tourism and branding specialist, George Whitfield, identified some of the obstacles faced by places and destinations as they attempt to deliver their brand promise as effectively as possible.
In this, the third DMO World Destination Branding Master Class, George examines some of the practical issues involved with brand development and delivery.
More... |
| Key Articles |
Performance Reporting:
New standards established by IACVB
 Every tourism professional recognises the importance of performance measurement and reporting; many are under increasing pressure to identify indicators that will help demonstrate success in this particularly competitive industry. But what techniques should be applied? What indicators can stakeholders use to safely determine progress or to identify areas of weakness?
A new set of performance measures has been developed by the International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (IACVB), bringing together for the first time measurements in travel trade sales activity and productivity, as well as in marketing and communication.
 The new IACVB handbook provides a comprehensive guide to help CVBs evaluate, calculate and report on their performance. It includes convention sales metrics, CVB Return on Investment (ROI) formulas and a set of standard industry definitions.
The handbook is the result of two years work by the IACVB's performance measurement team and the collaborative efforts of industry leaders and IACVB members. The 39 page document can be downloaded from the IACVB website free of charge.
IACVB is the world's largest association of convention and visitor bureaux (CVBs) with more than 1,200 members in 550 destination management organisations in over 30 countries.
World Tourism:
Strong growth predicted in 2005
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) released its 2005 travel and tourism forecasts earlier this month, predicting a steady and encouraging growth over the coming year.
The annual forecasts, which follow the United Nations standard for economic assessment of the travel and tourism industry, called Tourism Satellite Accounting, are now in their 14th year and provide invaluable predictions for nearly 200 countries. The 2005 forecasts also carry an assessment of the impact of December's tsunami on the tourism industry.
Globally, the WTTC predicts that the industry recovery experienced last year will continue at a steady pace throughout 2005 and that visitor exports will reach nearly $820 billion by the end of the year. This equates to real growth of 7.3%.
The WTTC report predicts particularly robust growth for Middle Eastern countries, with visitor exports expected to rise to nearly $53 billion or real growth of 8.5%.
WTTC President, Jean-Claude Baumgarten, commented: 'A growing number of economies in the Middle East have recognised the enormous current and potential impact travel and tourism makes on economies and job creation and have made this a strategic national priority.'
PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association, echoes this optimistic viewpoint with predictions that overall growth in international visitor arrivals across the 40 countries of the Asia Pacific region will reach 10.6% by 2007.
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| Research and Reports - What's New |
| We've highlighted below some of the very latest published research and reports... to help make life a little easier.
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 A new resource for tourism professionals has been launched by VisitBritain. Insights Online is a revised and relaunched version of the tourism marketing intelligence publication produced since 1989 and combines analysis and interpretation of trends and opportunities with expert advice and development news. Copies of all Insights reports published since July 2000 are available for purchase from the Insights website.
VisitBritain has also been active in helping tourism businesses market their products and services around the world. The new Guide to Marketing Opportunities is an invaluable resource and is available free of charge from VisitBritain.
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Tourism research specialists, IPK International, have published the latest World Travel Market Data and Trends, taken from the preliminary results of their 2004 World Travel Monitor. The research is based on more than half a million interviews, international travel market volume and online turnover, plus performance on European destinations.
The 7 page report of these preliminary findings can be downloaded free of charge from the IPK International website.
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The results of a new study into the German incentive travel market have just been released. The study, undertaken by the Travel Marketing Factory (TMF) in association with IMEX, reveals the latest trends in the German outbound conference and incentive market along with details of the most effective sales and marketing methods used within this market.
Data for the survey was gathered using focus and VIP groups, with further contributions from tourist and convention bureaus. More than a third of the participants expect the number of European events to increase, suggesting that more than 40% of total turnover will be invested within Europe. Copies of the report are available from TMF.
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The second edition of Research Highlights, the newsletter from the European Travel Commission's research group has just been published and is available free of charge in PDF format from the ETC website. The newsletter provides features, news and details of the ETC's current research projects which, this year, include:
- The Handbook on Tourism Forecasting: A joint ETC / WTO project analysing best practice in forecasting and providing practical guidelines for NTOs.
- China Outbound Market Update: An analysis of Chinese consumer behaviour, target groups, opportunities and limitations.
- European Tourism Insights 2005: The second edition of this report monitoring trends and developments in Europe's travel and tourism industry.
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The 54th annual conference of PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association, took place last month and focussed on the massive tourism potential of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region. PRD encompasses Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and China's Guangdong Province and is claimed to be both China's fastest growing region and a major manufacturing force.
 The conference provided delegates with a broad overview of the new products, policies and promotions taking place in this dynamic region and a summary of statistics, analysis and comment is now available in the April edition of Issues & Trends. Members of PATA receive I&T as part of their subscription. Non-members can subscribe at an annual cost of $250.
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Information sources and booking methods used by both domestic and international visitors to Australia are profiled in a new fact sheet by Tourism Queensland. The findings are based on the country's International Visitor Survey which was conducted by A C Nielsen Research on behalf of Tourism Research Australia (TRA). The research also details the internet and e-mail usage of visitors.
The fact sheet is available on the Tourism Queensland corporate website as a downloadable PDF document.
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The latest news of tsunami tourism recovery efforts is highlighted in WTO News, the quarterly newsletter from the World Tourism Organization. The latest edition focusses on the WTO's tsunami action plan and provides market intelligence to support the prediction that the Indian Ocean region will experience rapid tourism recovery.
 The WTO is a United Nations specialised agency and a leading international tourism organisation. WTO News is published in English, French and Spanish and is available for free download from the WTO website. The newsletter also includes regular interviews with key industry figures, special features on issues such as sustainable tourism and ethics, selected country profiles and a list of related events.
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The final quarter of 2004 saw an all-time high in the number of purchases made per e-mail delivered and near-record click-to-purchase conversion rates, according to a new report published by online marketing specialists, DoubleClick.
The free four page report also highlights a decline in e-mail open rates as a result of the growing use of new technology such as image blocking which affects how opens are recorded. Click-through rates, however, have remained stable.* * *
Students and young people are London's fastest growing travel sector, accounting for 20% of all international travellers, according to a new MORI report just released. The research, commissioned by VisitLondon, indicates that younger travellers enjoy similar attractions to their older counterparts, spending time visiting the capital's museums, galleries and heritage sites. More information is available from VisitLondon.
 A comprehensive guide to London's visitor statistics is available from VisitLondon's corporate site, with copies of the 2004/05 edition of London Visitor Statistics available for purchase online.
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| Destination Brand Watch |
The DMO World destination branding master classes have highlighted some of the main points to consider when developing a new brand. In this issue, we take a look at three examples where new brands have been developed or are under consideration.
If you have been a part of a recent destination branding review process and would like to share your experiences with the readers of DMO World, then please get in touch.
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The French are known for cuisine, the Swiss are famous for precision, Italians for fine clothing. Is Canada always to be known for its moose and Mounties? That was just one of the questions that prompted seven months of extensive research, including a survey of 450 Canadian travel professionals, 40 workshops and 18 consumer focus groups in 23 cities across six countries, and has resulted in the unveiling of the new Brand Canada.
Michele McKenzie, President and CEO of Canadian Tourism Commission, explained the rationale behind the review: 'To realize our potential, we had to find a way to define Canada's vast and diverse country, with one simple yet compelling brand promise - one that had universal appeal to translate across the world's many languages and cultures.
'Instead of the common destination branding approach, Brand Canada and its tag line Canada. Keep Exploring are meant to evoke emotion, to inspire travellers to create their own adventures,' she added. More information is available on the CTC website.
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Representatives of key travel and tourism organisations are supporting the call for Middle East countries to unite in a co-ordinated marketing drive and to work towards the development of an integrated Brand Arabia.
The proposal was made at a recent conference in Dubai and debated by delegates. One of the conference speakers, James Hogan, Gulf Air president and CEO, backed the idea and stressed the importance of a unified destination brand message along with early action. Hogan said: 'We should move now with the embrace of an umbrella marketing campaign: We can't wait until everyone else catches up.'
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 A new country brand, echoing Mexico's diversity, richness, warmth and happiness, was unveiled recently at Tourism Tianguis, Latin America's largest tourism trade fair. The brand was developed following extensive research, competitive audits and consultation with consumers and industry professionals.
Francisco Ortiz, CEO of the Mexico Tourism Board commented: 'Now Mexico has a brand identity that truly communicates our country's positioning as unique, diverse and welcoming'. He added: 'We should all be clear that a brand is much more than a logo; above all it is an essence, a spirit imbuing everything that carries it.'
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What do you think of the new brand identities for Canada and Mexico? We'd love to hear your views so please get in touch. |
| Dates for Your Diary |
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Here are some of the key dates for travel and tourism professionals taking place over the coming months:
*** Next week's WTO Forum focusses on 'New Paradigms for City Tourism Management' and takes place in Istanbul, Turkey, from the 1st to the 3rd June. More...
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The European Cities Tourism annual conference is scheduled for the 15th - 18th June in Bilbao, Spain. The event will focus on catalysts in tourism development. More... * * *
Don't miss World Tourism Day on the 27th September. Visit the WTO website for details of events and activities.
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An October highlight is the Conference on the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) which will be focussing on understanding tourism and designing strategies. The conference will be held between the 3rd and the 6th at Iguazu Falls (Argentina / Brazil / Paraguay). More...
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This year's American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) World Travel Congress will be held in Montreal, Canada, between the 6th - 11th November. More...
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The 2005 World Travel Market is scheduled for the 14th - 17th November at ExCel, London. More... |
| Sponsorship Alert |
The European Travel Commission (ETC) is looking for companies to sponsor its e-Business Academy from 28th to 30th September in Cyprus. The academy is an annual event run by ETC for new media technology and marketing staff from its member national tourism organisations: three days of discussion on issues affecting the running of NTOs' e-marketing and e-business activities. This year will focus particularly on the forthcoming new European tourism portal.
The e-Business Academy is an excellent opportunity for companies to meet and network with a select, high-quality audience in informal surroundings. If you are interested in finding out more and would like to be sent details of the sponsorship packages when they are published, please contact the event's co-ordinator, Nick Markson. |
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| In This Edition...
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RESEARCH AND REPORTS
DESTINATION BRAND WATCH
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
UK prepares to join WTO
CTC moves out west
Next steps for Brand Australia
London and Paris unite
Dubai's ambitious targets
Iran forms link with Spain
Tourism Enriches in Oman
Caribbean investment fund
Travel portal changes hands
Senior surfer numbers grow
iPlods roam the streets
Google search goes mobile
Toronto's new digital tool
Growth in dynamic packaging
Australia targets backpackers
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| International News |
World Tourism:
UK prepares to join WTO
The UK's decision to join the World Tourism Organization was announced at the first UK National Tourism Conference by tourism minister Richard Caborn, who commented: 'The Asian tsunami demonstrated the value of international co-operation in re-building vital tourism infrastructures. Membership will give us a real opportunity to be at the heart of international tourism development.'
Currently, the WTO comprises 145 member states and seven territories, with more than 300 affiliate members representing the private sector, destinations and education providers.
Canada:
CTC moves west
Canada's national research and marketing body, the Canadian Tourism Commission, has relocated its headquarters to Vancouver in a move that is expected to strengthen CTC's presence in Western Canada and further develop the its work in growing tourism revenues.
Australia:
Targets domestic market
Tourism Australia has taken its Brand Australia marketing drive to the next stage with a new $8 million dollar campaign aimed at encouraging residents to holiday locally.
Top of the hit list for the new campaign are the one million Australians who collectively spent more than $12 million on travel in 2004. Scott Morrison, managing director of Tourism Australia, said: 'We know these people have a preference for overseas travel but are open to the idea of holidaying in Australia and the campaign aims to convert this interest into domestic bookings.'
A PDF fact sheet on the campaign is available from the Tourism Australia website.
Europe:
London and Paris unite
A unique scheme to promote London and Paris to long-haul businesses as a joint destination has been launched by VisitLondon and the Paris Convention Bureau. The aim is to encourage international corporate meetings and events planners to 'rediscover Europe' by demonstrating the ease of travel between the cities.
Delphine Benbassa, PCB director said: 'We feel that the time is right to make organisers aware that you can combine two world famous capitals in one event. We welcome this more creative European approach.'
Dubai:
Focus on tourism growth
Travel professionals will have a chance to find out more about Dubai at a series of roadshows scheduled for this summer. Specialist suppliers, including accommodation providers and ground handlers, will attend the roadshows which will be hosted by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
DTCM is aiming to achieve 15 million international visitors by 2010 and is particularly targeting the UK market which grew 30% in 2004 from the previous year.
Middle East:
Iran forms link with Spain
A new agreement between Iran and Spain, aimed at stimulating tourism development between the two countries, was signed earlier this month. On a practical level, the new relationship will include an exchange of information and data, fam trips and media introductions, training programmes and private sector links.
Oman:
Tourism Enriches campaign
Oman has become the latest nation to adopt the WTO's 'Tourism Enriches' campaign in an effort to highlight the many positive social, cultural and economic benefits of tourism to the country. The campaign aims to stimulate communication between both government and the private sector and to enhance cooperation between the tourism industry and the international community.
Caribbean:
Tourism investment fund
Proposals for the creation of a new regional tourism investment fund were widely supported by industry representatives earlier this month. An initial report, presented at the annual Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference in Barbados, outlined plans for the development and management of a fund that would help support tourism related businesses, attract investment to the region and boost the local economy. |
| E-Business News |
Internet:
Portal changes hands
The International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (IACVB) has sold OfficialTravelGuide.com, its online portal, to the interactive travel agency, usdm.net.
usdm.net has confirmed that the site, which links to more than 1,250 destinations, will remain as IACVB's exclusive travel portal and that its DMO members will continue to be fully represented. As part of the ownership changeover, DMOs will now have access to usdm.net's database of more than 120 million travellers.
Internet:
Increase in senior surfers
The number of older people using the internet has grown by more than a fifth in the last five years, according to a new study into the impact of the internet on people's communication patterns and research methods.
Researchers at the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that these new surfers are as likely as younger users to go online on a typical day and are quick to adapt to using e-mail, search engines and e-commerce.
MP3 Technology:
Walk the streets with iPlod
A creative new way to encourage London tourists to get the most out of their visit has been launched by the travel agency, Way to Go. The company has provided many of the capital's leading hotels with MP3 players, containing audio guides to five of the city's most popular walks.
The MP3 players weigh less than 50gms and provide step-by-step directions and information on points of interest along the way. The commentaries are recorded in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Japanese. More...
Mobile Technology:
Local search tool launched
Internet giant, Google, has launched a new version of its local search facility aimed at users of mobile devices.
The new service, which went live last month, is similar to the local search service available via personal computer but is accessed via phones with browsers that support XHTML. Listings and directions can be accessed via the browser or via SMS (short messaging service).
Canada:
Digital destination planner
A new digital destination planner has been launched by Tourism Toronto to meet the growing needs and expectations of the travel and meetings industry.
Digital Toronto is a portable, searchable tool that provides tour operators and travel planners with access to up-to-date event listings, member directories, fact sheets and information on specialist service suppliers. Developed in partnership with software developers, MultiView, Digital Toronto is now available via CD-Rom from the Tourism Toronto website.
Dynamic Packaging:
Dramatic growth predicted
Dynamic packaging, the system of allowing users to create their own travel packages, is expected to account for more than a third of the UK online travel market in the next two years.
A recent report by online booking specialists, Multicom, reveals that dynamic packaging sales of around £162 million in 2004 are expected to rise to £2.4 billion in 2007.
Australia:
Backpacker campaign
An innovative website has been launched by Tourism Australia in an attempt to increase share of the youth and backpacker market. The website, featuring young role models Matt and Lucy, provides tips on planning a trip and finding work as well as the option to apply for a working holiday visa online. An aggressive six week ad campaign is being used to drive traffic to the site.
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