Welcome
 I hope that you will enjoy this e-newsletter, our latest offering of news, articles and intelligence regarding destination management and marketing. But this is not all that we have to offer you...
For nearly five years now, we've been producing Destination World for the global community
of destination professionals. Over that time, we've built up an invaluable archive of
interviews and articles, reviews and commentary. Now, for the first time, this material
has been brought together in a new Destination World website
where you will find easy access to back issues, key articles and special features. Please do
take a look and let me know if you find the site useful and if you have any suggestions for
ways in which we can add to, and improve upon, future issues of Destination World.
Roger Carter
Managing Editor If you have been forwarded this e-newsletter and would like to subscribe, click here. To unsubscribe, or to change your e-mail preferences, or to view our privacy policy, please use the links at the bottom of this page.
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Website Evaluation: Destination websites have become vital tools in our marketing armoury, but are they as effective as they should be? Karin Elgin-Nijhuis offers an overview of ways to evaluate and benchmark your existing site and to avoid expensive mistakes.
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Social Media - Friend or Foe? The days of carefully planning and strictly managing your brand are over. Like it or not, the consumer now controls a large part of where your brand is going. Iris Hillier provides some insight into the social media phenomenon.
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Destinations and Information Technology New drivers for change are bringing back the need for innovation and competitive advantage within a destination's e-business strategy. Roger Carter, TEAM's MD, looks at the new challenges and opportunities facing DMOs.
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Research and Reports - What's New?
 The
PATA Asia Pacific Tourism Forecasts 2009-2011 is now available to buy from the PATA website.
This annual publication is regarded as the definitive reference tool for business planners,
marketers and analysts. It costs USD 750 for PATA members
or USD 1,500 for non-members, and contains authoritative and unrivalled forecasts on visitor
arrivals numbers up to 2011 for 41 Asia Pacific destinations.
* * *
Three new reports from PhoCusWright:
Destination Marketing: Understanding the Role and Impact of Destination Marketers examines
many of the challenges facing DMOs, from funding constraints to navigating social media, and
addresses a range of innovation opportunities and recommended practices for DMOs. The
report can
be bought online at a cost of USD 695.
The packaged travel market in the US is large and complex with more than 700 tour operators
and online travel agencies representing over USD 18.3 billion in gross travel sales in 2008.
A new study, commissioned by the American Society of Travel Agents ( ASTA)
The US Packaged Travel Landscape: 2006-2010 is the first definitive and comprehensive
study of the
tour operator and packaged travel market in the US. It can be bought online at a cost of
USD 699.
PhoCusWright's Consumer Travel Report offers clear and up-to-date insights into the
travelling US consumer, including details of their attitudes to the current state of the
travel industry. The report (published last month) costs USD 1,695 and is available
online.
Any DMO interested in a special rate for a subscription to access to these and other
PhoCusWright publications should contact Gaelle Connolly.
* * *
 Every
year, European Cities Marketing ( ECM)
publishes the European Cities' Visitors Report, containing tourism statistics, graphs and
analyses. This year, in response to the global economic downturn, ECM has also published a
Special Impact Crisis Review which addresses many of the questions about the latest trends in
city tourism development and allows industry professionals to react to the current
developments and develop effective counter-strategies. Both reports can be bought
online for
EURO 400.
* * *
The current economic environment is apparently influencing consumers' interest in certain
types of accommodation, according to the new Yparternship /
Yankelovich 2009 National Leisure Travel Monitor. Compared to last year, preference for
independently operated hotels and resorts is up, while preference for chain-affiliated
properties is declining. The report is available for purchase online
at USD 2,750.
* * *
Two recent reports from the European Travel Commission ( ETC):
The downturn in tourism demand is slowing, according to the ETC's European Tourism 2009 - Trends and Prospects (2nd Quarter) report. At worst, international arrivals are likely to
fall back to 2006 levels and, with a relatively slow recovery forecast, regaining 2008 levels
will take two years, followed by above-trend growth in 2012-13. The report is available
online.
 The
ETC has also announced the publication of its Annual Report 2008: Taking the Long View -
The European Travel Commission Celebrates its 60th Anniversary. Rob Franklin, ETC's Executive
Director, commented: 'At ETC we are working hard to maintain interest in tourism to Europe
from long-haul markets and to position our destinations so that they can take early advantage
of the economic upturn when it comes.'
* * *
Hotel brands have been expanding their presence in Greece over recent years, yet their share
still remains low when compared to other European countries, according to the
2009 Greek Hotel Branding Report. The 54-page report includes detailed lists with the 113 brands that
operate in Greece as well as overall statistics on the Greek hotel industry. For more
information, contact the author directly at d.koutoulas@gmail.com.
* * *
Most official tourism websites are badly in need of a makeover to ensure they can compete
with commercial sites, according to a new report from Xotels.
The report outlines the 20 best practices
for DMO websites.
* * *
New benchmark data shows that hospitality sites are losing up to 50 percent of potential
bookings, as usability hurdles and price sensitivity take a toll on the online customer
experience. These findings have been published in the new iPerceptions
Hospitality Industry Report Q1 2009 which is available for free download from the iPerceptions
website.
Destination Brand Watch
Tourism Queensland's innovative Best Job in the World campaign
for the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef has picked up a prestigious Grand Prix award at the
Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival,
the advertising industry's equivalent to the Oscars.
Tourism Queensland Chairman Don Morris said: 'Tourism Queensland's Best Job in the World
campaign has now won more Grand Prix awards than any other campaign in the 55 year history of
the festival - an amazing achievement.' The campaign has so far generated more than AUD 200
million in global publicity value for Queensland.
* * *
 According
to a recent opinion poll, undertaken in the UK, Denmark and Germany earlier this
year, Iceland's image remains strong despite the economic crisis and Europeans are just as,
if not more, interested in traveling to the country.
The research was carried out by a Copenhagen-based communications company. David Hoskin,
from Eye for Image, told the Icelandic Tourist Board:
'Iceland's image wasn't especially well-known or strong before the crash. The world's
attention is currently directed at Iceland and you have a unique opportunity to promote
yourselves. But you have to be quick because the world's attention shifts quickly.'
* * *
Mexico has launched a new USD 90 million campaign aimed at reversing the negative effects of
the A-H1N1 flu outbreak on its tourism industry. The Mexico Tourism Board
will be involving international celebrities in the campaign which is set to include
advertising across a range of media.
* * *
Tourism Malaysia has won a gold award in the Best
Sustained Success category of the Asian Marketing Effectiveness (AME) Awards 2009. For a
complete list of winners in other categories, visit the
AME website.
* * *
The 100% Pure New Zealand campaign
is now ten years old and is applauded as one of the best examples of nation branding in the
world. 'We're just a little country, with a much smaller budget than others, but we've
regularly been asked to share the secrets of our success with other countries,' commented
Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive, George Hickton.
He says the campaign works because it is a clear concise message and one that is applicable
to both the challenges and opportunities that New Zealand has faced. 'We've had September 11,
SARs, global warming debates - but through all of this the 100% Pure message is still
relevant for New Zealand.'
Dates for Your Diary
Some key events for tourism destination professionals taking place over the next few months:
Tourism Australia, Tourism Queensland and
Gold Coast Tourism are staging the seventh
National Conference on Tourism Futures from
the 17th to 19th August. This year's conference takes a forward perspective on the industry,
looking out over a ten year timeframe and examining opportunities and issues for the future.
The 2009 conference theme is 'Redefining the Future' and will examine the 'over the horizon'
trends and opportunities that are reshaping the future of Australian tourism.
* * *
European Cities Marketing ( ECM) and the
European Travel Commission ( ETC) are organising
a seminar on Tourism Marketing and the Social Web in Vienna, Austria, from
the 3rd to 4th September.
* * *
The China Incentive Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition ( CIBTM)
is a national event dedicated to the meetings, incentives, events and business travel
industry. It takes place in Beijing, China, from the 8th to 10th September.
* * *
Sustainable Tourism Creation and Marketing - Challenges and Opportunities in 2009 is the
title of a masterclass organised by VISION on
Sustainable Tourism. The event will be held in London, UK, on the 11th September.
* * *
The World Route Development Forum 2009
will be held in Beijing, China, from the 13th to 15th September. The event aims to be the
largest ever gathering of international airlines.
* * *
 At
the end of this year, global leaders will decide on a replacement for the Kyoto protocol.
A Symposium:
Tourism and Travel in the Green Economy, organised by the World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO)
and the European Travel Commission ( ETC),
has been convened as part of the Davos Declaration process. During the event, which will be
held in Gothenburg, Sweden, on the 14th and 15th September, UNWTO will outline its position
on climate change and the development of a green global tourism economy and the ETC will
unveil its climate change and sustainable tourism knowledge networking strategy for NTOs.
* * *
EyeforTravel's largest
and most senior conference, the Travel Distribution Summit North America 2009,
is a networking event for travel suppliers and distributors that aims to provide a range of
money-boosting ideas and recession-busting strategies.
* * *
UNTWO's 5th International Conference on Destination Management -
Weathering the Storm of Global Recession: the Challenge for Destination Management - will be
held in China from the 21st to 22nd September. Visit the UNWTO website
for more details.
* * *
The Pacific Asia Travel Association ( PATA)
Travel Mart is one of the largest
travel trade exhibitions in Asia. It will be taking place in China from the 22nd to 25th September.
* * *
World Tourism Day 2009 has a theme of Tourism - Celebrating
Diversity. World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on September 27th and its purpose is to
foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its
social, cultural, political, and economic value. The event seeks to address global challenges
outlined in the UN Millennium Development Goals and to highlight the contributions the
tourism sector can make in reaching these goals.
* * *
The UNWTO General Assembly
will be held from the 2nd to 9th October in Kazakhstan.
* * *
Incentive Travel and Conventions, Meetings Asia and Corporate Travel World Asia-Pacific
attracts around 2,000 delegates from more than 60 countries every year. This year's
event will be held in Thailand from the 6th to 8th
October.
* * *
Prague in the Czech Republic is the venue for the EyeForTravel Sales and Marketing in Travel
Europe 2009 Summit which
will be held on the 13th and 14th October. This event will be packed full of best practice,
ideas and case studies from leading marketers in the travel industry.
* * *
The Adventure Travel World Summit
will be held in Canada from the 19th to 22nd October.
* * *
ITB Asia,
a B2B trade show and convention for the travel industry, aims to become the primary event for
the Asia-Pacific travel industry, much like its parent event, the ITB Berlin.
ITB Asia will be held in Singapore from the 21st to 23rd October.
* * *
The 5th African Diaspora Heritage Trail Conference will be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,
from the 25th to 30th October. The ADHT is an annual forum
to enhance cultural tourism in the African Diaspora. The International Institute for
Peace Through Tourism ( IIPT) is partner of the event.
* * *
The International Ecotourism Society's fourth annual conference will focus on sustainable
tourism in the US and Canada. The ESTC 2009
will bring together over 400 experts, industry leaders and community stakeholders from across
the region and will be held in Oregon, USA, on the 2nd to 4th November.
* * *
METMS, the Middle East Tourism Marketing Summit 2009
will be held in Dubai on the 5th November 2009 and will cover topics such as how to better
market 'green' in the Middle East and marketing luxury in a downturn.
* * *
 Staged
annually in London, UK, the World Travel Market
is four-day B2B event that presents a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to
UK and international travel professionals. This year's dates are the 9th to 12th November.
* * *
A look ahead to next year's ENTER conference which
will be held in Switzerland from the 10th to 12th February. Now in its 17th year, the
conference offers a unique forum for academics, researchers, industry, consultants and
government representatives to explore the future of ICT in tourism.
Interviews
Some recent interviews on TravelMole.tv include:
Beth Hutchison, VisitScotland's
first Planning and Sustainability Manager, is asked about her views on our sustainable future.
* * *
Archaeologist Dougald O'Reilly,
founder of Heritage Watch, talks
about his current work on a site dated 100 AD. Heritage Watch is an organisation dedicated to
protecting Cambodia's cultural heritage and has been nominated for the Tourism for Tomorrow
Destinations Stewardship Award.
* * *
Travel and tourism to the US has been challenged ever since the implementation of stringent
USA entry visa requirement following 9/11, not to mention the recession or that the USA
spends less money to promote its travel and tourism than some small cities around the world.
The US Travel Association's CEO, Roger Dow,
provides an update of the US travel and tourism industry.
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International News
World Tourism:
Latest figures on downturn
According to the June edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer,
international tourism declined by 8 percent between January and April compared to the same
period last year. Destinations worldwide recorded a total of 247 million international tourist
arrivals in those four months, down from 269 million in 2008.
UNWTO has now revised its forecast for 2009, taking into account the results for the first
four months of the year and the current market conditions. Forecasts now indicate that
international tourism will decrease by between -6 percent and -4 percent in 2009, as the pace
of decline is expected to ease during the remainder of 2009.
According to analysts at Euromonitor International,
the latest forecasts for 2010 reveal that worldwide travel and tourism will return to growth,
although this will be much lower than pre-recession figures suggested. Arrivals are now
expected to grow by around 2 percent in 2010, compared with last summer's forecast of nearly
6 percent.
Sustainable Tourism:
Eliminating poverty
UNWTO, the World Tourism Organization, has proposed a series of activities and measures to
raise awareness among tourism stakeholders of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals
( MDGs).
The MDGs are a set of objectives aimed at reducing poverty and fostering sustainable
development by 2015.
UNWTO Acting Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, said: 'Tourism can be an
important contributor to several of these goals, especially on poverty alleviation, gender
equality and environmental sustainability. Many tourism stakeholders from the public and
private sectors have already demonstrated the sector's capacity to create jobs and provide
many other social and economic benefits to the poorest layers of the population, especially
women, while helping to protect delicate ecosystems.'
Sustainable Tourism:
Tourism for Tomorrow awards
Winners of the 2009 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, organised by the World Travel and Tourism
Council ( WTTC), have now been announced. The awards, now in
their fifth year, are aimed at recognising best practice in sustainable tourism within the
global travel and tourism industry.
Winners include Grupo Puntacana, Dominican Republic
(Destination Stewardship Award), NatureAir, Costa Rica
(Conservation Award), Zakoura Foundation,
Morocco (Community Benefit Award), and Marriott International
(Global Tourism Business Award).
Climate Change:
Dublin's carbon neutral centre
The Dublin Convention Centre has announced that it is the
first carbon neutral international convention centre. The building, which is still under
construction, has used low carbon cement throughout the building process and offset all
other unavoidable carbon emissions by investing in carbon credits. Long-term operational
requirements have also been prioritised, including energy usage and waste management.
Destination Marketing:
Industry accreditation news
Nine more DMOs (destination marketing organisations) have achieved accreditation through the
Destination Marketing Accreditation Program ( DMAP).
DMAP is an industry-wide programme developed by DMAI to establish a consistent standard for
destination marketing operations.
Currently there are a total of 93 accredited DMOs worldwide, all of whom have successfully
completed a rigorous application process, showing compliance with 54 mandatory standards and
33 voluntary standards covering a broad range of topics including governance, finance,
technology, brand management, destination development, research / market intelligence and
more.
Asia Tourism:
Convention bureaux unite
Eight convention bureaux, from China, Hong Kong, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand, have united to relaunch the Asian Association of Convention and
Visitors Bureaus (AACVB) with the aim of growing the market share of global business events
to the continent. The eight organisations will work together to establish a shared database
of buyers and will implement a jointly branded marketing campaign to raise the region's
industry presence.
Destination Standards:
For older guests
By 2025, more than one third of the UK's population will be over 55. In response to this,
VisitEngland has launched a new standard -
One Step Ahead
- to help accommodation business meet the needs of older and less mobile guests.
Asia Tourism:
Chooses Charming Asia Tours
Charming Asia Tours, a wholesale travel provider specialising in Asia, has partnered with
several Asian tourism boards to highlight the region's unique opportunities for business and
vacation travel. Partners include the tourism boards for Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau,
Thailand, and Taiwan. Working together, the group aim to create a unique series of travel
packages and tours, backed up by new advertising and promotional campaigns for TV, online
and print.
Canada:
Locals Know campaign
Canada's Locals Know campaign has been called one of
the world's top 10 travel marketing campaigns by Forbes.com.
The aim of the campaign is to market Canada travel by sharing the country's surprises and
secrets. Since the launch in June, fans have uploaded more than 2,000 'secret spots' onto
the interactive website which has attracted 10,000 plus visitors daily.
e-Business News
Internet:
Webby Awards 2009
The official tourism marketing websites for Visit Norway and Pennsylvania have been honoured
with a prestigious Webby Award. The annual awards go to fewer than 15 percent of the 10,000
plus entries received from more than 60 countries.
Pennsylvania's entries - visitPA.com and newPA.com - were recognised for creativity,
functionality and overall excellence. Mickey Rowley, deputy secretary of tourism, film and
economic development marketing, said: 'On visitPA.com, our visitors can learn about great
places to visit, read stories from other travellers, and build their own roadtrips.'
A full list of award winners can be found on
the Webby Awards website.
Networking:
Social forum for travel leaders
PhoCusWright, has launched a new forum to enable
global travel leaders to actively engage and debate the latest industry trends and issues.
Bruce Rosard, vice president of sales and marketing, said: 'PhoCusWright Connect is a live
online community that allows executives and researchers to discuss, debate and define the
future of how consumers search, shop and buy travel.'
PhoCusWright Connect features blog posts
from PhoCusWright analysts and others, video interviews with leading travel industry
executives, photo streams from a variety of conferences, a Twitter feed, Google's Friend
Connect, a wall for community member comments, a section featuring alumni from The Travel
Innovation Summit, and the Disqus commenting tool providing interactivity between users.
Goggle:
City tours launched
City Tours is a new mapping application from
search engine giants, Google, which enables users to
access tour itineraries in specific destinations, allowing customisation depending on length
of visit, etc. According to Google: 'City Tours helps users identify points of interest and
plan multi-day trips to most major cities. Specify the location of your hotel and the length
of your trip and City Tours will map out an itinerary for you.'
Travel Websites:
Popularity goes down
Travel websites have moved down the list of top 100 performing websites in the UK,
according to analysts, Hitwise. The list, which
includes airlines, holidays, hotels and car hire companies, shows that, apart from one,
travel companies all came lower in the list than they did three years ago.
A copy of the full report, which lists the top 100 retail and travel websites in the UK,
is available on the Hitwise website
(registration required).
Conference News
EyeForTravel Conferences
Video, audio and slides from more than fifty presentations are now available for download
from the EyeForTravel website at a cost of GBP 240.
The presentations were delivered at three conferences held in May:
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