The increasing use of the internet has significantly changed the tourism industry’s approach to promotion and advertising through the use of online technology such as websites, e-marketing, social networking sites, online bookings, user-generated content (such as TripAdvisor) and new forms of direct marketing.
There are generally two points when you can influence travel decisions – a) before customers arrive at a destination; and b) once they have arrived.
To get in front of your potential customers at the right time, you need to know a lot about them. You also need to understand the various channels that are available for you to reach them. Then, you need to make sure that you’re providing the information they need to make an informed choice – and in a way that stands out from the crowd.
Just sticking an ad in a magazine doesn’t cut in anymore – you absolutely have to embrace the rapid movement to online communication and transactions.
Research into the best development of promotional and advertising techniques for a tourism business has shown that:
- Consumers need to be presented with the same marketing message through three different media before they recognise the brand or message.
- Every business is different and the promotional techniques that work for some businesses won’t necessarily work for others.
- The choice of promotional and advertising techniques should be based on sound market research and be targeted to a specific visitor market. Targeted marketing allows a business to reach the highest yielding clientele, ensuring that the marketing effort is not wasted (see Section 2: ‘Research, market profile & target markets’).
- Identifying the tourism business’ unique selling point and brand positioning is important in developing a clear marketing or advertising campaign. Without a unique point of difference, a business cannot stand out from the competition.
- Tourism businesses today are increasingly required to demonstrate their environmental credentials and commitment through their advertising, yet they must also avoid the marketing ‘greenwash’ that has become prevalent within the industry (see ‘Green tourism & sustainability).
- While tourism advertising is often focused on pricing, visitors are increasingly seeking value for money rather than simply a low price.
So, where to start?
Below is a series of questions that help provide a framework for a productive brainstorming session to help ensure that whatever channels you use to promote your business, whether traditional or online, the messages will be targeted and therefore more likely to be successful.
If you have staff, it’s a great way to involve them in the business and marketing planning. If you don’t have many staff, try and get some friends, family and industry colleagues together – it’s important to bounce ideas and perceptions around with others who understand your business.
- Have a good look at all your collateral (websites, brochures, social media, ads, signs etc.). What is your customer promise? i.e. What can they expect from you from the materials and messages you send out?
- Where are your current customers coming from, and who are your target markets?
- How do your targets become informed about your product or service, both pre-visit and during their stay?
- What do you know about your customers’ experience? What tools are you using to measure this?
- What attracted your customers to book and would they recommend you to others? Does their experience match your promise?
- What differentiates you from your competition?
Now you’ve got some of the basics for a marketing plan. If you want some help, the state government provides businesses with this marketing plan toolkit.
Key tourism marketing channels and tools
ATDW-Online
ATDW-Online is Australia’s national tourism database of tourism products and events. It is owned by all Australian states and territories and used by major travel distributors to source product information.
Having a listing in ATDW-Online means your business will be:
- Featured on the official Tasmanian travel website: discovertasmania.com.au which receives over 100,000 visits per month
- Distributed to over 50 travel websites
- Published on Australia.com
- Published in the bi-monthly Travelways tourist publication
- Available to Tasmanian visitor information centres for bookings.
It is essential that your tourism business is kept up-to-date on this online database! Set yourself a reminder to check your information every quarter.
In Tasmania, ATDW-Online replaces the previous TigerTOUR database while retaining all the previous listings found in TigerTOUR. The upgrade means that:
- ATDW-Online is accessible on mobile and tablet devices but is best viewed on a laptop/desktop;
- Users can reset their password at anytime;
- Organisations can have multiple user accounts;
- There’s a new category called Food and Drink with wineries, breweries, etc. (moved from the previous Attraction category to the new Food and Drink category);
- Restaurants can now have a listing in the database;
- Tours must now load at least one image for every individual tour on offer. Tours can also enter more detailed departure information and add levels of fitness required to undertake the tour;
- Business events and community events can now be included;
- The entry prices for Attractions have been simplified; and
- There is an emphasis on high quality images. With the increasing use of retina displays and full HD monitors listings must now have at least one image that is 2048 x 1536 pixels in size and have a landscape (horizontal) orientation. Posters and PDFs cannot be used. Images that are smaller than this are still attached to the listing and will work however the system will remind you that these older images will eventually need replacing.
To view and update your listing visit www.atdw-online.com.au. Your username is your previously registered email address if you had one. Use the ‘forgot password’ function to set up a new password. You’ll also find a set of user guides for different business types developed by Tourism Tasmania.
Tip: Check out this ATDW info graphic: http://atdw.com.au/tourism-operator/listing-with-atdw/
Tourism brochure & poster distribution
- One of the key places to display your brochures (and posters) is through the Tasmanian Visitor Information Network, and you’ll get even more bang for your buck if you allow the visitor centres to sell your tourism product. Talk to the Hobart TVIN manager and find out the various promotional opportunities, including ways they can help you reach the growing cruise ship market.
- With over 170 locations state wide, DST member Tourism Brochure Exchange has the widest distribution available for operators. Displays are only positioned in prime tourism locations within Tasmania. These include high profile, high traffic areas such as: hotels, motels, coach terminals, hire car depots, cafes, tourist attractions, restaurants, service stations, caravan parks, port terminals and airports.
A-Z of online marketing
The highly regarded, multi-award winning Tourism e-kit resource, which was developed by the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) and covers the A to Z of online marketing and distribution, has been transitioned to its new home, Tourism Tribe.
This acclaimed online training program, now comprising 64 tutorials, was developed to support, train and raise the professional standards of the Australian tourism industry and to improve operators’ understanding and confidence with online digital technologies.
TourismTribe.com has taken this valuable training tool to a whole new level within an online learning community and hands-on support from accredited coaches.
If you take the time to work through the modules, you’ll be giving your business the very best chance of success.
Forbes also published an excellent article in February 2018 on developing great websites. It contains an 11-point checklist of best practices for website and digital apps. You can read it HERE.
Event and Festival Resource Guide
Tourism Tasmania has recently updated information and resources available to the event and festival industry. The information includes an ‘Event and Festival Resource Guide’ featuring resources that should be considered and included in the marketing mix of any event and festival that wishes to contribute to and benefit from Tourism Tasmania’s marketing activity.
Tasmanian government’s ‘Digital Ready’ program Event and Festival Resource Guide
This excellent program has been developed to empower Tasmanian small and medium businesses to take charge of their online presence and develop an online strategy that really works.
The website is packed with useful resources, including excellent videos of Tasmanian businesses that are successfully applying online tools. There are also free training events on offer for anyone with an ABN.
One of the people involved in the program delivery is Rebecca King of KingThing marketing who won Gold in the 2015 Australian Tourism Awards Training and Education Category (and is also one of consultants listed in Who can help – specialist consultants.
State and regional tourism brochures and websites
As part of your DST membership you get a minimum of a free listing in the southern Tasmania regional touring map (distribution 100,000) launched in 2016, and a listing and link to your business from our website ‘Hobart & Beyond‘.
So what are some of the other local/state specific tourism advertising options?
Tasmania Travel Guides are published by the Vibe Tasmania group that includes TasVacations (see Section 3: ‘Tourism distribution channels’ above). They are complimentary A5 (and online) visitor guides to Tasmania, Hobart and Launceston that are printed annually and distributed widely through the Tasmanian Visitor Information Centre network, airports, tourism brochure racks and on board the Spirit of Tasmania.
Tasmanian Travelways is published bi-monthly with nearly 80,000 copies are inserted into Fairfax newspapers across five states, as well as via visitor information centres, airports, accommodation providers and attractions in Tasmania.
The Tailored Tasmania brand incorporates a website with curated content on where to eat, play, shop and stay along with bookable activities, supported by various social media sites, a hard-cover coffee-table book and a permanent presence at Salamanca Market.
This isn’t a standard promotional opportunity and there are a range of ways that businesses can get involved. Founder, Alice Hansen, is a born and bred local, who was Destination Journalist/Editorial Coordinator at Tourism Tasmania. As a freelancer, she has written for various travel publications including Australian Traveller Magazine, Jetstar, Luxury Travel, Escape and more.
As well as the Tailored Tasmania opportunity, Alice can also write stories about your businesses and sell them in to travel magazines on your behalf (see Media and PR below).
The John Batman Group is Melbourne-based company providing niche in-room guest service and tourism guides, marketing advice, advertising sales and subsidised publications to a wide variety of accommodation providers including:
- Hotels
- Motels
- Resorts
- Apartments
- Caravan / Tourist Parks
- Guesthouses
- Bed & Breakfasts
Co-operative marketing campaigns
Cooperative advertising and promotion with your local, regional or industry association will help your message get wider distribution and, because there are more businesses involved, it will also cost less.
Keep an eye out for our e-news with details of seasonal marketing opportunities through your DST network.
Trade Shows
If your product is ‘export ready’ (see Section 3: ‘Tourism distribution channels’) then you may be able to participate in Trade Shows organised by Tourism Tasmania/Tourism Australia and the travel trade. For more information about Tourism Tasmania’s international marketing activity, email: international@tourism.tas.gov.au.
Social Media Tips
Social Media and tourism work exceptionally well together. Your social channels can become integral to your marketing efforts, providing inspiration and social proof to decision-makers. Following some simple guides can grow your social audience and benefit your business from increased exposure and connection with your market.
Concentrate your social efforts on platforms your target market use and that you are also comfortable using. Develop a posting schedule that you can maintain, whether once or twice a week or every day, just be consistent. Consider using social scheduling software, which allows you to pre-schedule posts for the future. If you struggle with creative ideas or maintaining your post schedule, consider outsourcing your social needs to gain consistency on your channels.
Images and videos are dominant on social media. Produce exciting and unique content highlighting your business, staff, customers and location. Find your points of difference and share these in your posts. Ask to re-share content from your customers.
Explore and use hashtags and mentions to extend your posting reach. Using hashtags correctly on Instagram will deliver your post to a larger audience and assist in growing your following.
Tourism Tasmania and Hobart and Beyond share local content. To have your content discovered and shared by these channels, tag #hobartandbeyond and #discovertasmania on your Instagram posts.
https://www.facebook.com/HobartandBeyond
https://www.instagram.com/hobartandbeyond
