The Secret to Success with Social Media: Great Client Service August 27, 2009 - Jessica Tuquero
During the past year, my colleagues and I have been asked how communities can promote themselves using social media. At first glance, it seems straightforward: sign onto a social networking site and fill your updates with positive information about your region. At times, though, this is done without proper evaluation on whether the content provided is what your target
So who are the ‘Tweet Elite’ amongst U.S. CVB? July 27, 2009 - Malcolm Griffiths
I’m sure I’m not the only one whose day is being further taken up with monitoring my Facebook feed, ‘RT-ing’ tweets and looking for ‘chatter’ on blogs on behalf of my travel destination clients. As our marketing methods evolve to include social media, it is important for us travel marketers to stay on top of this growing communication trend and
Associations: The Bright Spot in the Challenging MICE Picture July 17, 2009 - Elissa Doyle
On Tuesday, June 30, Development Counsellors International (DCI) welcomed marketing professionals representing destinations around the globe to a discussion on the meetings, incentives, conventions and event (MICE) industry. Our panel consisted of experts in the meetings and convention industry: · Kathleen Leuba, Executive Vice President, Mondotels: America’s industry leader in sales and marketing to the MICE market ·
International Travelers: Keep ‘em Coming Through Traditional Public Relations and Social Media June 23, 2009 - Peggy Bendel
Let’s hope this is not the summer of tourism’s discontent. With the economy in a tailspin, a majority of Americans — some 56 percent — recently told Roper pollsters they had no plans for a summer vacation this year. That’s up from previous years. Worse, a third of Americans surveyed said they had already canceled at least one trip this year
Five Rules of Successful Place Branding June 4, 2009 - Andy Levine
On Friday morning I will be participating in a “Branding the City” Panel at the World Investment Conference in La Baule, France. Here’s a link to the conference webpage (www.labaulewic.org). A very interesting line-up of speakers will be presenting. I’m interested to see how this largely European audience reacts to “five rules” detailed in my presentation: 1. Be
Putting the Face of a 266-Year-Old Man on National Tourism Week May 18, 2009 - Andy Levine
On May 11th, more than two dozen Sonoma County businesses celebrated National Tourism Week by “making change” with a total of $25,000 in $2 bills. Trust me, that’s a lot of two-dollar bills. As the rarely-seen bills, bearing the portrait of Thomas Jefferson (hence the “SpendTom.com” tag), make their way through the community and beyond, they will act as
Newsweek’s Daniel Gross Discusses Approach to Economic Development and Tourism in New Global Economy April 6, 2009 - Tara Morrill
Newsweek Senior Editor Daniel Gross, one of the most widely read financial and economic writers working today, led a straight-forward discussion at DCI offices recently attended by economic developers representing more than thirty five countries in which he tackled how we slipped into this global economic crisis, when the US might start to recover and how foreign direct investment
Medical Tourism: A "Cure" for Destinations, Travel Agents and Consumers? - Peggy Bendel
As the cost of American health care continues to rise, it is no surprise that patients are seeking the most affordable location to receive quality care. What is raising eyebrows is the response of insurance companies nation-wide who are offering to cover both the travel and medical costs for patients seeking medical care abroad. According to a study released
Can "Community Capitalism" Help Your Community Seize Control of Its Economic Future? February 17, 2009 - Dariel Curren
With our nation's loss of nearly 600,000 jobs last month and pink slips now being doled out at the rate of 20,000 per day according to a recent front-page headline in The New York Times, communities across America have good reason to think "the sky is falling." Few occupations or corners of the country are being spared. So what
Trail Mix: The Right Path to Visitor Arrivals... February 4, 2009 - Brittani Wood
With people increasingly busy and the economy on the fritz, many Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus (CVB) and Tourism Associations are finding success in offering “trails” to their visitors. Whether it is a wine trail, an ale trail, an art walk or a wilderness adventure trail, travelers have become more and more responsive to the offering of a variety of experiences
