Workshop at the TMI annual convention under the theme “Broadening Our Horizons”, reporting on the outcomes of the project to date.

1. Digital Destinations workshop
Tourism Management Institute conference
Broadening Our Horizons
www.budigitalhub.co.uk
LinkedIn (digital destinations group)
www.pinterest.com/digitaldest
http://www.slideshare.net/DigitalHub
ddp@bournemouth.ac.uk
@PhilipAlford | @SchoolofTourism
#DDBU

2. The project aims
• The project aims to create templates of best online marketing
practice for the visitor economy sector and to create a
‘learning destination’.
• Position on-line marketing as a central strategy for your
business.
• A strategic approach is essential, effectively managed and
measured
• This programme will help you to maximise your potential and
impact, create and share best practice
• On-line marketing is developing quickly and this programme
will help you identify and develop the best routes for your
organisation

3. Aims - summary
To create a knowledge network for the creation
and sharing of small business digital marketing
best practice and knowledge.
To identify the determinants of small business
engagement with the Internet.

4. Economic and Social Research Council
“We are the UK's largest organisation for funding research on
economic and social issues. We support independent, high
quality research which has an impact on business, the public
sector and the third sector. Our total budget for 2012/13 is £205
million. At any one time we support over 4,000 researchers and
postgraduate students in academic institutions and independent
research institutes.”
More information at: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/about-esrc/

5. Importance of small businesses
• In the UK micro enterprises account for around 87 per cent of
hospitality businesses
• 91.8% of businesses in the EU are micro (less than 10
employees) (European Small Business Alliance 2013)
• EU FP7 funding program to support research in support of
SMEs
• Web-checkers tourism SME LinkedIn group (Fáilte Ireland)
• Support programs provided by National and Regional DMO
• Federation of Small Businesses

6. Why small businesses need help
• Annual turnover rate of 23% for tourism businesses
• Small businesses in general lag behind with online marketing
• However despite the significance of small businesses in the
visitor economy, “most studies of tourism SMEs have focused
on conditions of entry and paid very limited attention to
business development and growth processes” (Pearce and
Butler 2010: 83).
Pearce, D. G. and R. Butler (2010). Tourism research: a 20-20 vision / edited by
Douglas G. Pearce and Richard W. Butler, Oxford: Goodfellow.
Shaw, G., & Williams, A. M. (2010). Tourism SMEs: changing research agendas and
missed opportunities. In D. Pearce, & Butler. (Eds.), Tourism Research: A 20:20
vision. Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers. Chapter 7.

7. Support for
small tourism
operators
- England

8. Supporting small businesses - NI

9. Supporting small businesses - Wales

10. Supporting small businesses - Scotland

11. Formation of overall project group
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Recruit 60 ‘visitor economy’ businesses – diverse membership
Divided into six 10-strong knowledge networks / sub groups
6 sub-groups spread over geographic area
Each group has a leader / champion
Each group features a mix of businesses in terms of:
– Size
– Sector
– Skills and knowledge
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Case studies of digital marketing engagement from each group
Overall focus on co-production and co-delivery of knowledge
60 student placements as part of Digital Marketing course at BU
4 ‘official’ seminars at BU
4 ‘action learning’ cluster meetings
Ongoing communication via online channels

12. 60 Organisations
•
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Accommodation
Arts & Culture
Conference & Events
Education & Outdoor Adventure
Attractions
Retail
DMO

13. Criteria for selecting applicants
The criteria include:
•Current level of online marketing
•Aspirations
•Level of commitment
•Geographic location
•Size of business
•Sector

14. Application form
• Please tell us what particularly inspired/motivated you to
apply for this programme.
“Having recognised the importance in the fast growing nature of
digital/ online marketing, a key priority to us over the next 12
months is to focus on online marketing within our marketing
strategy - making the most of the various online marketing
channels we currently use, as well as effectively implementing
new ones. This programme has come along at the perfect
time to help us make the most of the opportunity.”

15. Application form
• What do you see as the key benefits of attending this
programme?
“From a personal perspective, I am looking forward to the
prospect of being able to enhance my understanding of online
marketing, as well as learning about the best routes we can
take for the business.”

16. First seminar – needs analysis
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Digital Olympians
Apps Fab
Online Crusaders
AppPrentices
Digital Dragons
Social Maniacs

18. Second seminar - planning
• Aim – to start the planning process and work
on specific campaigns

19. Developing the strategy
Situation: where are we now?
Objectives: where do we want
to be?
Strategy: how do we get there?
Tactics: how exactly do we get
there?
Action: what is our plan?
Control: did we get there?

20. Student-Business

21. Student-Business

22. Student-Business

23. Student-Business

24. Student-Business

25. Participant blogs

26. Participant blogs

27. Final student reports
Paultons Park (Georgi Oliver working with Rob Lee)

31. Measurement in Context
Sentiment
Re-Tweets
Mentions
Links
Reviews
Shared comments
Views
Visits
Volume
Search Rankings
Brand Buzz
Sales
Downloads
Paid Subscriptions
Subscriptions
Leads
Followers
Friends
Subscribers
Connections
“Likes”
Referrals
Click-Thru’s
Open Rates
@KarlHavard

34. Feedback on campaign
“To add 400 new followers in 7 days is a great result for
us. When celebrities have mentioned us before we have
had added around 100-200 new followers depending on
their following. Naturally Paultons Park generate
around 20-30 new followers per week”
(Rob Lee, Digital Marketing Manager, Paultons)

36. Conclusion - issues
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Lots of information on the ‘why’ but little on the ‘how’
Lack of time and human resource (the owner/manager syndrome - doing
everything)
Inadequate IT skills
Lack of marketing know-how - while small businesses have entrepreneurial skills
they lack the formal marketing knowledge required to plan effectively
Lack of measurable goals for their digital marketing mainly due to being unaware
of the online metrics that can be set – focus on end sales
Lack of awareness of the customer engagement process and channels/KPIs that
apply at different stages of that process
Related to point above, many small businesses not completely convinced of the
ROI on digital marketing
Outsourcing some or most of their digital marketing without having a clear plan or
knowledge thereby losing control and insight

37. Next steps/opportunities
• Small businesses need a ‘roadmap’ for their digital
marketing
• The final seminar in June will start that process
• Potential exists to create collaborative networks to
share knowledge
• Focus on analytics and measurement – ROI
• Identify specific skills and knowledge gaps

38. Perception of digital marketing (DM) benefits/costs:
- more complex than just website
- therefore harder to clearly identify benefits
- how does it translate into clear value for customers?
- costs of social media difficult to measure – time
- better awareness of KPIs needed
- create a test and learn approach to DM
Strategic digital marketing (DM) development:
- a vision for digital marketing
- which includes a clear online value proposition
- the concept of OVP needs clarification
- specific online objectives needed to measure DM
Simmons, G., G. A. Armstrong, et al. (2008). "A conceptualization of the determinants of small business
website adoption: Setting the research agenda." International Small Business Journal 26(3): 351-389.

39. Digital Destinations
www.budigitalhub.co.uk
LinkedIn (digital destinations group)
www.pinterest.com/digitaldest
http://www.slideshare.net/DigitalHub
ddp@bournemouth.ac.uk
@PhilipAlford | @SchoolofTourism
#DDBU