Planeta.com, the Local Travel Movement and the WHL Group teamed up to review how satisfied you are with the way local tourism is marketed. This survey endeavors to understand how localities are promoted. From survey responses we will compile a list of good practices and suggestions for improving tourism promotion.
Related:
Marketing Wiki
http://planeta.wikispaces.com/marketing
1. Marketing
Local
Ethan Gelber + Ron Mader
@thetravelword @ronmader
slideshare.net/planeta/marketinglocal • 10 . 2 012
2. From June - September 2012
the WHL Group, the Local Travel Movement
and Planeta.com joined forces
to determine how good
you think tourism marketing
really is where you live.
3. Are locals satisfied with the materials
presented at the tourism kiosk?
Are locals able to engage with the tourism
authority (or authorities) and social web channels?
4. If locals had a way of seeing, would they be pleased
with how the city is presented at trade shows?
Does the promotion reflect a variety of narratives?
5. These are not rhetorical questions.
We asked for your take on your city
6. What interests us is the marketing
in the locale and of the locale:
are locals engaged?
8. Are you involved in tourism in your locale?
Yes 115 79.86%
No 11 7.64%
Sometimes 18 12.50%
9. If 'yes' or 'sometimes,' in what capacities are
you involved? (Check all that apply.)
Academic 21 8.61%
Cultural attraction employee 11 4.51%
Driver (any form of transportation) 7 2.87%
Guide 19 7.79%
Hotel owner/manager 12 4.92%
Hotel employee 4 1.64%
Merchant (whose primary target is travelers) 6 2.46%
Natural attraction employee 7 2.87%
Restaurant owner/manager/chef 1 0.41%
Restaurant employee 2 0.82%
Tour operator owner/manager 27 11.07%
Tour operator employee 11 4.51%
Travel agent 15 6.15%
Travel journalist/writer/blogger 39 15.98%
Web portal owner/manager 30 12.30%
Other 32 13.11%
Total 244 100%
10. What institutions or organizations
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR tourism marketing
in your locale? Check all that apply.
Local (neighborhood/town/city) public group or association 60 19.48%
Local (neighborhood/town/city) private group or association 49 15.91%
Regional (county/state/region) public group or association 67 21.75%
Regional (county/state/region) private group or association 30 9.74%
National public group or association 63 20.45%
National private group or association 26 8.44%
Not sure / don't know 7 2.27%
Other 6 1.95%
11. How satisfied are you with the tourism
marketing of your locale?
Local (neighborhood/town/city) public group or association 112 2.876
Local (neighborhood/town/city) private group or association 112 3.131
Regional (county/state/region) public group or association 112 3.000
Regional (county/state/region) private group or association 112 3.276
National public group or association 112 3.021
National private group or association 112 3.239
Average 3.091
12. How satisfied are you with the tourism
marketing of your locale?
Local (neighborhood/town/city) public group or association 112 2.876
Local (neighborhood/town/city) private group or association 112 3.131
Regional (county/state/region) public group or association 112 3.000
Regional (county/state/region) private group or association 112 3.276
National public group or association 112 3.021
National private group or association 112 3.239
Average 3.091
13. Do you feel like you are able to share
information, pitch ideas and collaborate with
the institutions or organizations responsible
for marketing tourism in your locale?
Yes 39 36.79%
No 35 33.02%
Sometimes 32 30.19%
14. Do you feel like you are able to share
information, pitch ideas and collaborate with
the institutions or organizations responsible
for marketing tourism in your locale?
Yes 39 36.79%
No 35 33.02%
Sometimes 32 30.19%
15. Do you have ideas that you believe could
improve the marketing of tourism in your
locale?
Yes 80 75.47%
No 26 24.53%
16. Raw Comments
I'd think twice about pitching ideas to the public sector as there's a history of
such ideas finding there way into procurement processes and open tenders,
which is a shabby way of treating intellectual property.
Structures in my city are not open to outsiders. So if you don't know
someone in the tourism hierarchy or have some connection to the
"apparatus" it's difficult to become part of the discussion.
We push to share ideas with our competitors but we have never been
involved with Ministry of Tourism - we have tried! Reports have been written
about tourism but we were not consulted and the World Bank report was not
available to tourism companies unless specifically requested which seems
mad!
Survey responses are raw. Personally identifying remarks have been removed.
17. Raw Comments
There is still TOO much duplication despite what everybody says about it....
The key is to DO the bits that need doing, that nobody else is doing - not
doing the easy things and things we have always done.... DOING THE
RIGHT THING, NOT THINGS RIGHT. Too many people, public and
private sector too are still playing safe and NOT making REAL differences.
Simplify strategies and local actions and get BASICS right at GRASS ROOT
LEVELS. Wholesale change, not just tinkering.
Marketing could be more destination specific, most promotional activities
abroad are done on a national level. Regional and local initiatives could
reach out more actively through various media or the internet both to
domestic and international tourists. At the moment, they are rather passive.
In general, there is a vast pool of information and resources, but it needs to
be communicated to the people, those involved need to speak out.
Survey responses are raw. Personally identifying remarks have been removed.
18. Raw Comments
The local CVB should accept that they are a marketing organization and stop
trying to be all things to all people, their primary responsibility should be to
market the destination and the private business should then be the sales side.
Less image marketing and more direct marketing of the companies and
products.
Tourism Marketing in Africa is still traditional and not internet inclined.
Destination managers would therefore do travelers and the industry a great
deal if all service providers in the sector should go online.
Building new and more findable information places around the main
touristic areas. To be honest you see none…
Survey responses are raw. Personally identifying remarks have been removed.
19. Raw Comments
Activities and Attractions should be the marketing focus and
Accommodation as an add on.
Public organizations must improve their websites and promote active use of
it. Website information in English has been very insufficient. Travel facilities
like proper mountain trails should be built across the country.
There is no overall plan for local tourism. When we began our DMO 6 years
ago our city had a tourism budget, though no plan. Now it has neither, but
we continue to market the community outside the community for now.
There are plenty of creative and pro-active people within our community
who aren't consulted and do things off their own backs.
Survey responses are raw. Personally identifying remarks have been removed.
20. Summary
Locals want a greater voice in articulating the merits of localities
Visitors want to connect with locals
There are opportunities for conversations and collaboration