You won’t want to miss these stories covering news and updates in destination marketing and heritage tourism! Learn about Washington’s efforts to promote tourism, Maine’s success in tourism recovery, the importance of marketing your whole region and more. Keep reading!

Washington’s staple industries such as ranching, timber and mining are beginning to decline, the state looks to tourism as an opportunity to revitalize its economy, attract new businesses to the region and preserve their natural amenities.

The pandemic drew attention to the potential of Washington tourism when more and more visitors began appearing at trailheads, campgrounds, waterways and parks. This was especially true for the counties of Ferry, Pend Oreille and Stevens, making them ideal candidates for the state’s new Rural Tourism Support program. This program prioritizes rural destination development and works with local leaders to achieve this goal while preserving the quality of life for residents.

“If you look at other really popular tourist destinations that cater to outdoor recreation [visitors], many of them have been loved to death. It’s been changed; then the economy changes in a way these communities haven’t anticipated,” said Shelly Stevens, overseer of the counties’ marketing efforts. “We saw this strategy planning process as a way to get ahead of that.”

Washington’s efforts to promote rural tourism are a great example of how DMOs can showcase their natural and rural amenities while uplifting communities. If successful, their efforts will pump revenue into their local economy, create more jobs and attract more business to the region. It also shows how rural regions can pivot their economies from dwindling industries to a sustainable source of revenue for years to come.

A recent report from the U.S. Travel Association found that Maine’s tourism was up by 25% in the first part of 2022 compared to the same period in 2019. Visit spending also increased by 18% over the same time period.

“The numbers are off the charts. Everybody is extremely busy, with the height of the tourism season just getting underway,” said Greg Dugal of Hospitality Maine. According to Dugal, reported bookings are at or above 2019 levels, making this a record-breaking year for the state.

Not only is this great news for Maine, but also proves to DMOs and CVBs that it’s possible to exceed pre-pandemic levels in visitor spending, bookings and other metrics. A comprehensive marketing strategy will allow DMOs who are looking to boost numbers the opportunity to market their region holistically and help them identify clear and achievable goals.

When visitors plan a trip to a destination, there’s one simple truth: a destination with multiple attractions always sounds more exciting than a destination with one attraction. And with the right strategy, your destination can meet their expectations.

It can be easy for DMOs to fall into the habit of promoting only one attraction or amenity. But doing so isn’t the best use of your marketing budget because your destination has a lot to offer all kinds of visitors. Promoting your region’s historical attractions can open up a whole new demographic of visitors to your destination.

By marketing your restaurants, breweries, wineries and cafes, you can reach travelers who are chasing down their next flavor. Whatever you have to offer, there’s a visitor who is interested in making it a part of their getaway. Promoting your whole area offers the opportunity to market to all kinds of visitors so that your stakeholders and the local economy will benefit, thus laying the groundwork for stronger community relationships moving forward.

Before settling on a marketing strategy with a limited promotions calendar, consider all your amenities and attractions and begin marketing them together as a whole experience. Your visitors will be blown away by how many things your area has to offer, coming back again and again in order to try them all.

Beyoncé… does she even need an introduction? While she’s famous for her musical and theatrical talent, her empire didn’t happen by accident. She’s also a savvy marketer and this is evident through her dedicated followers and clear brand. She recently announced that she will be releasing a new album on July 29, and her methods are worth noting for any digital marketer. Here are some tips to market like Beyoncé:

1. Create consistent quality content
2. Carve your own path
3. Build anticipation
4. Market holistically
5. Incentivize multiple purchases (or, in our case, visits!)

While most DMOs won’t be able to generate the same kind of excitement and suspense that a world-famous artist does, they can still use these tips to build a better, stronger and more engaging marketing strategy. Giving your audience something to look forward to will keep them coming back to your digital channels, exploring more content and building a sense of excitement around your region and its offerings.