New Resources in This Week’s DMO Download
They say it takes a village to market a destination, and you can count us in. This week, we’ve compiled the top headlines and resources for DMOs so you can stay on top of the latest developments. This week, we have resources on new opportunities for hospitality in the tourism industry, the first “Certified Autism Center” destination, how to create the right marketing strategy for every season and some of the best advice that successful people credit. Keep reading to keep up on what’s most important to stay a step ahead in your industry.
A Digital Landscape Means New Opportunities for Hospitality
The tourism industry has experienced many changes in the wake of the pandemic, but with change comes opportunity. The shift to a mostly digital world allows hospitality businesses to create more tailored experiences for their guests while simultaneously increasing efficiencies in the traveler’s journey.
With updates on flight times, quick notifications for dining delays and more, hospitality workers can anticipate their guests’ needs and offer quick solutions to make their stay more comfortable. By utilizing these digital tools, hospitality businesses can better meet fluctuating demands and keep up in a changing industry. Communicate with hospitality stakeholders in your area to ensure they have the tools they need for creating a digital-first experience for their guests.
Meet the First Destination Designated as a “Certified Autism Center”
Visit Visalia in California has been named a “Certified Autism Center” by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, making it the first destination marketing organization in California to receive the designation. The destination earned the distinction through its readiness to assist travelers with special needs. Employees received special training in behaviors of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
“This important designation will let individuals with special needs travel with confidence knowing we have completed this specialized training and can provide a positive vacation experience,” Visit Visalia’s executive director Nellie Freeborn said.
With so many individuals on the spectrum ready to travel throughout the nation, it’s important to ensure you are offering beneficial experiences for all your visitors. Take the time to develop and promote options and suggestions for travelers who may need special adjustments to fully enjoy vacation experience. Make sure you’re making every effort to give valuable experiences to all your visitors so they’ll want to come back again and again.
Have a Marketing Strategy for Every Season
Whether it’s the busy season or the off-season, heritage tourism marketers need to market their destinations and communities. While your destination may attract more visitors during summer or winter, that doesn’t mean you don’t have something to offer in other seasons. Take stock of your off-season amenities. If you’re typically a winter destination, find some cool outdoor restaurants or parks to share with visitors in the summer. For primarily summer destinations, promote some indoor venues you can offer tourists when the weather gets chilly.
Don’t miss out on offering great getaways all year round. Dig into your heritage and geography and see what unique experiences you can offer visitors.
With new seasons comes new audiences. A developed heritage marketing strategy ensures you are accurately promoting your destination’s assets to new customers by creating detailed personas and developing new tactics. Using your marketing dollars for a year-round strategy means you have a sustainable plan for attracting visitors and increasing revenue for the region.
This Is the Best Advice These Successful People Ever Received
We all need advice to get better at what we do. Thoughtful advice from mentors and teachers reduces our learning curve and prepares us for trials along the way, potentially leading to better outcomes and more victories. In this article, 11 entrepreneurs share the best advice their mentors gave them and how they implement it into their daily life. Here are our favorite tips:
- Consider the opportunity cost of your time. – Kevin Harrington
- Focus your efforts on people who are level-headed, generous and humble. – Michael Oved
- Be mindful of how you begin and end your day. – Brett Lockett
- Don’t be afraid to think big and do bold things. – Yuli Ziv
- Be grateful, have fun and take care of others. – Nafise Nina Hodjat
Consider the most important mentors in your life. What advice have they given you? How can you implement it into your personal and professional life to achieve success?
