CVB, DMO, Tourism & Destination Marketing - Online Marketing and SEO for Travel and Tourism Sites » Travel Websites

What You Can Learn From BP’s Mistakes

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:01:57 +0000

Of all the lessons learned from the BP debacle, the most important was the first one BP learned. The internet is a powerful PR tool that can crush you quickly. Bad news gushed across the internet like…well, like a broken pipe. In the days, and now weeks, following the initial report, BP continued to make one bumbling decision after the next. It didn’t take long for every move that that BP made (many of them sluggish and poorly executed) to be scrutinized and commented upon by everyone who had an internet connection. BP quickly learned that they weren’t just managing an environmental disaster, they were managing a PR disaster – one they still haven’t grasped.

It’ll be years before the victims of this disaster recover, if at all. But, as we can’t unring that bell (or in this case, put the oil back in the pipe), we have to focus on what we can do to facilitate recovery for the lovely coastal towns whose beaches and reputations were stained by this disaster.

If you’ve got marketing dollars, now is the time to spend them.

Your tourism, visitor’s bureau, local or regional website needs to be addressing all the wonderful features of your town and reminding vacationers that you’re still open for business. If you’ve got local photographers, invite them to submit new photos and then get those photos out through Flickr, Facebook and Twitter.

Build a social media campaign, like this one run by the Jamestown Foundation that encourages past visitors to talk about their vacations and events. If you’ve got a YouTube channel, so much the better. Link to vacation videos that show your sparkling beaches, your lovely shops, your friendly locals and fantastic restaurants. Need some inspiration? Check out Currituck County, North Carolina. Now is an excellent time to invest in a pay-per-click campaign that helps users reconnect with your town or find you for the first time.

Family vacations, reunions, honeymoons and holidays are all still happening. Make sure these people know that good things are still happening at your place, too.

Melissa Baumann is a Search Marketing and Tourism Specialist as well as a seasoned world traveler.

Travel the US via Twitter – Follow the States

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:19:59 +0000

Where in the USA do you want to go today? If you use the Internet to plan family and adventure trips, perhaps you have browse sites developed by the many tourism bureaus established around the country. For every state and territory in the union, there is a department encompassing that entire region, and multiple cities and towns within are certain to have organizations that more precisely market their area. It’s no surprise, too, to see so many bureaus and tourism representative entice Twitter users to follow them and get the low-down on hotel and attraction specials and upcoming events.

If you’re the wandering sort, here are fifty (give or take a few) profiles that ought to be on your follow list. Note: not all accounts below are officially representative of their respective visitors bureaus, but do reflect travel tweeting for that state. If there is a state listed missing its respective official tourism Twitter profile here, more than likely it couldn’t be found on the main Web site or through Google search. That’s not good!

If you operate the state’s tourism bureau it is necessary to have all social media profile visible so prospective visitors can follow your updates. Consulting with a search engine and social media optimization company that specializes in travel and tourism is a good way to raise your online awareness as people plan their vacations. You can learn more about how to boost your Twitter readership through SimpleTourism, specialists in travel website SEO services.

Alabama – TweetHomeAla
Alaska – AK_Vacation
American Samoa – SamoaNews
Arizona – ArizonaTourism
Arkansas – ARTourism
California – CATourism
Colorado – Visit_Colorado
Connecticut – HartfordCVB
Delaware – DE_Vacation
District of Columbia – DCWire
Florida – VisitFlorida
Georgia – GeorgiaTourism
Hawaii – AlohaSpots
Idaho – VisitIdaho
Illinois – EnjoyIllinois
Indiana – VisitIndiana
Iowa – IowaVacation
Kansas – TravelKS
Kentucky – KentuckyTourism
Louisiana – LouisianaTravel
Maine – MaineTourism
Maryland – MDTourism
Massachusetts – MA_Vacation
Michigan – PureMichigan
Minnesota – MN_vacation
Mississippi – VisitMS
Missouri – MissouriLife
Montana – VisitMontana
Nebraska – NebraskaTourism
Nevada – TravelNevada
New Hampshire – VisitNH
New Jersey – NJ_Vacation
New Mexico – NMTourism
New York – I_LOVE_NY
North Carolina – VisitNC
North Dakota – ND_Vacation
Northern Marianas Islands – GoToMarianas
Ohio – DiscoverOhio
Oklahoma – OklahomaTourism
Oregon – TravelOregon
Pennsylvania – VisitPA
Puerto Rico – MeetPuertoRico
Rhode Island – RIEvents
South Carolina – SCTourism
South Dakota – TravelSD
Tennessee – TNVacation
Texas – TravelToTexas
Utah – UtahVacation
Vermont – VermontTourism
Virginia – VisitVirginia
Virgin Islands – Virgin_Islands
Washington – WA_Vacation
West Virginia – VisitWV
Wisconsin – WIBestBets
Wyoming – WyomingTourism

And don’t forget to follow us at @SimpleTourism!

Target Your Tourism Marketing Toward Destination Weddings

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:34:20 +0000

In a tough economy, few businesses have the assurance that they will stay afloat. One industry, though, might be recession proof: the wedding industry.

Couples spend more than $20,000 for a wedding on average, and most spend 50% more than their intended budget. Before brides start crunching the numbers for flowers, cakes, dresses, bows and candlesticks, they first have to decide on the venue. Although most brides look to local churches and reception halls, an estimated 272,000 weddings a year are destination weddings. If the bride chooses to go this route, narrowing down where she wants to get married can be a simple as a quick Google search. How does your CVB or tourism bureau promote itself to grab her attention?

Your Web site should have strong travel writing and tourism marketing strategies waiting for brides. A list of different venues your destination has to offer including pictures, capacity numbers and proximity to lodging and airports will be her guide as she makes her decision. Not only can she bring the business of wedding planning to your front door, but her 150+ guests will enjoy the sights and sounds of a new area.

If you think your destination boasts the potential for beautiful weddings, hiring a strong content writer with SEO capabilities and a background in social media optimization can yield results. Simple Tourism specializes in these two aspects, delivering top search engine placements to our clients. If you are interested in our services, please browse our site and see some of the work we do for current clients, including Currituck County’s Outer Banks destination wedding site. Contact us today for a free quote.

Jessica Swink is a freelance writer specializing in articles about travel SEO writing and professional SEO and Internet marketing services.

Sources:
www.costofwedding.com
www.bridalassociationofamerica.com/Wedding_Statistics/

Using Twitter to Rent an Outer Banks Vacation Home

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:27:42 +0000

It’s no secret people are turning to the Internet to plan vacations and reserve lodging. Travelers looking forward to a trip to the Outer Banks especially need to act quickly in order to secure a nice vacation rental near the beach, and the Web is a great resource for previewing available cottages and rooms. However, even in this digital age the Web moves only so fast – where real time is concerned, one needs more immediacy in planning. Using social media networks like Twitter are good for planning a great vacation.

Why use Twitter to find relevant information for your destination? With an estimated 200 million visits a month, Twitter is gaining on Google as the go-to place for news and updates, and travel companies have caught on. It isn’t unusual to see convention and visitors bureaus, bed and breakfast inns, and other travel related organizations using this social platform to reach visitors and drive traffic to main websites. One advantage of following a particular account is receiving updated news and discounts one may not normally find elsewhere. Twitter provides a sense of real-time to planning a vacation – if used correctly, a vacation rental broker can inform you of availabilities and specials on specific locations, thereby helping you decide exactly where you can stay while on your trip.

For the Outer Banks especially, this is a great tool to use to help secure accommodations before everything is occupied. Browsing other accounts, too, will give you an idea of events happening in the area and good places to eat.

Which are the best profiles to follow? Here are a few that could be helpful in planning your Outer Banks stay. Simply plug each account name after Twitter’s URL in your browser to call up each profile.

obxvacation
currituckcounty
SeasideVacation
TwiddyOBX

With each account you’ll find helpful links and news for your trip. Using Twitter’s search page, too, is another good suggestion for finding specifics on events and activities for enhancing your Outer Banks vacation. Search wisely, and enjoy your stay!

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Outer Banks vacations and St. Augustine vacations.

Vineyards of the Outer Banks

admin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:44:46 +0000

After months of saving, planning, and packing, you’re finally ready to embark on your vacation to North Carolina’s beautiful Outer Banks. You have the itinerary memorized – days and day of play on the beach, with maybe an excursion to the Currituck Beach lighthouse or the Wright Brothers memorial in Kitty Hawk. The trip promises to be wonderful, but if you are a fan of the grape it could be enhanced with tours of area wineries.

Yes, wine is made in the Outer Banks. One might never expect this area to be associated with good wine, but if you plan ahead you will be able not only to enlighten your palate during a vineyard tour, but perhaps join the locals and other wine aficianados for an evening of tasting, food, and fun. Consider these additional stops on your tour of the Outer Banks.

Moonrise Bay Winery

Set against the calm waters of the bay in Knotts Island, Moonrise Bay has produced a number of tasty vintages since the turn of the century. Here visitors are offered a selection of dry reds and whites, and sweet whites from the ever popular Muscadine. Among the wines available are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Norton, Syrah, Chambourcin, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Tours run daily from noon to five, or by special appointment.

Sanctuary Vineyards

If you are visiting from out of state, best to buy your Sanctuary wine here, as they only ship to North Carolina and Virginia. Sanctuary not only offers wine from other area vineyards, but also sells unique blends under their own label. If you enjoy full-bodied blended reds with a peppery finish, or perhaps a semi-dry combination of Chardonnay and Sangiovese with a sweet finish, find sanctuary in a tour of this vineyard. For directions and more information on area vineyards, be sure to visit http://www.VisitCurrituck.com and request free brochures.

Martin Vineyards

The sandy soil of Knotts Island produces great wine, and at Martin Vineyards one will find acres of Muscadines waiting to be picked. In addition to a variety of dry and sweet table wines, guests at the vineyard may also pick seasonal fruits from the surrounding orchards. July is especially welcoming, since the vineyards hosts the annual Knotts Island Peach Festival. Bring the family for a picnic by the sea.

Mother Vineyard

Like a bit of mystery with your wine? Well, more than likely you won’t find anything to sample at the Mother Vineyard, because the vines are on private property, yet visitors flock to this area near Manteo anyway if only to catch a glimpse of the oldest grapevines in North Carolina. It isn’t known who planted these vines, believed to be over 400 years old, but the sheer enormity and thickness of the vines (to say nothing of the sweet Muscadine grapes growing from them) always leaves visitors in awe, and thirsty!

A vacation in the Outer Banks is wonderful, yet one enhanced by tours of area wineries adds a sweetness one is certain to savor.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer who contributes site content and articles to various travel websites, including VisitCurrituck.com (http://www.visitcurrituck.com), the official site of Currituck County Travel and Tourism.