Helping Tourism Professionals Define Their Destination

Every destination, whether a popular travel mecca or a small community off the beaten path, has its own culture. Its history, its architecture, its people, its food – they all add up to a unique identity that cannot be authentically replicated anywhere else.

Throughout my years as a traveler and a tourism marketing professional, I’ve noticed that there are two types of destinations. First, there are ones that understand and embrace their culture to attract visitors. And second, there are those that struggle to depict what makes them unique and why a visitor would choose their destination over the competition. As a result, they highlight generic attributes that can be found anywhere in hopes of attracting anyone and everyone. Getting “heads in beds” and increasing tourism revenue for that destination is a challenge I understand only too well. But by uncovering unique attributes and fine-tuning your target audiences, destinations can deliver tailored communications to those most likely to visit them.

The discovery and research process can seem daunting and expensive, but it’s essential to effective marketing and communications. Gathering data helps a brand uncover its unique cultural assets and hone in on its optimal target audience based on those available assets. This process helps you understand the nuances and specific behaviors of your optimal target audience. We know that people buy from brands that connect with them on an emotional level, so it’s imperative that you know what makes your target tick.

After you’ve uncovered which attributes to highlight and which audiences are most likely to want them, it’s important to develop an effective connection strategy to bring them together.

I believe the approach Peter Mayer takes to uncovering insights and opportunities paired with our content and connection process are the most valuable things we bring to the table. Our teams utilize research and cultural anthropology to understand the cultures of our clients and what their customers actually care about when it comes to their brand – and often, our findings are counter-intuitive. With our clients’ input, we leverage these user-driven insights to deliver the right message in an authentic voice to the people who matter most.