Tourism Trends & Tools to Reach Destination Target Markets

Social networking is growing fast and is taken further by smartphone and tablet rising usage which allows to connect on-the-go and interact in real-time. Mobile web browsing has been growing fast in the six months since August 2011 showing a significant shift away from browsing on traditional PCs (Nucleus). Since online conversion is key especially for travel and tourism brands mobile websites are becoming a requirement for many brands, in order to provide a mobile friendly browsing experience and engage their target audience.

At the same time that mobile social networking is becoming the wave of the future, video is definitely considered to be the highest ranking and most engaging content with YouTube considered the top content network for videos. Latest statistics show a dramatic rise in video activity with the U.S. online video audience reportedly cracking 100 million in December, 43 %  higher than one year ago (mashable.com).

For destination marketing organizations to reach and engage their target markets effectively, they need to go where their audience is, using what they use. Let's see some new destination marketing initiatives responding to the latest trends, utilizing the appropriate tools.

It's You...Vancouver with Music Video

Tourism Vancouver’s new destination film uses multiple platforms to send its message. Incorporating a local band and original song, “It’s You… Vancouver” is a professionally produced destination film in music video format.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIAYPopVBXM]

Regardless the various music tastes, the song is performed by a Vancouver-based duo, Watasun, whose music fuses urban beats with traditional folk sounds. Throughout the three-minute video, the duo perform their catchy tune while making appearances in, near or atop of iconic Vancouver attractions.

Source: www.insidevancouver.ca

Costa Rica Targets Mobile with iPAd app

Following the “Million Dollar Gift of Happiness” marketing campaign and tapping the opportunity of the rising mobile devices and tablets usage, the Costa Rican Tourism Board has just launched an iPad application that mixes sounds from Costa Rican nature to create musical tunes.

“EnviroMixer” is the final segment of Costa Rica’s “Million Dollar Gift of Happiness”, which directly targets the growing mobile and tablet audience, inspiring and engaging.

EnviroMixer allows users to create music by dragging animal sounds to a screen, where they can be personalized by changing duration and volume. The result is a mix of sounds that users can share through social media networks like Facebook and Twitter.

EnviroMixer has nine animal sounds, including toucans, humpback whales and howler monkeys. The sounds can be mixed with melodies from the sea, from waterfalls and from an erupting volcano.

“Our target market for the Gift of Happiness campaign is both the U.S. and Canada, [where] mobile technologies like iPads and smartphones [are popular],” ICT Marketing Director Ireth Rodríguez said. “This app is a way of closely relating with our target market, because they are more aware of the aspects that make Costa Rica different.”

Source: www.visitcostarica.com