Core Destination Marketing Services
Our tiered destination marketing services are designed to meet destinations at different stages of their tourism development journey.
Each tier offers increasing levels of research and strategic insight to ensure destinations can effectively align their resources, target markets, and growth goals.
Whether a destination is just starting out or refining an established tourism strategy, these services provide tailored solutions for maximizing potential.
🗺️ Tourism Asset Inventory
A foundational Tier 1 service that provides a comprehensive list of all resources, attractions, and facilities within a destination.
This inventory helps identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, offering a baseline for strategic planning. Destinations in the early stages of development benefit from this service to build a clear picture of what they have to offer.
- A comprehensive list of all resources, attractions, and facilities within a particular destination.
- Helps identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to maximize the potential of the destination.
- Includes attractions, hotels, transportation, dining, shopping, and events.
- Provides a foundation to develop Go-To-Market Strategy and Digital Destination Infrastructure Plan.
💡 Go-To-Market Strategy
Our Tier 2 service builds on the asset inventory, providing a detailed roadmap to attract visitors and position the destination effectively in the market.
This strategy is ideal for destinations looking to target specific markets or address competitive challenges with a clear, data-driven approach.
- Outlines the approach and tactics a destination will use to promote itself and attract visitors.
- Considers target market, competitive landscape, unique selling propositions, and available resources.
- Based on asset inventory to incorporate the strengths and weaknesses of the destination and target audience preferences.
- Flexible and adaptable to changing market conditions, visitor behavior, and new trends.
📱 Digital Destination Infrastructure Plan
Our Tier 3 service offers a premium, advanced plan for destinations aiming to innovate and enhance the visitor experience.
This service integrates technology like smart sensors, IoT devices, and data analytics to create a seamless, data-driven tourism infrastructure. Perfect for destinations ready to lead in digital transformation.
- Integration of smart sensors, IoT devices, and data analytics to collect and analyze visitor data.
- Streamlining transportation and utilities to be more efficient and cost-effective, leading to better services for visitors.
- Interactive visitor experience technologies including augmented reality and gamification.
- Track and analyze visitor patterns to make more informed decisions about resource allocation and provide targeted marketing campaigns.
Tailored Destination Development Strategies
Our tailored destination development strategies are designed to meet the unique needs of destinations at every stage of their tourism journey.
These services offer increasing levels of customization and strategic insight, enabling destinations to build strong identities, connect with diverse audiences, and leverage data-driven techniques for maximum impact.
🎭 Persona Focused Place Branding
Place branding has evolved significantly over the past decade. Traditional destination brands such as Visit Franklin or Discover Springdale were once the standard, relying on simplicity and accessibility to attract visitors.
However, modern travelers demand more personalized and evocative experiences. This shift has led to a new approach: persona-focused place branding, which emphasizes a destination's unique characteristics, culture, and history.
The key differences between traditional and persona-focused place branding include:
- Generic vs. Specific Messaging: Traditional brands like Visit Franklin offer a broad, non-descriptive invitation, while persona-focused names such as Serene Sanctuary communicate a clear and compelling image of what the destination offers.
- Limited Emotional Appeal vs. Storytelling: Generic names rely on straightforward call-to-action phrases, whereas persona-driven brands use storytelling to create emotional connections with potential visitors.
- Broad Appeal vs. Targeted Audiences: Older models aim to attract a wide audience, while newer approaches identify specific demographics and tailor messaging accordingly (e.g., adventure seekers, history enthusiasts, or wellness travelers).
- Functional vs. Experiential: Traditional branding emphasizes function ("visit," "discover"), whereas persona branding highlights the experience and ambiance of the destination.
Persona-focused branding aligns more closely with modern travel trends, where visitors seek immersive and authentic experiences.
By reflecting a destination's historic roots, popular attractions, and local culture, these brands convey a sense of place that resonates with travelers and builds lasting connections. Adopting this approach can set destinations apart in an increasingly competitive market.
👨🏻👩🏽👧🏿 Generationally Segmented Destination Messaging
Destination marketing is entering a new era with the advent of precise, to-the-day demographic statistics for every area in the United States.
This level of detail enables a deep understanding of the generational makeup of any given location, allowing for tailored messaging that aligns with the preferences and expectations of visitors across all generational cohorts—from the Silent Generation to the newly emerging Gen Beta.
Generationally segmented messaging not only enhances visitor satisfaction but also fosters meaningful connections by addressing the unique values and interests of each group.
Here are some key differences between generational messaging and destination branding, along with insights into what resonates with each generation:
- Silent Generation (born 1928–1945): Messaging for this group should focus on nostalgia, tradition, and comfort. Highlight historic landmarks, cultural heritage, and activities that emphasize relaxation and familiarity.
- Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964): Boomers value meaningful experiences and opportunities to explore. Messaging that emphasizes scenic beauty, guided tours, and enriching experiences—like wine tastings or art galleries—tends to appeal to this generation.
- Generation X (born 1965–1980): Known for their independence, Gen X prefers messaging that offers flexibility, convenience, and off-the-beaten-path attractions. They resonate with authentic local culture, family-friendly options, and unique dining experiences.
- Millennials (born 1981–1996): This tech-savvy generation appreciates bold, socially conscious messaging. They are drawn to destinations that offer unique adventures, photo-worthy moments, and eco-friendly options, with a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion.
- Generation Z (born 1997–2012): Gen Z seeks destinations with a digital edge. Messaging that highlights virtual experiences, immersive attractions, and opportunities to engage with brands via social media is key. They also prioritize ethical tourism and local impact.
- Generation Alpha (born 2013–2024): For this emerging group, family-centered messaging is essential. Destinations should emphasize attractions with interactive, educational, and technology-driven elements that cater to their parents (millennials) and their own curiosity.
- Generation Beta (starting 2025): Although still in infancy, this cohort’s messaging will likely lean heavily on the expectations of their caregivers. Emphasis on safety, accessibility, and inclusive environments will set the foundation for this future audience.
Generationally segmented messaging represents a significant shift from traditional destination branding, offering opportunities to engage visitors in a highly personalized way.
By leveraging data-driven insights to tailor experiences for each cohort, destinations can set clear expectations, enhance visitor satisfaction, and build lasting loyalty. In today’s competitive landscape, understanding the generational makeup of a place is no longer optional—it’s essential.
🌐 Connected Destination Passport Development
The way visitors experience destinations is being transformed by advancements in smart device networking protocols.
By enabling seamless connectivity across hotels, restaurants, attractions, venues, and retailers, these technologies create a unified, automated visitor experience.
Connected destination passports—digital systems that integrate multiple services—are setting a new standard for convenience, personalization, and engagement in tourism.
Here are some of the differences between traditional, non-connected destination experiences and connected ones:
- Manual Access vs. Automated Convenience: Traditional travelers rely on physical room keys and tickets, whereas connected destinations use smart hotel door locks and digital passes for attractions, events, and resort amenities, streamlining the experience.
- Standardized vs. Personalized Settings: In non-connected environments, room lighting, climate, alarms, and appliances require manual adjustment. Connected systems enable guests to pre-set preferences for lighting, temperature, wake-up alarms, and even coffee maker schedules for a tailored experience.
- Fragmented vs. Unified Offerings: Non-connected destinations provide paper or physical vouchers for meals, coupons, and gift cards. Connected passports digitally consolidate restaurant vouchers, attraction tickets, and local business offers, making them easily accessible via smart devices.
- Standalone vs. Cross-Functional Systems: Traditional services operate independently, requiring visitors to navigate multiple platforms or systems. Connected destinations synchronize services across hotels, attractions, and retailers, creating a cohesive and hassle-free experience.
- Reactive vs. Proactive Engagement: Non-connected experiences are typically static, while connected systems can proactively engage visitors through personalized recommendations, notifications, and updates based on real-time data.
By leveraging these advancements, connected destination passports enhance convenience and unlock new possibilities for cross-functional collaboration.
Whether it’s a smart hotel room that remembers your preferences or a single digital pass that integrates local attractions and dining experiences, the future of tourism lies in seamless, technology-driven innovation. As destinations embrace this shift, they position themselves to deliver truly memorable and frictionless visitor journeys.
Destination Marketing Technology Services
Destination marketing relies on innovative technology to enhance visitor engagement, improve operational efficiency, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving tourism landscape.
These a la carte services provide the tools and expertise needed to build a strong digital presence, optimize infrastructure, and deliver seamless visitor experiences.
🖥️ Custom Destination Website Development
A professional, user-friendly website is essential for showcasing what a destination has to offer. This service focuses on creating customized websites with powerful content management tools and analytics to maximize engagement and drive bookings.
- Offers tailored website design and development specifically for tourism destinations using WordPress and Markdown-based content management solutions.
- Provides flexible options for email services and cloud file storage to meet the unique needs of each client.
- Includes domain name management, critical for establishing a strong online presence and enabling multi-segment tourism marketing strategies.
- Integrates Google Analytics to track website traffic statistics, offering actionable insights into visitor behavior and engagement.
🤖 Destination Artificial Intelligence (AI) Implementation
AI is transforming the tourism industry, offering tools to streamline operations, analyze data, and personalize visitor experiences. This service provides the training, guidance, and insights destinations need to implement AI effectively and prepare for the future of tourism.
- Provides training sessions and webinars on using popular AI chatbot applications for visitor insights and market research, ensuring teams can effectively leverage these tools.
- Offers guidance on implementing AI technologies across the tourism DMO workplace to enhance operational efficiency and decision-making processes.
- Conducts feasibility studies for custom AI development tailored to client needs, helping destinations explore innovative solutions that align with their goals.
- Delivers comprehensive market research on the evolving AI landscape and its implications for future staffing needs in the tourism and hospitality industry.
🔌 Electric Vehicle (EV) Visitor Adoption
As electric vehicles become more common, destinations must adapt their infrastructure to meet the needs of EV travelers. This service helps destinations plan for the future by evaluating current capacity, identifying gaps, and understanding the impact of EV adoption on visitor demographics.
- Conducts market studies on the current capacity and distribution of electric vehicle chargers within the destination, identifying potential gaps and opportunities for improvement.
- Analyzes how increasing EV adoption affects accessibility for car-based travelers and highlights the potential limitations on travel routes and destination choices.
- Provides strategic guidance on site selection for additional EV charging stations to maximize convenience for visitors and support sustainable tourism growth.
- Explores how EV adoption influences the demographic profile of visitors, offering insights into attracting eco-conscious and tech-savvy travelers.
📶 Destination Wireless Connectivity Benchmarking
Reliable wireless connectivity is a key factor in delivering a seamless visitor experience. This service evaluates current connectivity infrastructure, identifies improvement opportunities, and leverages advanced technologies to enhance communication and data collection.
- Evaluates 5G cellular coverage, analyzing sub-GHz long-range networks for broad connectivity and mmWave hotspots for high-speed, short-range access to optimize consumer wireless network experiences.
- Assesses the feasibility and implementation of private high-speed, long-range wireless networks to enhance connectivity for destination operations and exclusive visitor use.
- Provides insights on the placement and optimization of public Wi-Fi hotspots in key tourist zones to ensure convenient and reliable internet access for visitors.
- Incorporates Bluetooth tracking beacons to measure visitor density and movement patterns, offering valuable data for crowd management and resource allocation.
✅ DMO Cost Effectiveness Auditing
Ensuring a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) remains effective and resource-efficient is vital for sustainable tourism development. This service evaluates outdated practices, verifies economic impact claims, and benchmarks tourism contributions to the local community.
- Identifies legacy programs such as paper brochure printing or ineffective billboard placements to determine if resources can be better allocated to modern marketing strategies.
- Audits economic attributions claimed by the DMO to ensure they are substantiated and accurately reflect the organization's tourism impact.
- Benchmarks tourism's economic impact per resident, providing insights into how well the DMO is enhancing the community's economic well-being at the grassroots level.
- Analyzes regional DMO density to identify opportunities for collaboration or consolidation, reducing overhead costs and streamlining operations for greater efficiency.
Contact Us
📍 Destination Marketing Services in the United States
We offer Destination Marketing Services for mid-sized cities, small towns, rural communities and emerging destinations in all regions of the United States including New England, Mid-Atlantic, the Southeast, Great Lakes, the Midwest, Mountain West, Desert Southwest, Pacific Northwest, California, and the Pacific Exclaves.
Please email info@destinovate.com to send us your RFP, ask questions about your destination marketing and development needs and learn more about our services.