The role of the offer
This is a story about brand content, so what’s it doing in a column about being accountable for results? Experts have observed in the data for generations that two things impact results more than any other: the list and the offer. Our R2 column has dealt with the list – the news in database marketing for tourism – for the past several months. Let’s talk for a bit about the offer – our brands and how they can tap into what the visitor wants today.
It’s good to be the prince
It is nice to have an ocean. Or a mountain. Or a PGA Tour golf course. But STS members are largely destination and attractions based on natural beauty, cultural heritage and authentic experiences. This is not a bad thing. Places that draw visitors from a variety of medium-size appeals may not soar as high as the headliners, but they do not plunge as steeply either. We’ve seen that yet again in the past two years.
Human nature and visitor math
Since 2001, our industry’s biggest success is not a new “hook” for attracting visitors. The biggest thing we’ve built is a visitor who believes vacation is an essential part of American life. We saw it in the rebound from 9/11. We’re seeing it again in the recovery that’s now under way. Even during the darkest uncertainty, our overall visitor numbers held up stronger than many expected — certainly stronger than the performance of our customers' mutual funds!
Group business, length of stay, average daily rate and typical spend all suffered a bit from the economic news. But people mostly kept coming. Now what can we do to serve that persevering visitor? Newly careful, but still coming.
Trends we can bank on
Recent research points to visitor trends like active involvement with the environment, health consciousness, customization and control, spiritual enlightenment and a desire to have and share authentic experiences. Here in the American South, we are rich in these asset and abilities.
Natural beauty, cultural depth, history and heritage, music and art, spiritual foundations, stories of family and courage and contentment – STS members have long had a hand in offering these to visitors and turning our hospitality into an engine of economic development.
Take inventory with these trends in mind
It’s a good time to look again at how we’ve branded our respective destinations and attractions and see how our brand fits these emerging desires. A brand isn’t for changing with every breeze, but the brands in our region already hold within them the promise of experiences people want now. Let’s make sure we’re presenting them in a way that connects with the new priorities of our visitor. Our results are bound to get stronger as we do.