Destination
Marketing
Destination marketing is rarely painless. Who or what readily and willingly withstands scrutinies necessitated by concerted efforts to analyze a destination’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats? Can destinations unanimously decide upon branding without professional assistance? How does product development and asset inventories factor into the destination marketing equation? Destinations always need more research than they can afford, but, when that research provides fresh insights, potential new sources of visitors while reminding destinations they are in the business of serving people, how can vital research be ignored? All destinations also have greater needs for infrastructural improvements than budgets, but when does funding capital programs take priority over destination marketing? Or can these be complimentary?
Some destination marketers believe that, if they print brochures and have an airport in their region, the world will beat a path to their doors. Not only are tourist destinations competing for the same visitor dollars, they are competing for the same Pounds, Marks, Francs, Yen, Lire, Punt, Guilders ... In 1999, more than 52 million foreign visitors entered the United States and, of these, most had visited the US before and had spent more than 2½ months planning their visits. More than 17% had spent an unbelievable half year planning their visits.
Prospective visitors can be extremely resourceful—and today’s best ally in the resource department is, of course, the growing influence of the internet. Its surfeit of information can daunt many prospective visitors. And while no one disputes the internet’s value, tried and true destination marketing—pervasive dissemination of information throughout the universe by both traditional and nouveau methods—will never be replaced by electronic data bytes. Travel planners and catalogues, brochures, public relations initiatives, familiarization trips and photo shoots are but a smattering of MPDC’s destination marketing tools. MPDC supports DMOs and it is often these very entities which so greatly benefit from the refreshing perspectives we provide.
Michael Patrick Destinations & Communications (MPDC) delivers an impressive breadth of destination marketing experience and brings this to bear on destinations of all ilks. Working in tandem with destination tourism assets and marketing organizations, MPDC will supplement and maximize marketing dollars through partnership development, often between public and private sectors. The spirit of partnership is also a synchronizing force, coalescing fragmented efforts and diverse interests into cohesive marketing initiatives.
Are your destination’s trade show attendances bearing fruit commensurate with the attendant costs? Enter MPDC. MPDC’s staff, experts at show marketing, can provide results to more than retrieve the investment. MPDC never attends shows without representing its clients to press, trade and consumers in show cities. MPDC reaches all segments of destinations’ potential audiences with its handling of domestic and overseas holiday shows—and MPDC assists destinations in reaping the bountiful rewards of this exposure.
MPDC’s team comprises destination marketing experts. We’ve literally been there and done that and are still there doing that. And we have some tough questions to ask of your destination. MPDC is not known for asking the simple questions. And we undoubtedly have some answers for you.
