Articles about actions of digital Web 2.0 applied to tourism marketing.

Review of the book “Tourism Marketing” by Philip Kotler

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I am often asked what Tourism Marketing book I would recommend to someone who wants to be a Tourism professional. I always lean towards the same one: “Tourism Marketing” written by Philip Kotler, John Bowen and Judith T. Fam. Written in 2003. The book is already 21 years old but it captures the essence of the basics of Tourism Marketing, although it does not fully go into it. in Tourism Digital Marketing (my Tourism Digital Marketing book is not finished yet..., let's see if I can finish it before summer). I write this review in case it can be useful to you.

philip-kotler

Philip Kotler

Philip Kotler is recognized as the precursor of Relationship Marketing, a strategy that prioritizes the creation of long-term ties with customers, instead of concentrating solely on one-time sales as was done in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Kotler argues that companies must focus on generating continuous value for their customers, beyond the simple purchase-sale transaction.

What is Kotler's book about?

The book offers a complete overview of tourism marketing, from the basics to the latest trends. It is aimed at students, professionals in the tourism sector and anyone interested in understanding how marketing works in the tourism industry.

What can be found in the book?

  • An introduction to tourism marketing and its importance in today's world.
  • An analysis of the tourism marketing environment, including the economic, political, social, technological, environmental and legal factors that affect the industry.
  • Tourism consumer behavior, including the motivations, needs and preferences of travelers.
  • The segmentation of the tourism market and the definition of target markets. This part is super important, not in vain Kotler is the father of current marketing and the concept of segmentation and microsegmentation.
  • The development of tourism products and services that satisfy customer needs.
  • Setting prices for tourist products and services. Super interesting chapter too.
  • The promotion of tourist destinations and tourist products.
  • The distribution of tourist products and services.
  • Managing customer relationships in the tourism sector.
  • Marketing in sustainable tourist destinations.
  • The future of tourism marketing.

Concepts such as market segmentation to better understand consumers, personalize products or services according to customer needs, foster customer loyalty, and maintain two-way communication that allows for a constant exchange of information may seem obvious now, but This perspective was innovative at the time and has redefined the way we understand marketing today, changing the focus from a short-term vision based on transactions to a strategy that values ​​and puts the relationship with the customer at the center.

What are the key points of the book?

  • Tourism marketing is essential for the success of any destination or tourism company.
  • It is important to understand the behavior of the tourism consumer in order to develop products and services that meet their needs. Customer orientation, a basic in today's marketing.
  • Market segmentation is a key tool for identifying target markets and developing effective marketing strategies. In fact, you cannot do marketing in the 21st century without using data to segment correctly… it would be a sin!
  • Promotion is essential to create awareness about a destination or tourism product and generate interest among potential consumers. We are in an environment saturated with services... it is necessary to stand out from the crowd.
  • Distribution is important to make tourism products and services available to consumers.
  • Customer relationship management is essential to create loyalty and loyalty among customers.
  • Sustainable tourism marketing is increasingly important for consumers and companies.
  • The future of tourism marketing will be marked by technology, globalization and sustainability.

In fact, now that I write down the key factors, I realize that they are Kotler's 10 principles applied to tourism marketing, literally. A few years ago Kotler came to Barcelona and I had the pleasure of seeing him live giving a masterclass with his 10 principles. You can read the summary I did at the time at this link: Philip Kotler's 10 principles of New Marketing Everything is still 100% applicable today.

Where can I find the book?

The book “Tourism Marketing” by Philip Kotler, John Bowen and Judith T. Fam is available in major physical and online bookstores. You can also find it on platforms like Amazon Y Google Books.

I hope this review is useful to you.

If you want to know more about Tourism Digital Marketing, here is this article I wrote a few months ago: Digital Tourism Marketing

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Artificial Intelligence in Tourism Direct Sales: An Opportunity for Small Businesses

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In today's digital age, small tourism businesses face the constant challenge of standing out in a saturated market. Traditionally, Online Travel Agencies (OTAs [Booking, Hoteles.com, etc.)) have been the preferred channel for capturing reservations, offering visibility in exchange for a significant cost in commissions. However, the landscape is being transformed thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), which is revolutionizing the way hotels and tourism companies capture direct sales. In this article I will discuss how AI is facilitating this change and why it is essential for small tourism businesses to opt for direct sales.

The Importance of Direct Sales

Direct sales allow tourism companies to completely control their narrative, pricing and customer relationship. Unlike OTAs, which act as intermediaries and take a portion of the revenue, direct sales eliminate those intermediaries. This not only improves profit margins but also allows direct communication with customers, making it easier to personalize offers and build brand loyalty.

From the point of view of the sustainability of a territory, ensuring that its companies have the maximum direct reserves is a priority, since it allows the money paid by the client to revert directly to the population of that territory.

From the customer's point of view, making direct reservations guarantees that the money they pay for the service they hire corresponds to the service they receive. When this is not the case, the client feels that he has paid much more than he is actually receiving... and it is true that he has paid much more, because surely several intermediaries have participated in the sale of their services and each of them has kept a profit. commission for the services he will provide. This is the big problem of receptive agencies and that I already mentioned as a result of the classes I was teaching in Tanzania, to help them get direct clients.

For small tourism businesses, it is crucial to differentiate themselves in a competitive market, to create lasting relationships with their clients and to be economically sustainable, to achieve maximum direct sales.

AI Transforming Advertising Campaigns

The integration of artificial intelligence into digital marketing strategies is changing the game for tourism companies. AI can analyze large volumes of data to identify trends, user behaviors and booking patterns, allowing companies to target their audiences with unprecedented precision. This means that advertising campaigns can be highly personalized and optimized to attract direct bookings.

How AI Intervenes in Campaign Creation

AI intervenes in the creation of advertising campaigns in several ways:

  1. Advanced Audience Segmentation: It uses algorithms to analyze online behavior and customer preferences, allowing tourism businesses to segment their audience more effectively and personalize their messages. If you can access this type of data, creating campaigns is much easier. The secret is to make more and more segmented ads. Google's “performance max” campaigns help with this point and creating them is not so heavy if you use ChatGPT to create everything that the advertising system asks of you.
  2. Campaign Optimization in Real Time: AI (both Google and Meta) monitors campaign performance and automatically adjusts budgets and bids to maximize visibility and conversion, ensuring the right message reaches the right person at the right time.
  3. Dynamic Content Creation: Generate and adapt advertising creatives based on user interaction, improving ad relevance and engagement. Here, again, Google's “performance max” campaigns work perfectly.
  4. Trend Prediction: Anticipate changes in customer preferences and adjust marketing strategies to take advantage of these trends, keeping companies one step ahead. This section is not as easy as the previous ones because it requires being attentive to trends, but ask Gemini (Google's AI, which is connected to the internet and updated) from time to time, helps you see the changes coming.

In summary, the integration of artificial intelligence into digital marketing campaigns represents an unprecedented opportunity for small tourism businesses. By encouraging direct sales and reducing dependence on OTAs, these companies can improve their profitability and forge a closer relationship with their customers. In an increasingly competitive market, the adoption of AI is not just an advantage, it is a necessity for those seeking to differentiate themselves and prosper in the tourism industry.

You can read more about the topic here:

What do you think? Do you think AI can help the sustainability of destinations?

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The Impact of Tourism Digital Marketing

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Tourism Digital Marketing

In the current era, the world economy has been profoundly influenced by digitization, generating a significant transformation in the field of Tourism Marketing. The application of digital strategies has allowed companies in the tourism sector to segment the public more effectively and capture their attention accurately. In this article, we will explore in detail the different Tourism Digital Marketing tactics that have proven to be highly successful in attracting and retaining customers in the tourism industry.

Use of Digital Channels to Segment the Target Audience

Digital tourism has become an essential tool to adapt tourism products and services to the interests and objectives of consumers. One of the most prominent strategies is the use of mobile applications, which allow users to access relevant information about destinations, hotel reservations, activity recommendations and much more. These apps offer a personalized experience, giving the user the feeling of having a virtual travel assistant at their disposal. Although what we find every day is that tourist companies have not created their websites well. Their websites are oriented to the product and not to the customer, they have more or less nice designs, but nobody has thought about segmentation, or the value proposition, or an effective call to action.

Positioning in Google and Presence in Metasearch Engines

SEO (search engine positioning), especially on Google, plays a crucial role in the success of digital tourism marketing. Companies in the industry should strive to appear in the first search results, since most users tend to click on the links that are in the first positions. To achieve this, it is necessary to implement SEO techniques that increase online visibility. Here we also find many of the mistakes of the companies we work with on a daily basis. SEO does not have a clear objective.

In addition to positioning in Google, it is also important to consider the presence in metasearch engines. These platforms, such as Trivago or Kayak, allow users to compare prices from different providers of tourism services, such as hotels and flights. Being present in these metasearch engines guarantees greater exposure and the possibility of capturing the attention of potential customers who are looking for the best options available.

The Power of Content Marketing in Tourism

Content marketing has proven to be an effective strategy to attract and retain customers in the tourism sector. By creating blogs, YouTube channels, and social media content, tourism businesses can generate quality, relevant content that captures the attention of their target audience.

The blog is an excellent tool to share information about destinations, travel tips, activity recommendations and experiences of other travelers. Videos on YouTube allow you to visually show tourist destinations, offering a more immersive experience to potential customers. In addition, social networks like Facebook and Instagram provide a platform to share engaging content, engage with users, and build a community around the brand.

The blog articles that have the most conversions and the posts on social networks that have the most impact should be reinforced with advertising, another of the basic techniques of Digital Marketing.

Opportunities for Action in Social Networks and the Role of Influencers

Social networks not only offer opportunities to share content, but also to promote action and participation of the target audience. By creating contests, promotions and exclusive discounts for followers on social networks, tourism companies can encourage interaction and increase user engagement.

Likewise, influencers play an important role in digital tourism marketing. These people, with a large following and online credibility, can influence the travel decisions of your audience. Collaborating with relevant influencers in the tourism sector can increase the visibility of a brand and generate positive recommendations, which translates into greater interest and trust from consumers.

Online Reputation and User Opinions as Key Factors

In Tourism Digital Marketing, online reputation and user opinions play a crucial role in consumer decision making. Before booking a hotel, booking a tour, or choosing a restaurant, most people check reviews and ratings online. Therefore, it is critical for tourism businesses to provide quality service, encourage positive feedback, and respond effectively to constructive criticism.

Building a good online reputation requires a holistic approach, including customer satisfaction, delivering memorable experiences, and personalized attention. Likewise, it is important to use the opinions and comments of users as an opportunity to improve and optimize the products and services offered.

Control of the Action Plan

Since Tourism Digital Marketing has become an essential tool to establish a sustainable business in the tourism industry. The use of digital channels, positioning in Google, presence in metasearch engines, content marketing, social networks and online reputation management are key elements to achieve success in this highly competitive sector. To control your entire action plan, it is necessary to highlight in this last point the need to know how to use web analytics and have a digital dashboard.

It is essential that tourism companies understand the importance of adapting to the demands of the target audience and using effective digital strategies to capture their attention and retain them. Those companies that manage to implement the best practices of digital tourism marketing will be in a privileged position to stand out in an increasingly digitized environment.

Links of interest to learn more about Tourism Digital Marketing

Here is a link to an article about a Tourism Digital Marketing Course that I gave in Tanzania a few months ago, to help incoming travel agencies in that country: Digital Marketing for Incoming Agencies

Here is another article about the Sustainability of a Destination and Tourism Marketing.

I also leave here a link to the Tourism Digital Marketing course that will soon be online and that you can carry out, calmly, from your home: Tourism Digital Marketing Course

I hope this article has given you a clear insight into the strategies and tactics that can help tourism businesses stand out in the digital marketing arena. If implemented effectively, these techniques can make a significant difference to the success and profitability of a business in the tourism industry. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need additional advice or help to develop your Tourism Digital Marketing strategy!

Bordeaux and its sustainable wine tourism

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A journey through time and wine sustainability

More and more wineries are looking for sustainability in the production of their wines, and not only to adapt to market trends, but because they really believe that it is the right thing to do. However, many of them show some resistance to creating a tourism business that revolves around their wine production, as they fear losing focus on the sustainability of their projects. However, tourism can favorably complement the income derived from the sale of wines, especially if production is on a smaller scale.

Today I was reading an article about the transformation of wine tourism in the Bordeaux region, and I thought it was worth reflecting on sustainability and wine tourism.

What is sustainable wine tourism?

Sustainable wine tourism is a growing trend that combines a passion for wine with respect for the environment and local communities.

It is a form of tourism that seeks to preserve natural resources, promote responsible agricultural practices, and foster the socioeconomic development of wine regions.

Sustainable wine tourism goes beyond simple wine tasting, offering visitors authentic and enriching experiences that include visits to eco-friendly wineries, tours of organic and/or biodynamic vineyards, tastings of responsibly produced wines, efficient use of natural resources (water, energy), responsible waste management and emission reduction.

This form of conscious tourism allows wine lovers to enjoy their passion while contributing to the preservation of the environment and local culture.

Bordeaux transformation

Bordeaux, both as a city and as a region, enchants me and fascinates me every time I go. I try to visit it whenever I can and I take the opportunity to explore the local wineries and enjoy tastings of the typical wines of the area. On my last visit, I ventured a little further north into the Cognac region to see the distilleries there.

The Bordeaux region has undergone a remarkable transformation, from initially reticent of tourism to heavily dependent on it as a source of income. It is an inspiring example of change that can serve as a guide for our own wine regions.

Twenty years ago, many châteaux in Bordeaux did not receive tourists and there was a sense of snobbery and reluctance to open their doors to visitors. However, just before the pandemic, Bordeaux was already receiving 6.8 million tourists, who spent 1.5 billion euros in the region in 2019.

Bordeaux Wine Museum

Bordeaux Wine Museum

The change in attitude towards tourism in Bordeaux can be attributed to several factors. After World War II, Bordeaux faced challenges such as limited funds to replant vineyards and rebuild wineries. However, with the improvement in wine quality in the late 1970s and 1980s, Bordeaux caught the attention of the American market and saw the potential to attract visitors.

The success of wine tourism in Bordeaux has also led to the emergence of smaller wineries and lesser-known regions struggling to compete with the big players. The city of Bordeaux also underwent a revitalization under the leadership of Alain Juppé, resulting in the opening of La Cité du Vin, a wine museum that attracts thousands of visitors and which I 100% recommend you visit if you are around. the region.

This was the first sensory museum I visited.

Benefits of sustainable wine tourism

Positive impact on the environment and biodiversity

Many wineries in Bordeaux have adopted sustainable farming practices, such as organic farming and biodynamics. These methods avoid the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides, helping to preserve soil quality and protect local biodiversity.

Promotion of local and economic development of wine regions

I don't know the Bordeaux of 20 years ago, but visiting the region one observes the transformation of the territory and how the whole world participates in this new approach towards tourists.

Sustainable wine tourism fosters the development of the local economy by attracting visitors and generating employment in the region. Sustainable wineries source from local producers and suppliers, helping to strengthen the supply chain and support the community.

Bordeaux's success in wine tourism has not only boosted the winery economy, but has also improved revenue for all businesses in the region. You will not leave Bordeaux without having eaten several times in any of the restaurants in the area, you will also take the opportunity to buy some souvenirs, to have breakfast on the terrace of the many brasseries that fill its streets and to visit its wine museum or have a small boat cruise on the Garonne river.

Although it is true that some areas begin to be saturated. A Saturday or a Sunday in Saint-Émilion is like walking along the Ramblas in Barcelona… it is better to go during the week. Known for its renowned wines and historical heritage, the village of Saint-Émilion (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) attracts tourists and wine lovers from all over the world who come to enjoy the village and the panoramic views of the surrounding vineyards… but there are times when the number of tourists per square meter is a bit excessive.

Preservation of wine culture and heritage

Sustainable wine tourism offers visitors the chance to immerse themselves in Bordeaux's wine history and culture. Many of the wineries that promote sustainability are rooted in centuries-old traditions and strive to preserve the region's winemaking heritage. It is very pleasant to make visits and tastings in which more than one generation of the owner family participates.

The transition towards sustainable wine tourism

Overall, Bordeaux's transition from a tourist-averse region to an essential wine destination has been driven by factors such as improving wine quality, the influence of the US market, the efforts of wineries and families individuals, the development of tourism infrastructure and the focus on sustainability. The smaller châteaux offer a more intimate experience, while the larger ones, such as Lynch-Bages, Lafite and Mouton, offer a grand and impressive atmosphere.

Bordeaux's focus on sustainability, with all vintners required to adopt certified environmental approaches by 2030, has also contributed to its success as a wine tourism destination.

Montse Peñarroya in BordeauxIf you have never visited the region, I invite you to do so. It is well connected. We go by car and take a hotel or rural accommodation for three days. Ideal.

The original article that has inspired me to share the history of Bordeaux, you can read it here: https://daily.sevenfifty.com/how-bordeaux-opened-its-doors-to-wine-tourism/

I also leave you with an article I wrote for Mercados del Vino magazine on how to attract visits to a winery's website: https://www.montsepenarroya.com/%c2%bfcomo-conseguir-atraer-visitas-a-una-pagina-web-de-enoturismo/

Have you ever visited this region? How do you see her?

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A hug.

Digital marketing for natural parks, in Mexico!

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At the beginning of November I had the pleasure of participating in a UNWTO Regional Course in Mexico. The objective was to help those responsible for the main natural parks in this country to improve the management of the parks and to put them on the market.

Mexico and natural parks

Mexico is known for having a wide variety of natural parks and protected areas. Some of the best known include:

  • Sierra de Guadalupe National Park: This park is located in central Mexico and is known for its mountainous landscapes and for being home to a wide variety of fauna and flora.
  • Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve: This reserve is located in the Yucatan peninsula and is known for its white sand beaches and turquoise waters. It is also home to a large number of animal and plant species.
  • Sierra de Órganos National Park: This park is located in the state of Zacatecas and is known for its impressive rock formations and for being home to a large number of plant and animal species, such as white-tailed deer and gray wolves.
  • Desierto de los Leones National Park: This park is located in the Sierra Madre Occidental and is known for its mountainous landscapes and for being home to a large number of plant and animal species, such as the golden eagle and white-tailed deer.

The parks of Monterey

In the Sierra Madre is where the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park is also located: This park is known for its impressive views of the desert and for being home to a large number of plant and animal species, such as the gray fox and the eagle owl. Around Monterrey there is also the La Estanzuela National Park, the Cerro de la Silla Protected Natural Area and the Chipinque Ecological Park, the latter with spectacular views of the city of Monterrey.

We visited all these parks, as well as the protected area of ​​the Bishopric where a Monterrey history museum is located, which helped me to better understand the idiosyncrasies of the city and its inhabitants. Above all, with regard to the Battle of Monterrey, in which Mexico ended up losing half of its territory to the United States. This part of the story is not explained in Spain and I only knew about it through Hollywood movies.

About the Digital Marketing course

The course was titled: “Tourism and Protected Areas: A vision of Sustainable Management”

On the one hand, he participated Ana Baez in the management of the parks, and I for the improvement of its commercialization. Ana is a super expert in natural parks and protected areas, and to a large extent, the origin of Costa Rica's good position in this tourism segment. It was an honor to be the "opening act" for her and help the parks to reach their users and thus contribute to the economic sustainability of the project... which obviously also leads to having funds for conservation and therefore also environmental sustainability .

The training was carried out at the TEC de Monterrey during the first week of November 2022. Although calling it training is to greatly simplify what is actually carried out with the course participants. The UNWTO methodology is that of "learning by doing", so our work is that of facilitators: a mixture of trainer and consultant, and the final objective is that the participants return home with a Marketing plan (in my case ) under his arm, and with the necessary training to implement it.

Monterrey and Nuevo Leon

I had never been in the Monterrey area, the state of Nuevo León (northern Mexico). It is spectacular from the point of view of nature and the preservation of fauna and flora, but it is also spectacular from the point of view of the city itself: a mega-city of 8 million inhabitants. A rich area, with work for everyone (less than 2% unemployment), with a highly developed industrial sector and manufacturing for the US and Mexico, but also with first-class services: they are one of the main centers of Tourism Latin American doctor.

Very different from the image of Mexico that I had up to that moment. And it's not that the image was bad, it's that it was more folkloric. Until this trip, I had been in the Los Cabos area (where I went fishing after a trip I made to Los Angeles/San Diego/Las Vegas), and on another occasion, to teach Digital Marketing classes for destinations. , also with the UNWTO, in Zacatecas (another beautiful area of ​​Mexico).

The course went very well, as always, when people understand the potential of the Internet to market their products and services, and you show them how to do it, they are fascinated with the subject and always more, the vision of the network changes for them . There is always a before and after.

... and after finishing the course

Taking advantage of the fact that I was in Mexico, I was able to accept participation in a Tourism Innovation congress that was held in Veracruz, the following week, within the framework of the Expo Veracruz. Obviously, I also took the opportunity to visit this part of the country, very focused on the beaches and Mayan ruins. Also in nature tourism. Again, it was a pleasant surprise for me.

Anyway… a trip to Mexico is 100% recommended!

Here are some links:

  • Nuevo Leon Tourism: New Lion
  • Veracruz Tourism: Veracruz
  • I leave you a link to the webinars, where you will find one that I gave on December 20, 2022 for the Secretary of Tourism of Mexico: A world without cookies

I hope you find it useful

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Digital Marketing for receptive travel agencies, in Tanzania!

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At the end of November I was participating in a joint mission of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the UNBP the United Nations agency that fights poverty, the World Bank and the Association of Travel Agents of Tanzania (TATOTZ). It was about helping incoming travel agencies and small local tour operators to get direct customers instead of passing customers through the entire tourism distribution chain.

Tanzania and incoming agencies

The problem that local agencies have is that the prices of a safari in Tanzania are very high, but then, when the product is offered to clients, they feel that despite everything being wonderful, they are not receiving the service for which they have paid. Especially at the level of service providers (hotels, guides, transport experience...).

For example, someone who has paid €1,700 for a safari of 1 day and one night in the Ngorongoro Crater, does not accept being charged €5 for a coke to drink during dinner at the hotel... they comment "with what that I have paid, are the drinks not included? Not even the non-alcoholic ones?”

But the truth is that only a tiny amount of money has arrived at the hotel. What comes to them hardly covers the expenses that the client will incur. The margins they work with are less than 5%. If anything goes wrong, the profits are gone and they lose money.

Where does the customer's money go?

Where will the €1700 that the customer has paid go? Well, to all intermediary agencies. Each one of them has doubled the initial price of the package that the customer has purchased. This is how the tourist intermediation sector works when the client is so far from the issuing agencies.

But not everything is the fault of the intermediary agencies, nor of our local agencies. They carry out their function: they have their clients and contribute them to the distribution chain, advise, help design a specific product for them and offer guarantees and insurance. They do their job perfectly.

The shopping experience in a receptive agency

If you ever try to buy a package directly at an incoming agency in Tanzania, you will find that everyone offers the same thing: "custom-made safaris", without more... "tell us what you want and we will prepare it for you"... (but how? Am I going to know what I want, if I don't know anything about Tanzania?). And with such varied and disparate prices, one is unable to choose which is the appropriate service... so it is not surprising that potential clients decide that they are going to trust their lifelong travel agency and that they are the ones who set up trip.

For more INRI, as the most famous safari location in Tanzania (the aforementioned crater) is touching Kenya, and Kenya has done its homework at the marketing level, most likely when you hire the safari, your local agency will hire it to a tour operator, and that this tour operator contracts it with a receptive agency in Kenya, which will make you visit the Masai Mara park in Kenya first, stay there and then, one day, go to the Serengeti park in Tanzania or the Ngorongoro crater.

The rest of the parks in Tanzania are empty! Tourists do not arrive there despite the million and a half annual tourists that they receive as a country.

The “other” function of incoming agencies

In short... that the population of Tanzania is on the verge of poverty, or fully in it, while the north country and Zanzibar are full of tourists. This is when the sustainability of a country's tourism development project comes in.

It is not enough that tourism is respectful of the environment and helps protect it, it is also necessary that we make sure that the money generated by tourism reaches the local population. Working with the receiving agencies seems the most feasible solution and that is what the United Nations opted for: the receiving agencies are the local entity that will distribute the money to guide companies, transport companies, hotels and natural parks.

Marketing and incoming agencies

On behalf of the UNWTO, 5 specialists in sustainable Tourism Marketing intervene. First giving 5 more technical online webinars, for receptive travel agencies, and then in person a 5-day course on how to market your tourist experiences directly to the end user and how to create an International Digital Marketing Plan.

There is much work to be done. The people who attended the course were enthusiastic about the knowledge on how to create and market their tourism experiences on the internet, but they have serious problems with technical web management. The hostings are not good, some websites are hacked, the webmasters are subcontracted in distant countries and are unprofessional, there are no local providers with knowledge of digital marketing... in short... there is a long way to go. But at least they have the intention to fix it and this is already a big what… the intention is the precursor of the action, so go ahead!

I leave you with some links.

  • Tanzania Tourist Office: Tanzania
  • Tanzania Tour Operators Association website: TATOTZ
  • My Instagram in case you want to see some of the photos and videos I took during my visit to Tanzania: Instagram Montse Peñarroya
  • A link to the open webinars that the organizers publish on Youtube. There are some from the World Tourism Organization, though not the ones from Tanzania: open webinars

I hope you find it useful.

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How to create a Digital Communication Plan

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How to create a Digital Communication Plan

Internet communication has changed a lot in recent years. The massive entry of companies into the network, added to the entry of new users caused by COVID-19, requires digital marketing professionals to be up to date and carry out their plans using the strategies and techniques that really work. Digital marketing is a discipline in full expansion, but also in full change and evolution.

During this week, I have had the pleasure of giving in Andorra three monographic workshops on SEO, advertising and web analytics, respectively. And a face-to-face course dedicated to the creation of the Online Communication Plan for tourism companies.

I am writing this article, not to talk about the course, but to talk about the methodology with which I help create digital communication plans. I would like to share with you the framework that we use at the UNWTO, the United Nations agency that is responsible for helping the development of countries through Sustainable Tourism, to help companies and destinations create their online communication plans... if it can help you to prepare yours, whether or not you are from Tourism.

With that said, let's move on to the framework that will help you create the plan. It's called SOSTAC, which stands for Situation, Objectives, Tactics, Action and Control.

Points of a Digital Communication Plan

SOSTACCreating a Situation Analysis

We will carry out a small analysis of our organization to remember what the mission was when it was created, what our values ​​are and what our business model is. Also current types of clients, what our competition does on the Internet, trends in the sector, etc. With all this information the company will create a SWOT. With the SWOT in hand, you will create a CAME (you will define actions and strategies to neutralize the negative points and value and enhance the positive points of the SWOT).

If you want more information about doing a SWOT or a CAME, I have put some links at the end of the article.

Setting realistic goals

We will define clear, measurable objectives based on current numbers. To create the objectives, it is better to start by creating a sales funnel to know the current conversion rates, and from this data to be able to set realistic objectives.

Defining our digital strategy

We will draw up a strategic plan defining customer, price, marketing, communication and brand strategies.

In the bibliography you will find an article of mine where I develop more how to create digital communication strategies.

Identifying the best tactics

We will plan the tactics that will help us get customers to arrive automatically and in a sustained way. Inbound marketing and content creation will be our main tactics.

Creating the Online Action Plan

We will define a whole series of actions to achieve the objectives that we have set for ourselves. Actions to attract traffic to the website (SEO, SEM, network advertising, natural presence on social networks, presence in online media, presence in online markets and direct marketing [email marketing or Whatsapp marketing]). Actions to convert visits into customers (persuasion, trust and good user experience [UX]). And actions to build customer loyalty.

Controlling the Online Communication plan

We will create a measurement and control plan to ensure that the actions are leading us towards the proposed objectives. We will define KPI (Key Performance Indicators) and we will use some data visualization tool to easily interpret the data (we can use the control panel of google Analytics, or use Google Data Studio and thus be able to aggregate data from more than one source).

You will have to work on all these points step by step, so that at the end of the process you have an Online Communication Plan that guarantees you to achieve the strategic objectives that you set for yourself, and an action plan that allows you not to have to improvise.

You will find more information here:

I hope this article will help you.

As always, receive a big hug.

We're going talking.

Course Content Marketing for hotels in Salou

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The May 5 begins the course "Content Marketing for hotels"Salou.

This course is divided into 5 sessions which cover the following topics:

Session 1: What is Content Marketing and why it is necessary for the hotels. This is a theoretical session that will discuss various strategies, we will focus on the various types of content that we generate from our establishments and setting objectives of our communication.

Session 2: Storytelling - The power of the story in the tourism marketing. In this session we will see what is the storytellingHow it serves to add personality to our company and our services, and we will have a practical building workshop "who we are" and "what we do" using this technique.

Session 3: Communicate to sell - Good practices to guide our communication to sales. Techniques of persuasion and trusted transmission through the contents of our web and social networks.

Session 4: Content creation and gamification - What is the gamification, How it applies to tourism. Practical workshop gamification applied to the contents of Tourism.

Session 5: Product / service experience - Practical workshop on creation of tourist experiences, which later learn to communicate and storytelling techniques with the ultimate goal of selling experience.

The Hotel Association of Salou is who organizes the course, although it is open to everyone. For more information, you find this PDF: Curso de Content Marketing

The gamification in Tourism, called "best practices"

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Following the training I'm teaching on "Gamification (or gamification) and Tourism"I am preparing a book with good practices that use tourism initiatives gamification as a tool to achieve proposed by the tourism entity that created goal.

Please if your tourist office, your hotel, your site, your restaurant, your company tourism activities have made an application (technological or otherwise) that use the gamificationLet me know to contact you, you do an interview, and include your good practice in the book.

What is the gamification in Tourism?

For those who do not are so placed on these issues tourism innovation, commenting that the gamification is the application of game mechanics applied to non-recreational environments, which aim, in the case of Tourism:

  1. Introduce all the tourist resources of a territory.
  2. Getting lifestyle changes in tourists (water saving, more recycling, etc.)
  3. Increase in the average ticket at a shop (ie the same number of customers consume more and spend more).
  4. Increase the number of customers (loyal customers and rotation)
  5. Increased employee productivity (work faster and with fewer errors)
  6. Better training (especially distance).

My classes gamification They are applied to tourism gamificadas (Missing only!) And treat them with more depth What is the gamification and how to get 6 goals that I mentioned in the previous paragraph. They are practical workshops with very satisfactory results.

El libro va a tratar de lo mismo, va a ser divulgativo y muy práctico. Pero me gustaría poder dar a conocer buenas prácticas en cada uno de los 6 objetivos, centradas en el mercado catalán y en casos reales con buenos resultados. Sé que desde nuestras oficinas de turismo y nuestros establecimientos turísticos se realizan este tipo de actividades, no en vano Catalunya es una de las potencias turísticas en innovación, pero muchas veces no se les da la importancia que se merecen y, el esfuerzo realizado y los resultados obtenidos pasan desapercibidos entre las otras iniciativas que se llevan a cabo. De ahí mi interés en darles visibilidad, a la vez que posicionan al destino o al establecimiento como una entidad que realiza buenas prácticas… no me gusta nada tener que mostrar buenas prácticas norteaméricanas o de grandes cadenas hoteleras.

Please, if you want to communicate some of these good practices (though not yours, but have knowledge of) contact me through this form and shortly I will contact you.

Many thanks!

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    Conclusions of the IX World Congress on Mountain Tourism

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    Last week I had the pleasure to participate in the issue 9ena World Congress on Mountain Tourism "Mountainlikers” which is held biannually in Andorra.

    This time the conference was dedicated to the adventure sports practiced on the mountain, and an important part of the speakers dealt their presentations on this subject.

    Although I could not attend all lectures, these are some of the conclusions I arrived:

    1. Adventure tourism is softening: adventures are become more accessible to everyone. In fact, users what they want are "special moments" experiences that are unique and memorable, without the need to be extreme. The trend seems to be that tourists increasingly seek health and fun combinations. In this regard, I would emphasize phrases like "thermal water & mountain destination are a good combination"And the tendency to mix Medical Tourism and Mountain Tourism, as a form of seasonally adjusted a destination.
    2. Sustainable tourism: All types of mountain tourism, if managed correctly, They can be seen as a type of sustainable tourism for their social aspect and the fact that income can be distributed among the mountain people. Also for the fact that if we seek "authenticity" as the destination value proposition, this type of tourism is a very good way to raise awareness of the local culture and therefore to preserve it.
    3. Environment: management of mountain tourism is extremely important to consider environmental conservation. In this regard several examples of how it is carried out in destinations like Peru, Switzerland and Andorra, among others showed.

    Two initiatives stand out:

    On the one hand the company Milenium Destination which makes trips between French and Koreans aim to know the destination, its people and its culture: in his travels 10 French move to Korea to do treking with 10 Koreans, with those who stay and live the days of the trip . Also they organized in reverse.

    Furthermore, the clothing brand Mountain Marmot, He shared with Congress his new marketing strategy based on attempting to provide unique experiences to their customers and then to publicize these experiences through their web and social networks. Let along these lines its promotional video, which was one of the funniest things Congress.

    Finally, I end this summary with a small photo gallery of the conference and the activities of the technical conference on the last day in which we could see first hand insitu Naturlandia, One of the best worked at the level of product creation and marqueting Andorrans tourism resources.