Sojerns Guide to Tourism MarketingTOURISMS GUIDE TO THE LATEST TRENDS IN DIGITAL MARKETING SOJERN 2 Table of Contents03 Introduction04 Chapter One: How Tourism Boards Can Reach Millennial Travelers08 Chapter Two: How Destination Marketers can Engage with Travelers on Facebook10 Chapter Three: How Wyoming Office of Tourism Takes Content Storytelling a Step Further 13 Chapter Four: How San Francisco Travel Earned 1600% More Bookings with Sojern and DoubleClick 16 ConclusionTOURISMS GUIDE TO THE LATEST TRENDS IN DIGITAL MARKETING SOJERN 3 The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) cites that the tourism industry, as a whole, has “boasted virtually uninterrupted growth over time,” and representing 7% of the worlds exports in good and services, it has actually grown faster than global trade over the past five years.1 For destination marketers, these stats are cause for optimism. But, how can you be sure youre keeping up with the latest trends to continue this upward growth? After all, the modern traveler is connected over several devices, and has instant access to information, all at their fingertips. How can you, as a destination marketer, best reach travel planners in order to stand out in the crowd, and draw them to your destination?This eBook aims to equip destination marketers with the latest and greatest techniques for digital marketing, including: How to reach and influence millennial travelers Techniques for leveraging Facebooks scale to reach in-market travel planners Best practices from industry innovators, including Wyoming Office of Tourism and San Francisco Travel1 UN World Tourism Organization. 2017. UNWTO Tourism Highlights, 2017 Edition.IntroductionTOURISMS GUIDE TO THE LATEST TRENDS IN DIGITAL MARKETING SOJERN 4 With millennials comprising 32% of US travelers and becoming the fastest-growing age segment in travel, travel marketers are making them a priority.2 Before you can market your destination to millennials and earn their business, its important you first understand how they think differently about travel. In this chapter, well help you understand the millennial mindset and offer strategic recommendations on how you can reach, engage, and convert them to your destination, attraction, or offering effectively. 2 Tierney, Jim. 2015. Loyalty360. Customer Engagement of Millennials Keys Travel Trends.How Tourism Boards Can Reach Millennial Travelers Chapter 1TOURISMS GUIDE TO THE LATEST TRENDS IN DIGITAL MARKETING SOJERN 5 Millennials and Their Travel BehaviorsMillennials are generally defined as the generation born between the early 1980s and late 1990s. They are historys largest-ever consumer generation and are poised to spend upwards of $200 billion annually.3 This presents a huge opportunity for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), as millennials are expected to spend more on travel next year than any other age group.4 And its not just their spending power that makes them unique, their travel planning and booking behavior is also different from previous generations. For example: Millennials are 23% more likely to travel abroad than any generation before. They are more inclined to travel for a unique and memorable experience. Growing up in the digital, social networking, smartphone era, they are likely to forgo the help of travel agents, opting to book their own flights and accommodation online. Deciding where to travel is heavily influenced by friends and family via social media and opinions on crowd-sourced review sites.5 In order to market to millennials, tourism boards need to adjust their traditional methods and campaigns. But fear not! In the next sections, we offer recommendations on how to reach millennial travelers on the channels they use most.3 Mandich, Monya. 2016. Expedia Media Solutions Blog. “Experience-Seeking Millennials are Turning the Travel Tide.”4 MMGY Global. 2017. Portrait of American Travelers Survey. 5 Hospitalitynet. 2016. The World of Millennial Travel. TOURISMS GUIDE TO THE LATEST TRENDS IN DIGITAL MARKETING SOJERN 6 Craft a Full-Funnel Mobile StrategyWith 59% and 64% of millennials saying theyre likely to purchase a flight and book a hotel room, respectively, on a smartphone, a full-funnel mobile strategy is essential.6 This includes: Developing mobile-optimized ads to influence millennial travelers to visit your destination. Using less text on your ad or website, instead favoring captivating imagery and video, and a prominent Call to Action (CTA) with an easy-to-click exit button. Ensuring your website loads fast and the content and design are mobile-friendly.If a millennial visits your website for information on hotels, restaurants, or activities but has a sub-par user experience, they will go elsewhere for their information, creating an opportunity to research other destinations. Harness the Power of Social MediaSocial media is an influential channel for t