A few comments on the positive things to come out of 2020 in the world of destination marketing.
No doubt you’ll read a number of 2020 reviews which reflect on the business impact of C-19. How’s the way we do business has changed forever, how it has blunted the sword of many business and set them back years, but for others it has helped sharpen the blade and accelerated the adoption of new technologies and enforced new thinking and new ways of doing things.
These are, of course, all true. No review of the year can be taken seriously if it is not viewed through the prism of C-19. However, I’m not going to add to the ranks of these types of articles, instead I’m going to celebrate three great things about destination marketing in 2020 (without even a further mention of the c-word!).
I’m not saying in any way that those involved in destination marketing were not always interested in value, but in 2020 ‘value’ seemed to become more multi-faceted and take on a sharper focus.
Value for users, value for stakeholders, value for businesses. Value for all concerned.
As far as we at DestinationCore are concerned this is exactly as it should be. Destination marketing budgets have been under pressure for a number of years. It doesn’t matter if you are a BID, a DMO, a shopping centre or a leisure park you’re all under pressure to make budget stretch further and perform better. This pressure has focused attention on the value you derive from the technology you use and the partners and agencies you work with.
This is positive news for us at DestinationCore HQ. We’re confident in the value offered through our products, and we’ve won contracts from competitors where clients didn't feel 'value' or 'valued'. Destinations; keep your focus on value in 2021 and beyond, it will keep your website and technology providers honest.
These are all things which have been talked about for a number of years, but more often than not the parties involved have just been perhaps paying lip service. But in 2020 we’ve noticed a shift from talking to doing. It could be the shrinking economy and the smaller budgets that are available to work with, it could be that after years of talk it has just started to fall into place, but it’s definitely starting to happen – and we hope it continues.
People who are visiting your destination don’t care about imaginary borders, or disagreements between the local council and BID/DMO, or if one technology provider doesn’t like another. What they care about is their experience – and their experience will be better if all the parties concerned work together as harmoniously as possible.
There’s so much to see, and so much to do in the UK. 2020 seems to be the year that vast swathes of the British public have woken up to the idea that they don’t need to jump on a plane to indulge in much needed R&R.
Yes, this has mainly been enforced as travel has been restricted, but it’s happening, and it will continue to happen in 2021 – and hopefully beyond too.
If you’re a DMO and you’ve seen an uplift in staycation activity in 2020 then it’s your job to give your tourists and visitors the best possible experience, so they tell their friends, so they come back, so they stop thinking about trips abroad and start thinking that the UK offers the best option for their valued time away.
And how do you do that? Focus on value and collaboration. Of course!
Happy Christmas, Destination Marketeers. Here’s to 2021.
Epsom is an historic market town nestled between London and The Surrey Hills. Epsom is more than just home to The Derby. It’s famous for Epsom Salts and has an abundance of history and heritage. The challenge was to showcase everything that Epsom has to offer without blowing the budget - enter DC One!
VISIT WEBSITEThe team at Uxbridge BID wanted to upgrade their website in order to offer greater value to their levy payers. DC One was the ideal solution to meet their needs as the automation offered through the combination of Business Login and Automated Subscriber Emails gave them incredible value on a tight budget.
VISIT WEBSITEWith the shopping centre having moved away from the ownership of the intu Group the client was looking for outstanding value for money and lots of built-in automation in order to stretch marketing budget as far as possible. They love the simplicity of DC One, with the structure making it easy for users to find what they are looking for.
VISIT WEBSITEThe NewcastleGateshead Initiative is the DMO representing Newcastle, Gateshead and the surrounding areas. They came to us frustrated with their existing website solution – feeling that their current provider was offering poor value for money. Our solution has helped transform their online presence by improving the user experience and offering greater value for their members.
VISIT WEBSITESouthampton BID had just gone through a brand refresh and were looking to help bring that brand to life with a powerful online experience. They wanted visitsouthampton.co.uk to be the go-to website for users to find out about what to do and what's on in Southampton. They chose the Pro core package and The List Events Feed module to power their website.
VISIT WEBSITEAll About Ipswich is a DMO for Ipswich and the surrounding area. The website showcases events and offers, and also includes a business directory. It provides easy access to a huge range of content, with the Journey Planner and Itinerary Builder modules enriching the user experience. The Campaign Section module provides a hub for the client's numerous marketing initiatives.
VISIT WEBSITEAs a BID in their first term The Junction BID needed to make an impact. Attracting visitors to Clapham Junction by showcasing what’s on offer and demonstrating value to the businesses they represent was essential. They chose the Offers and Events progressive web app alongside the Pro core package to encourage people who work within the BID area to spend more time at The Junction.
VISIT WEBSITEIn Colchester is the consumer website for the Colchester BID. We helped them create a new consumer facing brand, and then applied that brand to the DestinationCore platform to create a stunning looking website. Launched in August 2019 the feedback for this site has been superb.
VISIT WEBSITEWe’ve created a demo site for our fantasy town of Melchester. It’s an idyllic location by the sea, with an abundance of independent retailers and fair number of local characters too. Be sure to check out the blog about a true local hero - Admiral Standfast. Go on. Take a trip to Melchester!
VISIT WEBSITEWant to know more about DestinationCore? Call, email or fill in the form.
Tel: 01473 215656
Email: info@destinationcore.com