Tourism & Commerce Marketing
"Find yourself here." (State of California) "Pure Michigan" (State of Michigan) "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." (Las Vegas, Nevada) "Made for Vacation" (State of South Carolina) All these slogans are part of marketing campaigns geared toward tourists. Tourism marketing is a highly strategic method of attracting outside visitors to a particular location to increase commerce. These efforts can help generate income for a state or area for years to come and become a vital part of the economy.
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Significance
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Marketing is often viewed as both a business practice and an art. Tourism, for many cities, is a large contributor to the economic well-being of the city. A successful marketing campaign can help put an area on the map and expose resources many may not have been previously aware of for that particular location. According to the California Tourism Industry's Web site, "domestic and international visitors spent $87.7 billion in California destinations in 2009." Therefore it is easy to see how tourism marketing can bring opportunities to an area such as new businesses and corporate headquarters in addition to tourist dollars.
Function
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Highlighting the home of a famous football player, boasting the largest frying pan, the country's best golf courses or even the friendliest city sidewalks--these are all examples of tourism market campaigns. For example, "The Pure Michigan campaign is designed to introduce the nation to the attributes that make Michigan such a popular and unique destination," according to George Zimmermann, Vice President of Travel Michigan in a press release regarding the recent awards the Pure Michigan campaign has garnered.
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Types
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Standard marketing techniques such as creating a plan, observing study groups and launching new campaigns are all vital practices to promote tourism and commerce. Marketing campaigns vary across the board and can be approached from many different angles in regards to tourism. Print and online publications, traditional and social media are all utilized in tourism and commerce marketing to ensure that the broadest audience is reached. Strategic placements of these ads in travel magazines, airport terminals and commercials during sporting events all help to attract the target group of individuals to the location of choice.
Effects
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While gauging the success of tourism marketing can be more difficult than marketing more concrete products, an increase in commerce is often the greatest indicator. A successful campaign can increase heightened interest in a location, raising indicators in many related fields with benefits trickling down years after another marketing effort has been launched. The State of Michigan Tourism Industry reports that "for each dollar Michigan spent on out-of-state advertising from 2004 through 2008, new visits to Michigan stimulated by that advertising created more than $40 of spending at Michigan businesses." Although increases can seem gradual at first, the effects of tourism marketing can have a wide range impact on a state's commerce for many years.
Considerations
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Areas such as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina whose economy thrives on the tourism industry felt great losses during the nation's recent recession. While still posed as the third leading contributor in tourism for South Carolina, the tourism-centered location had resonating impacts when Americans cut out a large sum of extra spending. Although hit hard, the area sees itself in a great position to recover quickly with the tourism industry, being tied in with the state's "Made for Vacation" tourism marketing campaign.
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References
- Photo Credit San Francisco cityview image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
