Weekly stories curated exclusively for digital tourism marketers
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Your one-stop shop to get updated on all things digital from pay-to-play digital media to content marketing to the future of marketing technology…plus a one-day Digital Boot Camp for destinations and attractions designed just for traditional marketing staff transitioning to digital.
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Registration for eTourism LABS in Philadelphia on March 14-15, 2017 is found here.
During my annual DMO and agency “listening tour,” I met with one digital director who mentioned that 93 percent of his budget is now invested in digital. Meantime, his “traditional” marketing department, with twice as many staff, is spending the 7 percent that’s left. Clearly, things are in transition. Therefore, he is sending two of his traditional marketing staff to eTourism LABS as a way to train them, as he described, “teaching old dogs to do new tricks.”
That’s why we created a Digital Boot Camp within the agenda at eTourism LABS.
The conference provides a deeper dive into new media topics that we are not able to include at eTourism Summit due to time constraints. And, as the name implies, the event is used to test new content ideas and even develop products that don’t currently exist.
Take our Digital Boot Camp for Destinations and Attractions Track on March 14th at eTourismLABS in Philadelphia. It’s a full-day track designed for those coming from another internal department or those hired from the outside. These individuals may possess digital expertise but with no understanding of the tourism industry or have travel expertise but lack digital marketing skills. Our goal is to provide an overview of the basics of Search Marketing, Google Analytics, Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, Influencer Marketing from a tourism marketing perspective, as well as to equip PR staff with new online tools for where their role overlaps with content marketing.
Digital Boot Camp was developed in collaboration with DMAI and our eTourism Summit Advisory Council and is offered as optional stand-alone one day intense workshop with a reduced registration fee or as part of the entire two day event.
My Guarantee: I’m so confident that the Digital Boot Camp at eTourism LABS will be highly valuable, that if you are not 100% satisfied with your eTourismLABS experience, we will refund your entire registration fee + $500 to defray any hotel and air expense you incurred.
By her own admission, the executive director of Webster Parish (LA) Convention & Visitors Bureau isn’t well-versed in the use of Instagram.
Don’t press the wrong button
Lynn Dorsey, 61, accidentally posted a live, nude selfie video to the DMOs Instagram account with notifications to its followers. This was filmed at 10 p.m. on Dec. 19 on a bureau-purchased iPhone 7 from a hotel room in Baton Rouge, where the 14-year veteran regional tourism chief was traveling on bureau business. She remained unaware of the live feed until being notified by the Minden Press-Herald newspaper about 30 minutes after a reporter called for comment.
“It was a horrible, honest mistake,” Dorsey said. “I am mortified. I would never send that type of content out intentionally. It was a very private message for my husband; it was a brand new phone and a new Instagram feature. I am a new Instagram user, and unfortunately I pressed the wrong button.”
Not all PR is good PR
Located in northwest Louisiana, Minden in Webster Parish is commonly referred to as “The Friendliest City in the South,” says a bureau press release. The tagline might want a refresh.
Jerry Madden, chairman for the Webster CVB told local news outlets. “We do not currently have a social media policy in place, because it was not a recognized need at that time. I’m sure that we will consider adopting new policies as we consider our next steps…We have requested she get her own phone and separate her business contacts from her personal contacts. That’s the proper thing to do.”
Minden Press-Herald indicates, “The phone was purchased in November for approximately $700 – which was within the Bureau’s budget – with the understanding that Dorsey would use it for marketing tourism in Webster Parish.
Ms Dorsey is on paid administrative leave pending an upcoming board meeting later this month. After experiencing an initial spike in followers, @VisitWebsterParish was changed to a private Instagram account. It’s now public once again.
Avoid social media embarrassment!
eTourism LABS (in Philadelphia on March 14-15, 2017 ) is partnering with DMAI and US Travel to offer a one-day Digital Boot Camp dedicated to newbies transitioning from other DMO departments into roles involving online promotions and social media. Get more details about the program before a rate increase on Feb. 1 and register here.
