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Official tourism sites command attention
More than half or 55% of respondents in a consumer survey who visited 11 official tourism destination Web sites later visited the destinations.
They spent an estimated $9 billion collectively on lodging, dining, shopping, entertainment and transportation, according to USDM.
USDM, an interactive marketing agency for the travel industry, said an estimated $7 billion in additional revenues may come from these visitors in 2006.
Said Leah Woolford, CEO of USDM:
“These high conversion rates and strong economic impact figures indicate how effective these official local tourism offices are at delivering the destination information that motivates consumers to visit.”
These sites can effectively compete against the multi-million dollar advertising budgets of the large travel Web sites, she added.
The 2005 Destination Website Visitor Survey included feedback from more than 54,000 survey participants. The survey showed all 11 sites had high conversion rates above 40%.
“USDM’s report clarifies the strategic role of destination marketing organizations and underscores the importance and value of the online marketing channel,” said Michael D. Gehrisch, president and CEO of Destination Marketing Association International.
Report by David Wilkening
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