10 Destinations on the Leading Edge
The last year has been challenging for all, but we're still keen to find those hidden gems. Which destinations are just killing it right now?
The last year has been challenging for all, but we're still keen to find those hidden gems. Which destinations are just killing it right now?
The last year has been challenging for all, but we're still keen to find those hidden gems. Which destinations are just killing it right now?
Here at the DTTT, we love a direct ask. This question came to us and of course it got us thinking. Without a doubt, we've seen a change in dynamic from destinations as they find their way through the pandemic and figure out how to re-strategise through times of uncertainty.
One of the biggest 'shockwaves' for destinations has been the complete standstill of their campaign activities in light of boarders being closed and international travel being largely 'off the cards' for the current period. Whilst destinations immediately pivoted towards 'dream now, travel later' in the early stages of the pandemic, the growing realisation that the impact will be longer lasting has required many destinations to take a fresh look at their strategy and indeed their role, in helping the industry to navigate this current period and eventually succeed in building more resilience for the future.
Generally we see this playing out in different ways for different destinations. There are those that remain resolutely promotionally driven, where a 180° pivot on the brand's narrative has required them to focus on 'closer to home' audiences. Whilst on the other hand there are those that have always invested in development, who have seen this as an opportunity to accelerate investment in their competitive set, by focusing on digitalisation and sustainability.
So to answer that all important question of "which destinations are just killing it right now?", here's a run-down of our ten favourite examples of leading destinations coming through and out of the pandemic.
Starting with one that is not directly related to the pandemic, we just love how Visit Philadelphia stepped up on issues which matter. The Art of the Pivot is a talk by Visit Philadelphia's Rachel Ferguson, talking about how Visit Philadelphia has redefined itself in a year of significant challenges.
Rachel talks poignantly in particular about how the city responded to Black Lives Matter, in getting behind black and brown businesses, pivoting towards telling their own story, in their own words and taking a stand where it really matters. If you're a destination inclined to step back from taking a position on such matters, this will make you think twice.
When it comes to sustainability and digital, it's hard to find a destination more on the leading edge than Thompson Okanagan, in Canada's British Columbia. This talk will blow you away, understanding the intricate planning, detailed and consultative approach required to building a lasting sustainable tourism approach underpinned by a strong application of technology and data.
The Gran Tour of Catalonia takes the audience along the scenic roads of Catalonia, weaving together the art, history, gastronomy, landscapes, people and traditions of a unique territory bringing the attention of travellers (who would most definitely know about Barcelona and the Mediterranean coast) to less-known destinations across the region.
We've always admired the brilliant work of our friends over in Greenland, who consistently develop powerful and impactful content to tell their story to the world. In this talk (excuse the poor quality), we learn about the importance of sometimes being able to tell that story together. Hear how Visit South Greenland worked together with Quark Expeditions to create a powerful content driven partnership.
This is a good lesson in simplicity. Sometimes an impactful approach doesn't always require a high-end budget, an annual campaign plan or any of the bells and whistles we often talk about when we think about digital competitiveness. Grigory Kharitidis tells a story of the power of content in connecting stakeholders. In a year like no other, Visit Tampere have used this powerful medium to build new relationships and bring their industry closer.
If something's broken, then fix it. This discussion will truly inspire you if you're working in the MICE sector and thinking how to incorporate sustainability into your approach and rethink the entire way of doing things. Known as the 'Helsinki Method', we hear how the team at Helsinki Marketing went on a journey to define a new approach to supporting business travellers.
Singapore Tourism have consistently shown the world what it means to put in place a robust and comprehensive strategy to support your industry to invest and grow competitively. Throughout the pandemic, Singapore has been ahead of most other destinations, in safeguarding the well-being of Singaporeans, whilst putting in place the right mechanisms to support and strengthen the destination's foundation. Hear Lynette talk about that journey and how they see the future as they gradually move through the various stages of opening up and build resilience in their industry.
If you're looking for something a little different, Montreux is one to watch. The Montreux Jazz Festival is globally renowned but when crisis struck they decided to scale-up efforts on an entirely new concept to stimulate local spend and growth. Through an initiative led by Mathieu Jaton, CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival, different partners came together to launch 'Dolce Riviera' a summer staycation revival like no other. This vibrant 'happening' shows what can be achieved when everybody in a city works together to achieve something - with hotels and restaurants reporting strong occupancy rates despite international boarders closed.
This talk from Destination Canada's Gloria Loree invites everybody in tourism to take a moment to reflect on whether we have chosen the right path. With much talk about 'building back better', Gloria takes a momentary pause to ask if the path of the past few years has been the right one for our industry. She reflects on how Destination Canada have had to navigate the current period and a new realisation on what makes Canada 'nice'. This is one to watch and we're sure it'll make you think.
Well we couldn't end this round-up without going back to our roots, that is our passion for digital. Visit California reached the end of a multi-year digital rebuild when the pandemic struck. Learn about the research, thinking and strategic ideas going into their impressive new site and how editorial and content decisions have been shaped by the pandemic.
Closing off this line-up of leading destinations, we're quite sure that 2021 will throw up a raft of new incredible showcases as we all turn towards recovery. Needless to say, we've seen 12 months of near paralysis, but as restrictions and closed borders looks likely to be with us for a little while longer, we see DMOs now moving forward, reigniting their marketing flames, and starting to think about how stimulate growth and spend, starting with home markets.
The last year has been challenging for all, but we're still keen to find those hidden gems. Which destinations are just killing it right now?
Here at the DTTT, we love a direct ask. This question came to us and of course it got us thinking. Without a doubt, we've seen a change in dynamic from destinations as they find their way through the pandemic and figure out how to re-strategise through times of uncertainty.
One of the biggest 'shockwaves' for destinations has been the complete standstill of their campaign activities in light of boarders being closed and international travel being largely 'off the cards' for the current period. Whilst destinations immediately pivoted towards 'dream now, travel later' in the early stages of the pandemic, the growing realisation that the impact will be longer lasting has required many destinations to take a fresh look at their strategy and indeed their role, in helping the industry to navigate this current period and eventually succeed in building more resilience for the future.
Generally we see this playing out in different ways for different destinations. There are those that remain resolutely promotionally driven, where a 180° pivot on the brand's narrative has required them to focus on 'closer to home' audiences. Whilst on the other hand there are those that have always invested in development, who have seen this as an opportunity to accelerate investment in their competitive set, by focusing on digitalisation and sustainability.
So to answer that all important question of "which destinations are just killing it right now?", here's a run-down of our ten favourite examples of leading destinations coming through and out of the pandemic.
Starting with one that is not directly related to the pandemic, we just love how Visit Philadelphia stepped up on issues which matter. The Art of the Pivot is a talk by Visit Philadelphia's Rachel Ferguson, talking about how Visit Philadelphia has redefined itself in a year of significant challenges.
Rachel talks poignantly in particular about how the city responded to Black Lives Matter, in getting behind black and brown businesses, pivoting towards telling their own story, in their own words and taking a stand where it really matters. If you're a destination inclined to step back from taking a position on such matters, this will make you think twice.
When it comes to sustainability and digital, it's hard to find a destination more on the leading edge than Thompson Okanagan, in Canada's British Columbia. This talk will blow you away, understanding the intricate planning, detailed and consultative approach required to building a lasting sustainable tourism approach underpinned by a strong application of technology and data.
The Gran Tour of Catalonia takes the audience along the scenic roads of Catalonia, weaving together the art, history, gastronomy, landscapes, people and traditions of a unique territory bringing the attention of travellers (who would most definitely know about Barcelona and the Mediterranean coast) to less-known destinations across the region.
We've always admired the brilliant work of our friends over in Greenland, who consistently develop powerful and impactful content to tell their story to the world. In this talk (excuse the poor quality), we learn about the importance of sometimes being able to tell that story together. Hear how Visit South Greenland worked together with Quark Expeditions to create a powerful content driven partnership.
This is a good lesson in simplicity. Sometimes an impactful approach doesn't always require a high-end budget, an annual campaign plan or any of the bells and whistles we often talk about when we think about digital competitiveness. Grigory Kharitidis tells a story of the power of content in connecting stakeholders. In a year like no other, Visit Tampere have used this powerful medium to build new relationships and bring their industry closer.
If something's broken, then fix it. This discussion will truly inspire you if you're working in the MICE sector and thinking how to incorporate sustainability into your approach and rethink the entire way of doing things. Known as the 'Helsinki Method', we hear how the team at Helsinki Marketing went on a journey to define a new approach to supporting business travellers.
Singapore Tourism have consistently shown the world what it means to put in place a robust and comprehensive strategy to support your industry to invest and grow competitively. Throughout the pandemic, Singapore has been ahead of most other destinations, in safeguarding the well-being of Singaporeans, whilst putting in place the right mechanisms to support and strengthen the destination's foundation. Hear Lynette talk about that journey and how they see the future as they gradually move through the various stages of opening up and build resilience in their industry.
If you're looking for something a little different, Montreux is one to watch. The Montreux Jazz Festival is globally renowned but when crisis struck they decided to scale-up efforts on an entirely new concept to stimulate local spend and growth. Through an initiative led by Mathieu Jaton, CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival, different partners came together to launch 'Dolce Riviera' a summer staycation revival like no other. This vibrant 'happening' shows what can be achieved when everybody in a city works together to achieve something - with hotels and restaurants reporting strong occupancy rates despite international boarders closed.
This talk from Destination Canada's Gloria Loree invites everybody in tourism to take a moment to reflect on whether we have chosen the right path. With much talk about 'building back better', Gloria takes a momentary pause to ask if the path of the past few years has been the right one for our industry. She reflects on how Destination Canada have had to navigate the current period and a new realisation on what makes Canada 'nice'. This is one to watch and we're sure it'll make you think.
Well we couldn't end this round-up without going back to our roots, that is our passion for digital. Visit California reached the end of a multi-year digital rebuild when the pandemic struck. Learn about the research, thinking and strategic ideas going into their impressive new site and how editorial and content decisions have been shaped by the pandemic.
Closing off this line-up of leading destinations, we're quite sure that 2021 will throw up a raft of new incredible showcases as we all turn towards recovery. Needless to say, we've seen 12 months of near paralysis, but as restrictions and closed borders looks likely to be with us for a little while longer, we see DMOs now moving forward, reigniting their marketing flames, and starting to think about how stimulate growth and spend, starting with home markets.
Here at the DTTT, we love a direct ask. This question came to us and of course it got us thinking. Without a doubt, we've seen a change in dynamic from destinations as they find their way through the pandemic and figure out how to re-strategise through times of uncertainty.
Here at the DTTT, we love a direct ask. This question came to us and of course it got us thinking. Without a doubt, we've seen a change in dynamic from destinations as they find their way through the pandemic and figure out how to re-strategise through times of uncertainty.
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