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Leveraging the power of the Web
by Steve McCabe

I said in my last article that we all know we must get online, but sometimes we’re not sure what to do when we get there. Because of these uncertainties, we’re failing to realize in real terms just how powerful a medium is it. Lets look at it in simplest terms: a basic cost benefit analysis. In marketing, it’s all about reaching potential customers effectively. Whether it bananas or bedrooms, you want to get the message about your product across to as many of your target audience as possible (for the least possible cost of course). What better a way to do this than the web? Studies consistently show more and more people are using the Web to plan, book and buy their vacations online, and numbers involved are growing phenomenally. Indeed, forget the studies, talk to any of the tourists you are likely to meet here.

So why isn’t any of our present marketing budget devoted to the Web? I’ve really no idea! But that our current tourism marketing thrust fails to seriously embrace the power of the web is a terrible oversight. Let me give you one example of the potential of the web. A recent online marketing campaign we conducted for a major hotel here took them to the top of search engines when one was searching for activities that are offered around the world – a competitive, world-wide market. The promotion took them above even the Govt. of New Zealand’s own online marketing campaign. And all for the price of an advert in a local newspaper.

Almost a quarter of a million US$ will be spent by Dominica on print advertising in the next year; we’ll attend 5 major US travel shows this quarter alone, and yet there is no substantive online marketing planned. In fact, we seem so uncommitted to the medium we’re not made it a priority to complete one of the main websites for the island after a year under construction! Even though many hotels have been online for years, even though many depend almost exclusively on the web for not just marketing but for ‘closing the deal’, there seems to be a gap between practical experience of hoteliers, and those making the decisions which impact upon hoteliers.

So let me throw down the gauntlet – let’s forego one travel show or publication and spend the money instead on Internet marketing, and I’ll guarantee you substantial, tangible results with cost-benefits far exceeding any of the old-school methods!

Steve McCabe

Delphis.dm

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