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What is a Tourist Board?
A tourist board, also known as a destination marketing organization (DMO), is a body that markets a location as an attractive travel destination. These organizations are often governmental or quasi-governmental and work to increase visitor numbers, spending, and length of stay.
Their activities range from developing advertising campaigns and managing official tourism websites to providing information for travelers and supporting local tourism-related businesses.
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How it works
Tourist boards begin by conducting market research to understand traveler trends, preferences, and demographics. Based on these insights, they create and implement comprehensive marketing strategies that include digital advertising, public relations, content marketing, and partnerships with travel trade professionals.
They often operate visitor information centers and attend international travel fairs to showcase their destination. Many tourist boards also play a role in destination management, which can involve advocating for infrastructure improvements, setting quality standards for accommodations, and providing resources for local businesses, including vacation rentals.
Why it matters
For vacation rental owners, tourist boards are a vital resource and partner. These organizations' promotional activities drive overall demand for the destination, which directly expands the pool of potential guests for individual properties.
Collaborating with or leveraging a tourist board's marketing efforts can significantly increase a rental's visibility. Furthermore, these bodies often provide valuable local market data, regulatory guidance, and networking opportunities within the local tourism ecosystem.
Examples
- A cabin owner in North Carolina uses marketing materials and visitor guides from Visit NC to create a local recommendations list for their guests.
- A host in Florida checks the Visit Florida website for data on peak travel seasons and visitor origins to better target their promotional campaigns.
- An apartment owner in Barcelona registers their property with the local tourism authority to obtain a mandatory license number, ensuring they are operating legally.
- A property manager in California attends a workshop hosted by Visit California to learn about new sustainable tourism initiatives and how to market their eco-friendly properties.
- A lodge owner in Alberta consults Travel Alberta's industry portal for research reports on international visitor trends to inform their pricing strategy.
Frequently asked questions
How are tourist boards typically funded?+
Can a vacation rental owner list their property directly with a tourist board?+
What is the difference between a tourist board and a DMO?+
Why might I need to register my vacation rental with a local tourist board?+
Related terms
Tourism Industry
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Lodging Tax
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Sustainable Tourism
Sustainable tourism is an approach to travel that considers the full environmental, social, and economic impacts of tourism. It aims to minimize negative…
VISIT FLORIDA
VISIT FLORIDA is the state of Florida's official destination marketing organization (DMO), responsible for promoting tourism to the state through global…