By Jonathon Day

Selling exotic lands to the American public can be challenging for many in the travel industry, but it doesn't need to be a lonely process! With over 100 tourist offices based in USA, representing not only foreign nations, but states and even individual cities, these National Tourist Offices (NTOs) can be excellent resources and partners in your marketing activity.

Although NTOs vary greatly in size and services, the do share a common goal. Each is looking to maximize the economic benefits of international tourism for their own patch. They are typically keen to work with those companies that can deliver visitors to them, whether you're an Airline, tour operator, wholesaler or travel agent.

Traditionally, the National Tourist Office has merely been an information source, but in the extremely competitive travel marketplace many NTOs are adding innovative marketing services to achieve the competitive edge.

DESTINATION MARKETING TO CONSUMERS

In achieving their goal to get passengers to their destination, many Destination Organizations have identified two important roles: Building "Primary" demand, and stimulating conversion to purchase.

Primary demand can be defined as building desire for the category or in this case the destination. In some ways the work is not unlike the task undertaken by the California Raisin Board and the Milk Board. The ubiquitous "Milk Mustache" campaign is designed to build "primary demand" by encouraging people to drink milk. The California Raisins made eating raisins cool. Neither of these campaigns promoted a single company's product. In the same way NTOs are developing campaigns to encourage desire to travel to a destination. Whether it's the friendly Australians of the Australian Tourist Commissions campaign, the children of Ireland or the beaches of Jamaica each of these campaigns is attempting to build desire to travel to the destination. These campaigns can significantly enhance the value of hotel and wholesaler advertising. By timing campaigns to leverage destination campaigns operators can get a boost to their own efforts in selling travel. It is worthwhile to check on NTO ad schedules when planning media.

Some NTOs do not leave it at that! Although it can be argued the mere process of undertaking this "primary" demand advertising allows the private sector to focus on advertising to convert the desire to sales some National and State tourism offices work with wholesalers and operators to ensure the sale is converted. Through involvement in co-operative marketing they will develop plans to ensure the interest generated by "primary demand" translates into actual passengers.

But don't expect the NTO to just hand over a check to help your marketing. Many NTOs want to be sure their cooperative efforts are stimulating "new" marketing for their destination. They may look to you to prove they are not just paying for activity you would have been doing anyway. More and more, NTOs are moving away from simply "subsidizing" production via buying pages in a brochure.

Don't discount advice from NTOs out of hand either. Many of these organizations manage a "portfolio" of projects with cooperative partners and, although the confidentiality of individual projects is normally carefully protected, can advise what works in their particular market.

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY

Another area of marketing that many NTOs have embraced is public relations. Many strive to develop close relationships with journalists from both trade and consumer publications. Many NTOs can be very useful in helping get the word out about your product in their country.

POTENTIAL CLIENTS FROM BROCHURE REQUESTS

Information distribution to the industry and to consumers is the core role of most NTOs. Many NTOs still meet that demand with internal travel staff, often from the destination itself, answering questions. Several NTOs however, are finding new ways to answer those questions and reach new audiences with expanding needs. Some are outsourcing the role to professional telemarketing and distribution companies, others have introduced 900 numbers and, of course, the web is becoming an important point for information distribution.

The introduction of the World Wide Web to the consuming public is quickly changing the way NTOs distribute information. Destination websites provide extraordinary amounts of information to both consumer and trade. (See box for websites).

Most NTOs recognize the value of contacts made through their information distribution process and have compiled databases of contacts. Many have programs in which travel partners can access these leads for further marketing. (Remember the NTO relies on the industry to convert the sale!) These are often extremely valuable leads as they represent people who have already expressed a desire to travel!

MARKETING INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH

For many tourist companies, gathering marketing intelligence concerning those markets that are attracted to various destinations is a daunting task. Fortunately, NTOs regularly sponsor this type of study and provide results to interested parties at little or no cost. Depending on the destination the amount of information can be staggering.

In addition to arrival studies that provide information on the demographics of visitors many NTOs undertake other marketing research including market segmentation studies, exploration of the psychographics of their actual and potential clients and research into the most effective communication strategies to reach their targets.

Again, check with your NTO to discuss what information they can provide to make your marketing activity more effective.

Questions for getting the most from an NTO

When do they run ad campaigns?

What are their cooperative marketing policies?

What about their public relations activities?

What sort of stories do they push?

What sort of publications and newsletters do they produce?

Do they have databases available for marketing?

Can you link to their web site?

Do they have up to date market research?

What tradeshows do they facilitate?

Do they have marketing materials? (Postcards, tourshells, CDs)

Can they do product training?

LOWERING THE BARRIERS

Once you have committed to marketing an international destination there is a lot you must do to sell effectively in a marketplace with increasingly sophisticated travelers. There are product development issues and staff training requirements. Also, the cost of developing marketing materials for your international product can be high. Researching product, sourcing marketing materials, writing copy to explain the destination to your market and developing promotional prices all contribute to unwanted expense. NTO services are being realized in these areas to reduce costs.

Researching Product: NTOs provide detailed and unbiased information on their product, including key contacts. They can advise you about what's "hot" what's not and what's on the way up. Many sponsor trade events both big and small to bring potential buyers together. Several NTOs run the equivalent of "Pow Wow" in their own countries to facilitate the product development process.

Training: NTOs can provide excellent (and free!) product and destination training to your selling staff. With the opportunity cost of not having staff totally able to make every sale count this is an excellent service for many wholesalers and tour operators. A few hours with the sales manager from an NTO can make a great difference for the sales person selling a destination they have not yet experienced first hand.

Marketing Materials: NTOs can reduce the cost of marketing in a variety of ways. Many produce at materials that can be used by hoteliers, wholesalers and operators. Some NTOs charge but most do not and at the end of the day any cost will be considerably lower than the cost of your own photoshoot. The types of materials you might ask about include:

B-roll (unencumbered)
Slides
CD-ROMs of visuals
Brochure shells
Postcards

As with all types of organizations levels of support will vary from organization to organization. Nevertheless NTOs can be a source of real value to travel marketers promoting international destinations. Just remember the old adage, "We are here from the Government (somebody else's government no less) and we are here to help!"

NTO Websites
The websites for National Tourist Offices can be a source for great information for marketers. Even beyond just information distribution, NTOs are using websites for more sophisticated internet based marketing like consumer e-zines, web based newsletters and subscriber "alerts". Many will allow links to appropriate product. Here are just some of the sites sponsored by NTOs.

Australia http://www.australia.com
Britain http://www.usagateway.visitbritain.com
Canada http://www.canadatourism.com
Ireland http://www.ireland.travel.ie/vto
India http://india-tourism.de
Austria http://anto.com
France http://fgtousa.org
Singapore http://stb.com.sg
Hong Kong http://hktausa.org
Queensland Australia http://queensland-holidays.com.au