Go Travel Like A Local

LAS VEGAS, NV – Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) announced today the official launch of an integrated awareness campaign — Go Travel Like A Local — to increase the visibili

LAS VEGAS, NV – Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) announced today the official launch of an integrated awareness campaign — Go Travel Like A Local — to increase the visibility of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) to travel consumers.

The marketing campaign, which is sponsored by the Travel Channel, takes the DMO brand to customers in the leisure, corporate and group segments potential customers. “Our goal is to drive home the fact that DMOs are the official, trusted, unbiased and local source of travel information,” said Michael D. Gehrisch, president and CEO of DMAI, the international association that represents DMOs around the world.

Working with industry partners, DMAI has confirmed half a million dollars (US$) in media placement for the campaign, with a projected print circulation of 6,177,500 and 74,281,000 impressions. This integrated industry campaign includes print, cable and online media channels, and is truly a combined industry effort.

The ads embrace the idea that “locals” provide tourists a unique visitor experience. “The compelling message — the message that reaches out and grabs the consumer — is encouraging consumers to see the real destination
only locals know about,” said Roberto Schaps, president of the travel and tourism advertising firm, TURKEL, which was retained to develop the creative campaign concept. “We’re telling consumers that DMOs can help them get ‘deep’ into their surroundings, so that they can experience more of the destination.”

This week, a 30-second Go Travel Like A Local commercial, produced by Travel Channel Media, debuts on the Travel Channel. The commercial extends the campaign to more than 91 million Americans. Also this week, the print ad will run in USA TODAY reaching a circulation of 2.6 million.

During a soft launch last month, the first consumer print ad appeared in 16 Floridian newspapers, courtesy of Collinson Publishing, with a total circulation of nearly 1.5 million. The first trade ad debuted in the July issues of Association News and SportsTravel, published by Schneider Publishing Company, reaching more than 56,000 decision makers in the association and sports industries. Ad placements will appear throughout the coming year in publications and on web sites associated with Association News, CONVENE, Meetings & Conventions, MeetingNews, Rejuvenate!, SportsTravel, Successful Meetings and more.

In addition, DMAI has asked each of its member DMOs to place the ad in their visitor guides and on their web sites. “If every member DMO places a Go Travel Like A Local ad in their guide or web site, the campaign has immediate presence and a built-in audience of travelers,” said Kristen Clemens, DMAI’s vice president of marketing and communications.

Consumers that visit GoTravelLikeALocal.com land on OfficialTravelGuide.com, DMAI’s official travel portal, managed by USDM.net®, and is designated as the place visitors go to find web sites of official destination marketing organizations. The sites are cobranded and provide consumers direct access to more than 1,200 official DMO web sites.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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