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Why many French DMO’s will fail with Web2.0 and Travel2.0? Some views!

février 5th, 2009 • Related • Filed Under

As the actual social media tools, blogs, RSS, and social networks evolve over time (twitter is the last power communication tool), as we are in a systemic collapse economy,

Do they now how to create a social media strategic plan based on marketing objectives, and find ways to use social media tools to listen and join the conversation going on in all the markets?

Why they think it’s harder to engage and network and ultimately build relationships and sales through the use of social media tools?

In fact Web2.0 and Travel2.0 it’s a simple process: Plan, listen, join, engage conversation and grow!

But, I think many French DMO’s will fail, here some raisons and views.

Lack of Human resources and knwoledge

Lack of Internet understanding about the news business model and multichannel

Political reasons and thinking outside the new realities of Internet

Lack of strategy

Administrativ process

Decision process out of the game

Scepticity of benefits and no know-how about the ROI of social media

Given up as they start and understand that you need some time and commitment to handle this World

Who will win in the new Travel2.0 World and media age landscape?

Journalists and bloggers who know the content and context of the story they are covering

Dedicated human person who can talk directly to the customers or readers

People who understand emerging technologies without getting caught up in the whiz-bang of technology

Peole who engage their audience to participate in helping a story unfold

People or organisation who tell the story as it’s happening

Conclusion:

We are in a interconnected World, I hope French DMO’s will wake up and start to engage their customers and readers in their website but also in all the places of Internet.

If not, they risk to lose trafic and booking in their website and for their tourism destination.

Popularity: 78% [?]

There Are 6 Responses So Far. »

  1. Commentaire by Blogontravel on 5 février 2009:

    I read your twitter update concerning this article on hotelitour. Thank you for spreading the news about new posts on twitter.

    Could you please explain 4 of those bullet points reasons you gave, and which are not very clear to me:

    > »Lack of Internet understanding about the news business model and multichannel »
    > »Political reasons and thinking outside the new realities of Internet »
    > »Administrativ process »
    > »Decison process out of the game »

    Thank you.

    PS: By the way, there is an integrated spell checker to wordpress. You might want to use it.

  2. Commentaire by Joe Buhler on 6 février 2009:

    Claude,
    Excellent arguments you make here. They apply to DMOs outside France as well. It’s a global issue. The ones who are really engaged in the conversation are a minority and it will take those of us who try to educate them much more time, I’m afraid. Maybe too long for them to stay relevant as has been reported after ENTER and on Travel-Rant just in the past few days.

    This issue is not limited to DMOs though and applies to a number of other traditional businesses in the travel industry that existed prior to online travel and still seem to live in a parallel universe from the one those of us who are on the T-List and blog about what’s happening live in.

  3. Commentaire by Claude on 6 février 2009:

    @Joe
    Thanks for your comment and for sharing your views. As you say and know, it’s a global issue in the DMO’s World.
    Fro France, who is a administrativ country, with a spirit in pyramid from Paris or from decision desk, it’s a killer issue. So I can tell they don’t understand the network spirit and the Travel2.0 spirit

    @Sylvain / Blogontravel
    My explanations for your question:

    Could you please explain 4 of those bullet points reasons you gave, and which are not very clear to me:

    >”Lack of Internet understanding about the news business model and multichannel”
    Only few DMO’s in France understand the business model of Internet, the importance on quality content + context content, the way to deal between private and public sector, etc

    >”Political reasons and thinking outside the new realities of Internet”
    Remember : 4 level for tourism promotion and marketing : city level, department level, regional level and national level.
    Today main cities and main regional level are from ‘gauche’ side (would say « democrat » for US) National level and Tourism ministery are from « droite » side (would say « Republican » for US).
    Every level have is own marketing, is own politicial ambition and goals, on a territory who have no reality for the tourist and specially on Internet (except city territory)
    Imagine all the money and energy spending for nothing or for just the ego from political guys…….

    >”Administrativ process”
    France is the best an number one country for administrativ process ;-)

    >”Decision process out of the game”
    We all know, and you in the hotel industry, that we need to decid very quickly on Internet.
    DMO’s decision process is a mix of political goals (point 1), administrativ goals, executive goals, technical goals, …..
    so no easy.
    End customers are at the end of the decision process and are not the main focus point.
    Please return to point 1 to understand ;-)

    Hope my explantion are clear.

    Even if I look like desabused, I still believe we can do something. No with all DMO’s, but with 30 % to 40 % DMO’s who are dynamic and open mind.

  4. Commentaire by Marc on 24 février 2009:

    Just a precision : what’s DMO stands for ?
    Thank you for the definition…

  5. Commentaire by Claude on 24 février 2009:

    @Marc
    In this case, DMO = Destination Management Organisation (tourism actors who make promotion and marketing for a destination like city, tourisme area)

    and for France
    DMO = Tourism Board, Comité Departemental du Tourisme, Comité Régional du Tourisme

    Joe explain he see the same behaviors outside France. Even if in foreign countries, DMO are a mix of public & private funding, or even private.

    Well, hopefully, they are 30 % to 40 % who are open mind and dynamic ;-)

  6. Commentaire by Singapore Sightseeing on 16 août 2009:

    Really interesting topic going on here…Thanks alot for this usefull information really learnt alot from it and a good contribution by you on the web. Keep it up with good blogs like this.

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