Tourism Sales and Marketing
If you build it they will come is a common misconception. It takes a basic combination of selling techniques, such as personal sales calls, written communications (letter, fax, social media, and email) and telemarketing to identify prospects from suspects, as well as advertising in the right media (print and electronic) and exhibiting at trade shows and other industry events and promotions, to drive people to your facility or attraction. In addition, a facility or attraction has to be “tourism ready.” This includes, but is not limited to, pricing, logistical arrangements and timing (from hourly to seasonal).
Harvey Paul Davidson has several years of successful experience working as the tourism program manager for the Canadian Consulate General in New York in promoting Canada’s tourism attractions, sales and marketing director for the Empire State Building Observatories where he increased group tourism by over 55%, and for the Alicart Restaurant Group (Carmine’s, Virgil’s BBQ, Gabriela’s Restaurante Mexicano and Artie’s New York Delicatessen), and other tourist attractions.
He knows the sales and marketing activities necessary to drive tourism and he has contacts with meeting and event planners, tour operators, travel agents and journalists. He can help you in using this network to introduce new and existing facilities and attractions and advise you how to make your product tourism ready. Facilities and services such as hotels, attractions, transportation and restaurants, as well as other suppliers, have to understand the needs of tourists to be able to serve them properly. Often, these requirements vary with tourists from different incoming destinations, as opposed to local demand, and providers of services have to be able to meet these needs if they want to attract tourists to achieve business success.
Mr. Davidson has a Master’s degree in Tourism and Travel Management, is a Certified Hospitality Marketing Executive (CHME) and is active in many tourism and travel industry organizations. Also, he has a successful return on investment record with fam trips and site inspections and his published article on this subject is considered required reading by many C&VBs and national tourism authorities for their respective staffs and member organizations.
If you represent a facility or service that wants to increase tourism, you should contact us today to find out what we can do for you.