Marketing Strategies for Local Attractions

Everyone thinks Bata is from their country! Have you ever noticed how people in almost every country believe Bata is a local brand? From India to Kenya, from Brazil to Indonesia, Bata has mastered the art of making itself feel native to every market it enters. How? Through localization and cultural adaptation. Bata’s success lies in its hyper-localized strategies: ✅ Language Customization: They adapt their messaging to reflect local languages and dialects, making their communication feel personal and relatable. ✅ Culturally Relevant Marketing: Bata tailors its campaigns to align with local traditions, festivals, and values. For example, in India, they highlight designs for weddings and festivals, while in Africa, they focus on durable, everyday footwear. ✅ Product Adaptation: They design products that cater to local tastes, climates, and lifestyles. Whether it’s sandals for tropical weather or sturdy shoes for rugged terrains, Bata gets it right. This approach has made Bata a household name in over 70 countries. To truly resonate with global audiences, you need to think global but act local. Here are 3 tips for businesses looking to replicate Bata’s success: 1️⃣ Understand Local Needs: Research your audience deeply. What do they value, and what problems can your product solve for them? 2️⃣ Adapt Your Brand Story: Make your brand feel like it belongs by weaving it into the local culture. 3️⃣ Collaborate with Local Talent: Work with local designers, marketers, and influencers to ensure authenticity. Bata’s story is a reminder that localization is about connection. When you make your audience feel seen and understood, they’ll embrace your brand as their own. What’s your favorite example of a brand that feels local to you? 

Here’s my hack to use ChatGPT to create industry-specific insights from a dense study: This research offers a framework to optimize online content for generative search - a question I’m asked a lot! I pasted the link into Chat (paid version) and asked, “What could a destination marketing organization do to capitalize on these findings?” The output was four broad approaches suggested by the study to use stats and attribution to improve credibility with generative search engines. I then asked Chat to break down each of the approaches into actionable steps for a DMO: ✨ Identify High-Interest Topics: Research frequently asked questions about the destination that travelers often seek. Use tools like Google Trends, keyword research platforms, or insights from social media and travel forums. ✨ Incorporate Clear, Reliable Citations: Ensure all facts, statistics, and claims are backed by reputable sources. Generative engines favor content with authoritative references, so use links to official sites, government data, or well-regarded publications. ✨ Use Structured Data: Implement schema markup on your web pages. For DMOs, relevant schemas might include “TouristDestination,” “Event,” or “Place.” Structured data improves how well content is indexed and featured in GEs. ✨ Create Data-Rich and Visual Content: Include statistics about visitor numbers, spending, or local trends that GEs could pull directly into results. Visual elements like graphs or maps can be described with alt text to enhance GE indexing. Give this a shot and let me know how it turns out - and try asking for specific examples for your destination or business! #destinationmarketing

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝟭.𝟯 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝘁?   We are living in what some call the "𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁".  Everything is competing for your attention, your feed, your inbox, your lock screen, and even your smart fridge and TV.   While these things do contribute to making life a bit easier, the average digital attention span is now under 5 seconds. And for brands, this isn’t just a creative challenge. It’s a question of “𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘣 𝘮𝘺 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯?”   Because if attention is the new currency, earning it requires more than budget or hashtags. It requires cultural awareness, creative discipline, emotional precision and a tad bit of agility. This is where the moment marketing comes into play.   What is moment marketing? It’s the ability to read the cultural room, to understand what people are seeing, feeling, reacting to, and connect with that moment authentically, not opportunistically. Done poorly, it feels like a brand trying too hard to be “relatable.” Done well, it earns relevance without shouting for it.   And in India, one of the best examples of this isn’t a global brand or a consumer app. It’s Kerala Tourism’s social media strategy. A few months ago, when a UK F-35 fighter jet got stranded in Thiruvananthapuram, most brands ignored it. Some joked, some retweeted the news headlines.   But Kerala Tourism’s social team turned it into a hospitality headline. And this isn’t a one-off social post that they’ve done. Over the years, Kerala Tourism has: ●    Referenced Netflix hits to promote offbeat destinations ●    Tapped into Onam nostalgia with visuals that feel like poetry ●    Created pop-culture references that feel rooted in their voice, not borrowed from Twitter Their moment marketing strategy is not simply about taking advantage of the trends, but truly connecting with the audience.   Moment marketing isn’t just about how fast you adapt to the trends in your social campaigns. It’s about readiness combined with creative, cultural, and emotional resonance. When was the last time a brand’s post made you pause and check them out in detail? #brand #marketing #innovation

Lately, I was sitting with a hotel GM, poring over the monthly numbers. All was good, profitability, revenue growth, cost metrices But then came the F&B report—a story of missed opportunities. It wasn’t that guests weren’t spending; they were just spending somewhere else. The problem? Guests loved the local taste in the market, and try that instead of identical hotel menus. They were flocaking to a trendy cocktail bar with Instagrammable drinks, and the buzzing local café offering live music on weekends. The truth hit hard: We weren’t just competing for heads in beds; we were competing for plates and glasses too. We brainstormed the ideas to reclaim our fair share of the guest’s wallet and came across few time tested options: 1. Curate Experiences, Not Just Menus Guests crave stories. Host a wine night featuring bottles from local vineyards or a chef’s table with dishes inspired by the region’s flavors. Make dining more than just a meal—make it a memory. 2. Partner with, Not Against, Local Attractions The café next door doesn’t have to be your enemy. Collaborate with them for exclusive guest perks: free dessert with dinner, a signature cocktail, or a voucher included in the room rate. When you work together, everyone wins. 3. Leverage Convenience Without Feeling "Corporate" In-room dining has a reputation for being uninspired and overpriced. Break the mold. Offer picnic baskets for guests heading to the beach or late-night snacks tailored to their Netflix binges. 4. Know Your Audience Families, solo travelers, couples—they all want different things. Maybe your rooftop bar transforms into a family movie night on Sundays. Or your breakfast menu includes quick grab-and-go options for business travelers. Tailor your offerings to their needs. Here’s the thing: When guests have an unforgettable dining experience at your hotel, they’re more likely to return—not just to eat, but to stay. They’ll remember the rooftop view, the friendly server, and the local flavors. And they’ll associate all of that with your property. So, if your F&B numbers are lagging, don’t just ask why guests are leaving. Ask how you can make them want to stay. And if you can meet them where they are, you won’t just win their dollars. You’ll win their hearts.

Why are guest reviews more influential than ever, and how can venues leverage them? A TrustYou survey revealed that 95% of travellers read reviews before booking, and 53% won’t consider a property without recent positive feedback. Venues that actively respond to and act on reviews see measurable improvements in bookings and reputation. One story that has stuck with me since I first heard it over a decade ago was how the social team of a trendy Miami Beach hotel responded thoughtfully to a negative online review within 30 minutes of it being posted... Their thoughtful response, addressing the guests' complaints, led to a sequence of online messages that not only turned the guest into a loyal champion, but also led to new customers from those reading the conversations online. The power of customer centric proactivity. Headline Insight: ➡️ Properties that respond to 50%+ of reviews receive 12% more bookings on average. How do you use guest feedback to shape your service or offerings? #GuestReviews #ReputationManagement #HospitalityGrowth #FeedbackLoop

Cinema isn’t dead. It’s just a bit boring. The model’s outdated. People don’t want to pay €15 to sit in silence and watch the trailers for movies they’ve already seen on TikTok. Here’s a wild thought: give them a reason to show up. Most cinemas make more from nachos than the actual films — so double down. Food trucks out front. Lap trays in the seats. Dinner and a show. Screen a TV series. Do cult classic cosplay nights. Bring in actors. Go full Secret Cinema and turn it into theatre. Start championing the stuff that doesn’t get a studio push: Indie nights Q&As Screenings for autistic audiences Mother-and-baby mornings (yes, with subtitles and snacks) Or go bigger: invest in indie productions and secure premiere rights before Netflix eats your lunch. Studios used to own cinemas. Then the rules changed. Might be time to ask who changed them — and why. It’s not the end of cinema. It’s just time for a rewrite, but then again, what do I know...

Destination marketing boards keep saying they want more tourists, more engagement, more visibility, yet most of them still communicate like the audience has no options. They release glossy videos nobody saves, promote awards nobody values, and approve campaigns that make internal teams feel good but make zero impact in the real world. They don’t understand the attention economy. They don’t understand how people consume content today. And that’s exactly why most destinations feel invisible. If a destination wants attention, it has to earn it. Not with budgets, not with committees, but with relevance, consistency, and storytelling that actually makes people feel something. Here’s how any destination can fix this with real, tactical action: 1. Publish daily content captured by real people who live in the destination. Show real streets, real food, real moments, real characters. Authenticity always wins because travelers trust what feels human. 2. Build a creator in residence program and let one creator live in the destination for a full month. Let them document the journey from sunrise to night. Audiences follow people, not institutions. Borrow the trust creators already built. 3. Train your tourism board staff to think like creators instead of admins. They need to understand hooks, storytelling psychology, on platform behavior, audience retention, and why content works. Posting isn’t strategy. Storytelling is. 4. Create a daily trend and insight review inside the team where someone monitors social shifts, content patterns, and audience reactions. You can’t operate in today’s attention economy if you don’t study it every day. 5. Partner with local chefs, artists, guides, hoteliers, musicians, and small businesses. They’re the soul of your destination. Let them lead the storytelling. Their voices carry more credibility than any slogan. 6. Focus less on perfection and more on energy. Travelers want to feel the heartbeat of a place, not stare at a brochure. Show the imperfect realities, the hidden gems, the unexpected moments. That’s what pulls people in. 7. Turn your destination channels into a living media brand. Educate, entertain, inspire, and surprise daily. When your content becomes part of someone’s routine, you win trust long before they book a flight. 8. Build a storytelling identity instead of chasing what other destinations post. Travelers remember destinations that know exactly who they are and communicate it with confidence and clarity. Destinations that embrace this mindset become impossible to ignore. Destinations that stay stuck in old habits slowly fade from relevance. The attention economy rewards speed, honesty, personality, and consistency. It rewards destinations that behave like creators and not committees. If you want the world to care about your destination, you have to show the world why it should care every single day. --- If you like the way I look at the world of hospitality, let’s chat: scott@mrscotteddy.com

🎬 How Do We Get People Back Into Cinemas? (Not with bigger popcorn buckets.) Everyone keeps asking why cinema attendance is down. But we’re often asking the wrong question. People haven’t stopped loving movies. They’ve stopped believing cinema is worth leaving the house for. So how do we fix it? 1️⃣ Cinema Must Become an Event Again Streaming gives convenience. Cinema must give occasion. Premier-style screenings. Director Q&As (live or streamed). Cast appearances, curated intros, post-film conversations. If it feels special, people show up. If it feels routine, they wait for streaming. 2️⃣ Stop Selling Films. Start Selling Experiences We market films like products. Audiences choose experiences. Think: “One-night-only” screenings Limited theatrical windows Curated double bills Genre nights (thriller Fridays, indie Sundays, cult classics at midnight) Scarcity creates urgency. Urgency fills seats. 3️⃣ Better Stories. Fewer Films. Audiences are overwhelmed. Too many releases. Too little meaning. Cinema thrives when films: Say something Feel personal Spark conversation on the way home Quality doesn’t just attract audiences it creates repeat attendance. 4️⃣ Price for Reality, Not Nostalgia Cinema is no longer competing with other cinemas. It’s competing with sofas, subscriptions, and 75-inch TVs. Dynamic pricing matters: Affordable midweek tickets Premium pricing for event screenings Loyalty rewards that actually feel rewarding Accessibility builds habits. Habits build audiences. 5️⃣ Bring Community Back Into the Room Cinema used to be social. Now it’s transactional. Partnerships with: Local creatives Universities Film clubs Brands Mental-health orgs Music, sport, fashion, food When people feel a cinema belongs to their world, they support it. 6️⃣ Theatres Must Stop Waiting for Hollywood Independent, bold, original films do work when properly positioned. Curated programming beats passive scheduling. Audiences trust taste more than algorithms. Be brave. Champion voices. Create identity. 🎥 The Future of Cinema Isn’t Bigger Screens. It’s bigger feelings. If cinema becomes: • Emotional • Social • Scarce • Meaningful People won’t ask, “Should we go?” They’ll ask, “What’s playing?” Would love to hear from exhibitors, producers, distributors and filmmakers What do you think cinemas must change first? #Cinema #FilmIndustry #IndependentFilm #TheatricalExperience #Storytelling #AudienceFirst #FutureOfFilm

David vs Goliath or how independents can beat the OTAs at their own marketing game In 2024 Expedia spent on marketing $6.8 billion, which represents 49.6% of revenue, while Booking Holdings spent $7.3 billion which was 31% of revenue. These two mega OTAs spent on marketing a total of $14.1 billion. In total, last year the two mega OTAs spent on marketing $14.1 billion Many hoteliers feel defeated by this marketing might and give up on their own direct channel marketing. “We cannot outspend the OTAs, why even try?” But if you do a simple math, you will see that the OTAs spend on marketing approximately $250 per month per hotel available on their platform. This is it! Now, the question is, can even a small hotel spend $250/month to increase its Internet presence and steer people to book direct? Of course! Independents - even smaller properties - need to spend on marketing at least 4% of their room revenue. Hoteliers have tremendous advantages over the OTAs - the know their destination, location and product far better than the OTAs do. In addition, using the Pareto Principle, hoteliers can focus on their feeder markets and customer segments that generate 80% of their business thus being much more efficient than the OTAs. Where do you start when you are an independent hotel, even a property with smaller budget? 1. Fix your website! Is it mobile-first? Is the textual, visual and promotional content fresh, unique and truly representing your product and property? 2. Does the website SEO: on-page, back links and technical - fully optimized? 3. With the explosion of AI search, is your website ready for AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization)? 4. Implement CRM technology and Guest Appreciation Program to increase significantly your repeat business. The fully automated CRM initiatives keep “the conversation going” with your past guests, keep them engaged and steer them in the right direction: to book your hotel when they visit your destination again. 5. Establish solid social media presence with original posts and tons of user-generated content and customer reviews and comments. 6. Take advantage of all the freebies out there: free Google Business Profile, free booking links on Google Hotel Ads, free business directories, CVB listings, Chamber of Commerce listings, etc. 7. Launch Google Ads (GA) campaign for your branded keyword terms to capture all friends and family referrals, repeat guests, etc. the goal is to “own” 100% SOV (share of voice) You will be surprised how inexpensive these search campaigns are! 8. Invest in Content Marketing, the least expensive from all digital marketing initiatives. Content Marketing engages and entices the travel consumer in the Dreaming and Planning Phases and creates ready-to-book customers for the Booking Phase of the digital customer journey. 9. Hire a knowledgeable digital marketing agency to handle all of the above and help you steer through the complexities of the digital world we live in.

Your biggest tourism asset might not be a landmark, but a local icon and a flagship live event? This summer, Bad Bunny is expected to generate nearly $200 million in economic impact for Puerto Rico. Over 600,000 people will travel to San Juan for his residency, the first of its kind on the island. Hotel occupancy is already up 70% compared to last year, and Glorianna Yamín from Discover Puerto Rico confirmed a major spike in travel interest. This kind of economic impact isn’t new, we saw it with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour which grossed over $2 billion in ticket sales and poured millions into local economies. We’re seeing a shift: travel marketing shouldn’t just sell a destination, it should tap into live moments people already care about. That’s where cultural relevance meets business impact. Rafat Ali has coined a phrase that I think captures this perfectly “Live Tourism”... but how do you market it? The smartest destinations will start creating content well ahead of the event. They know that when people are planning to visit, they are going on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube searching for videos of what to do. They know that if they want visitors to stay for longer and spend more money when they arrive, they need to make it easy to discover what’s on offer. Short video itineraries of what to do, where to stay, where to eat, drink and relax in Puerto Rico should be all over social media right now, building value for the future guest, not around a generic campaign but around actionable insights tied to these live cultural moments.