Twittering During Travel and Tourism Week
Tourism Offices Promoted Value of Tourism in 140 Characters or Less
May 30, 2009
Many convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs) posted in 140 characters or less the value of tourism. The micro-blogging site allowed tourism organizations to come together with a unified message: travel matters.
Twitter During 2009 National Travel and Tourism Week: Hashtags
Between May 9 and May 17, CVBs used the hashtag "#ntw09" in tourism related tweets. Using a code makes it easy for tweeple (Twitter users) to find related tweets associated with the value of tourism. According to the Hashtags Web site, peak usage of #ntw09 was May 12 with 16 Twitter users including the code.
The hashtag "#rallyday" was used to specifically promote the inaugural May 12 U.S. Travel Rally Day. The U.S. Travel Association encouraged communities to hold rallies to demonstrate the economic and quality of life benefits of travel while asking Twitter users to include the designated code in tweets. The Hashtags site indicates the peak usage of Twitterers using the code was on May 12 with 49 Twitterers.
Twitter During 209 National Travel and Tourism Week: Tweeting Messages
CVBs, tourism related businesses and individuals posted tweets ranging from general statements supporting National Travel and Tourism Week to fast facts as to why travel matters. Examples include the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB (@visitlauderdale) tweeted how locally, the tourism industry supports 114,000 jobs and is an $8 billion industry. The Columbia, S.C., (@columbiasc) posted how tourism saves South Carolina taxpaying households $675 annually.
Grand Rapids CVB (@GrandRapidsCVB) used the week to promote their travel planning Podcasts on G-Rap, the destination’s social lounge. G-Rap also connects users to the CVB’s other social networks including Facebook and YouTube.
Other CVBs interacted with Twitter followers through contests while educating them about their destination’s activities and the value of tourism to residents. Simultaneously, they gained more followers since most contests required winners be followers. Columbia gave away a Famously Hot t-shirt to the 4,000th follower while Louisville CVB (@gotolouisville) gave away a bag of Louisville swag to the 500th follower.
Tampa Bay & Company (@VisitTampaBay), which ran contests prior to National Travel and Tourism Week, beefed up tweeting trivia efforts. Tri-Valley CVB (@visittrivalley) representing a five-city region in San Francisco’s East Bay, ran daily trivia contests giving away various prizes.
Lake County, IL CVB (@VisitLakeCounty) gave away prizes on May 15 to Twitter followers who correctly answered Lake County Tourism related questions. The contest ran between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time and prizes were awarded to the third person who tweeted the correct answer. Prizes included hotel stays, packages and attraction tickets.
Twitter During 2009 National Travel and Tourism Week: Solidarity
Several CVBs showed support for the week by temporarily changing their Twitter avatars to the official National Travel and Tourism Week logo. Anne Hornyak (@anneh632), a prolific tourism marketing twitterer and the voice behind Chicago’s account (@VisitChicago), used Twitter to promote CVB Facebook and Faces of Tourism and Travel Flickr groups she established as a result of this year’s National Travel and Tourism Week.
About National Travel and Tourism Week
Established in 1984 and presented by the U.S. Travel Association, National Travel and Tourism Week celebrates and educates the public on the economic and social value of travel through events in communities nationwide. New media and Twitter added to the mission’s reach in raising awareness and participating destinations successfully educated followers. Next year’s National Travel and Tourism Week, May 8–6, 2010, will gain more visible involvement from the Twitter tourism community.
"6 Twitter Tips for Tourism Offices" will help CVBs begin Twittering.
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