DMO roles accentuated further

pandemic.

On the other hand, publicity events and offline advertising channels were proven to be ineffective marketing channels during Covid given the restrictions on holding gatherings and the risk of virus transmission.

Chee Pey at the Singapore Tourism Board told Skift, During the pandemic, digital channels were critical ones that allowed us to engage with our target audience when we were unable to do so physically. We expect this to continue going forward.

EXHIBIT 13: DIGITAL MARKETING REMAINED AN IMPACTFUL MARKETING CHANNEL DURING COVID

60% of the respondents of our survey said that their DMOs marketing message changed when the destination started witnessing signs of recovery from Covid based on changes in traveller preferences.

Slight recovery marked the beginning of in-the-moment marketing campaigns. For example, in January 2021 NYC and Company tweaked its very famous NYC Restaurant Week event to NYC Restaurant Week To Go. This simple change to make the most of the situation was a winwin allowing customers to enjoy favourite restaurants while staying at home at a bargain price, and allowing restaurants, many for the first time, to make takeout/delivery a revenue stream to help get through the winter months.

DMO roles accentuated further

In the initial stage of Covid, in particular, DMOs around the world needed to encourage people to stop travelling. Even for destinations that bounced back faster thanks to a larger domestic

travel market, the marketing focus needed to be on responsible and safe travel. According to our survey, 84% of the respondents said that their organization reviewed its primary roles and responsibilities as a result of the pandemic and 58% said that their organization changed its primary roles and responsibilities.

Stakeholder engagement, integrating locals, focus on sustainable tourism development and revisiting target markets and segments were the top few changes being reviewed at DMOs.

Other than the areas mentioned in the chart below, respondents highlighted that their organization s main focus has been on transparent, timely communication, and brand positioning. Additionally, DMOs have been re-evaluating their membership models and made a shift from marketing members to marketing the entire destination.

EXHIBIT 14: IN LINE WITH THE CHANGING INDUSTRY LANDSCAPE, DMOS REVIEWED AND CHANGED THEIR FOCUS AREAS