Online solution for DMOs launched

Building on these special DMO web marketing functions, eJourney can completely tailor-make website design to display a destination brand in an exciting and attractive way, as well as create entertaining and informative destination content that is SEO-friendly and entices travellers to engage with and share information. The solution is also built in such a way that content is published once, but appears in multiple sections of the DMOs site and social media pages.

A simple content management system that DMO staff themselves can update and a range of value-added services, such as blog and content writing, photography, video production and e-marketing campaigns further assists DMOs to take their destination to market quickly, with ease and within budget.

eJourney is a joint collaboration between destination management, planning and marketing consultancy The Journey, driven by Dr Mike Fabricius who played a leadership role in the successful development of the South African tourism industry and has been consulting at an international level since 2004, and Big Ambitions, a Cape Town-based travel and tourism marketing consultancy run by Natalia Rosa, an experienced travel and tourism content and online marketer in South Africa.

The inspiration business

Getting noticed online can be difficult, said eJourney's Fabricius. "DMOs today are in the inspiration business. And, to inspire, they need a visually appealing online presence, a focal point to which travellers can go for information and to engage.

"Building a DMO website from scratch can be expensive and take time. DMOs often do not have the in-house marketing expertise, budget and resources to build and manage an online presence. Web developers on the other hand do not know tourism."

By merging The Journey and Big Ambitions' years of tourism, destination and online marketing expertise, eJourney has created a turnkey online DMO marketing solution that is quick and affordable, easy to use and update, mobile and tablet friendly, with tailored design to showcase the destination brand and suitable for any size DMO - from national to local level, including local tourism associations.

eJourney's turnkey solution also recognises the DMO's mandate to its members and equips DMOs to communicate with and promote their membership providing comprehensive member listings with social media and website links, self-service and easy-to-edit listings and membership resources such as information on events, research, news and updates.

"With over 90% of travellers using the internet as their primary tool used to plan a holiday, this solution allows DMOs to select the ready-made online functionality to build the website they need quickly and affordably to promote their destination and members," said Rosa.

eJourney's team of experts will also assist in developing an integrated online marketing strategy with the website at its core. "We translate your brand and destination into an online world, and build your destination website matching our exclusive DMO web marketing tools with your online destination requirements."

For more, go to www.ejourneytourism.com