Davies Tanner today launched its Global Report on Destination Marketing and Communications in partnership with IBTM Events on the IBTM Connect platform. Taking part in the launch were; Neil Brownlee, Head of Business Events, Visit Scotland; Tracy Halliwell MBE, Director of Tourism, Conventions & Major Events, London & Partners; Melissa A. Riley, Vice President of Convention Sales & Services, Destination DC; Christoph Tessmar, Director, Barcelona Convention Bureau; Claude Blanc, Portfolio Director, WTM & IBTM Events; and Robert Wright, Managing Director at Davies Tanner.

During the past 12 months, marketing activities have been severely curtailed, and this global report looks at both what channels destinations have been using to remain engaged with audiences and what is being planned for the future.

Claude Blanc, Portfolio Director, WTM & IBTM Events said: “The global business events community has been severely impacted by the pandemic. This is why we partnered with Davies Tanner on this important piece of research and to produce this report. As we all look to the future, marketing and communications will be so crucial in building global demand, but also to underline confidence and highlight the value and importance of business events of all kinds.”

Some of the key findings from the report included;

  • 89 % of destinations reported that they had remained actively engaged with their target audiences during the pandemic.
  • Social media represented the highest engagement channel at 92 %.
  • Looking forward to the recovery period, social media remains the primary channel for engagement, increasing slightly to 93 %, with PR & Media Relations increasing to 68 %, underlining the need for trusted news to grow confidence.
  • 51 % of destinations say they are planning to either launch or enhance their Ambassador Programmes.
  • 34 % say they expect to receive a short-term increase in funding to stimulate demand.

Robert Wright, managing director at Davies Tanner added; “We were very pleased with the response we received to both the survey and the report, with over 450 delegates registering for the launch event. This shows that there is a real demand for accurate intelligence on this topic, which helps destinations navigate their way forward and develop new strategies in what is, and will almost certainly continue to be, a rapidly changing environment.”

The full report is available to view and download here. 

Davies Tanner has now launched the second stage of its research to ensure continued up-to-date intelligence for the business events sector. The second report, which will be published in June 2021, will compare data from the first survey to show how destinations are continuing to use marketing and communications channels to support their programme of recovery and renewal. To take part in the second survey, please click here.