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Facebook advertising experiment with results
Is Facebook advertising becoming the new norm, does it work and how hard is it? I've had these questions knocking around in my head for a while, but this weekend I finally decided to get some answers. It seemed that the best way to test the usability and success of ...)
Be a good neighbor! Why social media marketing is not easy
As I write this post I am following the Twitter hashtag for the Eye For Travel Social Media Conference (#SMTRAVEL). After only a few hours of "Listening in" I have already come to a few conclusions and find myself doubting the viability of social media as a tool for the ...)
Social media attacks!
Two travel related stories are blowing out of proportion this week thanks to social media and the novelty, over-size megaphone it hands to anyone with a decent following. First up we had Kevin Smith, aka Silent Bob, being thrown off a flight by a Southwest Airline captain for safety risks arising ...)
Social media marketing - Missing the mark
It seems social media marketing campaigns are either huge successes or a major flop. Although I love seeing these initiatives go forth in to the world and do wonderful things, I think it's the failures we can learn the most from. In that spirit, I'd like to have a look ...)
Travelfish guidebook app review and interview with Stuart McDonald
It seems like every travel related business on the planet have jumped on the iPhone app bandwagon. A quick search of the iTunes store turns up pages of cheap (under 5 USD or free) apps that either serve a very specific purpose or don't seem to have one at all. Thankfully someone with vision ...Australia builds Stonehenge replica – drawcard or tourist trap?
As a destination, Australia has some pretty strong draw cards. Beaches, beautiful cities and stunning landscapes tend to come to mind, but Twilight Beach, Western Australia would like to add pagan ritualistic landmarks to the list. The rotary club of Twilight Beach have shelled out $300 000 to purchase the stones it will need to [...]
Your city needs a travel Tweetup
For newbies, the travel industry can be daunting. It seems like everyone already knows each other and if you don’t have the cash or the company backing to attend conferences, it can feel nearly impossible to get a foot in the door. Thankfully Sydney doesn’t have this problem, we’ve gone tribal. Sydney Travel Tribe, a [...]
How the HST will affect Canadian tourism
Nothing gets people aggravated more than a new tax, if you don’t believe me, ask the government of British Columbia. Ever since I could remember, the province of British Columbia (BC) has had two taxes, the 7% PST (Provincial Sales Tax) and the 7% GST (Goods and Services Tax). Having two taxes was confusing for [...]
Guest post on The Savvy Operator: Social Media Starter Kit
TheSavvyOperator.com, a blog dedicated to providing tour and activity operators with on-line marketing recommendations and tutorials, have given me the opportunity to write a post for their site as a guest author. If you are new to social media marketing or are still considering if it’s right for your business, I encourage you to head over and have [...]
How airlines dealt with the ashcloud crisis through social media
Shashank Nigam of simpliflying.com has put together a very informative presentation about the use of social media during the ashcloud crisis. Without a doubt, social media has proven itself to be powerful as a brand building tool, but also as a customer service channel that delivers results in real-time. I’d like to thank Shashank for allowing me use this on Project [...]
Sometimes less is more
Last weekend I was able to spend one day in Auckland visiting my wife who is there for work. Having only one day to spend in another country, I wanted to find the best tourism experience possible. I think its important to note that I was more concerned with fitting in as much as possible [...]
Be a good neighbor! Why social media marketing is not easy
As I write this post I am following the Twitter hashtag for the Eye For Travel Social Media Conference (#SMTRAVEL). After only a few hours of “Listening in” I have already come to a few conclusions and find myself doubting the viability of social media as a tool for the big brands in our industry [...]
Social media marketing – Missing the mark
It seems social media marketing campaigns are either huge successes or a major flop. Although I love seeing these initiatives go forth in to the world and do wonderful things, I think it’s the failures we can learn the most from. In that spirit, I’d like to have a look at Doritos viral video campaign [...]
No Vacancy 2010, see you there!
This past year has been a bit crazy for everyone in travel, but even more so for the hoteliers. Bookings were down, prices fell through the floor and we have yet to see a full recovery. Luckily, those of us in Australia have the No Vacancy conference; a chance to meet travel industry professionals and [...]
Brand hijacking- How Tourism Australia could have avoided it