The Experience Institute® Information

We live in a consumer economy where the decisions travelers make are significantly influenced by their peers and the information they provide. Every marketing claim or platitude destinations offer can easily and quickly be validated or disproved by a willing and vocal online community. On top of that, millions of marketing dollars are spent by cities and their local businesses each year, with very little time and effort given to listening to, evaluating or considering the end-user’s point-of-view regarding their needs, their wants and their actual experiences. WE MUST MARKET AND DELIVER ON CONSUMERS’ TERMS They demand accurate, helpful and personalized information — Meaningful brand differentiation is essential. And it must be supported by factual information. They want to hear from others like themselves before deciding. Social media and consumer-generated reviews are givens. They yearn for “transformational” experiences that bond them to the destinations they visit. “The Experience” has been touted as the next competitive battleground for destinations/cities and their local businesses. And our research supports this. In our Leisure Traveler Survey, 90% of travelers of all profiles said their perception would be positively impacted toward destinations/communities that show they are committed to the total visitor experience ─ what the visitor sees, feels, and experiences at every visitor “touch point.”