The Missouri Divison of Tourism (MDOT) and SMARInsights recently conducted a TRIPS travel study that illustrates how strategic destination and supplier ad campaign messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic has generated an increase in positive responses, stronger ratings, and has decreased traveling uncertainty for those who are aware of these ad campaigns.
Respondent Demographics
For this research, MDOT collected 506 completed surveys, 204 which came from in-state residents, and 302 from out-of-state residents within the midwest. To qualify for this survey, respondents had to be 18 years or older, travel at least once a year, and be in charge of making travel decisions in their household.
Most Effective Campaign Messaging
This breakdown conveys that the most reassuring messaging destinations and suppliers can use to establish a sense of security amongst visitors is to highlight the outdoor activities they are offering and what protocols their city/venue has implemented. Above all, these results show that companies will establish more comfort across their consumer/client base by sending positive message(s) through their ad campaign(s).
Campaign Awareness Elevates Safety Ratings
The figure above depicts how ad influence has made people feel more comfortable traveling within the state. Those who saw one or more ad campaigns were 16% more likely to say that it is safe to travel in Missouri, and 3% more likely to say that is totally safe to travel within the state if there were aware of a tourism ad.
Campaigns are Increasing Missouri Travel
Since March 2020, in-state residents aware of Missouri ad campaigns traveled 22% more than in-state residents unaware of Missouri ad campaigns, and out-of-state residents aware of Missouri ad campaigns traveled 5% more than out-of-state residents unaware of these ad campaigns.
More Positive Ad Campaign Results
Overall, ad campaigns have positively influenced travelers to revisit destinations/venues which have addressed their new accommodations and protocols with specific messaging and can be attributed to the increase of in-state travel. Venues/service suppliers in the meetings and events industry may also decide to use these same tactics to bring back corporate/group business, just as the tourism/travel industry used to reestablish security with in-state visitors.
To view the full study, click here.