The sender remains the DMO, which appears less credible than when others talk about the destination.
2. Use of social influencers
Visit Helsinki has launched a successful pilot with #HelsinkiSecret Residence to encourage influencers to write and share positive experiences about the city. The DMO is offering a studio apartment in the centre of Helsinki. It is open to bloggers, vloggers and Instagrammers with expertise in tourism, start-ups, education and the creative industry – sectors that Helsinki’s marketing focuses on. Visit Helsinki invites influencers based on their social engagement rate (number of likes, comments and shares) and reach. They can strengthen their application on the Visit Helsinki website by asking their social network to support their application by sharing it. There is a wild card for the influencer with the most likes.
tourism marketing visit helsiniki
During their stay at the Helsinki Secret Residence, the influencer can put together their own program. This is in contrast to influencers, such as journalists, who participate in a press trip and are not free to explore the city themselves. Only an interview on Radio Helsinki is a fixed part of the stay.
There is a lot of interest from influencers for the initiative that plays into the trend of local way of life and slow travel . It gives influencers the chance to get to know the city in their own way and in their own time.
During the summer months, Den Haag Marketing hotmail email list started a similar initiative: a beach house in Kijkduin as a blogger house .
Advantages
Influencers make their own choices, which can result in innovative and surprising content.
Higher credibility than promotion by a DMO or by DMO employees.
An influencer with a specific interest (e.g. food or fashion) can help a destination further develop or confirm its reputation in that area.
Disadvantages
Less to no control over the content (certainly if they can compose their own program). Influencers are often idiosyncratic people (otherwise they would not be an influencer) who do not let themselves be told what to communicate and what not to communicate.
Potential risk of undermining: If influencers participate in such a program, they may give the impression that they are not independent.
3. Local residents have their say
Visit Sweden regularly develops special campaigns. For example, Sweden has had an official Twitter account since 2011. Every week, a different Swede manages the account and tweets about the country in 140 characters of his choice.