Blueprint for successful destination marketing
Three years ago, the Israel Ministry of Tourism North America decided dramatic steps were needed to publicize Tel Aviv. So how did they do it?
“Our goal was to position Tel Aviv – set to celebrate its centenary in 2009 – as an appealing and “hip” Mediterranean destination, similar to Barcelona or Nice or Istanbul, that would speak to Americans over and above the obvious attractions of Jerusalem and Israel’s more traditional sites,” said Arie Sommer, outgoing Israel Tourism Commissioner for North and South America.
What they did successfully was a roadmap for others:
• Generate tourism articles such as one in the New York Times travel section that described Tel Aviv as “the capital of Mediterranean cool”
• Major multi-page Tel Aviv tourism articles in Conde Nast Traveler and Travel+Leisure, which Sommer says are the two most important travel magazines in America (and the world)
• Major Tel Aviv tourism article in the massively influential W magazine
• Extensive newspaper, magazine and television coverage of the Tel Aviv Beach in Central Park
• Significant coverage of Tel Aviv in magazines such as Departures, Food and Wine, Continental and more
This publicity contributed to the two most recent successes:
• Tel Aviv being voted 3rd “best city” in Africa and the Middle East by the readers of Travel+Leisure magazine, the first time the city has ever appeared in this listing (Jerusalem was voted #1 and Cape Town #2)
• Tel Aviv being characterized as “one of the world’s “top ten beach cities”” by National Geographic magazine, arguably the most influential travel-related magazine in the world.
The ministry’s 30-month Tel Aviv promotional campaign included:
• Bringing travel editors and journalists to Israel on visits designed to underscore Tel Aviv
• The issuance of dozens of press and feature releases on Tel Aviv
• The creation of an on-line Tel Aviv tourism newsletter
• Special attention to Tel Aviv in Israel Ministry of Tourism, North America, publications
• Underscoring of Tel Aviv attractions in U.S. television shows produced in Israel under IMOT NA auspices
• A specific Tel Aviv print advertisement and coverage of Tel Aviv in TV commercials
• The Tel Aviv Beach day in New York’s Central Park (sponsored by the Tel Aviv municipality, and promoted by the Israel Ministry of Tourism, North America).
By David Wilkening
David
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