Hotels
Vacation rentals
Airlines
Destinations
Travel agencies
Cruises
Car rentals
Financial institutions
Activities
The challenge of proving value is real, but the path forward is clear. Strong narratives that show community benefits backed by the right data have the power to influence decisions. Partner with Expedia Group Advertising to create a compelling story today.
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Q&A: Proving destination marketing value with Josh Gibson
Destination marketers face rising pressure to demonstrate impact. Learn how Expedia Group Advertising’s data and insights help you make a strong case.
With pressure rising on destination marketers to prove their value, we sat down with Josh Gibson, Chief of Analytics and Strategy at the Tennessee Department of Tourism, to hear what’s shaping the industry and gather practical tips.
In his role, Gibson supports data and strategy relating to tourism in the state of Tennessee. He helps the state’s 120 DMOs make the case for more budget and secure funding and helps them demonstrate community value. Read the Q&A, then learn how Expedia Group Advertising can help you measure and demonstrate impact.
The tourism industry today: Q&A with an expert
What are the biggest challenges destinations are facing today?
Josh Gibson: One of the biggest hurdles is helping communities understand the true value of tourism. Visitors bring economic benefits without adding strain on local resources like education or healthcare — it’s all upside. Yet many constituents don’t see that impact clearly, which makes it harder for destinations to secure funding and support.
What can they do about these challenges?
Josh Gibson: First, don’t go it alone. Bring partners with you. Hotels, restaurants, attractions, and online travel agencies can all vouch for the importance of tourism. Second, understand how tourism dollars flow through your community. Make that connection clear to legislators and decision makers. And finally, treat legislators like an audience for your marketing — show them your campaigns and take time to build relationships.
What are important destination marketing metrics to track?
Josh Gibson: A lot of marketing efforts rely on “soft” proof points like impressions, which don’t always resonate with stakeholders. High-funnel marketing is tough to attribute directly to bookings or economic impact. That’s why destinations need to go beyond vanity metrics and show measurable outcomes tied to visitation and spending.
Can you share ideas for how destinations can demonstrate value?
Josh Gibson: Think beyond traditional tactics like brochures. Digital campaigns and integrations that drive visitation — and can be measured — are where the real value lies. If you can track the impact and tie it back to economic outcomes, you’ll have a much stronger case for continued funding.
The importance of showing destination marketing value
DMOs, from national to local, are feeling increased scrutiny and budget cuts. In fact, 42% believe their funding is at risk within three years.¹ Some of the challenges come down to perception. That means there’s an opportunity to tell a clear story that builds trust with decision makers and the communities you serve, making it easier to get support.
Showing value means tracking outcomes that show a clear return on investment. As Gibson said, that means moving beyond vanity metrics toward attribution and outcome-based reporting. That’s where the right partner and first-party data come into play.
Demonstrating impact with Expedia Group Advertising
Telling a compelling story about your destination marketing value isn’t something you need to do alone. When you run a campaign with us, you get the data you need to clearly show the economic impact of your work and a partner invested in your success.
Here’s how we can help:
1. Create digital campaigns
Our advertising solutions are a measurable way to showcase your destination everywhere travelers go online. Our digital media experts can help you pick the right options to suit any goal and budget, including opportunities like co-op campaigns that pair your destination with other local businesses like hotels.
Partner success story
Attract travelers during low-traffic seasons
Multiple destinations in France came together to inspire travelers to visit during the low season in a co-op campaign that maximized their budgets and return on investment.
2. Measure your campaign impact
After launching your campaign, we can help you see how it’s impacting your market room nights, booking growth, and visitation based on our first-party data. This data is exactly what resonates with stakeholders and communities. Plus, we can use that data to help you optimize your campaign for even better results.
Partner success story
Show your destination in a new light
Louisville Tourism partnered with our in-house creative studio, E Studio, to launch a strategic, multi-platform campaign designed to put the city’s full spirit on display.
“What surprised me the most was the ease and the focus on data-driven solutions. It's all about the data!”
3. Provide insights on tourism and travelers
Our exclusive research and insights can help you make informed marketing decisions with the data to back them up. Stay ahead of the curve and inform your destination marketing by learning about trends shaping traveler’s decisions, their values when booking, and more.
Partner success story
Win big with sports tourism
Our sports tourism study revealed that the next few years would be big for traveling fans. We helped three destinations get in on the action and turn soccer fever into SoCal stays.
These success stories show what’s possible with strategic, measurable marketing efforts. With budgets under greater scrutiny, destinations that demonstrate return on investment gain stronger support and can make more strategic choices. Expedia Group Advertising brings the expertise, first‑party data, and reporting you need to show the real‑world impact of your work.
Expedia Group Advertising
Turn data into decisions
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Expedia Group Advertising
Expedia Group Advertising is the world's leading travel media network. We connect advertisers with hundreds of millions of travelers across the globe. Our exclusive first-party data on traveler trends, search behavior, and booking data provides travel marketers with unique insights to inform their strategies. We offer a full-funnel suite of solutions to help you convert travelers, and our digital experts can help you create advertising campaigns that deliver.
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