Tourism Bureaus Airing the Most Spots Often Rank Among “Best Places to Travel” Designation
Summer, of course, is the biggest travel season of the year, which means tourism bureaus are turning up the heat to attract visitors to their cities, towns and beaches. For some – including several that rank among the top 10 national and local advertisers, according to Media Monitors – increased awareness may also land them a coveted spot on the “best places” lists that many travel magazines publish each spring.
These lists are commonly referenced in online travel searches and factor into travelers’ plans. Thus, broadcast advertising can play a significant role in influencing which destinations catch the attention of both editors and travelers.
In the U.S., several tourism bureaus in New York, California and Florida are among the top 10 national advertisers, according to Media Monitors and many of these same vacation destinations also have appeared in one or more “best of” lists.
For instance, the California Travel and Tourism Commission was the no. 2 national advertiser overall, airing nearly all of its 90,526 spots on cable TV, according to Media Monitors. Napa Valley and its wineries are featured in an idyllic scene of bocce ball and wine tasting amongst the grape vines in the Commission’s ad, “Spoil Yourself in California.” So it comes as no surprise that Napa Valley is one of the “10 Best Places to Go to in June,” according to Town and Country magazine.
Top 10 Cable Advertisers
| Advertiser | Parent | Advertiser Type | Cable Instances |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA Tourism | CA Travel & Tourism Commission | National | 90,284 |
| Israel Tourism | Israel Ministry of Tourism | National | 88,455 |
| MI Tourism | MI Economic Development Corporation | National | 25,883 |
| The FL Keys-Key West FL Tourism | Monroe County Tourist Dev Council | National | 21,112 |
| Myrtle Beach SC Tourism | Myrtle Beach Area CVB | National | 11,449 |
| Branson MO Tourism | Branson Lakes Area MO COC & CVB | National | 10,820 |
| Cayman Islands Tourism | Cayman Islands Dept Of Tourism | National | 9,395 |
| TX Tourism | Office Governor Eco Dev & Tourism | National | 8,262 |
| NY State Tourism | NY Dept of Economic Development | National | 7,923 |
| The Islands of The Bahamas Tourism | Bahamas Ministry of Tourism | National | 7,834 |
Town and Country also featured New York City among its top destinations. New York State Tourism, the no. 6 national advertiser, split its 14,862 spots across radio, TV and cable.
The Florida Keys was named one of Travel and Leisure’s “50 Best Places to Travel in 2019”. As the no. 4 national advertiser, the Florida Keys -Key West Tourism Bureau aired 27,297 spots, mostly on cable TV.
The no. 1 national advertiser, however, is the only international destination on the list. The Israel Ministry of Tourism ran 114,919 spots, of which the majority – 88,455 – aired on cable.
Top 10 TV Advertisers
| Advertiser | Parent | Advertiser Type | TV Instances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach SC Tourism | Myrtle Beach Area CVB | National | 30,906 |
| Israel Tourism | Israel Ministry of Tourism | National | 26,451 |
| San Diego CA Tourism | San Diego Tourism Authority | National | 10,562 |
| Ireland Tourism Tourism | Ireland Ltd | National | 7,173 |
| Las Vegas NV Tourism | Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority | National | 6,523 |
| The FL Keys-Key West | FL Tourism Monroe County Tourist Dev Council | National | 6,185 |
| NY State Tourism | NY Dept Of Economic Development | National | 5,063 |
| FL Tourism | FL Tourism Industry Marketing Corp | National | 4,802 |
| ID Tourism | ID Division of Tourism Development | National | 4,397 |
| Orlando FL Tourism | Orlando/Orange County CVB Inc | National | 4,258 |
In TV, the San Diego Tourism Authority is the no. 3 advertiser. With a goal to attract family vacationers, their advertisement, “Smile Together in San Diego,” features children enjoying San Diego’s pristine beaches, its world-famous zoo, family activities and more. The tourism bureau’s efforts landed them the no. 6 spot on US News’s “Best Family Vacations in the USA” list and a feature in Good Housekeeping’s article, “30 Best Family Vacations That Will Please Travelers Young and Old Alike.”
Top 10 Local Advertisers
| Advertiser | Parent | Radio Instances | TV Instances | Cable Instances | Total Instances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central City CO Tourism | City of Central City CO | 2,961 | 0 | 0 | 2,961 |
| Downtown West Palm Beach FL Tourism | West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority | 526 | 0 | 234 | 760 |
| Ocean City NJ Tourism | Ocean City Tourism Development Comm | 100 | 373 | 99 | 572 |
| Black Hawk CO Tourism | City of Black Hawk CO | 564 | 0 | 0 | 564 |
| Surfside Beach SC Tourism | Town of Surfside Beach SC | 559 | 0 | 0 | 559 |
| AR Delta Byways Tourism | AR Delta Byways Tourism Association | 552 | 0 | 0 | 552 |
| La Salle IL Tourism | City Of La Salle IL | 0 | 510 | 0 | 510 |
| Moses Lake WA Tourism | Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce | 327 | 181 | 0 | 508 |
| Warren MI Tourism | City of Warren MI | 0 | 501 | 0 | 501 |
| Glenwood Springs CO Tourism | Glenwood Spr Chamber Resort Assoc | 257 | 110 | 117 | 484 |
Although all of the advertisers in the top 10 were national brands that funnel their marketing efforts mainly through cable and TV, most of the top 10 local travel and tourism advertisers primarily reached their target audience through radio. In fact, four of the top 10 – Central City CO Tourism, Black Hawk CO Tourism, Surfside Beach SC Tourism, and AR Delta Byways Tourism – aired all of their advertising on radio.
Top 10 Radio Advertisers
| Advertiser | Parent | Advertiser Type | Radio Instances |
|---|---|---|---|
| ID Tourism | ID Division of Tourism Development | National | 6,645 |
| Asheville NC Tourism | Asheville NC CVB | National | 6,413 |
| Ocean City MD Tourism | Ocean City MD CVB & Dept of Tourism | National | 4,133 |
| VA Tourism | VA Tourism Corporation | National | 4,061 |
| LA Tourism | LA Dept Of Culture Recreation & Tourism | National | 3,810 |
| NC Tourism | NC Dept Comm-Division of Tourism | National | 3,549 |
| Reno Tahoe NV Tourism | Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitor’s Authority | National | 3,248 |
| Central City CO Tourism | City of Central City CO | Local | 2,961 |
| St Petersburg-Clearwater FL Tourism | St Petersburg-Clearwater Area CVB | National | 2,478 |
| Denver CO Tourism | Denver Metro Conv & Visitors Bur Inc | National | 2,356 |
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