March 11th | 9:15-9:45 AM
Measuring Economic Impact Ranks as DMO's Top Priority Amid AI Disruption
Based on insights from more than 350 DMOs worldwide, Sojern's 2026 State of Destination Marketing Report points to a broader shift towards performance-led marketing. Presented by Nick Beaulieu, Sales Director at Sojern, this engaging webinar will take you through the insights gained from more than 250 DMOs worldwide, with findings explaining how accountability and measurability outcomes are becoming increasingly central to destination strategy.
Why You Should Attend This Session:
- Master the Shift to Economic Impact Metrics: Learn why measuring tangible economic impact has overtaken traditional metrics like visitation and engagement as the #1 strategic priority for DMOs globally, and how to prove ROI to stakeholders.
- Navigate AI-Driven Search Disruption: Gain insights into how 51% of DMOs are preparing for AI to reshape travel discovery and how you can position your destination’s website as a "source of truth" for AI-generated answers.
- Optimize Your Marketing Funnel Strategy: Understand the shifting landscape where focus on "awareness" has dropped significantly (from 59% to 25%), and discover how to balance top-of-funnel inspiration with the increasing demand for lower-funnel conversions.
- Bridge the Personalization Gap: Discover why personalization progress has stalled for many DMOs and learn advanced tactics—like using behavioral and psychographic data—to move beyond basic targeting and deliver more relevant traveler experiences.
- Refine Your Channel Mix for 2026: Get data-driven advice on why DMOs are shifting away from TikTok and Display ads in favor of high-performing channels like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to ensure every dollar of your budget is working efficiently.
Key Takeaways:
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The Funnel Isn’t Linear, and Strategy Isn’t Either
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AI Is Changing Discovery—And DMOS Are Responding
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Personalization, Data, and the Resource Gap
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Channels Reset, Not Replaced
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Why Co-Op Still Matters
About the Presenter:
Sojern is the leading AI-powered marketing platform built for hospitality, designed to boost growth and profitability for the travel industry. The Sojern marketing platform is a set of easy-to-use software and services that delivers unrivaled traveler insight, intelligent audiences, multichannel activation and optimization, and a connected guest experience—all in one place. More than 10,000 travel marketers rely on our platform annually to find, attract, convert and engage travelers. Sojern, founded in 2007 and acquired by RateGain in 2025, is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with teams in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific.