Promoting unique and authentic attractions within the Tequila region of Mexico
- Client: National Geographic Maps Division
- Partners: Consejo para el Desarrollo Integral de Tequila, Gobierno Municipal de Tequila, Pueblos Mágicos, Fundación Jose Cuervo, Secretaría de Turismo, Secretaria de Turismo del Estado de Jalisco
- Project Duration: August 2015 – March 2016
Project Description
Solimar in partnership with National Geographic implemented this project to promote Tequila, Mexico as a tourism destination. This project was designed to support the natural resource assets, cultural attractions, and historically important places that make Tequila, Mexico a unique and vibrant tourism destination. The Tequila Geotourism Program provided a forum for the strategic planning and implementation of a sustainable tourism strategy for the region, and developed a vibrant digital platform to promote the region’s unique sites, attractions, businesses and places.
The El Espíritu de México Geotourism Program worked to highlight lesser-known attractions in the region, driving visitation to these places and distributing economic benefits to a wider segment of the region’s tourism industry. Using the strength of the National Geographic brand to bring stakeholders together, the program delivered an interactive online MapGuide populated with places of interest (POIs) identified and described by locals. The MapGuide continues to help travelers find places most recommended by residents, highlighting the places and people that make the region special.
Major Activities
- Developed a Geotourism Stewardship Council comprised of regional stakeholders to oversee and help implement the Geotourism process
- Developed a co-branded National Geographic Branded Website that facilitated engagement through marketing and storytelling
- Collected nominations through locals of all places, attractions and businesses that make this region unique. All participants received certificates, window stickers and digital badges from NG and the Stewardship Council highlighting them as a National Geographic Geotourism site to strengthen brand awareness
- Six-week social media marketing campaign designed to promote the new Tequila Espíritu de México and National Geographic co-branded website
- Usng the hashtag #tequilatourism, we we built awareness of the destination and its attractions across social media platforms
- Identified six social media personalities from our target markets who post about travel and lifestyle and partnered with AeroMexico to bring these six social media influencers on a 4-day trip to Tequila from April 12-15, 2016.
- To generate awareness of Tequila and drive interest in the destination, we launched a “Win a Trip” sweepstakes
Results
- Increased collaboration among local stakeholders thorugh the El Espíritu de México Geotourism Stewardship Council
- A National Geographic co-branded website to showcase the unique people and places of Tequila, El Espíritu de México: http://www.tequilatourism.com
- Certificate, window sticker and digital badge from National Geographic for all sites, attractions, and businesses on the MapGuide, highlighting them as a National Geographic Geotourism site
- Business model and strategy for the future of the Geotourism Stewardship Council and program
- 3.75 million+ social media impressions of content using the hashtag #tequilatourism on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
- 240,000 unique individuals reached with social media content using the hashtag #tequilatourism
- 53,000 likes, comments, shares of #tequilatourism content
- 9,180 pageviews on tequilatourism.com
- 3,687 sweepstakes entries/ email addresses in database
- 140 U.S. marketing partners receiving Tequila Tourism content
- 100 new followers on Tequila Tourism social media platforms
- 32 travelers inquiring about travel packages
