Q&A: AI's role in transforming destination marketing

When it comes to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) tools, many destination marketers are curious about best practices, privacy concerns, and integration strategies. 

This blog delves into a Q&A from a popular Simpleview Summit session — where we explored insights on how destination marketing organizations (DMOs) can leverage AI for ideation, content creation, and process improvement. From crafting specific prompts for ChatGPT to ensuring data privacy when uploading documents, the discussion offered valuable advice for DMOs looking to implement AI while addressing common fears and misconceptions.

Here are the answers to some lingering AI questions from travel and tourism peers.
 

AI for DMOs Debunked

Q: What are some prompts you use on ChatGPT regularly?

I use ChatGPT a lot for ideation and creating processes. Prompts work best when they are comprehensive and created specifically for your needs versus using generic prompts. An example of one I have used is the following:
 
“I’ll share an article below on destination marketing insights. How does the information in this article apply to a [insert role] responsible for [increasing brand awareness]. Here’s the [article/blog/newsletter/PDF].”
 

Q: How do you train ChatGPT to learn your voice?

ChatGPT Plus has the ability to provide custom instructions in the settings to add things like tone and voice. The feature can also be toggled on and off as needed. An example would be to add something like the following, keeping in mind that you would replace with your own brand voice and style:

• Tone: Use a professional and collaborative tone while providing insights and suggestions
• Detail level: Strike a balance between providing sufficient detail to understand digital marketing strategies and avoiding overwhelming information

Q: When training AI in your company’s language, do you have to re-train it for every chat?

ChatGPT provided a recent update that has memory to remember previous conversations. This can also be turned off/on as needed. That said, it really depends on the prompt and what you are trying to accomplish, but with the paid version, you can add custom instructions that link your brand tone and voice. You can learn more about these custom instructions here.

Q: When you upload PDFs into Adobe's AI, how can you ensure your data is private?

Uploading any documents to an AI tool is essentially sharing it with that model. I’d recommend establishing best practices and data privacy documents for your own organization to determine what is acceptable and allowed for you and your staff. The good news is tools like ChatGPT can help with that. 

Q: Do you have any recommendations on how to get my DMO to use AI if the top executive team is skeptical? How can I get their buy-in?

Getting buy-in from the executive team for adopting AI, especially DMO, involves addressing their concerns, highlighting the benefits, and providing a structured plan. Here are some steps to help get their buy-in:

• Understand their concerns: First, identify why the executive team is hesitant or afraid to use AI. Common concerns include cost, data privacy, job displacement, and misunderstanding the technology. Addressing these concerns directly can help alleviate fears.
• Educate and inform: Often, fear of AI stems from a lack of understanding. Organize educational sessions or workshops led by an AI expert on your team to explain what AI is, how it works, and its potential applications in destination marketing. 
• Showcase benefits: Demonstrate how AI can enhance the organization's ability to manage destinations effectively. For example, AI can help in personalized marketing, predicting travel trends, and improving customer service through chatbots and virtual assistants.
• Propose pilot projects: Suggest starting with a small-scale pilot project that poses minimal risk to the DMO. Choose a project that can show tangible results, such as enhancing social media engagement or optimizing ad spending using AI-driven analytics.
• Highlight competitive advantage: Emphasize that using AI can provide a competitive edge. Show how competitors or peers are using AI and the benefits they are gaining from it. This can help in making the case that adopting AI is not just an option but a necessity to remain competitive.
• Develop a risk management strategy: Address the risks associated with AI, such as data security and ethical concerns. Present a well-thought-out plan for how these risks will be managed, including compliance with relevant regulations.
• Encourage a culture of innovation: Finally, foster a culture that is open to innovation and change. Encourage executives to think about long-term benefits and the strategic importance of staying technologically advanced.

Q: What are some best practices to establish guidelines for the use of AI within the content team?

Define clear use cases and objectives: Establish specific scenarios where AI can be used effectively — such as generating initial content drafts, aiding with SEO optimization, or providing data analysis for content performance. 

Example: For SEO optimization, use AI to suggest keywords and meta descriptions based on the analysis of trending topics and competitor content.

Set quality standards and review processes: Implement standards for quality and accuracy to which all AI-generated content must adhere. Require human review and editing before finalizing and publishing AI-assisted content to ensure it meets the organization's standards and maintains a human touch.

Example: Establish a routine where content generated by AI tools is reviewed by at least two human editors for factual accuracy, brand tone consistency, and alignment with brand voice before publication.

Q: Do you note AI’s involvement on every social post page (e.g. “This post was generated with AI”) or is a public policy enough?

That depends on your organization's terms and conditions, however, I suggest not using AI tools to write 100% of the copy. Think of it more as a way to get you started and then implement a human touch to refine and edit before posting.

Q: So if you change one word in an AI-generated sentence, is it eligible for copyright?

You would need to refer to copyright laws specifically for this answer. A good habit is to ask ChatGPT to source any responses it provides where it makes sense to do so.

Q: Any suggestions for utilizing AI in your website to help the visitor in planning their visit?

Chat tools, like the ones provided by Satisfi Labs, are a great resource to explore and may be able to help.

Q: Is it good practice to try and use both ChatGPT and Gemini? 

I think it is always good to explore multiple tools to compare results. You may find that one is better than another depending on the type of prompt and need.

Q: Is there an AI tool to look at Excel reports?

Chat GPT is what I use to assist with most of my needs including spreadsheets.