When planning to go on a trip to a foreign country or looking for the next holiday destination, most of us go to YouTube for more information. What you find there will most certainly influence the decision you make in the end.
Last year, Tourism New Zealand, a commercial tourist company in New Zealand invested $320 000 for tourism promotion on YouTube as a part of a broader campaign. This included 24 hour paid video space on YouTube homepage showing their new commercial “100% Pure New Zealand”.
Apart from that, they’ve established New Zealand branded YouTube channel – the world’s first dedicated to a single country. The channel was updated regularly with new content such as mini-documentaries.
Within first 48 hours they recorded around 500 000 views of their TV ad. Not bad. This ad is the first video that shows up when you search for New Zealand on YouTube.
In words of Tourism NZ CEO, George Hickton, YouTube is a great example of how a small country can use technology to its advantage.
Like New Zealand, my homeland Croatia is a small country with tourism accounting for around 1/3 of GDP. So, tourism promotion should be one of the top priorities.
When you put “Croatia” into YouTube search engine, one of the first results you get is a video showing rapper 50 Cent sniffing coke prior to his concert in Croatia. Not exactly something you want potential visitors to see.
To get to the promotion video of the Croatian National Tourist Board you’d have to go through five pages of content, and it was uploaded by an anonymous user. So, it is safe to say the tourist board isn't using YouTube at all.
As for the quality of the videos, it is hard for me to be impartial, so feel free to comment on that.
According to New York Times, when you actually visit Croatia "You will cry when you see it. Bring tissues. You will need them."
According to me, when you watch these videos you will fall asleep. Make some coffee. You will need it.
Croatia, the Mediterranean as it once was - part 1
Croatia, the Mediterranean as it once was - par 2
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