Content
From Posters to Personalization: The Evolution of Destination Marketing
June 4, 2025
7 min
Travel isn't what it used to be—and neither is the way we market it. Over the decades, destination marketing has evolved from artistic posters in train stations to hyper-personalized digital campaigns built on data and intent signals.
At Promodo, we’ve seen firsthand how digital transformation, shifting traveler behavior, and new technology continue to redefine the travel marketing playbook. In this article, we’re looking back at how destination marketing has changed—and where it’s headed next.
In the early 20th century, promoting a destination was as simple as printing a beautiful image. Government railways, steamship lines, and tour operators produced colorful posters and brochures that positioned travel as an aspirational luxury.
Think vintage posters of the Riviera or the early “See America” campaigns. These visuals weren’t just informational—they were emotional, designed to evoke wanderlust and create dreams.
Key tools of the era:
This era was all about broad appeal and romanticized imagery, with very little segmentation.
The post-WWII economic boom created a new generation of travelers. Governments began investing in National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) to promote their countries abroad and stimulate local economies.
With the rise of television, destinations could now reach global audiences with more immersive storytelling. The classic “I Love New York” campaign launched in 1977 and became a global template for city branding.
What changed:
This was the first step toward destination branding—the idea that places, like products, needed a compelling identity.
By the 1980s and 90s, global travel had become competitive. Simply showcasing beautiful landscapes wasn’t enough—destinations had to differentiate themselves.
Tourism marketers began defining their brand:
Promotional campaigns became more strategic, combining market research, targeted messaging, and partnerships with airlines, hotels, and travel agencies.
The 2000s ushered in the internet era of travel, and it changed everything.
Travelers now relied on Google instead of brochures. Booking engines replaced paper tickets. User-generated content (UGC)—reviews, photos, blogs—began to shape perceptions more than official campaigns ever could.
The new destination marketing toolkit:
Digital also enabled performance tracking, allowing DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations) to finally measure ROI and optimize campaigns based on behavior data.
Destination marketing in the 2020s is intelligent, targeted, and value-driven. Travelers expect more than pretty photos—they want authentic, personalized, and responsible experiences.
Modern destination marketing strategies focus on:
With AI and machine learning, marketers can now create dynamic content based on user location, behavior, and preferences—something unimaginable 20 years ago.
At Promodo, we believe the future of travel marketing lies in connection over communication. Brands and destinations that succeed will focus not just on visibility, but on relevance and trust.
Emerging trends to watch:
We've also prepared an amazing piece of infographics to tell you how professionals started selling destinations to make them recognizable and closer to the target audience:
Infographic sources: to create this sequence of events we used the materials prepared by the Destination Marketing Association, ideas presented on forbes.com, and events mentioned in the Destination Marketing book written by Steven Pike.
The journey of destination marketing mirrors the evolution of the traveler—from curious observer to empowered decision-maker. As the industry grows more complex, so does the challenge of cutting through the noise with meaningful, data-backed storytelling.
Whether you're a national board, a DMO, or a tour operator, the opportunity is clear: embrace innovation, understand your audience, and connect with them where it matters most.
Need help scaling your digital strategy or ranking your destination content in search?
Team Lead of Content for promodo.com
I’m a content marketing manager with over 9 years of experience in business writing. Currently, I lead the content team at promodo.com, where I focus on creating useful, well-researched content that supports marketing goals and helps businesses grow.
I enjoy working with data, expert opinions, and real insights to craft content that’s both relevant and easy to understand. I also have a solid background in SEO — I completed the Search Engine Optimization Course at Promodo Academy, which gave me hands-on skills in keyword research, content optimization, and improving visibility in search engines.
Whether it’s an article, blog post, or case study, I aim to make sure the content is clear, helpful, and aligned with both user needs and business objectives.
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