Permission email marketing as a vehicle to connect with the local community in a destination: a case study

This study explores the opportunity to build stronger relationships between the tourism industry and local residents in a destination. Whilst the importance of engaging local residents in a tourism destination has been well documented, modelled and measured, the use of e-marketing as an effective tool for engaging this valuable group is an emerging trend. Much of the focus of this activity has been on websites and emails sent directly from individual businesses to consumers on a multitude of closely guarded lists. The aim of this paper is to present an alternative model to engage the local resident population via a permission-based e-newsletter marketing campaign suitable for management by a destination marketing organisation (DMO), collaboration of businesses or local management authority. Using a case study approach, the research presents results from 14 months of operation of a monthly permission-based e-newsletter designed to offer a range of local discounts to the residents of the Cairns region in Far North Queensland. Main findings were that locals were willing to opt-in to the campaign, were prepared to forward the e-newsletter to others and were inclined to purchase tourism products featured in the emails. A particularly interesting finding was that locals kept old newsletters and referred back to them, up to 12 months after they were sent. The paper concludes by outlining potential applications for DMOs and areas of further research