For decades, destinations have been assessed by numbers. Visitor arrivals, length of stay, or hotel occupancy are often the default measures of performance. While such statistics are necessary for benchmarking growth, they rarely tell the full story. Numbers can show how many travelers came, but they cannot explain why they came, what they felt, or whether they will ever return.

In a hyper-competitive tourism landscape, destinations that rely solely on statistics risk overlooking the real drivers of success: perception and experience. Travelers today are not just data points in an arrivals report; they are individuals who carry impressions, emotions, and stories. To build strong destination brands, we need to look beyond numbers and capture how travelers think and feel. Four dimensions — awareness, familiarity, appeal, and advocacy — provide a more comprehensive framework to evaluate brand strength.

Awareness: Being Present in the Traveler’s Mind

Awareness is the first and most fundamental step. A destination cannot compete if travelers are not even aware it exists. But awareness itself has layers: there is a difference between a name that sounds vaguely familiar and one that triggers clear recognition.

Many destinations fall into the trap of assuming that global visibility equals brand awareness. In reality, awareness varies across markets and segments. For example, a destination may be widely known among regional travelers but nearly invisible in long-haul markets. Tracking awareness levels allows destinations to identify where to invest in marketing, how to shape their positioning, and which target audiences hold the most potential.

More importantly, awareness is not static. It shifts over time based on global events, competitive activities, and changing traveler preferences. Understanding awareness trends helps destinations recognize early signs of opportunity or decline.

Familiarity: Moving Beyond Recognition

If awareness answers the question “Do travelers know you?”, familiarity addresses “Do they know you well enough to feel comfortable choosing you?” This is the stage where a destination moves beyond recognition to build relatability and trust.

Familiarity develops when travelers are repeatedly exposed to consistent and compelling information about the destination. It is reinforced when stories, images, and personal experiences align to create a coherent narrative. Without familiarity, travelers may hesitate to commit, even if they are aware of the destination’s existence.

For example, a city might be famous for a single iconic landmark, but if potential visitors lack knowledge about accessibility, accommodation, or cultural experiences, their likelihood of visiting remains low. Familiarity bridges this gap, transforming superficial recognition into actionable confidence.

Appeal: Creating Desire and Relevance

While awareness and familiarity build the foundation, appeal determines whether travelers actually want to visit. It captures the emotional and aspirational pull of a destination — the extent to which it inspires curiosity, desire, or excitement.

Appeal is highly subjective. What attracts one segment may be irrelevant to another. For some, pristine beaches create irresistible appeal; for others, it might be nightlife, cultural heritage, or wellness experiences. A strong destination brand understands these nuances and positions itself not just as a place to visit, but as an experience that fits into the lifestyles and aspirations of its target audiences.

Moreover, appeal is where differentiation becomes critical. In a crowded tourism market, many destinations offer similar assets. What sets one apart is not necessarily the product itself, but the way it resonates emotionally with travelers. Measuring appeal allows destinations to identify which attributes truly drive visitation, and which need to be reimagined.

Advocacy: From Visitors to Storytellers

Perhaps the strongest indicator of brand strength is advocacy — the willingness of travelers to recommend a destination to others. Advocacy transforms visitors into storytellers, creating a ripple effect of word-of-mouth and peer influence that no marketing campaign can replicate.

High advocacy means travelers not only enjoyed their experience but felt compelled to share it. This requires delivering consistently on promises, exceeding expectations, and leaving travelers with memorable impressions. Advocacy is both the outcome and the amplifier of all previous dimensions: awareness, familiarity, and appeal.

In today’s digital age, advocacy extends beyond personal conversations. It takes place on social media, review platforms, and travel communities, magnifying its impact. Destinations that achieve strong advocacy enjoy organic visibility and credibility that statistics alone cannot generate.

Beyond Statistics: A Holistic Approach to Destination Branding

When viewed together, awareness, familiarity, appeal, and advocacy create a holistic framework for understanding destination brand strength. Numbers remain important, but they must be interpreted alongside perceptions to uncover the deeper narrative of how travelers relate to a place.

This approach requires destinations to invest in both quantitative and qualitative research. Surveys, social listening, and market intelligence reveal the scale of perceptions, while interviews and focus groups uncover the emotions and stories behind them. Combining these methods enables destinations to answer not only “how many” but also “why” — the essential insight for long-term success.

From Insights to Action: How Outbox Supports Destinations

At Outbox, we believe that destinations can no longer rely on statistics alone to measure performance. To thrive in an increasingly competitive global market, they must understand how travelers perceive, evaluate, and advocate for them.

This belief drives our solution Destination Navigate — a comprehensive framework designed to measure and interpret the four key dimensions of brand strength. By integrating robust data collection with deep perception analysis, Destination Navigate helps destinations identify their current position, uncover growth opportunities, and shape strategies that resonate authentically with travelers.

With Outbox’s expertise in tourism research and market intelligence, we empower destinations not just to track their performance, but to build enduring brands that inspire loyalty and advocacy. Because in the end, success is not about being counted. It is about being remembered, loved, and shared.

Discover how Destination Navigate can help your destination move beyond numbers and unlock the perceptions that truly define success. Contact Outbox today to begin your journey.

2024 has been a year of remarkable growth and innovation for The Outbox Company. We’ve dedicated ourselves to developing the most insightful market intelligence, focusing on the Asian tourism market and exclusively serving dozens of clients and partners. Let’s take a look at the key highlights of our journey:

The most insightful travel market intelligence pioneering in Asia

We are proud to have pioneered the launch of the first-ever travel insights intelligence platform focused on the Asian market in the region, available at intelligence-outbox.com.

Outbox Intelligence has become the premier platform for comprehensive monitoring and measurement of 9 leading Asian international travel markets and 10 destinations in the region, through over 15 diverse solutions such as the Vietnam Travel-Focused Omnibus Survey, Asia Travel Sentiment Tracker, Asia Hotel Brand Survey, Destination Navigate, and more.

In 2024, we surveyed over 10,000 Asian travelers and generated more than 3200 data insights points to help our clients and partners gain a deeper understanding of travelers.

A Trusted Source for Tourism Professionals and the Media

Beyond our business operations, The Outbox Company remains committed to contributing to the overall development of the Vietnamese and regional tourism industry through data-driven reports and content.

In 2024, our exceptional team and partners have provided the community with over 35 data-driven content pieces, including white-papers, free reports, and blog posts on our website.

Our in-depth reports have been downloaded over 3,000 times, providing valuable information to our clients and partners. Our work has also garnered significant media attention, with over 100 media outlets featuring our insights.

Insights That Empower

At The Outbox Company, we are committed to providing insights that empower our clients to make informed decisions and achieve their tourism goals. We believe that data-driven insights are essential for navigating the ever-evolving tourism landscape.

As we step into 2025, we are excited to continue our journey of innovation and deliver even more impactful insights to the tourism industry. We are committed to staying at the forefront of data-driven tourism and empowering our clients to succeed in this dynamic market.

In the bustling landscape of the tourism industry, where destinations vie for attention and travelers seek authentic experiences, the role of travel insights intelligence has become increasingly significant. But what exactly is travel insights intelligence, and why has it become indispensable for businesses operating in this sector? In this blog, we’ll delve into its essence, its significance to businesses, and identify who and when might benefit most from harnessing its power.

Understanding Travel Insights Intelligence

Travel insights intelligence (TII) refers to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data related to travel and tourism trends, behaviors, preferences, and patterns. It involves gathering information from various sources such as surveys, market research, booking platforms, social media, customer reviews, economic indicators, etc. to gain valuable insights into traveler demographics, preferences, spending habits, and destination choices. Travel insights intelligence helps businesses in the travel and tourism industry, including airlines, hotels, tour operators, and destination management organizations, to make informed decisions, develop targeted marketing strategies, optimize services, and enhance the overall customer experience.

The Importance of Travel Insights Intelligence to Businesses

For businesses operating in the tourism sector, the ability to access timely and relevant insights is crucial for staying competitive and responsive to evolving market demands. Travel insights enables businesses to:

• Predict Trends: By analyzing patterns and emerging behaviors, businesses can stay ahead of trends and adapt their offerings accordingly. Whether it’s identifying popular destinations, preferred travel activities, or emerging niche markets, insights intelligence provides the foresight needed to tailor products and services to meet evolving consumer preferences.

• Enhance Customer Experience: Understanding customer preferences and pain points is key to delivering exceptional experiences. TII equips businesses with the knowledge needed to personalize offerings, streamline services, and address customer concerns, ultimately fostering loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.
• Optimize Marketing Strategies: In an increasingly digital landscape, effective marketing hinges on data-driven strategies. TII provides businesses with the ability to identify target demographics, optimize marketing channels, and craft compelling messaging that resonates with potential travelers.
• Mitigate Risks: From geopolitical instability to natural disasters, the tourism industry is vulnerable to various risks. TII allows businesses to assess potential threats, diversify their offerings, and implement contingency plans to mitigate the impact of unforeseen events.

Who Needs Travel Insights Intelligence and When?

While travel insights intelligence can benefit businesses across the tourism ecosystem, certain stakeholders stand to gain the most from its utilization:

• Destination Marketing Organizations: These entities responsible for promoting destinations can leverage insights intelligence to attract visitors, identify market gaps, and allocate resources effectively.
• Hospitality Providers: Hotels, resorts, and other accommodation providers can utilize insights intelligence to optimize pricing strategies, improve guest experiences, and enhance operational efficiency.
• Tour Operators and Travel Agencies: By understanding travel trends and consumer preferences, tour operators and travel agencies can design compelling itineraries, tailor packages, and deliver memorable experiences that resonate with their target audience.
• Government Agencies: Governments play a crucial role in shaping tourism policies and infrastructure development. Travel insights intelligence can inform policy making, facilitate sustainable tourism practices, and drive economic growth.

Travel insights intelligence is indispensable for businesses at every stage of their operations and strategies. Whether a company is in its infancy, seeking growth, or maintaining market dominance, harnessing the power of travel insights intelligence is essential for success. In today’s fast-paced and competitive industry landscape, businesses must embrace data-driven decision-making to stay relevant and ahead of the curve. From initial planning and market research to ongoing strategy refinement and adaptation, leveraging travel intelligence ensures that businesses can effectively navigate challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and optimize their performance in the dynamic world of tourism.

In conclusion, travel insights intelligence represents a powerful tool for shaping the future of the tourism industry. By harnessing the wealth of data at their disposal, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of their customers, competitors, and market dynamics, paving the way for innovation, growth, and sustained success in an increasingly competitive landscape.

As a travel insights intelligence firm based in Vietnam and proudly catering to businesses of all sizes across Asia, The Outbox Company specializes in providing travel insights intelligence solutions tailored specifically for the travel, hospitality, and tourism industry. Focusing on Asian travelers, we are committed to offering efficient insights intelligence solutions, empowering our partners to enhance their strategic approach and effectively engage with their target audience. Our team is dedicated to supporting professionals across diverse industries by delivering valuable market insights and comprehensive reports at no cost. Contact and be a partner with us today to engage with your target audience more effectively!

Traveler experience and traveler satisfaction seem quite the same, and are sometimes used interchangeably in some situations. However, this is a pretty big mistake. So what is the difference between traveler experience and traveler satisfaction? Which tourism businesses need to focus on? Let’s find out!

At a time when global business strategies are changing rapidly every single day, mastering how to reach travelers will be of great benefit to tourism businesses. And two of the terms that need to be understood and mastered are traveler experience, and traveler satisfaction.

Traveler experience

Traveler experience focuses on the interactions, and impression left on the customer during the purchase and usage process. The traveler experience journey begins as soon as they access the products/services through the website, email, social media, product packaging, etc., until they finish using them. Travelers will have their own experiences based on the attitude of the seller, the easy access to the product, price, or their importance in the brand’s business. Through their experiences, travelers can evaluate whether they are satisfied with the product/service or not.

Traveler satisfaction

In a nutshell, traveler satisfaction is a measure of how happy and satisfied customers are with businesses, their products and services after using. It is also a measurement of business performance in fulfilling the expectations and demands of travelers.

The ultimate goal is to find out how travelers feel about the brand. Traveler satisfaction is often collected from surveys with questions such as: Are our services good, why are you not satisfied with our products/services, or is there something you would like to suggest so that we can improve, etc.

Traveler satisfaction depends on the product/service quality, customer service, and travelers’ feedback. Thus, traveler feedback is only part of traveler satisfaction. These two concepts are not the same as many people misunderstand.

For example, hotels often take customer feedback and their comments seriously. However, not many hotels have built a system to measure traveler satisfaction by specific numbers. They are satisfied, but at which level, and is it high enough for the hotel to be confident in its performance?

Which should be focused on?

Both traveler satisfaction and traveler experience are very useful for business’ growth. Therefore, instead of only focusing on one aspect, businesses need to focus on improving both traveler experience and traveler satisfaction. Because to be able to have a high level of traveler satisfaction in all aspects of products/services, businesses need to pay attention to their experience. In other words, traveler experience does not depend on traveler satisfaction, but traveler satisfaction depends much on experience. In order to improve traveler satisfaction, businesses need to enhance product/service quality, thereby improving traveler experience. Good experience will help increase traveler satisfaction as well as their loyalty and return.

Visitor listening is collecting their opinions about a business, product, or service. Not only recording travelers’ feedback, businesses/destinations also need to deeply understand visitors by tracking, observing, and summarizing all information received by listening to them. This helps businesses/destinations measure customer satisfaction, improve their products, their loyalty and desire to return.

Currently, tourist psychology and behavior are changing rapidly under the influence of social media, information technology and fluctuations. That’s why it is more important than ever to listen to and understand them.

Here are the reasons why travel businesses and destinations should listen to travelers and focus more on this activity.

Listen to measure visitor satisfaction

Collecting traveler feedback is an opportunity to measure their satisfaction and reaction during the journey from searching for information, booking, experiencing until after ending their trips. This activity helps travel businesses identify the pros and cons of their services to develop and proactively overcome. At the same time, visitor satisfaction relates to many company benefits such as increasing market share, lower costs, or higher revenue.

Many studies have confirmed a strong link between customer satisfaction and business performance. Therefore, try to make sure your customers are satisfied with your products and services. Using rating-based questions in short surveys, businesses can easily estimate visitor satisfaction, even forecast their behavior in the near future.

Listen to understand the actual needs of travelers

Knowing how to take advantage of travelers’ feedback helps businesses respond effectively. This continuous process can strengthen the relationship between companies and travelers. Services that adjust to changing customer needs will help increase customer loyalty and business revenue.

Listen to retain travelers

Thanks to this activity, companies can always stay on top of the actual situation. If unhappy travelers express their frustration, businesses can react immediately and find a solution. This is the perfect time to win back customers and even increase their loyalty.

In many cases, an unhappy traveler who encounters an issue with companies’ service that has been fixed immediately demonstrates a stronger commitment to the brand and customers. Thus, real-time solutions can create a good impression and make them continue to use services in the future.

Listening helps to strengthen the connection between businesses and travelers

When travelers are involved in the growth of your business, they feel more engaged with your company. Listening to their voices helps businesses create a stronger relationship with customers.

Travelers will appreciate being asked whether they are satisfied or have any ideas with a service. It shows that you value their opinion. They feel your business goal is to solve their problems and fulfill their needs. Putting travelers at heart is one of the keys to success for businesses and destinations. This is currently a main weakness in many tourism products and services in Vietnam.

 

Listen to learn

Employees trained to listen to customer feedback will note information from previous customers. As a result, they can deliver a better experience for the next one. At the same time, the list of things to keep in mind to enhance the customer experience is also added and completed.

Listen to grow

Listening to customers is also a great growth opportunity for businesses. When listening to customers, businesses get accurate information from which to improve and develop better services in the future.

Understanding your travelers can help you reshape your services, the way you sell, customer service strategies, and improve the customer experience.

An important note for travel businesses is real and quick actions after listening to travelers’ opinions. For example, a business did a survey and noticed visitor concerns about sustainability. It committed to completely cut out single-use plastic in its service soon, but remained the same after a long time. This will reduce both the reputation of the business/destinations and the trust of travelers.

Along with the development of the tourism industry, the international big hotel brands have been constantly expanding their portfolio in many destinations.

Even during the pandemic, “giants” in the industry still launched or planned to open many new hotels and resorts. For instance, Hyatt opened its first Hyatt Centric hotel in Australia at the end of 2021. Regent Phu Quoc of IHG debuted in early 2022. The Crowne Plaza brand under IHG opened in Phu Quoc in summer 2021, and in Vinh Phuc at the end of 2022, etc. IHG Hotels & Resorts also planned to add 74 Crowne Plaza properties in its portfolio in coming years. Accor is set to launch the first Mövenpick hotel in Jakarta in Q3 2023. Accor’s Tribe brand will come to Thailand in Q4 this year, and more.

Vietnam in recent years has attracted more and more international hotel brands to invest. They have been quickly remembered and loved by Vietnamese travelers. In Q1, The Outbox Company recorded Vietnamese travelers’ selection and announced the international hotel brand ranking.

Dream hotels chosen by Vietnamese tourists

In Q1 2023, top 3 international hotel brands in the wishlist of Vietnamese travelers are JW Marriott, Novotel, and Sheraton, respectively. The first JW Marriott hotel was born in 1957. Up till now, the luxury brand owns more than 100 hotels in over 32 countries and territories around the world. In Vietnam, JW Marriott is currently located in two famous tourist destinations including Hanoi and Phu Quoc. With just two properties, JW Marriott still leaves a strong impression on Vietnamese travelers thanks to its very big scale, beautiful and sophisticated architecture, as well as high-class service. With its long history, JW Marriott was chosen by Vietnamese tourists as their dream international hotel brand in the first 3 months of the year.

The second rank after JW Marriott in top dream hotels for Vietnamese travelers in Q1 was Novotel. Founded in 1967, Novotel is the first and most enduring brand operated by Accor. Until June 2021, there were a total of 514 Novotel hotels in 62 countries. Vietnam is now the location of 6 Novotel properties. By the end of 2023, the 7th hotel, Novotel Phan Thiet, is expected to officially come into operation. Novotel offers high-class and consistent services, spacious rooms, many facilities and promotions for families, and a modern equipped meeting space.

Sheraton, another big brand from Marriott, ranked No.3 in top dream hotels in Q1 2023. Sheraton owns more than 440 hotels in over 70 countries and territories, including 4 in Vietnam (Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, Sheraton Grand Danang Resort & Convention Center, Sheraton Hanoi, and Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa). Sheraton focuses on offering guests familiar feelings wherever they are. Sheraton continues to enhance the brand through innovative guest experience, differentiating design, multi-channel marketing and a sharp focus on service. Its new vision is reflected in intuitive design, cutting-edge technology experiences, and elevating public spaces and F&B service to flexible meeting spaces.

Most known hotels chosen by Vietnamese travelers

In addition to top dream hotels, Outbox also ranked top most known international hotel brands for Vietnamese travelers. The top 3 still featured the 3 brands mentioned above, but the order was a little bit different. Specifically, Novotel topped the list with more than 10% of choices, followed by JW Marriott. Sheraton maintained the #3 position.

Currently, the impact of COVID-19 and the economic and financial difficulties causes the uncertain tourism real estate market. However, that does not mean that brands will reduce communication and marketing activities, or narrow its portfolio. In Q2, will the ranking see any change or will any new brands appear? Hotel brands will need to keep upgrading their services, experiences and awareness in order to win the hearts of Vietnamese travelers during the recovery phase.

 

Optimizing costs for operations, especially for market research, is always one of the top concerns in businesses. Finding a way to balance between efficient spending and receiving quality work is not a simple task. Businesses need to have insights into the types and phases of market research, factors affecting cost, and choose reliable travel market research firms.

Understanding the major types of market research

Understanding and identifying the proper type of research helps businesses avoid wasting resources. Usually, market research companies provide services based on two forms: Syndicated research and custom research.

Syndicated research is conducted independently and has a broad research subject, such as an industry. The research results can serve the whole market, so it is often more cost-effective.

In contrast, Custom research provides insight into a brand and serves a specific client, who sponsors the study and owns the research results.

Understanding the steps of doing market research

Market research is a complex process with many phrases and tools. It often consists of the following steps:

• Define research topic and objectives
• Build research methodology, questionnaire and sample
• Collect data
• Analyze data
• Results (reports, etc.)

Businesses need to understand the goals and requirements at each step as the complexity and criteria of the steps will also affect the overall research cost.

Identifying cost drivers to adjust

After understanding the steps in market research, we need to identify the factors that affect costs. Each research phase has its costs. After the researchers consider whether the adjustment affects the accuracy of the study results, they can address the costs based on the target phase and study design.

Specifically, the researcher can modify the existing questionnaire instead of creating a new one. Moreover, for small trials, businesses should limit the use of overly advanced technology and define the proper scope of implementation.

During the survey phase, we can optimize costs by conducting online surveys instead of face-to-face or phone interviews, reducing time for focus groups, the number of open-ended questions and analyses needed to maintain costs.

In the reporting phase, businesses can choose top-lint reports instead of in-depth reports. At the same time, they can reduce travel costs by online seminars/workshops.

Choose a specialized travel market research company

The cost of conducting a study can vary widely, depending on the method, technology, approach, level of analysis, and reporting. Choosing a research company with experienced research teams, quality analytical processes, and data processing will reduce risk and increase the accuracy of market research results.

Market research is an important activity that helps travel businesses make important decisions. Therefore, the optimization of implementation costs should go hand in hand with ensuring the accuracy of the results when doing market research. Reducing costs but in exchange for poor quality research will also be a waste for travel businesses.