RateGain, following the launch of Sojern’s 2026 State of Destination Marketing Report, reveals that Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) are prioritizing measuring economic impact above traditional metrics like visitation. Amid AI disruption, DMOs are rethinking success, with 72% citing conversion/ROI and economic data as top proof points. Adoption of AI for content creation is now at 66%, though strategic maturity remains uneven.
New Focus: Economic Impact Trumps Visitation
RateGain Travel Technologies Limited announced the findings from the “State of Destination Marketing 2026” Report, released by its acquired platform, Sojern. The report, based on insights from over 350 DMOs globally, signals a major strategic pivot: the ability to measure economic impact has become the top strategic priority for DMOs, surpassing traditional measures like visitation and engagement.
Mark Rabe, CEO of Sojern, noted that marketers are rethinking success metrics to show measurable impact amid increasing scrutiny over return on investment. This reflects a broader shift toward performance-led marketing.
Performance Metrics Take Center Stage Globally
As budgets tighten, performance metrics are crucial. Globally, conversion and ROI metrics (72%) and economic impact data (72%) are the most important proof points for stakeholders. Regional variations exist:
- North America: 79% of DMOs prioritize hotel room nights and direct revenue over brand awareness. 51% now cite conversions as their main goal, up significantly from 15% last year.
- Europe: Performance is still paramount despite longer-term brand building mattering for 51% of DMOs. 31% reported their funding was at risk.
- AMEA: A substantial 88% of DMOs state conversion is the most important metric.
The Evolving Role of AI and Channels
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future concern, with more than half of DMOs (51%) actively preparing for AI-driven search disruption. Furthermore, 31% expect their website to become a primary “source of truth” for AI-generated answers.
Adoption of AI is accelerating rapidly:
- 66% of DMOs now use AI to support content creation.
- Use of AI for data analysis and insights jumped from 28% in 2025 to 51% in 2026.
However, channel strategy is becoming more selective. Display advertising usage fell sharply from 75% in 2025 to 45% in 2026, while TikTok adoption declined from 49% to 28%, indicating a tighter focus on channels that directly support performance goals.
Data Utilization and Personalization Stalled
Despite growing intent, personalization progress remains slow. Only 9% of DMOs describe their advertising as “advanced,” while basic personalization reporting increased from 14% to 22% year-over-year.
Data remains highly trusted—valued most during planning (45%) and post-campaign reporting (44%)—yet only 7% say it plays the most valuable role during live campaign execution. Demographic data (74%) remains the primary global targeting input, although AMEA leads in advanced tactics, using behavioral and destination insights (78%) for scale.
Co-op Marketing Remains a Key Lever
Eighty percent of DMOs continue to run co-op campaigns, primarily to reach wider audiences (70%) and increase total investment (64%). Complexity, however, remains a barrier, with 27% citing partner management as too difficult for their existing teams.
The survey was conducted in partnership with Dynata and supported by organizations including Brand USA, the U.S. Travel Association, and PATA.
Source: BSE
