Presented at the Annual Conference of the Latvian Association of Hotels & Restaurants, the presentation aimed to provide an insight on methodologies and tools to make the most of the '2014 Capital of Culture' opportunity. November 2013.

1. THE RIX FACTOR
MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DESTINATION

2. CULTURE
NATURE
EVENTS

9. TOURISM, TRAVEL AND TRAVELLER
ARE NOT THE SAME ANYMORE
LOW COST FLIGHT
WEB ACCESS
SOCIAL MEDIA
HAVE DRAMATICALLY CHANGE OUR
WORLD

10. ALMOST ANYONE CAN NOW
BE INFOMED
BE INFLUENCED
TRAVEL
INDEPENDENTLY

11. REASONS TO TRAVEL
BUSINESS
LOVE & FAMILY
EDUCATION
PASSIONS
ALL EQUALLY WORTH

13. THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
«A mental journey that leaves the customer with memories of having performed
something special, having learned something or just having fun»
IMPRESS
Prospect client is
“captured” by the
signals that suggest an
«experience»
EXPLORE
Client start
“exploring” all the
possibilities that
might be
«experienced»
LIVE
Client lives the
«experience» and
make the most out
of it
MEMORY
Client remember the
«experience» and
wish to share it with
its pairs
TOO OFTEN, TOO MUCH

14. THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS OF EACH DESTINATION
UNIQUENESS & VALUE PROPOSITION
 MARKET SEGMENTATION
 DESIGN OF WOW FACTORS AND EXPERIENCE STRATEGY
 DEFINITION OF THE ‘EXPERIENCE CIRCLE’ AND
EXPERIENCE TOUCHPOINTS
 DETAILED DESIGN OF EXPERIENCE TOUCHPOINTS

15. THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

16. TOURISM EXPERIENCE: BEST PRACTICE/1
VALSUGANA, NORTHERN ITALY

17. TOURISM EXPERIENCE: BEST PRACTICE/2
LOOKALS - ITALY

18. THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE!

19. REPRESENTS
THE RECOGNITION OF A SET OF VALUES
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SET IN MOTION A
VALUABLE PROCESS OF FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT
A CHANCE TO INCREASE ATTRACTIVENESS AND
BRAND PERCEPTION

20. YOUR GOAL:
EACH TRAVELLER, AN AMBASSADOR!

21. EVENTS & DESTINATION
EVENTS OBEY DIFFERENT NEEDS





Fight the ‘low season syndrome’
Enable a ‘long tail’ concept
Allow economic diversification
Boost country global image
Enhance community identity and pride

22. EVENTS
COMBINATION OF FACTORS
INFRASTRUCTURE
COMMUNICATION
VALUE
PROPOSITION
EXPERIENCE
ENTERTAINMENT
E
CULTURAL
HERITAGE
LOCATION
TRADITIONS
SKILLS &
CAPABILITIES

23. EVENTS
COMBINATION OF FACTORS
…ORGANIZED so to generate
an OFFER which is
CONSISTENT
COHERENT
OMOGENEOUS
CLEAR & EASY
(enough to steer buyers’ choice)

24. HOW TO
EVENT MANAGEMENT AS A ‘SYSTEM’
INTERNAL
Events as a business ‘ecosystem’
EXTERNAL
Events as a system of people an relations

25. Combine
needs
Value
Chain
Quality
standards
Dialogue
Involve new
partners
Involve
Stakeholders
COORDINATION
Sales
Organization
Training
PROMOTION
Build a strong
image
Know the
demand
External
Communication
Communication
policy
International
relations
International
projects

26. EVENTS AS A BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM
MAPPING
Market – Customer – Resources - Competences
COLLABORATION
From ‘individual’ to ‘common’
EXPERTISE
From ‘personal’ to ‘shared’
 Enhance community identity and pride

27. EVENTS AS A BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM
ADVANTAGES & BENEFITS
 COORDINATION Gathers products and actors
 PROMOTION Optimized budgeting
 SALES Sole customer interface
 TRAINING Leverage of skills and core competences
INNOVATION TIP: A ‘SERVICE DESIGN’ APPROACH

28. INNOVATION TIP: ‘SERVICE DESIGN’ APPROACH
A METHODOLOGY that uses process and
tools developed for product design to help
define and IMPLEMENT SERVICES, too
Boasts an HOLISTIC, USER-CENTERED
approach that benefit both organizations
and their relation with the market

29. HOTELS
VENUES
ATTRACTIONS
LOGISTICS
CENTRALIZED
EVENT
MANAGEMENT
ANCILLARY
SERVICES
PUBLIC
BODIES
DEMAND
CUSTOMER
INTERFACE
T.O.
OTHER
Customer Request
System of Offer
Single
Contribution

30. HOW TO
EVENT MANAGEMENT AS A ‘SYSTEM’
INTERNAL
Events as a business ‘ecosystem’
EXTERNAL
Events as a system of people an relations

31. HOW TO
OLD TOURISM
NEW TOURISM

32. INNOVATION TIP: ‘EXPERIENCE DESIGN’
OLD TOURISM
NEW TOURISM
Paid holidays
Attention to Sustainability
Economic growth
Informed, demanding clients
Cheap Charter Flights
Experience Inspired
Sun Lust Tourists
Integration
Mass Tourism – Package Tours
Mobile Technologies
Large Companies & Operators
Social Communication
FROM PRODUCT
TO EXPERIENCE
OBEY THE NEED – EASY TO USE – SUPPORTED - AUGMENTED

33. INNOVATION TIP: KEYWORDS
CO-DESIGN – STORYTELLING – EXPERIENCE – PERCEPTION
INNOVATE YOUR PRODUCT
INNOVATE YOUR COMMUNICATION
KEEP THE
USER
INNOVATE YOUR RELATION
CENTRAL
KEEP ADAPTING AND CREATING
ALWAYS

34. PRODUCT INNOVATION
KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS!

35. COMMUNICATION INNOVATION
A WEBSITE IS NOT ENOUGH
GOOGLE ADV IS NOT ENOUGH
BOOKING.COM IS NOT
ENOUGH
GO GET YOUR CLIENTS
WHERE THEY ARE
GET OUT ON THE WEB!

36. COMMUNICATION INNOVATION

37. RELATION INNOVATION
COMMUNICATION IS A ‘TWO WAY’ RELATION
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
BLOG TOURS
‘LOCALS’ ENGAGEMENT
‘LATVIANS ABROAD’ ENGAGEMENT
LISTEN – DO – TEST - IMPLEMENT - REPEAT

38. GET THE RIGHT TOOL
MOBILE IS KING
BE THERE
KNOW WHO TALKS ABOUT
YOU
DEVELOP YOUR OWN TOOLS

39. GET THE RIGHT TOOL

41. INNOVATION TIP: REPEAT!
SUCCESSFUL STORIES
ARE WORTH
REPEATING
*****
(Unsuccessful stories
are worth
remembering)