Common practices in destination website design

The Internet has become a key marketing channel for tourist destinations. To identify typical features of destination websites, a content analysis of websites for top global destinations—by number of international arrivals—was conducted. Six factors were evaluated: primary focus, navigation and interactivity, visual and presentation style, textual information, use of advertising, and use of social media and travel aids. In addition, a cluster analysis was conducted to identify homogeneous groups of websites in the sample. The findings revealed three naturally occurring groups. Inter-cluster differences suggest that DMOs use different approaches to target potential visitors, as evidenced by websites ranging from purely informative and simply designed to highly commerce-oriented and visually alluring. Based on the exploratory analyses, a conventional wisdom for destination website design is proposed.

► Destination websites are moving to simpler but more visually attractive designs. ► A balance between information and commercial transactions is an emerging standard. ► Social media and user interaction are key factors for online destination marketing. ► Destination websites may be classified in one of three naturally occurring groups. ► Inter-group differences suggest that DMOs use diverse approaches to target visitors.