Three Trends that Rule the Top Tourism Campaigns of 2024

Travel is more than just a break from the routine—it’s about serving up stories, experiences, connections and lasting memories that bring visitors closer to your destination and the vibrancy found within each unique place.

As we approach the end of 2024, we like to look back and reflect on some of the creativity, innovation, inspiration, and collaboration we saw coming out of the tourism industry over the past 12 months. From celestial events to mobile pop-ups to Swiftie cities, we saw some big trends emerging this year in some of our top tourism campaigns!

Trend #1: Tourism Makes “Space” for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

The 2024 year kicked off in a big way on April 8, 2024, with a Total Solar Eclipse hitting major cities across the continental U.S. Taking notes from the cities who saw an influx of visitors during the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, the cities found along the path this year spent months preparing for the big moment—from predicting traffic patterns to hosting major watch parties all across the country.

We had the opportunity to witness (and take part in) some spectacular once-in-a-lifetime tourism marketing campaigns as a result! Some favorites include:

Gene”See” the Eclipse

Genesee County, located in Western New York launched their “Gene”See” the Eclipse campaign complete with a COW-nty mascot “Genny!” The campaign made the case for why rural destinations like Genesee County offer a great space to view the eclipse and helped to promote their major events and offerings in that area. The county even released a children’s book, “Genny Sees the Eclipse” to help kids understand what the eclipse was and how to safely view it. Proceeds from the book benefitted local animal rescues in the area.

Visit Rochester’s “Path of Totality Awesome”

Rochester, New York, capitalized on its place along the Path of Totality by calling out the “Totality Awesome” ways to experience the eclipse in their area. They developed special eclipse itineraries, created a “ROC the Eclipse” Spotify Playlist, promoted local festivals and events, and led an in-market activation in their target market of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to drop 200 eclipse-branded Kodak cameras pre-filled with key attractions across Rochester—helping to build the buzz for leading up to the big event.

“Experience the Ultimate Sunblock” with Visit Erie

In Erie, Pennsylvania, they invited visitors to “experience the ultimate sunblock” by celebrating the eclipse with them. They promoted local events, showcased food and drink specials in the area, called out viewing locations, developed branded merchandise and released their own playlist of music. Visit Erie also focused on communicating health and safety during the event with their “S.H.I.N.E” acronym, which stood for:

• Schedule your appointments for another day
• Have a plan to get groceries and gas in advance
• Inform yourself and others about what’s going on
• Navigate traffic (or don’t, completely up to you)
• Enjoy the moment!

Carbondale, Illinois, the “Eclipse Crossroads of America”

Carbondale, Illinois positioned itself as the “Eclipse Crossroads of America,” as it ended up being the centerline for the Path of Totality in both 2017 and 2024—a rare occurrence and opportunity for the largely rural community. Their campaign highlighted the city’s unique position at the intersection of two major interstates, making it easily accessible for visitors traveling in for the event. The city also partnered with NASA to host educational events and activities leading up to the eclipse, creating a buzz around the destination.

Photo Credit: Southern Illinois University

Take a “Total Eclipse Road Trip” with Texas Tourism

Texas is one of the largest states in the path of totality, and its tourism board launched a campaign called “Total Eclipse Road Trip” to attract eclipse chasers. The campaign focused on providing road trip itineraries to cities and rural areas in Texas where the eclipse would be fully visible, emphasizing both the cosmic event and the local attractions along the route. It included social media content, influencer partnerships, and a comprehensive road trip planner with details about viewing locations, events, local dining, and accommodations.

Other tourism organizations found unique ways to jump in on this trend, even when not specifically along the Path of Totality. Both Delta Airlines and Southwest Airlines offered special Eclipse Viewing Flights, set to take off and travel along the route to maximize viewing time for eclipse chasers—a fun and creative way to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Trend #2: Music Tourism Hits Big in Swiftie Cities

In 2024, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour continued to make waves across the globe, and several cities where she performed went all-out with special tourism campaigns to cater to her massive fanbase. These campaigns not only capitalized on the concert’s excitement but also celebrated Taylor Swift’s influence on local culture, encouraging tourism and boosting local businesses.

We were so impressed by this trend, one of our team members wrote a blog about music tourism after experiencing the Eras Tour firsthand in New Orleans in 2024! But for our round-up, here are some cities that we saw go above and beyond:

Photo Credit: Chris Granger, Nola.com

Nashville, Tennessee

Okay, so technically this Eras Tour stop was in 2023, but we had to start with the hometown of Taylor Swift! Nashville took full advantage of her Eras Tour stop, with the city’s marketing campaigns centered around celebrating Swift’s roots. From special Swift-themed tours (such as visits to her childhood home and places that inspired her music) to collaborations with local businesses, Nashville embraced the fan frenzy with Taylor-ed experiences.

Paris, France

In Paris, galleries curated Eras-inspired exhibitions that showcased art pieces dedicated to Taylor’s music, her career milestones, and fan art tributes—but it didn’t stop there. The tour’s influence was felt across the creative community in Paris, with local cafes creating Eras-themed menus leading up to the concert (try a “Lover’s Latte” or “RED” Velvet Crepe) and local theaters hosted special screenings of Taylor Swift music videos before the big concert.

London, England

When the Eras Tour hit London, the city launched an “Eras in London” campaign to welcome incoming fans. London’s tourism department worked closely with local shops and cafes to offer Swift-themed experiences, such as “Red”-colored cocktails and Eras music trivia nights, while tourist spots like the Tower of London, Hyde Park, and Camden Market featured Swift-inspired installations or limited-edition souvenirs that fans could collect. A U.K radio station, Capital London, revealed a video of Big Ben covered in Taylor-themed friendship bracelets on TikTok to announce the launch of a Taylor Swift-only radio station Capital (Taylor’s Version) that would play the singer’s hits 24/7.

In the month following the London concerts, The Victoria & Albert Museum in London announced a new exhibit called “Taylor Swift: Songbook Trail” showcasing firsthand items from throughout Swift’s life and career.

@capitalofficial

We’re so buzzed about Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour being in the UK that we’ve launched an entire radio station dedicated to Taylor Swift 🩷 Listen to Capital (Taylor’s Version) NOW on @Global Player, DAB and Smart Speakers for 24/7 Swiftie music #taylorswift #theerastour #taylorsversion #TSTheErasTour #UKTSTheErasTour #ErasTour #erastouruk

♬ original sound – Capital

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, with its deep musical heritage, embraced the Eras Tour with a campaign that highlighted both Taylor’s musical journey and the city’s unique charm. The tourism board worked with local venues to create Taylor Swift-themed events that infused Taylor’s music with New Orleans’ signature jazz and blues stylings. “Red Velvet Beignets,” “Fearless” crawfish dishes, and “1989”-themed cocktails, were just a few of the food and drink specials found throughout the tour weekend, while giant-sized friendship bracelets graced the storefronts for many local businesses.

Vancouver, Canada

As the last city on Taylor’s iconic two-year Eras Tour, “Swift-couver” made sure it would be a memorable experience for fans traveling in for the final few shows. In addition to friendship bracelets lining local businesses, food and drink specials, and tours, the city set up exclusive hotel packages for Swifties traveling to the concert, including special concert transport, priority reservations at Taylor Swift-themed restaurants, and even Swift-inspired room decor.

Trend #3: Taking Tourism “On the Road”

For our final trend, we have three destinations taking tourism “on the road” with their creative campaigns! From an immersive car wash transporting potential visitors to a scenic wonderland to a built in guide for set-jetting travelers, these three campaigns caught our eye for their creative take on destination marketing:

Destination BC: The Great Wilderness Immersive Car Wash

In an aim to reach German travelers and inspire them to visit British Columbia, Destination BC launched “The Great Wilderness Car Wash” in Hamburg, Germany in 2024. Noting strict at-home car washing regulations in the area, the campaign transformed a drive-through car wash into an immersive journey through the BC wilderness. Using 3D projections, soundscapes, and visuals, the experience included effects like northern lights on windshields and rainforest-inspired rinses, turning car care into an unforgettable BC adventure.

Surprisingly Savannah Mobile Tour

Savannah, Georgia also brought their destination marketing “on the road” in 2024 with their Mobile Tour Trolley! Visiting 11 cities in the Northeast and Midwest United States, the Trolley set up shop in each area to offer tastings of local food and drink, interactive activities, live music, trivia, prizes and more to help potential visitors explore and experience Savannah’s local culture—without ever leaving their own city! It was a creative campaign that had people following along to find out when the tour would come to their area—and leaving ready to plan their Savannah getaway.

Date Night in MontCo

The “Date Night in Montco” campaign by the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board transformed the idea of traditional date nights into an engaging mobile experience. Featuring a glass truck with an intimate setup inside, the campaign traveled through Philadelphia and surrounding areas, promoting Montgomery County as a romantic getaway destination. Messages on the truck encouraged potential visitors to “Do Date Night Right in Montgomery County,” and “Make a Cold February Red-Hot in Montgomery County.” The campaign partnered with local businesses and influencers to further encourage passersby to consider Montco as their go-to place for a romantic outing.

Photo Credit: EMC Outdoor

Can’t Get Enough? More Top Tourism Campaigns

Take a look at our Top Tourism Campaigns from past years and see how destination marketing continues to evolve!

• Top Tourism Campaigns of 2023
• 2022 Top Tourism Campaigns Bring Typing Ponies & Talking Kangaroos
• Top Tourism Campaigns of 2021
• Top Travel Campaigns of 2020: Tourism Marketers Get Creative in the Face of Adversity
• The 5 Top Tourism Campaigns of 2019
• 2018’s Best Tourism Campaigns: Our Five Favorites
• Elements of Top Tourism Campaigns