The marketing challenges for independent properties are tremendous. Independent properties do not have the resources, leverage and buying capacity available to branded properties. The value of quality marketing leadership and opportunities is more important to the independent property compared to a branded property.

CO-OPETITION: Coopetition is the act of cooperation between competing companies.
Definition courtesy of www.investipedia.com

The traditional concept of business as a “winner takes all” contest is giving way to a realization that in the networked economy, companies must both cooperate and compete. Termed “co-opetition,” this new perspective requires companies to create business strategies that capitalize on relationships in order to create maximum value in the marketplace.

“Co-opetition” - a model in which a network of stakeholders cooperate and compete to create maximum value – is one of the most important business perspectives of recent years. Internet and mobile technologies have made it even more necessary for organizations to both cooperate and compete, by enabling relationships through information sharing as well as integrating and streamlining processes. In today's networked economy, co-opetition is a powerful means of identifying new market opportunities and developing business strategy.

Great Southern Destinations is a form of coopetition for partner properties. We provide the platform for competitors to work together to benefit all properties in our marketing partnerships with targeted branding and focused awareness. Great Southern Destinations is a private-funded cooperative marketing effort developed primarily for independent resorts and hotels with common feeder markets and seasonality’s.

Great Southern Destinations is a flexible/adaptive outlet designed to efficiently fulfill the marketing plans of participating properties. The goal of Great Southern Destinations is not derived to increase marketing budgets but to provide quality outreach opportunities which more closely meet today’s needs of independent properties.

Great Southern Destinations provides valuable branding, promotion tools and outreach opportunities as an expert advisor or partner to their marketing plans. Additionally, Great Southern Destinations provides a valuable direct channel opportunity to further balance OTA’s in both building brand awareness and promotion marketing.

Southern Destinations see destinations as consumers do - from a bird’s eye view. We recognize parochialism involved in many destinations and respect the local TDC’s and DMO’s mission for their respective community stakeholders. We also recognize the consumer’s desire for a comprehensive destination resource for the best vacation opportunities throughout an entire destination area. Great Southern Destinations is a premier outlet to overstep the parochialism typically found in the current DMO/TDC alignments.

Great Southern Destinations aggregates the best destination content – both TDC and UGC, and showcases independent hotels and resorts in the area along with their best vacation offers.

Great Southern Destinations is a premier shopping tool to locate the best value vacation deals in the southern United States. Our targeted audiences recognize and appreciate an authoritative voice and qualified recommendations along with a direct conduit to communicate and book directly with the lodging source. Great Southern Destinations recognizes this and values this trust. We put this confidence ahead of all editorial content to assure we honor this desire of the consumer.

The Value To Our Lodging Partners

From a travel partner’s point of view, “Great Southern Destinations” provides access to active travelers who have demonstrated an interest in a general destination.

The value to lodging partners includes:

• Qualified, targeted traffic with demonstrated interest in the broad destination.

• Access to travelers in which they may not have normally reached due to sub-area marketing "parochialism".

• A marketing channel with the goal of booking vacation accommodations for program partners instead of TDC/DMO programs which are typically focused first on generating visitors.

• Access to travel consumers in an exclusive direct-booking model, thus eliminating commissions through third-party (OTA) channels.

• Through aggressive SEO/SEM strategies, we have the experience to realize better SERP’s results compared to broad TDC/DMO sites.

• Exclusively available to property management companies and hotel/resort properties. No competition from VRBO’s – who, unknowingly, help deflate market rental rates.

• A “Lean Business” model … thus, allowing flexibility to quickly adapt and respond to market changes. No board or government approval processes.

Contact Us to learn more about how to partner with Great Southern Destinations