Retail has loyalty programs.
Airlines have loyalty programs.
Hotels have loyalty programs.
Destinations?
We have a visitor guide and a newsletter signup form.
And yet… when I look at geolocation data across markets, I consistently see a percentage of overnight visitors who are repeat. Not random. Not one-off. Repeat.
Families who go to the same beach every spring break. Couples who celebrate every anniversary in the same wine region. Friends who book the same golf trip every year.
That’s loyalty. We just don’t call it that.
The Structural Reality
Retail owns the transaction.When you shop at Target, they know what you bought, when you bought it, and how often you return. Loyalty is built at checkout.
Airlines own the journey. Delta Air Lines tracks miles flown, frequency, and spend tiers. Identity is tied to travel behavior.
Hotels own the stay. Marriott International knows how many nights you stayed, in which cities, and what you spent. They can calculate lifetime value with precision.
DMOs?
We influence the visit. But we don’t process the booking. We don’t swipe the card. We don’t issue the confirmation email.
So historically, our job has been acquisition.
Drive awareness.
Drive visitation.
Report year-over-year growth.
The Data Is Already Telling Us Something
When repeat overnight visitation shows up in the data, that’s not noise. That’s emotional equity.
If X% of visitors are returning, especially in strong drive markets, that’s not accidental. That’s a built-in retention base. And yet we rarely operationalize it.
Three visits over ten years gets reported as three separate wins.
Retail would treat that as one loyal customer with growing lifetime value.
That’s the shift.
The Idea No One Asked For
Let’s build a DMO loyalty program – together.
And let’s be direct about it. Not hidden behind “insider access.” Not disguised as just another itinerary builder.
Say it plainly:
“If you’ve visited more than once, we want to recognize you.
We’re building a destination loyalty program. Join us.”
That framing changes everything.
It’s collaborative.
It’s human.
It invites participation instead of pushing promotion.
What Would We Actually Need?
Minimal first-party data:
- Name
- Home zip code
- Number of visits (self-reported)
- Years visited
That’s enough to start. You don’t need perfect forensic validation. You need declared loyalty.
When someone says, “I’ve been there five times,” they’re reinforcing their own identity as a returner.
That matters psychologically.
“But What Do They Get?”
This is where people will immediately go.
- “What are the redemptions?”
- “What are the perks?”
- “What’s the reward?”
My answer?
We shouldn’t decide that alone.
If we’re serious about building a loyalty program, we build it with the people who already love the place.
Ask them:
- What makes you return?
- What would feel meaningful?
- What recognition would actually matter?
Because the moment this turns into free appetizers and 10% discounts, we’ve missed the point.
Retail has margin to give away. Destinations have identity to amplify. That’s a different asset.
Loyalty as Recognition — Not Points
This isn’t about competing with airline tiers.
It’s about acknowledgment.
Digital badges:
- 2x Visitor
- 5x Returner
- 10-Year Loyalist
Lifecycle messaging:
Instead of: “Plan your visit.”
Say: “Ready for your annual return?”
What if loyalty didn’t unlock discounts? What if it unlocked voice?
Repeat visitors could become:
- Featured in destination storytelling
- Guests on a destination podcast
- Contributors to curated itineraries
- Quoted in seasonal campaign creative
- Highlighted as “Annual Returners”
Instead of hiring only influencers visiting for the first time, spotlight the family that’s been coming for multiple summers and/or seasons.
That’s credibility.
That’s emotional authority.
That’s authentic advocacy.
Imagine a section of the website:
“Built by Returners”
- Itineraries created by five-time visitors.
- Blog posts titled, “Why We Come Back Every Year.”
- Podcast episodes featuring annual traditions.
Now loyalty becomes a content engine, and those visitors aren’t just guests… they’re co-creators.
The Economic Case
Acquisition is expensive.
Paid media, content production, trade shows, partnerships, it all adds up.
Retention is cheaper.
If you increase repeat frequency by even a few percentage points, that’s incremental demand without incremental acquisition cost.
Retail understands this.
Airlines understand this.
Hotels understand this.
Destinations could.
The Bigger Question
Are DMOs just awareness engines? Or are we relationship brands?
Because if we’re relationship brands, repeat visitation isn’t just a stat in a dashboard, it’s an asset.
Maybe destination loyalty isn’t about points. Maybe it’s about belonging. And maybe the people who return every year aren’t just repeat visitors. Maybe they’re the most underutilized marketing asset we have.
That’s the idea no one asked for.
gathandborden.com 