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Unlock This CourseYou've now studied a wide range of promotional methods used in travel and tourism – from TV adverts and social media to trade fairs and brochures. But knowing what they are isn't enough. The IGCSE exam wants you to evaluate them – that means judging how good they are, comparing them and deciding which works best in different situations.
Think of it like being a marketing manager. You've got a limited budget and a destination to promote. Which method do you choose – and why? That's exactly what evaluation is all about.
Key Definitions:
To evaluate a promotional method properly, you need a framework – a set of criteria you can apply to any method. Here are the six key questions to ask:
How much does it cost to use this method? A TV advert during prime time can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. A social media post might cost almost nothing. Cost matters especially for smaller destinations or developing countries with limited tourism budgets.
How many people does it reach? A viral Instagram post can reach millions globally. A local newspaper ad might only reach a few thousand people in one region. Reach is about the size of the audience.
Does it reach the right people? Reaching millions is useless if none of them are your target market. Digital methods allow very precise targeting by age, location and interests. Traditional methods like TV are less precise.
Can you tell if it worked? Online methods give detailed data – clicks, bookings, views. Traditional methods like billboards or magazine ads are much harder to measure. Good ROI analysis depends on measurability.
How quickly can you get the message out? Social media can respond to events within hours. A printed brochure takes weeks to design, print and distribute. Speed matters when promoting a new event or responding to a crisis.
Will the audience trust the message? A review from a real traveller on TripAdvisor is often more trusted than a paid advert. PR and user-generated content tend to score high on credibility. Paid advertising scores lower.
In an evaluation question, don't just list advantages and disadvantages. Use the framework above to compare methods against each other. For example: "Social media has a wider reach than printed brochures and is far cheaper, making it more suitable for destinations targeting younger travellers on a limited budget."
Different types of destination face very different promotional challenges. A small Caribbean island has different needs to a major city like London or Paris. Let's look at how the evaluation criteria apply in different contexts.
Countries like Bhutan, Rwanda, or small Pacific island nations often have very limited marketing budgets. For them, cost is the most critical factor. They tend to rely heavily on:
These methods score well on cost and credibility, even if they offer less control over the message than paid advertising.
Rwanda's tourism board, RDB (Rwanda Development Board), has successfully promoted gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park using a mix of PR, social media and partnerships with luxury travel writers. Rather than spending millions on TV adverts, Rwanda invited high-profile journalists and travel bloggers to experience the gorillas first-hand. Articles appeared in National Geographic, The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller – reaching millions of affluent readers at a fraction of the cost of paid advertising. This approach scored highly on credibility and targeting (reaching wealthy eco-tourists), while keeping costs manageable for a developing nation.
Major destinations like Spain, France, or the USA have large budgets and can afford a full mix of promotional methods. Their challenge is different – they need to stand out in a crowded market and attract specific types of visitor (not just any tourist). For them, evaluation focuses more on targeting and measurability.
VisitScotland has shifted a significant portion of its promotional budget from traditional TV and print advertising towards digital channels. After running campaigns on both platforms, they found that digital campaigns delivered a measurable increase in website visits and bookings, with clear data on which adverts performed best. TV campaigns were harder to link directly to bookings. VisitScotland concluded that digital methods offered better measurability and ROI, though TV remained valuable for building broad brand awareness among older demographics who were less active online.
One of the most useful skills for your exam is being able to compare methods directly. The table below summarises how the main promotional methods score against the six evaluation criteria.
Cost: Low ✅
Reach: Very high ✅
Targeting: Excellent ✅
Measurability: Excellent ✅
Speed: Instant ✅
Credibility: Medium – depends on source 🟡
Cost: Very high ❌
Reach: Very high ✅
Targeting: Limited ❌
Measurability: Difficult ❌
Speed: Slow to produce ❌
Credibility: Medium 🟡
Cost: Low-medium ✅
Reach: High ✅
Targeting: Good ✅
Measurability: Difficult ❌
Speed: Slow ❌
Credibility: Very high ✅
Cost: Low-medium ✅
Reach: Limited ❌
Targeting: Excellent ✅
Measurability: Good ✅
Speed: Fast ✅
Credibility: Medium 🟡
Cost: Medium 🟡
Reach: Limited ❌
Targeting: Medium 🟡
Measurability: Very difficult ❌
Speed: Slow ❌
Credibility: Medium-high ✅
Cost: Medium-high 🟡
Reach: Medium 🟡
Targeting: Medium 🟡
Measurability: Difficult ❌
Speed: Slow ❌
Credibility: High ✅
There is no single "best" promotional method. The right choice depends on several factors. In the exam, you'll often be given a scenario and asked to recommend a method – or evaluate which is most suitable. Here's what to consider:
This is often the deciding factor. A national tourism organisation like VisitBritain has a multi-million pound budget and can run TV campaigns, sponsor events and maintain a large social media team. A small eco-lodge in Borneo has almost nothing to spend. For low-budget operators, social media, PR and travel blogger partnerships are far more suitable than TV or national newspaper advertising.
Who are you trying to attract? Different markets respond to different methods:
A destination that is new and unknown needs to build awareness – broad-reach methods like PR, social media and TV work well here. A destination that is well-known but declining (like some traditional British seaside resorts) needs to reposition itself – targeted campaigns and rebranding are more appropriate. Refer back to Butler's TALC model – the stage of the destination affects which promotional approach is best.
Is the destination targeting domestic visitors or international tourists? Domestic campaigns might use national TV and radio effectively. International campaigns need methods that cross borders – global social media platforms, international travel fairs and partnerships with overseas tour operators.
Jamaica's tourism board uses a carefully segmented promotional strategy. For the North American market (their largest source of visitors), they invest in TV advertising during travel programmes and sports events, as well as partnerships with US travel agents. For the UK market, they focus on travel magazine advertising and PR with British travel journalists. For younger global audiences, they use Instagram and YouTube heavily, showcasing music, food and beach culture. This case study shows how the same destination uses different methods for different markets – and how evaluation must always consider the target audience.
It's worth knowing that evaluating promotional methods isn't always straightforward. There are real challenges in judging how well promotion has worked.
In the IGCSE exam, evaluation questions are often worth the most marks. Here's a simple structure to follow:
Make a clear statement about the promotional method. "Social media is a highly effective promotional method for tourism destinations."
Back it up with a fact, example, or case study. "Iceland's viral social media campaign generated millions of views and a 30% increase in tourist arrivals."
Weigh up the strengths and weaknesses. "However, social media requires constant updating and carries the risk of negative reviews going viral."
L – Link: Connect back to the question or make a final judgement. "Overall, for a destination targeting younger travellers on a limited budget, social media offers the best combination of reach, cost and targeting."
The UK government's GREAT Britain campaign, run by VisitBritain, is one of the most evaluated tourism campaigns in the world. It uses TV, digital, social media, PR and trade promotions across multiple international markets. VisitBritain regularly publishes evaluation reports showing ROI. For every £1 spent on the campaign, they estimate it generates around £22 in visitor spending in the UK economy. This makes it one of the most cost-effective national tourism campaigns globally. The campaign scores highly on reach, targeting (different versions for different countries) and measurability (detailed tracking of website visits, bookings and economic impact). Its main weakness is cost – it requires significant government funding that not all destinations can match.