Istanbul.com website optimization

Transcription

1 Istanbul.com website optimization NOW: Background The number of Internet users has grown dramatically. According to UNWTO E- Business for Tourism (2001), the number of Internet users world-wide had increased nine-fold between 1995 to 2000, and the number is expected to continue to increase another over three-fold between 2000 and 2006 reaching 1,333 millions world-wide. The UNWTO documentation also indicates that the Internet had already become the number one source of information among US travelers in their research prior to actually visiting destination (see Annex A for more details). Even though Internet usage is cited as an important source of travel research information and can influence a positive or negative perception of a destination, Istanbul seems to not have a unified strategy for tourism promotion on the Internet. There are too many sites that compete with one another and the design, layout and interactability are still weak. Searchability of a key Istanbul tourism website that provides clear information to travelers is currently lacking. Both Google and Yahoo list many websites for Istanbul travel, when entering the words: Istanbul, Istanbul Travel and Istanbul Tourism. Contrary to this, Singapore and New Zealand are good examples of excellently placed destination websites (see Annex C for more details). A web surfer enters any of the key words, as listed above for tourism + the destination, and Google finds it rapidly, and lists it on the top of the page consistently. This saves time and allows the user to focus on the actual content. Selecting one tourism website to represent Istanbul, such as 64

2 Istanbul.com and creating a strategy to direct travelers to this site will facilitate finding information on Istanbul tourism activities. Given Istanbul and Turkey s somewhat negative safety perceptions, it is important to present a unified image of the city and the Historic Peninsula that showcases the best on offer through a website design worthy of the city. FUTURE: Goals Create one unifying website to promote Istanbul and the Historic Peninsula Position Istanbul and the Historic Peninsula as a higher end destination Strengthen internet traffic flow to the website ACTIONS: Activity Components 1. Discuss with web-master on best web search strategy for making Istanbul.com the #1 hit on the internet for tourism/travel searches to the city 2. Improve website layout, design and navigability 3. Advertise and direct traffic to Istanbul.com through third party tourism related links Activity Description Discuss with web-master on best web search strategy for making Istanbul.com the #1 hit on the internet for tourism/travel searches to the city The primary benefit of selecting one website on Istanbul and the Historic Peninsula will be to facilitate faster information on tourism/travel to Istanbul in a unified and less confusing way than currently exists. The website already exists. It is recommended that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as other tourism stakeholders in Istanbul, 65

3 adopt this site and make it the official site for tourism in the city and the Historic Peninsula. Making Istanbul.com the number one hit for tourism to the city on search engines, will require a strategy. It is recommended that a webmaster create links to the site and investigate whether incentive payments to Google and other search engines are necessary. Furthermore, key search words will need to be included as part of this strategy and could contain the following: Istanbul Istanbul Tourism Istanbul Travel Istanbul Hotels Istanbul Tours Istanbul Leisure Historic Peninsula Eminönü and other words. Resources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Adinteractive, Webmasters, Potential funding sources: Hotels, Visa, Mastercard, travel agencies Improve website layout, design and navigability Another component of the website is what potential travelers will view when they get there Istanbul Website survey revealed that professional image and good design is considered as the second most important factor that makes Internet users trust a country/city travel website following quality of content (see Annex B for more details). The UNWTO E-business for Tourism (2001) also indicate the importance of 66

4 design, content and search tool, etc. (see Annex A for more details). The design and layout, as well as a consistent theme will be critical to creating a website that flows well and is interesting to look and navigate. Currently Istanbul.com is perceived as too crowded in its copy and layout by 2007 Istanbul Website survey respondents. The site is only available in two languages (English and Turkish). Interactive tools such as extensive hotel booking links are lacking in member hotels. There is a photo gallery, but this includes a range of images, from good quality photos to advertising photos of hotels, and poor quality images. Singapore tourism website has done an excellent campaign called Unique Singapore. This theme has been used to do a photo competition that incorporates the best images with the theme that depict the uniqueness of the city state via high quality images and descriptions. Areas to improve will include: Theme development Design and layout Additional languages (German, Russian and Spanish) Interactive tools such as routes and itineraries An expanded hotel database Resources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Adinteractive, Yasmakhotels Marketing team, web design companies. Potential funding: Hotels, Visa, Mastercard, TUROB, TUREB, Travel Agencies. 67

5 Advertise and direct traffic to Istanbul.com through third party tourism related links Once has been successfully redesigned and search engines adjusted in order to make it the number one hit in the tourism category for Istanbul, advertisement and promotion of the site will be required to make it more popular and noticeable. An initiative that will channel web traffic to website will be required. It is suggested that specific travel and tourism related websites be used. Such sites could include a hospital that is popular with medical tourism (eye operations and plastic surgery that are famous with foreign tourists). Istanbul currently attracts some 200,000 visitors for health related surgeries, and often times many travelers end up visiting some of the sites and other tourist attractions after or before their operations. Some tourism related partners to advertise could include: Hospitals that offer eye and plastic surgery Sports and event venues such as the Formula 1 event All hotel websites Restaurants Museums Resources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Hospitals, Hotels, Restaurants. Potential funding: World eye hospital, American hospital, Florence Nightingale hospital, Cevahir congress centre, CRR congress centre, ICVB. 68

6 Timeline & Financing Plan Activity/Item Total Make Istanbul.com the #1 Hit on Search Engines Search engine optimization 2,000 1,000 1, Total 2,000 2,000 2,000 6,000 Improve Website Design and Layout Creative design & layout + content and interactive enhancements 20, Maintenance & Misc. costs 1, , ,000 Total 21, , ,000 23,000 Advertise traffic to istanbul.com Sales calls and pitches for inclusion of Istanbul.com 1, , Total 1, , ,000 Total Costs for Istanbul.com website optimization (YTL) 31,000 69