Tourism Marketing
Tourism marketing means reaching people in their home markets — before they ever leave — and continuing to reach them once they arrive. Black Hills tourism advertising is especially effective when it pairs out-of-state digital with on-arrival geofencing in Rapid City, Sturgis, Custer, and Hill City.
Real rate cards. Every number sourced. See the references →
How much should tourism businesses spend on advertising?
The calculator starts tourism businesses at 8% of revenue for marketing. About 45% of a marketing budget buys advertising, so the advertising budget lands near 3.6% of revenue: for a business doing $1 million a year, about $3,000 a month. Your stage and growth goal move it up or down, and the free budget calculator works out your range for your own market.
| Annual revenue | Marketing budget / year | Advertising / month |
|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $40,000 | $1,500 |
| $1,000,000 | $80,000 | $3,000 |
| $3,000,000 | $240,000 | $9,000 |
An established business with steady growth. New or fast-growing businesses spend more; the calculator adjusts for both.
Common challenges in this category
- Heavy seasonality
- Competing with national destinations
- Out-of-state targeting costs
- Booking-window timing
Approaches that tend to work
- Out-of-market CTV/OTT in source-market metros
- In-market geofencing at hotels and attractions
- Meta interest-based travel targeting
- YouTube destination campaigns
Tactics that tend to work for this category
Social Media Advertising
Meta (Facebook + Instagram) ads that reach a broad, customizable audience where they already spend their time.
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Digital Advertising
Search, social, display, video, streaming TV (CTV/OTT), streaming audio, and retargeting (ads shown to people who already visited your site), built around your business goals.
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CTV & OTT Advertising
Premium TV-quality video ads served on smart TVs and streaming devices, usually full-screen and non-skippable.
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YouTube Advertising
Skippable, non-skippable, in-feed, and shorts video ads on the world’s second-largest search engine.
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Geofencing Advertising
Build virtual fences around physical locations and serve display or video ads to people inside them.
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Streaming Audio Advertising
15- and 30-second audio ads on Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, podcasts, and other digital audio platforms.
Learn morePlanning guides for this category
StrategyAdvertising Budget by Industry: What Does Your Sector Actually Spend?What each industry spends on marketing as a share of revenue, from 2% for auto dealers to 15% for SaaS, and how much of that actually buys advertising.
Cost GuideBillboard Advertising in the Black HillsWhat billboards cost around Spearfish, Sturgis and Hill City, and how geofencing reaches the people walking into your competitors' doors, from $600/month.
StrategyCTV vs YouTube Advertising: Which Video Ad Should You Run?Connected TV and YouTube are both video ads on a screen, but they behave very differently. What each costs, how each is measured, and which fits your goal.
Tourism Marketing questions
How much should tourism businesses spend on advertising?
How should a seasonal tourism business handle its website in the off-season?
Tell us about your business.
We'll respond within one business day with practical, industry-aware recommendations.
Ready to grow your business?
Tell us a little about your business and your goals. We will follow up with practical recommendations within one business day.
Real rate cards. Every number sourced. See the references →
Local digital anywhere in the US · Radio in the Black Hills