GATE # 1: Demand Market Segmentation by Gateway

Segmentation research has taught us that the two primary marketing factors that drive 'destination demand markets' are:

• Geographical Gateways
• Travel Segmentation

If this sounds simple, its because it truly is basic. Our contention is that in the same manner that New York City or London were natural 'ports of call' by ship over the centuries, today there are strong geo-relationships between Gateway Cities that have evolved on the basis of ease of trade and the flow of people, goods and services. Air, train, motor-coach, as examples, have shifted the accessibility from water based ports to multi-modal forms of transportation. As an a example, New York City is the dominant multi-modal Demand Market Gateway for destination marketers on the North East Coast of the USA. The efficiency is found in the sophistication with which a destination market can define their sub-regions and product segmentation.

The secret to efficiency and ROI is in the definition of these critical target market variables that increases in brand awareness and market share and can be gained.