Our Argophilia Travel spotlight shines today on Welcome to Montenegro. This finalist in from the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Beijing is certainly among the most forward thinking of Eastern European online engagements. And where destination stewardship is concerned, maybe the best in the world. But their online presence, all the hard work on their website, appears to be for naught.
Okay, almost instantly I liked Montenegro’s website. Maybe it was the smiling faces of the kids? Their design is another example of simplicity leading to credible content in my view. The second “love factor” I happened on was their displaying of photos of sufficient size for media outlets like us to use (bottom second) – you would be amazed how many websites lack in this crucial marketing and media area.
Where rich media is concerned, Montenegro’s online brand is light years ahead of so many. Their YouTube Channel reflects this too. Not only are their videos crisp and inviting, their channel is skinned nicely too. But here is where Montenegro’s wonderful effort at online feet prints begins to waver. With only 26 friends and 46 subscribers on that video channel, no apparent Facebook or Twitter connection, and a Christian evangelism site userping the second position in Google search, it’s obvious there is no one at the online wheel in Montenegro.
Aside key phrase searches turning up other sites focused on Montenegro, the almost total lack of engagement across the various channels will certainly preclude the site receiving any kind of digital connectivity applause. As for Montenegro’s world class stewardship? That is another matter of course.
But a lesson here even for the tiniest country is that online travel comprises about 50 percent of the market already. So, having a firmly planted online brand would seem an indispensable commodity. The Alexa rank and metrics for Montenegro’s website do not lie. At 800,000 plus worldwide, with over 40 percent of visits coming from search, tourism in Montenegro is totally unaffected by this site.
Montenegro falls far short of perfection in their digital engagement – tell us your opinion. I leave the reader with fantastic video footage from wonderful Montenegro. Probably the only images you ever saw from there. Enough said here.