Effects of Destination Advertising on Financial Returns—A Comparative Analysis of Two Inquiring Methods

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Abstract
Using the data collected for a conversion study, this paper examined the effects of inquiring methods on the financial returns of an advertising program in a Southwest U.S. destination. Through the comparative analysis of conversion rates, efficiency, and economic ratios, the results indicate that the reader card inquirer-converted visitors yielded greater financial returns to the destination than the phone inquirers, although the latter were more likely to convert to visitors. The financial returns were expressed both in absolute dollar amount and in the ratio of return on investment. In addition, the study has found that variations of financial returns existed between or among demographic segments within the reader card visitors. Implications.of the study's findings were discussed in the context of resource allocation, tourism policy, and destination marketing. The text was complete with the review of conversion studies, description of methodology, and tables and references.