Finally! Istria is the first region to launch its destination booking platform

Istria has united its attractions, experiences and tours in one digital place, inside destination booking platform which offers the possibility of booking a series of activities with different interests, from adventurous to cultural and gourmet experiences. 

Finally, if someone had made a step forward - even though in 2023 it should be the standard - and digitized their offer of destination experiences (the whole of Istria). And even more important, all content can be purchased immediately via the web or mobile phone via card payment. 

But let's start in order. As part of the new development project, the Istrian Development Tourist Agency (IRTA), with the support of the County of Istria and the Tourist Board of the County of Istria, presented a new destination booking platform - To Do in Istria.

This is a big step forward, once again Istria is the first in Croatia and leads the trends. Destination booking platforms should today be imperative to each a serious tourist destination. Why?

This web sales platform is the first such initiative in the area of ​​Istria - but also in Croatia - which brings together all the services, tours, experiences and attractions of the peninsula in one place and enables the presentation of various providers and entities. The platform is designed in such a way that, through a simple method, it provides visitors with the possibility of booking various attractions with the aim of raising the destination's offer to a higher level. 

Key words are: digital platform, direct booking i online payment. 

This project represents a significant step towards the digital transition of the destination through several factors. From presenting the experience of the peninsula in one place, providing visitors with a simple overview with a fast and efficient reservation system, while at the same time providing service providers at the destination with a modern sales and promotion channel.

Also, it is a complete digital solution for Booking marketplace Istria which is available in English, and about enabling online reservations where there are two options, one is instant booking, and the other booking on request.

Option booking on request it is well recognized and implemented. Namely, some experiences need to be reserved because they have a limited number of stakeholders, so in order to avoid inconvenience (if the experience is bought and there is no available time slot), a step of confirmation of the reservation by the provider has been introduced. As, for example, with sea kayak tours, given that the partner has a limited number of tours and kayaks. This is how the reservation confirmation is done first, then the payment - but the entire process is still digitized. 

The longest deadline for a response to the client is six hours (in the worst case - before that, all the "alarms" in the system go off), but since the entire process and system is digitized, everyone in that chain has track record and notification system, so the whole backend process is simple, up-to-date and records all activities. 

The introduction of the To Do in Istria platform represents a significant step forward for Istria in the field of tourism and digital transformation, but it is more important that it focuses contents in the destination which are available with one click or via mobile phone. And that immediately, without sending emails and waiting for answers, and ultimately disappointed customers who wanted to buy the content, but did not succeed. About that a little later, as well as the AIDA marketing model. 

"The Istrian Development Tourism Agency has developed a platform with the intention of satisfying the different interests, wishes and travel habits of visitors with a rich personalized offer of various activities, experiences and tours, while networking all stakeholders within the destination. In addition to increasing recognition, To Do in Istria aims to emphasize authenticity Istria, as an active tourist destination that offers numerous activities and experiences, which can be enjoyed by domestic and foreign visitors. To Do in Istria also offers a reviewed system of categorization according to location and type of service, while the design is also adapted to mobile browsers, which enables users to easily access and use the platform via mobile devices.", expires  Slavica Tobok Kandić, director of the Istrian Development Tourist Agency (IRTA) and adds that he expects that this innovative initiative will attract a greater number of visitors and service providers and help in the further promotion of the local destination offer. 

"The destination offer must be based on experiences, selective forms of tourism and strive towards specific forms of offer that will enrich the tourism of Istria. Likewise, considering the current situation, we must adapt to the offer, or demand on the tourist market, because other destinations are also reopening and become available to tourists", he pointed out Boris Miletić, prefect of Istria County. 

It is in everyone's interest to increase tourist spending and raise the overall satisfaction of tourists with our destination, and we can only do that with quality and a diverse offer. 

If the guest experienced and saw as much as possible in his "7 days of vacation", then the overall impression of the destination will certainly be much better.

And since today we have extremely high noise in communication, two factors are key: Web page i online sale. 

For years I have been writing and saying that tourist content and experiences in the destination must be able to be purchased online - immediately and online. Especially in 2023 where digitization is imperative. That must be the standard today. The first big step forward is the consolidation of the tourist offer in one place so that they can inform the guests about the destination offer.

We must be aware that all marketing, communication, brochures, fairs, ads... are tools or media with which we tell a story and promote a product. Through communication and advertising, we create attention and interest, and we know how difficult it is to get attention today, and even more difficult to keep it for more than three seconds. 

Do we look through marketing model AIDA which is an acronym for A - Attention, I - Interest, D - Desire, A - Action in advertising, then action or sale is the "alpha and omega" of the whole story. The goal of everything we do in the promotion of a destination is to reach action - from the arrival of tourists to our destination or the sale of tourist experiences. Ultimately, the purpose of everything is to sell.

Imagine how much money, resources, time and effort are spent day after day, all in order to gain attention, tell your story in the hope that we will "sell" your products or services. On the other hand, on all tourist promotional activities, from billboards, social networks to tourist fairs, we have the logo, name and website of the destination, such as - Visit destination X. 

Otherwise, the website of the destination is the main digital means of communication, to which all activities, social networks and information are linked. Therefore, we direct all traffic and attention there according to the AIDA model. When consumers come to the website, it means that we have gained attention, through presentation and communication we have gained interest and desire, and at the last step - when the sale has already been made and all the effort has paid off - there is no sale!

It is not there because the guest cannot buy a tourist experience. We had a customer who wanted to buy the product, but he didn't have that option. The customer leaves and will not return. The sale failed, we have an unsatisfied customer, and we wasted resources. 

Turn the story from the eyes of a consumer who wants to buy, say, clothes for a summer vacation. You see a good piece of clothing on Instagram, you look at the whole channel, you click on the website, you research the brand, the dimensions, the price... and when you want to buy the product, you can't buy it. What is the point of everything, if we have done everything successfully, and we are not offering a sale?

That's exactly the point destination booking platform. The entire process is rounded, arranged and connected thanks to digitization.

Also, the motive of arrival is the destination, not the bed. Our goal is to increase tourist spending, lower spending on local partners - the local economy, precisely through quality content and tourist offer. 

Head of the Administrative Department for Tourism of the County of Istria, Nada Prodan Mrakovic she pointed out that the destination platform combines the best attractions, tours and services and was really necessary for a destination like Istria.

"The variety of providers indicates the high-quality networking of stakeholders within the destination, while the platform represents a central place for the promotion and sale of destination services that are available not only to tourists, but also to the local population. The synergy that has been created is an excellent basis for the further development and progress of the platform and the development of a series of possibilities during the period that follows us", added Prodan Mraković.

It is important to emphasize that the platform was created by local partners. The creation of the website with IT and technical support is signed by the Digital Agency Markething doo, and the creation and design of the visual identity of the platform is the responsibility of the company Alphera doo This is the added value of tourism, because local resources were used. 

The guest is not interested in who is behind the page, he is only interested in the content and that he can buy it immediately.

The guest is not interested in whether IRTA, a travel agency or a tourist board is behind the site, but only in quality information, a broader narrative and the possibility of purchasing, and that everything is digitized. Of course, the site must have legitimacy and be secure, and since IRTA, the County of Istria and the Tourist Board of the County of Istria stand behind it, the confirmation of legitimacy is clear. 

Otherwise, the commission for partners amounts to 15%, and the income, apart from IRTA's work and maintenance, will primarily be intended for the promotion of the platform. This will be the biggest challenge, because in order for the platform to become a brand and the first thought for content in Istria, it takes time and a very large budget to promote it, especially for foreign markets. All stakeholders in Istria can definitely help in spreading the story, especially partners who are already on the platform, because that's the easiest and fastest way to spread the story.

Also, the platform is a great help to renters (especially when the platform is filled with as much content as possible), because renters can "direct" their guests to one place where they can find out about all the content in the destination and the surrounding area. We must not forget that the reason for coming is not the bed, but the destination. 

The more a guest has seen and experienced in Istria, the more fulfilling his overall experience of the destination will be and he will return again. And he will return to your accommodation - of course, if you have met his expectations as a host. That is why our goal is for guests to see and experience as much as possible. And that is the primary goal of this platform.

When asked what the further development plan of the platform is, Tobok Kandić points out that one of the plans is the implementation of a booking manager for bidders.

"Further development of the destination booking platform To Do in Istria is based on the integration of the review system, which is extremely important when it comes to creating trust among end users as well as the credibility of the website. Furthermore, the plan is to implement a booking manager for bidders that will enable easy access to all technical aspects of the platform and further management of the calendar of events" concludes Tobok Kandić, director of IRTA.

IRTA is also in charge of managing the platform's social networks, as well as an important element - direct communication with users, i.e. customer support, where customers can directly contact customer service if they have any questions or technical problems through direct contact, which is also connected via WhatsApp. An important element that is often overlooked. Because if the customer has a certain problem at that moment in the field, he does not want to send an email, but needs help immediately and wants to be sure that he can send an inquiry or call via mobile phone. 

From the user's perspective, it is good to know that there are people (not artificial intelligence) behind the platform and that they can be contacted via WhatsApp at any time. The platform is in English and with a .com domain - also another important element in the whole mosaic of the platform. 

In any case, the hardest work is just beginning. The platform must live, and that means generating traffic to partners. As the platform grows, the total satisfaction of Istria's guests will grow more and more, as well as the total tourist consumption that will remain in the local economy. This is the vicious circle of tourism and the meaning of tourism. Win-win for everyone. 

And to return to the beginning of the story. I hope I have answered part of the question why this is a big step forward and why destination booking platforms should be imperative for every serious tourist destination today. 

So once again bravo for Istria. Be like Istria. 

For additional information and access to the To Do in Istria platform, visit the official website www.todoinistria.com 

Author: Goran Rihelj

The content was created in cooperation with the Istrian Development and Tourism Agency.