TIG Global, subsidiary of MICROS Systems, Inc. and leading interactive marketing company for hospitality and travel, was recently selected as the Internet marketing provider for the Destination Toledo Convention and Visitors Bureau (Destination Toledo). TIG Global will provide Destination Toledo with search engine optimization services and a custom website design tailored to its distinct business initiatives.

Destination Toledo has partnered with TIG Global to fully re-design its website, doToledo.org, to ensure that meeting planners and visitors alike come to know and appreciate the Destination’s brand and all that this Northwest region of Ohio has to offer. While the Destination has always been proactive in advancing leisure and meetings business for the area, through the creation of a new, cutting-edge website, TIG Global will help to ramp up Destination Toledo’s online presence and increase its ability to compete for business with both its larger competitors, such as Cleveland and Columbus, as well as similarly sized markets like Akron and Dayton.

“When we made a strategic decision to offer our customers and visitors the very best in a website experience, we selected TIG Global without hesitation. TIG Global's vast knowledge regarding the CVB industry, as well as its understanding of the Internet, was a large factor in our decision to partner with them,” said David Nolan, President and CEO of Destination Toledo. “We are excited to work with TIG Global to formulate a new approach that pushes the envelope in terms of anticipating and responding to changes in traveler needs and expectations. Together, we intend to offer the most contemporary, efficient and customer-friendly destination website in the United States.”

The new website will be built on an open source content management system, enabling Destination Toledo staff to manage all aspects of their website internally. The site will also be integrated with the Destination’s existing CRM system, improving efficiency and eliminating the need to maintain web content in multiple places. To improve usability and make it easier for site visitors to locate the information they seek, TIG Global’s user experience experts will oversee the addition of several new interactive elements into the website design. User-generated content will also be employed to further engage meeting planners and leisure travelers and grow the Destination’s online presence. Lastly, to exploit the role that events play as demand drivers for lodging, TIG Global will implement a new syndication widget for Destination Toledo, providing a branded feed of consistent, accurate and timely event information from the destination’s website to its hotel partner sites.

“We’re thrilled to include Destination Toledo as our newest partner,” commented Steven Paganelli, vice president of destination business development for TIG Global. “Toledo’s desire to launch a sleek and innovative website and act as a pioneer in the realm of website functionality, offers the kind of original vision that will stand out and entice travelers and meeting planners, as well as immensely fuel the creativity of our design team.”