# DMO Visitor Information Center Study

**Publisher:** Destinations International  
**Published:** n/a  
**Category:** Destinations, NTOs & DMOs  
**Type:** Study  
**Access:** Free PDF  
**Official source:** http://destinationsinternational.org/reports/dmo-visitor-information-center-study  
**Canonical:** https://tourismintel.ai/reports/dmo-visitor-information-center-study

## At a glance
- 284 U.S. and Canadian DMOs participated, reporting combined walk-in traffic exceeding 10 million to visitor information centers in 2012.
- Participating organizations' operating budgets ranged from under US$500,000 to over US$10,000,000, enabling budget-specific analysis.
- Fewer than one in five destination organizations currently measure visitor information center return on investment.
- Study provides framework for VIC marketing strategy, budgeting, planning and ROI measurement across budget segments.

## What the report covers
Destinations International conducted this study to examine how U.S. and Canadian destination marketing organizations allocated budgets, deployed visitor engagement strategies, and operated official Visitor Information Centers. The research covered 284 participating organizations welcoming over 10 million walk-ins in 2012. The study aimed to provide benchmarking data and guidance on VIC marketing, budgeting, planning and, crucially, return-on-investment measurement—an area where measurement remained underdeveloped across the sector.

## Key findings
The study encompassed 284 destination organizations from the U.S. and Canada, representing a wide range of operational scales. Participating organizations' budgets ranged from under US$500,000 to over US$10,000,000, allowing the research to provide budget-specific benchmarking data. This diversity in organization size and resources enabled comparative analysis across different DMO segments.

According to the report, participating organizations collectively reported welcoming over 10 million walk-ins to their Visitor Information Centers during 2012. This volume underscores the continued relevance of physical visitor centers as a touchpoint for traveler engagement despite the emerging digital landscape.

The study identified a significant measurement gap in the sector. Fewer than one in five destination organizations were assessing visitor information center return on investment at the time of the survey. This finding highlighted a critical need for standardized ROI frameworks to demonstrate VIC value and justify resource allocation.

The research was designed to serve as an informational resource guiding destination organizations' VIC marketing, budgeting and planning decisions. By providing budget-specific benchmarking and a basic framework for measuring VIC ROI, the study aimed to address operational and strategic gaps identified across North American DMOs.

## Key numbers
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Participating destination organizations | 284 | U.S. and Canadian DMOs included in the study |
| Combined walk-in traffic to VICs | Over 10 million | Reported by participating organizations in 2012 |
| Operating budget range (minimum) | Under US$500,000 | Lowest budget tier among participating organizations |
| Operating budget range (maximum) | Over US$10,000,000 | Highest budget tier among participating organizations |
| DMOs measuring VIC ROI | Fewer than one in five | Proportion of destination organizations assessing return on investment |

## Why it matters
**DMOs & destinations** — This study provides destination marketing organizations with benchmarking data essential for VIC strategy and budget allocation decisions. By offering budget-specific comparisons across 284 peer organizations and a framework for ROI measurement, DMOs can justify visitor center investments, optimize resource deployment, and address the documented gap in performance measurement affecting the majority of the sector.

**Hotels & hospitality** — Hotel properties benefit from active, well-resourced visitor information centers that drive foot traffic and generate qualified leads for accommodation and dining services. Understanding how peer DMOs fund and operate VICs helps hospitality operators advocate for adequate VIC investment and recognize their role as key partners in visitor journey management and destination competitiveness.

**Travel tech & distribution** — Technology providers serving DMOs can use this research to understand visitor information center budgets, operational priorities, and measurement gaps. The identified weakness in ROI assessment suggests opportunity for digital tools that integrate VIC performance data, visitor analytics, and impact measurement—helping organizations demonstrate value and inform technology investment decisions.

## Methodology and limits
Destinations International surveyed 284 destination marketing organizations across the U.S. and Canada, collecting data on operating budgets, VIC operations, visitor volumes, and measurement practices during 2012. The study stratified organizations by budget size to enable segment-specific benchmarking. The research relied on self-reported data from participating DMOs regarding walk-in traffic and operational metrics. This brief summarizes findings from the publicly available report summary; full methodological detail and detailed findings appear in the complete report PDF available on the Destinations International website.

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© Destinations International for the original report. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel (https://tourismintel.ai). Read the original: http://destinationsinternational.org/reports/dmo-visitor-information-center-study