In the digital age destination marketing organizations need to reconsider where they are spending money, said international tourism thought leader, Doug Lansky, at the ITB Convention in Berlin.

“Before the internet people spent a lot of money on visitor center, now they have someone off-site who is available to answer questions and it is much more cost effective,” Lansky said. “Only one percent of visitors actually use visitor centers and half of those people are only there to use the toilet. But with all of the staffing costs, it is an expensive toilet.”

Rather than investing in a beautiful building, Lansky suggests investing that money on keeping the area looking well.

“I can show you ten minutes of garbage on streets, beaches and parks which would deter anyone from going to a certain place,” Lansky said. “But in order to attract people you need to protect the culture.”

Countries like Guam spend a third of their marketing budget on beautification, he added.

Besides trash, Lansky said that large companies who are too visible ruin the atmosphere of destinations.

“We know why people travel; it is to experience something new - not to go to the same fast food place they can get at home. Chains are ruining the main squares of Copenhagen and other major cities,” Lansky said.

Although it may not seem popular, he recommends destinations follow Amsterdam’s example of capping tourist shops in highly saturated areas.