Tourism sites - why do they use awful photos ?

[simonkit]

I'm big into mountains & often spend much of my time in these sort of areas, on holiday etc but when browsing the web for accommodation etc I'm often bemused by the awful photos that many sites use in an effort to "promote" their local areas..

I've often looked around the North Wales sites, B&Bs, hotels & even some purely tourist based ones & I really have come across some bl**dy awful photos - rather than encourage people to visit the areas they're more likely to be scared away...

Why do sites use these terrible shots, surely in the age of digital its easy enough to get something decent.. be interested to hear from any current tourism/accommodation website owners ???

thanks

simon

 

[Tobers]

Probably because they dont have any money to pay for any decent ones, and dont have the nonce to do a deal with a good amateur or two to get some free shots.

 

[michaelgreen78]

Perhaps it's because they can't afford better photos?

 

[michaelgreen78]

Oops...beaten to it

 

[HIMUPNORTH]

The people you speak of will not reside here. :shrug:

 

[Biko]

I'm often bemused by the awful photos that many sites use in an effort to "promote" their local areas..

I've often looked around the North Wales sites, B&Bs, hotels & even some purely tourist based ones & I really have come across some bl**dy awful photos - rather than encourage people to visit the areas they're more likely to be scared away...

Why do sites use these terrible shots, surely in the age of digital its easy enough to get something decent.. be interested to hear from any current tourism/accommodation website owners ???

thanks

simon

I run an independent website about my local area which is a very popular tourist destination, I did it for the same reasons you describe, the "official" and other sites looked poor, I take all the photos etc, The site has gone from strength and is now very popular.

The "official" tourism group set up to promote the area I live in have little idea about how to invest in promoting the attractions visually and on the web. They do have money to spend on photos, but the tourism sector can be like "an old boys network" and tend to use someone usually a mate to photograph, their skills can range from good to awful. A photographer they paid came to a popular event which I covered and messed the shots up but they still use the photos which would put anyone off going to see the event. I have no time for them.

That's not the case for all tourism, I have seen areas that do get their act together.

 

[altyfc]

I'm heavily involved in creating sites for the travel industry.

In my experience, your small hotel/B&B owner often thinks they can save a few £££s by taking photos themselves, often not realising that hiring a pro, although more expensive, would be money well spent.

 

[jerry12953]

I'm heavily involved in creating sites for the travel industry.

In my experience, your small hotel/B&B owner often thinks they can save a few £££s by taking photos themselves, often not realising that hiring a pro, although more expensive, would be money well spent.

That's right. So many people don't appreciate decent photographs, and even if they did, wouldn't want to pay for them.