Technology

Sojern Unveils its 2025 State of Destination Marketing Report

Published

1 year ago

February 4, 2025

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 4, 2025 /CNW/ — Sojern, the leading digital marketing platform built for travel, is excited to announce the launch of the “State of Destination Marketing 2025” report for destination marketing organizations (DMOs). This report, produced through a partnership between Sojern and Benchmark Research Partners—and supported by Brand USA, Destination Canada, the European Travel Commission, and the Caribbean Tourism Organization—builds off the 2024 report and highlights current destination marketing trends.

“A striking 85% of DMOs are maintaining or increasing digital advertising budgets compared to last year,” said Noreen Henry, Chief Revenue Officer at Sojern. “As DMOs invest more into their budgets and adopt more sophisticated strategies, they must continue to demonstrate return on that investment, which requires them to leverage advanced tools and data to engage travelers throughout the marketing funnel.”

With insights from nearly 200 global DMOs, government departments, and affiliated tourism entities, the report uncovers just how resilient digital advertising is.

Complex Campaigns, Rising Challenges

DMOs face challenges such as managing limited resources while showing clear results, rising expectations, and technological change. The pressure is high to deliver results, and the resulting multichannel campaigns are more technical and complex. While 60% use clicks as their top metric, 54% struggle to demonstrate clear ROI and 37% identify tracking and attribution as key challenges when managing full-funnel campaigns.

Currently, 83% of respondents focus on programmatic advertising. Programmatic’s trackability, precision, and cost effectiveness enables DMOs to make smarter, data-driven decisions.

Display ads (97%), social media advertising (90%), and search engine marketing (80%) remain the dominant channels in DMOs’ paid media strategy.

AI Adoption: A Growing Opportunity

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping destination marketing, with 63% of DMOs using it for content creation. Only 28% use AI for data analysis, highlighting a massive opportunity to use AI for deeper insights and more effective decision-making. Addressing resource limitations and training gaps will be critical to unlocking AI’s full potential.

Always-On Campaigns vs. Traditional Seasonal Campaigns

While DMOs have traditionally preferred to run seasonal campaigns, the report revealed that 52% are now favoring always-on campaigns over seasonal ones (40%). Always-on campaigns drive results, with 42% reporting improved brand awareness as the most significant impact an always-on marketing strategy has on overall campaign performance.

DMOs are getting better at crafting campaigns for specific audiences–for example, 66% are extensively focusing on outdoor enthusiasts–but only 15% are using advanced personalization techniques that adjust offerings in real time across channels. This leaves a huge opportunity to create more tailored experiences for travelers at every stage of their journey.

Brand-building is Emerging as a Top Priority

For the past four years since the COVID-19 pandemic, DMOs needed to drive bookings and deliver short-term results to enable business to bounce back. Now that the industry has stabilized, DMOs are rebalancing, with campaigns taking a long-term strategic approach. As a result, brand awareness has become more important, and this shift is clear in how campaigns are being run—now split 50/50 between stage-specific and full-funnel strategies, a big change from 2024 when full-funnel dominated at 70%.

The Promise and Challenges of Data

Data is one of the most powerful tools DMOs have, but figuring out how to use it effectively is no easy task. More than half (51%) of DMOs say data analysis is a major challenge, and 45% struggle to turn that data into actionable strategies. Still, these hurdles present an opportunity for DMOs to stand out by using data to create campaigns that hit the mark. The report shows that most DMOs are already leveraging data—84% for digital marketing insights, 75% for tracking visitor stats, and 69% for market research.

Co-op Marketing: Collaboration Gains Traction

Co-op marketing continues to grow, particularly in Europe, where the report revealed that participation increased by 16% year-over-year. By partnering with hotels, attractions, and airlines, DMOs can pool resources, extend campaign reach, and better scale efforts.

Social Media Dominates, but Video Adoption is Growing

Social media remains central, with 91% of DMOs using it for marketing and 99% ranking Facebook and Instagram among their top five channels. However, connected TV (CTV) and short-form video are gaining traction as emerging formats, offering significant potential for DMOs to create immersive, visually rich campaigns that resonate deeply with travelers.

To see the full survey methodology, download the “State of Destination Marketing 2025” report here.

About Sojern

Sojern is a leading travel marketing platform designed to boost growth and profitability for the travel industry. The Sojern Travel Marketing Platform is a set of easy-to-use software and services that delivers unrivaled traveler insight, intelligent audiences, multichannel activation and optimization, and a connected guest experience—all in one place. More than 10,000 travel marketers rely on our platform annually to find, attract, convert and engage travelers. Founded in 2007, Sojern is headquartered in San Francisco, California with teams in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific.

About Benchmark Research Partners

Benchmark Research Partners conducts studies to help industry participants understand market changes and opportunities through peer benchmarking data.

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Technology

Qmulos Now Available on Cisco Global Price List (GPL), Accelerating Continuous Compliance Solutions for Joint Customers

Published

56 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

CHANTILLY, Va., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Qmulos, a leader in Continuous Compliance, today announced that its flagship products, Q-Compliance (Q-C) and Q-Behavior Analytics and Audit (Q-BA2), are now available on the Cisco® Global Price List (GPL) via the SolutionsPlus Partner Program. This strategic integration allows Cisco partners and customers to seamlessly purchase Q-C and Q-BA2 directly through Cisco’s sales organization, simplifying procurement and accelerating the deployment of automated compliance solutions.

Qmulos now available on Cisco® Global Price List (GPL)!

By joining the Cisco GPL, Qmulos deepens its pre-existing partnership with Splunk, now a Cisco company, empowering organizations to address complex automated compliance challenges with integrated, validated technologies. The collaboration enables a unified buying experience for customers looking to combine Cisco’s industry-leading infrastructure with Qmulos’ specialized capabilities.

“Becoming a SolutionsPlus partner and getting on the Cisco GPL is a major milestone in our commitment to fostering a stronger, more secure digital ecosystem alongside Cisco,” said Matt Coose, CEO and Founder at Qmulos. “This enables us to meet the growing demand for our solutions while providing Cisco customers with a streamlined path to simplify technical evidence collection, streamline workflows, and strengthen cyber posture.”

Key Benefits of Q-Compliance (Q-C) and Q-Behavior Analytics and Audit (Q-BA2) on Cisco GPL:

Simplified Procurement: Customers can now acquire Qmulos through their existing Cisco sales representative, reducing vendor onboarding time.

Validated Integration: Q-C and Q-BA2 work seamlessly within Cisco’s (Splunk’s) architecture, ensuring reliability and performance.

Enhanced Security & Visibility: Continuously monitor control status and effectiveness across numerous compliance frameworks and environments in near-real time.

For more information on the combined solution, visit www.qmulos.com or contact your Cisco account manager.

About Qmulos
Qmulos is a premier Splunk-based cybersecurity and compliance company founded in 2012 that automates risk management, security compliance, and auditing. They provide real-time compliance solutions for complex environments, helping government and commercial clients adhere to standards like NIST, CMMC, and FedRAMP through actionable, evidence-based insights.

Media Contact:
Danielle Schiffman
danielle.schiffman@qmulos.com
1-844-476-8567

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Technology

New Study Reveals Retail Security Measures Are Driving Customers Away

Published

56 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

DALBAR and Competitor IQ survey of 500 North American shoppers uncovers a costly tension between loss prevention and the customer experience

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DALBAR, Inc. and its division Competitor IQ today released the 2026 Retail Security and Loss Prevention Study, a survey of 500 U.S. and Canadian consumers on how loss prevention strategies affect the retail shopping experience. The findings reveal a significant tension between security and convenience — one that is already costing retailers sales.

38%
of shoppers have abandoned a purchase due to in-store security measures

Key Findings

Security Measures Are Pushing Shoppers Out the Door
A significant share of respondents report abandoning purchases due to security-related friction. Locked merchandise cabinets and access restrictions are the leading causes — and the full study breaks down exactly which measures are driving customers away.

Locked Merchandise Is the Biggest Pain Point
Many customers say locked displays negatively impact their shopping experience. Many feel mistrusted and will leave rather than wait — and the data shows a clear link to lost revenue that retailers cannot afford to ignore.

Safety Matters, But Rarely Drives Store Choice
Most shoppers already feel a baseline level of security when they enter a store. The study reveals which measures build customer confidence — and which ones backfire by sending shoppers online instead.

Customers Want Technology, Not Barriers
A strong majority believe AI and surveillance technology can better balance loss prevention with convenience. The full study includes detailed breakdowns of customer preferences by age, income, and retail category.

“Retailers are caught in a difficult position: theft is rising, but the measures used to combat it are alienating the honest shoppers they need to retain. The path forward lies in smarter, less intrusive security — and the data shows exactly what that looks like.”
— DALBAR / Competitor IQ Research Team

When Customers See Theft Happen In-Store…
Most say they would shop there less often or stop visiting entirely.
Only a small share reports no change in behavior. The reputational cost of visible theft is significant — and quantified in the full report.

About the Study
The 2026 Retail Security and Loss Prevention Study was conducted by DALBAR, Inc. and Competitor IQ in April 2026, surveying 500 consumers across the United States and Canada. The full report includes detailed findings by demographic, retail category, and security measure type — with actionable recommendations for loss prevention teams.

Request the Full Report
www.dalbar.com | www.ciqdata.com | press@dalbar.com

About DALBAR, Inc.

About Competitor IQ

DALBAR, Inc. has set the standard for measuring and improving investment advice and financial services quality since 1976. DALBAR awards are recognized as a symbol of excellence in the financial community.

Competitor IQ is a division of DALBAR, Inc. specializing in competitive intelligence and customer experience research, helping organizations make data-driven improvements to service quality and retention.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Steve Worthy
compete@ciqdata.com
www.ciqdata.com

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SOURCE DALBAR, Inc.

Technology

MILLROCK TECHNOLOGY APPOINTS NEIL A. GOLDMAN AS CFO

Published

56 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

KINGSTON, N.Y., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Millrock Technology (“Millrock”), a provider of lyophilization and advanced freeze-drying solutions for the life sciences and biopharmaceutical industries, today announced the appointment of Neil A. Goldman, CPA, as Chief Financial Officer.

Mr. Goldman is a veteran executive who brings a distinguished track record as CFO of both private equity-backed and public companies across the MedTech, advanced manufacturing, and professional services industries. Throughout his career, he has consistently transformed mid-market and entrepreneur-led businesses into high-performing platforms through a combination of strategic M&A, operational discipline, rigorous execution, and strong financial leadership.

Most recently, Mr. Goldman served as CFO of Life Science Outsourcing, Inc., a national medical device contract manufacturer, where he implemented operational improvements and upgraded enterprise systems to scale the platform. Prior CFO roles include BioPorto A/S, a Copenhagen-listed in-vitro diagnostics company, Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. and Unwired Technology LLC, a high-tech manufacturer. Mr. Goldman began his career at Ernst & Young and holds a B.S. in Business from Miami University. At Millrock, Mr. Goldman will play a critical role in enhancing the company’s financial foundation, supporting strategic growth initiatives, and enabling continued expansion.

“We are thrilled to welcome Neil to the Millrock team,” said Tom Hochuli, Chief Executive Officer of Millrock Technology. “His depth of experience across both public and private environments, combined with a proven ability to scale businesses and drive value creation, makes him an ideal fit for this next phase of growth. Neil’s leadership will be instrumental as we continue to build a world-class organization.”

“I am excited to join Millrock Technology at such a pivotal time for the company and the lyophilization market,” said Mr. Goldman. “Millrock has a strong reputation for innovation, service, and quality, and I look forward to partnering with the entire team to accelerate our strategic roadmap.”

About Millrock Technology

Millrock Technology Inc. is an innovator of freeze-drying (lyophilization) instrumentation and process development solutions for the pharmaceutical, biotech, and diagnostics industries. Millrock specializes in laboratory, pilot, and production-scale lyophilizers with advanced process control technologies that optimize efficiency, compliance, and scalability. To learn more, please visit www.millrocktech.com.

About Artemis

Headquartered in Boston, MA, Artemis is a specialized private equity firm focused on partnering with differentiated Industrial Tech companies, whose people and products enable a healthier, safer, more connected, and productive world. For more information on Artemis, please visit www.artemislp.com.

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SOURCE Artemis