What 255 DMOs Are Spending On in 2026

We analyzed 500+ of the latest tourism RFPs to uncover where destination marketing organizations are directing their budgets in 2026 — and what it means for agencies chasing travel and tourism contracts.

🎯 Want to see what's live right now? Sign up for the RFP Hub → — get 7 days of full access to every active tourism RFP on the platform, AI-scored to your capabilities.

---

The Big Picture: Millions in Disclosed Contract Value

When we pulled the latest RFPs from the Sigmund RFP Hub database, the numbers were staggering. We found over $81 million in disclosed contract value across the listings we analyzed.

The average contract? $687,200. The median? $210,000. And at the top end, single contracts are hitting $15 million.

But the raw dollar figures only tell part of the story. The categories of work being funded — and the shifts we're seeing year-over-year — reveal something far more interesting about where the tourism marketing industry is heading.

---

Trend #1: Strategy Consulting Is the #1 Spend Category

If you think DMOs are just buying ad campaigns, think again.

Consulting appeared in nearly 48% of all RFPs — nearly half. Destination organizations are investing heavily in strategic planning, destination development frameworks, stakeholder engagement strategies, and long-term tourism master plans.

This isn't surprising when you look at who's issuing these RFPs. National tourism boards like the Japan National Tourism Organization, European Travel Commission, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, South African Tourism, and Brand USA are all running multiple concurrent strategy projects across different markets.

The takeaway for agencies: If you can position yourself as a strategic partner — not just a vendor — you're tapping into the single largest pool of DMO spending in 2026.

---

Trend #2: The "Marketing Stack" Dominates

When you combine the core marketing categories, the picture becomes clear: DMOs are building complete marketing programs, not buying one-off services.

• Marketing (general): ~30% of all RFPs
• Public Relations: ~18%
• Advertising: ~8%
• Social Media: ~7%
• Branding: ~6%

That's roughly 69% of all RFPs across the marketing stack. DMOs aren't just running ads — they're investing in PR to earn media, social media to build community, advertising to drive visitation, and branding to differentiate their destinations in an increasingly crowded global market.

And the budgets back this up. The European Travel Commission is running an influencer campaign for "Discover Your Danube" in China with a budget of €150,000. The Camera di Commercio di Salerno in Italy is spending €2,000,000 (€500,000 per lot) on digital tourism marketing for the Salerno & Cilento region.

---

Trend #3: Research Is Quietly Booming

Here's a category most agencies overlook: Research appeared in ~22% of RFPs — more than Public Relations.

DMOs are commissioning economic impact studies, visitor sentiment research, market segmentation analyses, and destination perception audits. The Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions is running an economic impact study of agricultural fairs. Multiple DMOs are funding visitor research to understand shifting post-pandemic travel behavior.

Why this matters: Research contracts are often stepping stones to larger marketing engagements. The agency that wins the research RFP is frequently first in line when the marketing strategy RFP drops six months later.

🎯 Stop missing deadlines. Sign up for the RFP Hub → and get AI-scored RFP alerts delivered the moment new opportunities go live — so you're never late to the table.

---

Trend #4: Sustainability Has Arrived

Sustainability appeared in ~9% of RFPs — and it's no longer a checkbox item. DMOs are actively seeking partners who can help them build sustainable tourism frameworks, measure environmental impact, and communicate their green credentials to travelers.

The Gambia Tourism Board, backed by World Bank procurement rules, is running concurrent RFPs focused on sustainable destination development. Multiple European DMOs are embedding sustainability requirements into their marketing and consulting briefs.

If your agency doesn't have a sustainability story yet, 2026 is the year to build one.

---

Trend #5: Video & Content Production Is Exploding

~11% of RFPs explicitly mention video or production work. DMOs need destination films, social media content, virtual tours, and branded video assets.

The Joburg Tourism Company is producing branding material. Tourism Australia is commissioning content for international markets. Hong Kong Tourism Board is investing in visual storytelling across Asia.

The shift toward short-form, platform-native video (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) is driving demand for agencies that can produce high-volume, high-quality content at speed — not just traditional 3-minute destination films.

---

Trend #6: Influencer Marketing Is Going Global

~4% of RFPs specifically call for influencer marketing — and they're targeting specific international source markets with surgical precision.

The European Travel Commission wants influencers to promote Danube tourism in China. India's High Commission in Tanzania wants social media management to promote "Incredible India" in East Africa. JNTO is running multiple concurrent RFPs targeting different source markets.

This is the new reality of destination marketing: DMOs aren't just promoting their destination globally — they're promoting it to specific countries, in specific languages, on specific platforms. Agencies with established influencer networks in target source markets have a massive competitive advantage.

🎯 Ready to find your next contract? Sign up for the RFP Hub → — 7 days of full access to every active tourism RFP, scored and filtered to match your services.

---

Trend #7: The Global RFP Market Is Wide Open

One of the most surprising findings: geography is no longer a barrier. A significant percentage of RFPs explicitly state that international bidders are eligible:

• "Work will be conducted electronically. No local base or registration requirement — international bidders are eligible."
• "You can be based anywhere and no local presence is required."
• "You can be based anywhere internationally; global bidder participation allowed."

From Canada to South Africa, Italy to India, Japan to The Gambia, DMOs are opening their procurement to global agencies. If you've been limiting your pitch list to your home country, you're leaving opportunities on the table.

---

What This Means for You

If you're an agency, consultant, or creative professional in the travel and tourism space, the 2026 RFP landscape represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity. DMOs are spending real money — $81 million in disclosed contracts alone — and they're looking for partners who can deliver strategy, creative, research, and digital expertise.

But here's the challenge: finding these RFPs before the deadline passes.

Most DMO RFPs are buried on individual procurement portals, scattered across government websites, and published with tight deadlines. By the time you hear about a $2 million contract, it's often too late to assemble a competitive bid.

That's exactly why we built the Sigmund RFP Hub.

---

See What's Live Right Now

Right now, a significant percentage of the RFPs on the Sigmund RFP Hub are active and accepting bids — contracts worth millions of dollars from tourism organizations around the world. New RFPs are added every week, each one AI-scored for relevance to your specific capabilities and service areas.

Start your 7-day free trial today and see exactly what's live:

👉 Subscribe to the RFP Hub →

Seven days of full access to every active tourism RFP on the platform — the same RFPs that destination organizations are using to find their next agency partner.

The data is clear: DMOs are spending. The only question is whether you'll be at the table when they do.

---

The Sigmund RFP Hub is the travel and tourism industry's largest curated database of active RFPs from DMOs, CVBs, tourism boards, and convention bureaus worldwide. Start your free trial →