National destination marketing organisations and Web 2.0

National destination marketing organisations and Web 2.0 - Based on a detailed review of 25 web sites, supported by in-depth personal interviews, this paper evaluates the strategic response of European DMOs to the global marketing opportunities and threats presented by the rapid growth of Web 2.0. The main conclusion is that national DMOs, from the leading tourist destinations in Europe, have made only limited progress in this area. Much still needs to be done before they are fully utilising the interactive power of Web 2.0 for building strong customer and network relationships; for engaging with and energising online communities. The surveyed DMOs exhibited a high level of awareness and understanding concerning the global marketing and customer engagement potential of Tourism 2.0. There is considerable enthusiasm for moving forward in this area. However, major barriers to Web 2.0 adoption exist, especially in relation to internal resource constraints, organisational culture and mindset, the lack of a clear vision and strategy for 2.0, concerns about the loss of control and potential brand impact of user controlled social media. A route map for DMO Tourism 2.0 strategy development and implementation is presented. Keywords: e-tourism; web 2.0; tourism 2.0; DMOs; destination marketing.