We have a wealth of data at our disposal, but when it comes to engaging your stakeholders, how do you make sure that you’re surfacing the right data in the right way? We reached out to our Expert partners to discover what you can do to align your data efforts with the needs of your stakeholders to deliver meaningful insights.

Make your data easily accessible.

Yes, it’s important to collect the right data and understand your stakeholders' needs, but more than anything, you need to empower them to understand those needs and how data can address them. Data can sometimes feel overwhelming, and not everyone may be familiar with how to interpret it—and that’s perfectly okay. To make data accessible and relevant, ensure it’s presented in a clear, actionable format, with context that ties it to their specific goals. When stakeholders can understand the data, they can easily see how it aligns with their objectives, reducing uncertainty for everyone. Don’t gatekeep data—ensure it’s available and easy to use, so everyone can make informed decisions.

Mirko Lalli, CEO, The Data Appeal Company

Ask yourself – does your data have long-term value?

As we evaluate the data we collect, we must be able to answer these questions: Does the data meet our standards of reliability and validity? Are the insights we gain from the data actionable? Will those insights produce incrementality in the long run? How can the data be integrated into the brand’s existing data ecosystem?

Our stakeholders’ most important needs will always centre around the answer to that final question. Data quality and efficacy will always be important, but we cannot move the needle for our clients with just good data. We want to ensure our resources aren’t merely producing a flash-in-the-pan impact for the brands that we serve. The focal point instead should be fixed on the future, and using these resources to keep the funnel filled with prospects centred around stakeholder core values and aligned brand behaviours that will drive ROI for years to come.

Loren Teachey, Associate Director, Data Strategy, MMGY

Identify your KPIs in tandem with your stakeholders.

Communication. We recommend gathering key goals and potential metrics from stakeholders upfront to ensure you’re not only tracking the right metrics, but also implementing strategies that can affect those metrics. There are a wide array of metrics you can use. Everything from typical site or ad metrics, to economic data, tax revenue collected, and foot traffic, number of tee time bookings, or building entry swipes. It all begins when you define with your stakeholders what you’re trying to do, and how you’ll measure that impact.

Jessica McCarthy, President, Joy Riot

Prioritise collaboration and transparency.

Ensuring data meets stakeholder needs begins with defining the right research questions and aligning them with clear objectives. Tools and methodologies are tailored to address project priorities, focusing on data triangulation and correlations between findings from diverse research outputs. Close collaboration with clients ensures clear explanations of how different tools and methodologies facilitate data collection, keeping them fully informed throughout the process with proactive updates on challenges and solutions. This transparent and comprehensive approach ensures stakeholders receive actionable insights—not just raw data—that support smarter decisions, foster meaningful connections, and deliver impactful outcomes.

Pantazis Pastras, Senior Researcher and Analyst, TOPOSOPHY

Engage early and frequently. 

To ensure data projects meet stakeholder needs, early and frequent engagement is essential. Begin by identifying all relevant stakeholders and collaboratively defining data priorities. This collaborative approach helps ensure a comprehensive data strategy that provides value for everyone involved.

Throughout the data collection, analysis and reporting process, maintain consistent communication with stakeholders to regularly validate findings and prioritise the use of the collected data together. By providing updates and demonstrating how stakeholder input is being used, organisations not only ensure the data's relevance but also foster alignment and trust.

A data collection approach rooted in transparency and collaboration ensures that the collected data is relevant, accurate and effectively meets stakeholder needs while also allowing flexibility to adjust based on ongoing feedback.

Andria Godfrey, Vice President, Data Science, Miles Partnership

Develop a deep understanding of stakeholder needs and requirements.

Ensuring the data you collect aligns with stakeholder needs begins with understanding their strategic goals and challenges. Prioritise transparency and collaboration, designing data solutions that are not just insightful but actionable. By continuously refining your methodologies and integrating stakeholder feedback, you can ensure your insights drive meaningful outcomes—from changing perceptions and measuring economic performance to enhancing nation and place branding and optimizing talent attraction strategies. The goal is always to provide clarity and direction, turning data into a powerful tool for achieving shared success.

Jose Torres, CEO, Bloom Consulting 

Invest in the data literacy of your stakeholders

It’s our job as data providers to help stakeholders understand what data they need; to challenge and guide them towards data that reveals the insight they desire. It’s our responsibility to support stakeholders to improve their data literacy, their ability to interpret data & draw insight.

Data is often used in isolation; it is the relationships between data that is informative. Increasing data literacy helps stakeholders to make strategic decisions, measure impact and plan investment.

Dan Lukas, Digital Director, CTConsults

Align the data you present with your overarching objectives.

Make sure the data you showcase is meaningful, measurable, and aligned with your organisation’s larger goals. On the digital side, go beyond “vanity metrics” like impressions and likes. Instead, focus on metrics that reflect strong engagement and signal deeper interest in your location—such as downloads, contacts, and newsletter signups.

Talk to stakeholders to understand how they define and measure their own success, and ensure your metrics align with those objectives. At the same time, communicate how the KPIs you’re sharing are helping track progress toward your shared goals. Present the data in a visually engaging format that allows stakeholders to quickly understand key insights without sifting through dense tables or lengthy explanations. Use charts, graphs, and infographics to highlight the most important information in a digestible way.

Brianna Vetrano, Digital Place Marketing Consultant, Vetrano Digital Marketing

Prove credibility by supporting your data with trusted benchmarks.

Place brands must prioritise collecting data that directly address the needs of their key stakeholders such as governments, businesses, and residents. The focus should be on actionable insights, such as tourism trends, economic performance, or sustainability metrics. The data should be supported by trusted benchmarks to ensure credibility, analysing both your place’s assets as well as its perceptions. Moreover, your data should be accurate, accessible, and presented clearly to ensure practicality and ease of interpretation. By aligning your data collection with stakeholder priorities and delivering insights that drive decisions, you can build trust, encourage collaboration, and create measurable progress towards shared objectives.

Aglae Perrin, Place Branding Analyst, Brand Finance

Deliver actionable insights by blending surveys with perception data.

Employ a two-pronged data collection strategy – surveys and sentiment analysis – to provide the fullest possible picture for your stakeholders. For example, tailored surveys capture feedback from past and prospective travellers, helping stakeholders like tourism boards, resorts, and operators understand visitor preferences and improve offerings to attract and retain guests. Meanwhile, by analysing authentic traveller generated content from social media, blogs, and review sites, you can offer a clear view of perceptions of your destination. This approach delivers actionable insights on brand sentiment, equipping stakeholders with the data needed to refine tourism experiences, enhance visitor satisfaction, and drive strategic marketing decisions for the overall success of the destination.

Thais Lima, Marketing & Research Specialist, Trove Tourism Development Advisors

Provide a holistic picture of your destination.

To ensure the data you collect meets the needs of your stakeholders, integrate data from a range of sources, such as air, hotel, and sociodemographic data to provide a holistic view of traveller behaviour. Work closely with your stakeholders to understand their evolving needs, which allows you to tailor your data provisions accordingly. By providing clear, actionable insights aligned with your business objectives, you can support your stakeholders in effective decision-making.

Tom Starr, Vice President of Global Destinations, Hospitality, Amadeus

Focus on trust metrics.

To ensure data collection meets stakeholder needs, organisations should prioritise gathering insights that illuminate how diverse individuals experience and connect with a destination. This approach focuses on understanding the deeper human elements of place attachment and trust across cultures. The organisation should begin by establishing frameworks that capture diverse perspectives on belonging and safety. This includes collecting data on how various identity factors - such as cultural background, language, accessibility needs, or lived experiences - influence how people interact with and feel about a place or destination.

Regular stakeholder engagement should assess whether the collected data effectively represents the full spectrum of resident and visitor experiences. This includes tracking indicators of trust-building, such as how different communities perceive local institutions, public safety, and community engagement opportunities. By focusing on these trust and belonging metrics, organisations can better understand how their destination resonates with - or potentially alienates - diverse groups, leading to more inclusive place marketing strategies.

Danny Guerrero, CEO & Founder, The Culturist Group