About Our Staff

fffffff	Destination Analysts is a small team of research and marketing professionals who all have a deep interest and background in the not-for profit and association sectors. This background gives us a uniquely valuable perspective into the business challenges faces by convention & visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce and other membership associations.
	Our founder, David Bratton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Iowa State University and a Master of Arts degree in economics from the University of Arizona. After finishing his graduate work, He spent four years working as an economist for the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis in Washington, D.C. He specialized there in economic modeling and forecasting, in work related to a satellite set of accounts to the Gross National Product. While at Commerce, he managed the work of a team of economists and was a contributor to the noted journal, Survey of Current Business.
	Bratton then spent eight years pioneering new research techniques and e-marketing promotions for the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, as director of electronic marketing & research. Bratton’s work in market research ranged from in-depth qualitative work such as brand audits and advertising concept testing to ground-breaking quantitative studies including return on investment studies, profiles of San Francisco visitors and large national consumer surveys. His research program won praise for its “best research practices in the nation” by a noted academic publication.
	Bratton’s work in electronic marketing has also been highly praised. His celebrated Life of Riley email campaign was won California Tourism’s prestigious Best Electronic Promotion Award. He managed the electronic marketing efforts for San Francisco, and his new website allowed the San Francisco Bureau to achieve its goal of dramatically increasing advertising sales, while effectively promoting its membership and carrying forth San Francisco’s brand message to the world.
	In 2003, he founded Destination Analysts, Inc., a San Francisco-based tourism industry marketing and research company servicing clients in the travel and tourism industry.

 

Our background gives us a uniquely valuable perspective into the business challenges faces by convention & visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce and other national membership associations.