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Ancestral tourism is a rapidly-growing sector of the tourism industry with the current wave of
interest in genealogy. This is a case study report examining the untapped potential for ancestral and diasporic
tourism in digital place brand management. A diaspora was selected, the German diaspora of
1863 – 1900, and a major migration route was identified (Baden-Wurttemberg, to Central Poland, to
Western Ukraine, to South Russia). Tourism websites for those regions were identified through Google
search and search engine optimization. Online content of the tourism websites was examined for appeal
and target marketing to the German diasporic market, representing some 70 million people worldwide
with key markets in the United States, Canada and South America. The majority of tourism websites
along this migratory route are not tapping this particular heritage market (nor any other diasporic market
with the exception of the Jewish diasporic market and, even then, minimally), nor are they addressing this
market on their tourism websites in their digital footprint. These market needs are largely being met by
private individuals and by small, privately-owned, custom tour and genealogical services-oriented sites.
Further research could confirm this trend along other migratory routes, or with other diasporic markets,
likely unveiling a market potential. Further research could also test for message effectiveness, and also
the effects of technology on visits/repeat visits by descendants to their ancestral sites.
Keywords: ancestral tourism; diasporic tourism; heritage market; migratory routes.