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12 Travel Marketing Strategies To Help You Out-Market Your Competitors in 2023

Kyle Morley

January 26, 2023

The world of travel has evolved, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Travelers are valuing their time off more and researching more heavily before making travel decisions. Additionally, brands are competing to drive bookings and increase revenue to make up for the large losses the industry took in 2020. 

Utilizing new and unique marketing strategies can help travel brands separate themselves from the competition, reach new audiences, and increase bookings. Take a look at our top 12 marketing strategies that can help travel brands stand out and out-market their competitors. 

What Is The State of the Travel Marketing Industry in 2023? 

The travel industry took a huge hit in 2020 with the emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Both domestic and international travel stopped almost overnight, leaving the travel and tourism industry with little-to-no business. However, over the past three years, the industry has steadily increased to semi-regular rates, though still slightly lower than 2019. 

According to the International Air Transport Association , global air travel is expected to make a full recovery by 2024. Additionally, the IATA expects domestic air travel to increase by 3% in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. With that being said, many travel companies are looking to dedicate time and resources to out-marketing their top competitors and return business to pre-pandemic levels. 

12 Travel Marketing Strategies For 2023

Using a combination of tried-and-true marketing strategies and unique ideas will offer a fresh foundation for travel destinations to attract new tourists and increase bookings. In 2023, the way consumers make travel decisions has changes. People are valuing sustainable travel options and relying heavily on social media and video content to make their travel decisions. 

Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of 12 key marketing strategies and tips to help travel companies increase bookings and drive consumers to their destination. 

1. Create A Seamless Website Experience 

All of your marketing channels will be driving traffic to the same place – your website. If the user experience is lacking, it could drive away potential customers or have them book a stay with a separate OTA. 

As direct bookings become increasingly important for travel companies, a seamless user experience on the website is of the utmost importance. A travel website should showcase all of the best things about the destination to really show consumers what their vacation will be like. Additionally, users should be able to seamlessly book travel experiences directly from the site. 

2. Publish Blog Content on a Regular Basis

Blog content is a great way to capture the attention of untapped audiences and focus on search engine optimization. By creating content that targets highly searched keywords in the travel space and keywords specific to your destination, brands can dominate the search engine results page. 

Not only does long-form editorial content help put a brand in front of new audiences, it also showcases the beauty of your travel destination. Consumers want to learn a lot about a destination before traveling there. According to TripAdvisor , consumers will spend an average of four weeks researching their travel destination. With blog content, brands can create a high quality resource for consumers to turn to throughout their research process.  

3. Lean On Your Customer Reviews

Consumers are spending more on travel now than ever before. According to the ASTA , 40% of consumers are spending more on travel now than they did before the pandemic in 2019. However, consumers also want to be sure that their money is being spent in the right place. 

Traveler reviews are some of the most valuable pieces of content that brands can use in advertising. Sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp are growing increasingly popular and can make or break a travel destination. By showcasing positive experiences that other travelers have had, brands can increase social proof and gain trust with new customers. 

4. Upgrade Your Social Media Game

Social media is an integral part of any marketing strategy for 2023 and beyond. With the growing popularity of platforms like TikTok and Instagram, travel companies can leverage their social media following to increase bookings and drive traffic to other marketing channels. Regularly posting content and engaging with your audience is incredibly valuable for companies in the travel industry. 

Influencers are also a key part of a social media marketing strategy. Utilizing influencer content allows you to reach completely new audiences and showcase the best parts about your brand and vacation destination. If you are looking to increase your reach with photo and video content, social media marketing is the best way to do so.

5. Rely On Data for Key Insights

Data is everywhere – you just need to know how to track it properly. Between websites, social media, online advertisements, and more, there is an abundance of consumer data that can be used to optimize your marketing strategy. 

Travel companies can track user behavior, see where high-converting consumers are coming from, and see what marketing strategies are currently working. Using this data to further improve and optimize your marketing efforts will provide unbeatable insights and deliver quality results. However, you need to be confident that the data you are using is trustworthy and accurate.

6. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Remarketing

Remarketing is a powerful tool that can help direct audiences to your travel website or destination. A customer journey, especially in the travel space, can include tons of different searches and websites. 

Remarketing may prove to be one of the most valuable tools in your marketing toolbelt. When consumers are more familiar with your brand, they may be more receptive to advertisements. Additionally, consumers may be more likely to convert after visiting your website more than once. 

7. Improve Your Mobile User Experience

With the advancement of smartphone technology, consumers are starting to rely heavily on the mobile experience instead of a desktop experience. Travel brands need to shift their focus to the user experience from a mobile standpoint. Whether that means a quality mobile app or website experience can vary from brand to brand.

According to a study performed by SalesCycle , 44% of travelers will book their vacations online. Additionally, those booking on a mobile app or mobile site have a lower cart abandonment rate compared to those on desktop. Mobile consumers are becoming more and more valuable as the travel industry evolves. It is important to ensure that your brand has a seamless booking experience for both desktop and mobile users.

8. Utilize Email Marketing Campaigns

Email marketing is one of the oldest marketing strategies in the book. It continues to be a helpful tool for travel marketers to increase bookings, get more eyes on their destination, and actively engage with their audiences. 

If you have an email list of consumers, you should be utilizing it! And, if you don’t, you should start building one. Including a simple spot on your website for users to input their email address and some basic personal information will allow you to organically grow your list and engage with your audience organically. 

9. Use Video To Enhance The User Experience

As consumers are changing the way they research for a big vacation or small weekend trip, video is becoming more and more popular. Users like to feel like they’ve traveled to a destination before they have even left their house. Video is a great way to market your destination as highly desirable and fun. 

Travel brands can either create their own video content, use consumer created content, or rely on influencers to create video content for them. Each type of content will provide it’s own unique benefit from a marketing perspective. 

Branded video content created internally will be a great way for travel companies to interact with their existing audiences. These can actively be promoted on social media accounts, through email, and on the brand’s website. User generated content will appear the most organic and allow you to interact with your consumers’ networks. Influencer marketing videos may not be as organic as user generated content, but it will reach the widest audience. 

10. Introduce New Technology To Your Marketing Strategies

New technologies in the travel industry are constantly evolving and are a great way to revitalize your marketing efforts. While AI Chatbots have been popular in the industry to assist with online bookings and answer quick questions from customers, the technology has majorly evolved since then. Outside of automated FAQ responses, AI can really have an impact on travel marketing.

There are AI technologies out there that can make personalized travel recommendations for tourists, can interact with consumers via voice throughout their vacation, track and trace baggage via image, and more. With so many new, AI-driven technologies emerging in the travel industry, it is important for brands to stay ahead of the curve to ultimately create an ideal travel experience. 

11. Engage With Local Audiences Too

Local audiences may not seem that important to the travel industry, but they can be an additional untapped audience to target with marketing campaigns. While you may think that locals are familiar with the travel and tourism destinations in their area, you may be surprised to see how many have not visited. 

Not only an this help you encourage repeat visits to your location, it can also help unlock untapped audiences. Successfully marketing towards locals may seem like a difficult task, as they likely try to avoid the tourist areas of their home. However, offering discounts to locals may help encourage increased attendance and may help your local marketing campaigns gain traction.  

12. Tell A Story with Your Destination

Consumers want to travel to a destination with a unique identity and a clear story attached to it. In order to have a successful travel marketing campaign, travel brands need to do more than just showcase their beautiful destinations. 

Every destination will have a unique identity and a unique story attached that can really help consumers picture themselves vacationing there. Whether marketers decide to lean into their destination’s rich culture and history, beautiful, calm scenery, or booming cities, a unique story will help travelers make their decisions easier. 

Refresh Your Marketing Strategy with From the Future’s New Travel Marketing Platform™

Travel marketing can be a complicated undertaking. With that being said, it is important for travel companies to rely on expert marketers to help them understand what strategies are best for their brand. 

At From the Future, we have over a decade of travel marketing experience and have used our expertise to change the way you see marketing. With our Travel Marketing Platform™ , marketers can access brand new audiences and tell their unique story. Get in touch with one of our specialists to see how the Travel Marketing Platform™ can revitalize your marketing strategies. 

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Effective Travel Marketing Strategies You Should Know

We cover how travel marketing strategies are shifting amid digitalization to align with the changing landscape and the needs and habits of consumers. Learn more.

Despite all the uncertainty   travel marketers faced in the last couple of years, people are ready to go. From glamping to dog-friendly vacation destinations , we’re ready to prioritize travel.   Good storytelling, across channels, by travel and tourism destinations, will make brands part of the traveler’s journey.

What is Travel Marketing and Why is It Important?

• The travel and tourism industry is growing at an annual rate of 8.46%
• Earning in the Travel & Tourism market is project to reach *54 billion in 2023.
• Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate from 2023-2027 of 4.41%, resulting in a projected market value of over one billion by 2027
• In the Travel & Tourism market, 74 of total revenue will be generated through online sales by 2027.

Source: Statista

After taking in these statistics, do you have to ask why travel marketing is important? There’s real money to be made.

Marketing Strategies for Travel and Tourism

With real demand comes real competition. There are any number of reasons people travel and even more ways. There are solo travelers and those who crave local experiences. While others seek wineries and prioritize sustainable destinations. Appreciating this it’s essential that travel and tourism businesses distinguish their destination through clear messaging across channels. Below are just a few way brands are getting noticed:

Video Transports:

In the travel industry, videos have long been an indispensable marketing tool. They show off destinations and hospitality businesses in their full glory. Travel marketers that lean into video creation—and that doesn’t have to equal big budget productions--will forge connection with target audiences. Digital video is an amazing way for brands to educate, elicit emotion, tell compelling stories.

Data Visualization Guides Tells You Were Your Going:

Year after year, the need for insightful data analytics grows . At-a-glance dashboards can be overwhelming at first, but the exciting part about raw data is that, eventually, that becomes a story. Here are a few things you should be looking for when looking at analytics:

• Engagement rate : How are people engaging with your content? Are they commenting, saving, and sharing, or merely scrolling past? If you have a million followers but only 1,000 interact with your marketing that’s not a great return on your effort.
• Reach : How many new audiences are you reaching? How is your messaging resonating with the best prospects? Is this number stagnant or growing?
• Putting it all together : Let the picture of what you see tell you where you want to go, where you should be spending more, and what ads you should optimize. For the effort that your business is putting into collecting and maintaining a database, you should be able to obtain an equal or greater amount of value from the insights it gathers. Many of today’s big data visualization software offerings are extremely intuitive and easy to use; however, to obtain the most actionable insights, you and your team must exercise careful and considerate planning. Moreover, you must communicate your insights in an easy-to-understand format— and the best way to do this is by utilizing data

The Metaverse, VR and You:

It’s the ultimate test vacation. The metaverse can transport you just about anywhere and no passport required. Like what you see? Post an offer and start planning. While still in the early stages, the tourism industry is already making the jump in the virtual reality (VR) world . Over the past few years, museums have introduce more creative ways to interact with exhibits and some have even taken consumers on pub crawls. The Thomas Cook , a pioneer in the travel and tourism industry for more than 170 years, is using 360 VR films so travelers can test the waters of Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt and more. And if you’re trying to reach Gen Z, they’re here and they’re ready to go places.

Search, Tried and True Resource:

It’s easy to consider SEO an afterthought after so many other options vying for your attention and let’s be honest, some seem more fun but. Skipping search in your marketing plan would be like not seeing the Eiffel Tower when in Paris. While it’s important to have a well-rounded strategy, SEO should remain a top priority for its importance in facilitating direct bookings, driving site engagement and overall cost-effectiveness.

Getting your brand name on the first page of results is the holy grail to success when 94% of search start with search engine and more than 25% click the first result that comes up. This organic traffic is yet to boosting bookings directly from your sights rather than a third-party or worse, a competitor. While you may already spend on SEO, it a good idea to have an SEO check-in from time to time make sure you’re targeting the right folks and doing so the way they want you to.

Going Native-Digitally and in Magazines :

Few things combine time and place than native advertising. It’s the ultimate storytelling device empowering marketers to say exactly what they want to say and where. A good native advertising piece will take the shape of an article for example showcasing a vineyard in Napa on the cover of Travel + Leisure or a video showcasing the beaches of Mexico within a surfing site. The creative will transport and hopefully a nicely placed call to action to a website that will give audiences more of the information they seek.      

• Create content that encourages the reader to act
• Know how you’re going to measure results: what is it that you want user to do after they read your article or play your video
• Try to be original. If you are one of several players trying to host destination weddings, why should they pick you? Are you offering a special incentive code?
• Be authentic. Be real. Native content is storytelling not overt advertising. They aren’t selling, per se, but rather sparking ideas.
• Find a fit: Be mindful of where you’re running your creative and complement the space. It’s a curated audience you’re being seen in so make the most of it.

Get Started with Travel Marketing Today

The world is open and it’s up to marketers in the travel industry to decide how best to invest advertising dollars.

Media Now Interactive connects brands to real people and gets messaging where it needs to go; to be seen and acted on.

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Who wants to stay home when there’s so much to see and do across the globe? 

If you operate a travel company, your services will always be in demand. But you’re not the only travel brand on the market. 

The travel industry is highly competitive, with countless options available to consumers. So, successfully marketing your travel brand requires standing out. 

It’s not an easy feat. 

But with the right strategies in place, your travel brand can become the top-notch, go-to destination for consumers.

Educating yourself on the latest travel marketing trends is the first step. However, implementing them will require you to be adaptive and open to innovation. 

There are many benefits to keeping an ear to the ground on these trends. You stay ahead of the competition, build rapport with consumers, and much more. 

If you’re not sure where to begin, don’t worry. 

We’ve outlined 9 of the top trends in travel marketing. Plus, we offer examples of how these trends work and tips on how to make them work for you.

Ready to give your travel marketing and PR strategy an upgrade?

Let us help! Simply book a free consultation with one of our PR and marketing experts. We will take a look at you current mix to see where it could benefit from these travel marketing trends.

Travel Marketing Trends 2024

• Public Relations
• Micro-Influencer Marketing
• Video Content
• Optimized Google Business Profile
• Eco-Friendly Tourism
• Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
• Personalization
• User-Generated Content
• Social Media Marketing

1. Public Relations is an Excellent Way to Build a Good Reputation

In the travel industry, a good reputation is vital and can significantly influence customer decisions. That’s why public relations (PR) is one of the most important travel marketing trends. 

PR helps you build and maintain a positive reputation through consistent brand messaging and responses to feedback. 

Also, with the abundance of travel options available, credibility is key for customers to trust your company. PR can help you build a positive reputation through media placements, mentions, and influencer relationships​​.

PR strategies involve creating personalized and localized content that resonates with specific audiences​​. When it comes to the travel industry, timing is everything.

Start preparing your PR plan a year in advance. Align it with your travel company’s seasonal calendar. This involves crafting timely PR responses for travel events, offers, or news. Early pitching of press releases and content is crucial for securing journalists’ consideration. 

Here is an example of a travel press release from Tripadvisor: 

Pro Tip : Use PR to highlight local stories, traditions, and experiences that travelers can only find at your destination. This can include featuring local artisans, unique cultural events, or hidden gems that aren’t widely known. And remember, press releases are only one type of PR content.

PR isn’t always an easy undertaking. We can help you streamline the process and build a positive brand image. Learn more by booking a free demo .

Ready to start your PR strategy? Need some ideas to get started? See our article: 18 Top PR Trends Shaping the Industry in 2024

2. Micro-Influencer Marketing Can Help You Reach Your Target Audience

About 11% of adults follow travel influencers. But not just any influencer will do. 

Micro-influencers typically have higher engagement rates compared to macro-influencers, placing collaboration with them among the top travel marketing trends. 

Their smaller audience size tends to foster a more personal and authentic connection. This can lead to higher levels of interaction.

Plus, micro-influencers often cater to niche markets, making them ideal for targeting specific segments of the travel market. This may include luxury travel, budget backpacking, adventure tourism, or cultural experiences.

Additionally, micro-influencers can provide tailored content that resonates deeply with their followers. These followers often share similar interests.

Start by using specific Google searches or hashtag searches on social media platforms to find influencers relevant to your brand. This can include “adventure travel influencers” or “luxury travel influencers.” 

Instead of scripted or overly promotional content, encourage influencers to share genuine experiences. Authentic storytelling can resonate more with audiences.

Here is an example of micro-influencer marketing in the travel industry: 

@katelyn_roth travel rankings ✈️❤️ #traveltiktok ♬ Run Boy Run (In the Style of Woodkid) [Karaoke Version With Backing Vocals] – Playback Audition

Pro Tip: Evaluate micro-influencers’ engagement levels and ensure their followers are genuine and active. Additionally, utilize their authentic voice to share honest and detailed perspectives about travel experiences. This can be more influential than traditional advertising​​​​.

Think influencer marketing is right for your brand? Get more influencer tips by reading our article: 9 Top Influencer Marketing Trends Shaping the Industry in 2024

3. Video Content Showcases Your Travel Offerings

Travel is inherently about stories, and video is one of the top storytelling mediums. That’s why video content is one of the leading travel marketing trends for 2024. 

Travel video content showcases the thrill of new experiences, the discovery of different cultures, and the personal transformations that occur on the journey. It leverages this natural storytelling aspect, which enables you to connect with audiences on a deeper level.

In the travel industry, customer engagement is critical. Video content marketing provides valuable and relevant information that keeps potential travelers engaged. This approach helps build a community of followers who are more likely to return for more information and bookings.

When leveraging video content, use high-quality video production. That includes a good camera (even smartphones can work in some situations), stable recording equipment, and external microphones.

Your video content should tell a story that resonates with your audience. It could be about the adventure, relaxation, culture, or unique experiences that a destination offers. Use compelling narratives to show the beauty and uniqueness of the location. Focus on what makes it different.

Below, you’ll find an example of video content in travel marketing: 

Pro Tip : Use a variety of video types to showcase the diversity of experiences your travel brand offers. This can include destination guides, travel tips, promotional videos, and customer testimonials. You can also include videos that answer frequently asked questions.

For more video marketing ideas, check out our article: Top 10 Video Marketing Trends for 2024 [+ Tips]

4. An Optimized Google Business Profile Boosts Visibility

With billions of searches conducted daily on Google, Google My Business profile optimization has become one of the top travel marketing trends for 2024. 

An optimized Google My Business profile increases the likelihood of your travel agency being discovered by potential customers. This profile appears in relevant search results, making it easier for travelers to find travel companies based on their search criteria​​.

It also helps lend credibility to your travel business. It displays important information such as contact details, customer reviews, and ratings. This transparency and availability of information can greatly influence a potential customer’s decision.

Start by claiming your Google My Business page. Even if Google has automatically created a listing for your business, you need to verify the information and optimize it. 

Ensure that all details are accurate and fully completed. This includes your Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP), website URL, business category, and description. For example, if you run boat tours, select “Boat Tour Agency” as your category. 

Here is an example of what travel marketing looks like on Google My Business:

Pro Tip : Use the “ Reserve with Google ” feature. This allows potential customers to book and pay for tours directly from your Google My Business listing. This feature simplifies the booking process and can be an advantage for in-destination bookings​​.

SEO is a great marketing strategy for travel brands. Get more SEO ideas by checking out our article: 9 Essential Search Engine Marketing Trends for 2024 (+ Tips and Examples)

5. Eco-Friendly Tourism is the Latest Travel Craze

There’s a growing global awareness about eco-tourism . This places promoting eco-friendly tourism among the top travel marketing trends. 

Many travelers are now more conscious of their ecological footprint and are seeking travel options that are less damaging to the environment. This shift in consumer behavior drives demand for eco-friendly travel experiences.

But what is it exactly?

Eco-friendly tourism often involves engaging with local cultures and communities in a more meaningful way. Many travelers today aren’t looking for superficial tourist activities. They want authentic experiences that offer a deeper connection to the places they visit.

Additionally, the trend towards health and wellness has expanded into the travel sector. Eco-friendly tourism often includes activities in nature. This aligns with the desire for healthful, outdoor, and wellness-oriented vacation experiences.

When marketing sustainable tourism services, it’s crucial to focus on a specific target audience. Research indicates that younger generations, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are most concerned about sustainable travel. 

Your marketing should cater to the platforms and content styles preferred by these demographics. This can include using social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. It can also include creating content that resonates with their environmental and cultural values. 

Earth Changers is one of the many eco-tourism companies promoting sustainability. Here is an example of what they offer:

Pro Tip : In your marketing materials, focus on the positive impacts travelers can make by choosing your services. For example, if your company contributes to conservation or local communities, articulate these impacts clearly.

6. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Provides Immersive Travel Experiences

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are among the most innovative travel marketing trends. They both provide an immersive experience unmatched by any other digital technology. In fact, there’s a growing interest in travel AR and VR across the globe.

VR offers a highly engaging form of advertisement. It allows potential visitors to feel as if they are already at the destination before they book.

Meanwhile, AR can provide comprehensive guided tours around museums or exhibitions. This can enrich the visitor experience with additional information and interactive elements​​.

Additionally, AR technology can be used to create gamified tours. This often requires users to scan images to activate travel experiences or mini-games. This both entertains guests and increases dwell time at various locations. 

This technology also allows users to go on virtual tours of famous landmarks while being in one place. They can get extra information while traveling to various locations. This “try-before-you-buy” method can significantly increase customer confidence and interest.

Try using VR to offer potential travelers a virtual tour of destinations, hotels, or experiences. Renderverse and Avatour are excellent VR tools for this. 

With AR, create interactive guides that travelers can use at destinations. For instance, pointing a smartphone at a historical site could display information or stories.

Rock Paper Reality is one AR tool used for travel and tourism. Here is an example of what it looks like:

Pro Tip : Transform the booking process with VR. Allow customers to virtually explore different room types, amenities, or even travel options. This allows customers to make more informed purchasing decisions as they shop.

Want to see how you can further integrate new tech into your marketing and PR strategies? Learn more here: 8 Marketing Technology Trends That Can Supercharge Your Marketing Efforts

7. Personalization is Key to Turning Consumers Into Customers

Why is personalization one of the leading travel marketing trends? It allows travel companies to tailor their services and communications based on individual preferences and behaviors. This strategy leads to a more satisfying and relevant experience for customers.

By providing personalized experiences, you can engage customers more effectively. This often translates into enhanced customer loyalty. Customers are more likely to return to a brand that understands their preferences and provides customized experiences.

How can you get started on personalization as one of your travel marketing trends?

First, you’ll need to gather customer data. AI and data analytics enable you to gather, analyze, and act on vast amounts of customer data. You can use this data to predict customer preferences and behavior.

Be sure to collect zero-party and first-party data. This can include information directly shared by customers and data gathered from interactions with your brand. Use this data to understand customer behavior in real-time.

Once you’ve collected your data, use it to segment your email list and social media followers based on interests, behaviors, location, etc. 

This enables you to create content that resonates with each group. For example, you can send location-specific offers to customers based on where they live or their destination preferences. 

Using quizzes is a great way to send personalized travel content to potential customers. Here is an example from Conde Nast Traveler : 

Pro Tip : Employ dynamic content in your emails to customize parts of your message for different subscriber groups. This approach allows you to send one email but tailor certain sections, such as offers and images.

Using AI can boost your PR and marketing efforts across the board. Want to see how others are using it? Check it out: 8 AI Marketing Trends for 2024 and Beyond (+ Tips & Ideas)

8. User-Generated Content Lends Credibility to Your Travel Brand

User-generated content (UGC) offers a level of authenticity that traditional marketing methods can’t match. That’s why it’s one of the top travel marketing trends. 

When potential travelers see real photos, videos, and reviews from other travelers, it lends credibility to the travel experience you’re promoting. Unlike professionally created content, UGC is seen as more genuine and relatable.

For travel companies, UGC is a cost-effective marketing tool. It reduces the need for expensive photo shoots and ad campaigns because it leverages content that customers create. This helps save money, time, and resources.

Plus, content created by users tends to receive more likes, shares, and comments. This higher engagement rate boosts your travel brand’s visibility. Plus, UGC fosters a greater sense of trust and brand authenticity.

When garnering UGC, encourage customers to generate content that highlights particular aspects of your travel offerings. For example, a retreat leader might focus on the serenity of the destination. A tour operator could emphasize the excitement of activities. 

Inform customers about the type of content you seek and explain how you will use it. Also, ensure that you have their permission to share it.

Testimonials are an excellent type of UGC. Here is an example of how they’re displayed on travel websites:

Pro Tip : Leverage UGC across multiple channels and formats for maximum impact. This can include featuring customer reviews on your website, creating social media feeds with curated customer content, and using customer images in recurring marketing campaigns.

Content marketing helps you inform your audience about your destinations. Want to see what’s trending? Learn more: 7 Top Content Marketing Trends 2024 [+ Tips and Tricks]

9. Consumers Often Use Social Media Platforms Before Booking Travel Destinations

Social media is one of the top travel marketing trends due to its vast global user base. And research shows that social media has the biggest influence on travel destination choices .

One of the reasons is that travel is a highly visual industry, and social media is an ideal platform for showcasing stunning images and videos. This visual appeal can capture the interest of viewers and inspire them to explore new destinations.

Plus, compared to traditional advertising methods, social media marketing is more cost-effective. Even with a limited budget, your brand can reach a large audience through targeted ads and organic content.

Not to mention, social media also allows you to engage with your audience in real time. You can respond to queries, gather feedback, and manage your reputation more efficiently. 

How should you incorporate social media as one of your travel marketing trends?

Keep an eye on current social media trends and adapt them to fit the travel industry. Use interactive content, such as polls, quizzes, and challenges. You can also run contests and giveaways, which are popular and encourage participation.

It’s important to be genuine in your social media interactions. Share real travel photos and stories. Diversify your content to balance promotional material with lifestyle, destination, and activity posts.

Here is an example of social media marketing for travel companies from Intrepid Travel : 

Pro Tip : If you have the budget for targeted advertising, consider using it. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram offer sophisticated targeting options that can be very effective in travel marketing.

Not sure what’s currently trending? Need more ideas on how to leverage social media? Read our article: 9 Top Social Media Marketing Trends Taking the World by Storm

Key Takeaways on the Latest Travel Marketing Trends

The travel industry is crowded with options with many companies trying to stand out at the same time. Making your travel brand front and center requires unique and innovative marketing strategies.

However, it’s equally important to be flexible and open to implementing these trends in your strategies. This adaptability is key to staying relevant and appealing in the rapidly evolving travel market.

As a travel brand, you have a destination to reach: increased engagement and ROI. Consider these travel marketing trends as the fastest possible route to getting there. Give them a try and find out which ones work best for your travel brand. 

Ready to get started? Not sure how to add these travel marketing trends to your mix? Let us help! Book a free consultation and we’ll look at how to boost your current strategy.

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Travel Marketing Best Practices: How To Apply The 7P’s To Make Your Travel Business More Successful

Understanding the crux of the 7Ps of marketing is pertinent for you as a tour operator. It can help you analyze your competitive strategies, capitalize on key elements of marketing to attract new customers and ultimately reach your sales targets.

The marketing mix involves various processes, each one focusing on different areas of your marketing strategy. These different processes all need to work together in order for you to successfully attract and generate new customers.

In this guide, we’ll break down the 7s of marketing and cover some of the most important travel marketing best practices to keep in mind with each of these different areas.

The 7Ps of Marketing for Travel Businesses 

The beauty of the marketing mix is that it helps you to set objectives and create a clear roadmap for your business to promote itself in the market. This includes the different marketing channels and tactics that are applied.

In 1960, professor Jerome McCarthy first proposed the idea of the 4Ps of marketing - which refers to the four elements that make up a traditional marketing mix. This applies to any kind of business. The 4Ps are

However, strategies in marketing have changed tremendously since then, and the way different types of businesses reach customers varies. This resulted in the 4Ps evolving. It only made sense to add additional Ps to accommodate all industries. These Ps include

• Physical Evidence

The 7Ps can help you attract your target audience more easily and provide the right kind of marketing messages and value to turn those prospects into paying customers.

Let’s break down the 7Ps of travel marketing.

1. Product 

First, there’s your product. This refers to what you’re selling your customers, and it’s what your entire travel marketing strategy will be centered around.

For many traditional businesses, a product is a physical item that you can place in your basket, or buy online and unwrap at home. However, in the travel industry, your product is not tangible. For travel businesses, such as travel agencies and tour operators, product refers to some kind of tour, service, or travel experience.

When it comes to travel marketing best practices, you must understand how your product fits into the market, and what type of demand there is for your product. You’ll also need to know the unique selling proposition (USP) behind your product, and what will motivate a customer to make a purchase (or, book a tour).

There are typically a lot more factors involved in the purchase decision process for travel products. For example, a travel business customer will need to

• Plan their trip around what free time they have available
• Plan their trip around the weather
• Purchase without understanding the direct effect, or benefits, the travel purchase will offer them
• Travel purchase decisions often involve a fairly large investment, without getting a tangible product in return

This means there’s a lot to keep in mind when marketing your travel product to your audience. Understanding the market conditions, the competition, and what makes your product special is essential for attracting and retaining customers.

Of course, you also need to offer a high-quality travel product if you want to make a lot of sales.

Some travel marketing best practices include sharing as many details about your products as possible on your website, sharing videos and images of your travel experiences on social media, and showcasing reviews and testimonials from past customers.

2. Place 

Place is an element of the marketing mix that refers to where and how you make your product available. Because your travel product is intangible, you will likely be selling it online (as opposed to a shelf in a shop). You could also be selling through a booking platform, an OTA , or a travel desk.

Whatever the case, travel marketing best practices here involve making sure that the place you sell your product offers a smooth customer journey. This means providing a booking process that is easy and secure, and that includes all of the information your customers could possibly want to know.

For example, your website should include detailed booking pages for each of its travel experiences, with an easy and secure payment gateway. This is easy to apply with travel booking tools like WeTravel . The right booking platform will reduce friction in the customer journey, helping you sell more tours.

3. Price 

The price of your product, or tour, is arguably the most important factor in your travel marketing mix. You need to price your tours strategically in order to make enough profit, be competitive in the market, and attract enough bookings.

First, you’ll need to understand the market and the competition to understand the costs of other tours in your area.

Second, you’ll need to align your pricing strategy to the USP and value your tour offers. It’s important to relate price to value. This is because customers will be willing to pay more for a travel experience if it is justifiable, and the extra money relates to extra value.

If you offer the same experience as the competition but charge more, then your tours will seem unappealing. If you offer added value to your travel experience, then you can get away with charging more. You’ll also be able to use this added value as your USP.

Of course, you also need to cover your overhead costs and make sure that your pricing strategy makes sense for your travel business.

How much you charge for your travel products determines how your business will fit into the market, so it's important to have a full understanding of your financial situation in order to price appropriately.

4. Promotion 

This element of the marketing mix is all about how you promote your travel business to your target audience. Travel advertising includes a lot of key tactics, so, you should choose ones that best align with your target audience and overall marketing goals.

When it comes to travel marketing best practices, it’s recommended that you utilize a wide range of marketing channels and processes. This could include:

• Email marketing
• Social media marketing
• SEO and content marketing
• Paid advertising
• Physical marketing (flyers, posters, etc)

It is also essential that you have an optimized website , as this is where you will direct all of your marketing efforts to generate bookings.

Whatever tactics you use to promote your travel business, you need to make sure that they align with your customer journey and with the behavior patterns of your target audience/buyer persona.

This means using marketing channels that your target audience routinely uses, and promoting the right messages and content on these channels to appeal to your viewership.

Of course, you’ll need to keep your USP and market positioning in mind when running your travel advertising campaigns. Use your promotional efforts to stand apart from the competition and strategically communicate why customers should book your tours and what kind of value they would get in return.

You can check out our guide to creating a travel business inbound marketing strategy for more tips and tactics.

5. People 

Who represents your business? This is incredibly important for travel marketing, as your products are closely linked and associated with the people who deliver them.

If you sell a product like a toothbrush, customers wouldn’t care much about who is behind the toothbrush. However, if you’re offering a guided tour through the Andes, then the person providing the tour is an essential factor in understanding whether the tour is worth purchasing.

This means that people are a factor in your travel marketing mix that you need to carefully consider and promote.

In terms of travel marketing best practices, anyone who comes into contact with a customer and represents your business must maintain a certain standard of friendliness and professionalism. The people behind your business play a major role in shaping the customer journey and influencing their purchase decision.

It’s also a good idea to display your credentials and experience on your website or booking pages. Use the people in your travel business to offer more value to your customers.

For example, you could highlight the fact that all of your tour guides are trained in first aid safety, or that they are experts on the local flora and fauna. This gives your tours a competitive edge and gives customers more reason to book your tours and helps them develop more trust in your travel business.

6. Processes 

Process is one of the unique “P’s” of marketing for travel businesses. This refers to the journey, or processes, that a customer goes through from when they book your tour to when they complete it. Your goal is to make these processes as enjoyable as possible for the customer.

Make sure that you offer customers all of the information they need at any given stage of their journey. You also want to ensure that your customers can easily communicate with your business when needed.

Some useful tactics involve sending automated consummation messages after a customer makes a booking, and sending the customer a pack of relevant information before the tour. All of their booking information, itinerary, waivers, and anything else, should be easily accessible.

When optimizing the processes in your marketing mix, it's also important to consider efficiency for your business. Your aim should be to plan out a strategy that is reliable, scalable, and efficient.

Using the right travel booking system is essential as it will help to provide a smooth journey for both your customers as well as for your business.

7. Physical Evidence 

This is the final element of the travel marketing mix. Physical evidence can seem tricky because travel experiences are largely intangible. This means it can be difficult for your customers to look into the physical evidence of your travel experiences before making a booking.

However, carefully presenting any physical details about your business or topics will play an important role. Keep your vehicles clean and well maintained, make sure your staff are well-presented, and carefully maintain your storefront if you have one. These elements all help to build trust.

You can also use your website to help you provide physical evidence around your tours. Make sure your website is modern, trustworthy, and functional.

You should also try to incorporate a lot of images and videos of your travel experiences into your booking pages, to help customers gain an idea of what these experiences look like.

Stay Ahead of Travel Marketing Best Practices 

Staying ahead of travel marketing best practices can be tricky because the industry is constantly changing. As technology develops and customer journeys change, so do the marketing tactics and strategies you use to attract new customers.

That is why it's important to stay ahead of industry trends with a reliable and trusted platform.

A key resource in this regard is WeTravel Academy . The sole focus of this resource is to create a valuable “database” (so to speak) to help all the professionals in the travel industry with a wide range of focus areas. This may include group and multi-day travel, international tour operators, other trip leaders, wellness, and retreats.

You can freely access a wide range of e-books, webinars, courses, and articles to help you stay ahead of industry best practices and grow as a professional and tour business.

Conclusion 

Understanding the key elements of a travel industry marketing mix is important for being able to develop a well-rounded marketing strategy.

You need to understand and address all of the different factors involved in the customer journey and decision-making process in order for you to be successful at marketing your travel company.

The travel marketing best practices above should help you lay the foundation. Of course, you’ll also need to be set up with the right travel software and tools to help you seamlessly implement these different areas of the travel marketing mix.

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The ultimate travel marketing strategy guide

Discover the ultimate travel marketing tactics to succeed and stay ahead.

The importance of getting your marketing right in the travel sector is at an all-time high. Social media and influencers have helped make the world more visible than ever before. Consumers are turning to social channels as a source of inspiration. They’re hunting for the next trending destination and best travel deals.

On top of this, there has been a much-needed post-COVID travel boom. So-called ‘revenge holidays’ are in full swing and worldwide tourist arrivals are expected to reach up to  95% of pre-pandemic levels . It finally looks like things are getting back to normal and opportunities are everywhere.

But competition is growing. Standing out from the crowd is becoming increasingly difficult and keeping travelers engaged enough to complete the checkout process is a challenge.

At the same time, there are question marks over how long this travel boom will last. Staffing issues, the cost of fuel and energy, and uncertainty around the cost of living are causing concern for travelers and travel marketers alike.

In this ultimate guide, we will have a look at the current state of the travel marketing landscape and break down all the channels and tactics you need to utilize to succeed in the highly competitive sectorwere

• Travel marketing strategy
• Email marketing for travel marketers  
• Segmentation strategies
• SMS marketing for travel brands
• Marketing automation programs

6. Web personalization for travel brands 7. Push notification marketing 8. Reporting and analytics  9. AI for travel marketing 10. Integrations for travel marketers

What is travel marketing and why is it important?

People are always dreaming of their next vacation, surely that means travel brands basically sell themselves, right?

Unfortunately, not. How brands market themselves is what makes travelers choose one resort and airline over another. Travel brands must promote and sell their products, services, and experiences to customers. You need to showcase the distinctive features of your destination, accommodation, leisure activities, and travel packages to spark interest and motivate bookings.

The travel industry is vast and continuously evolving. Some of the primary types of businesses that make up the industry include:

• Train operators
• Cruise liners
• Bus companies
• Car rental agencies
• Hotels and resorts
• Bed & breakfasts (B&B)
• Vacation rentals (e.g. Airbnb, VRBO)
• Camping and glamping sites
• Travel agencies (online and offline)
• Tour operators
• Online travel agencies (OTAs)
• Travel management companies (TMCs)
• Travel insurance providers
• Guided tours and sightseeing excursions
• Adventure activities and sports (e.g. skiing, scuba diving)
• Museums, galleries, and cultural centers
• Theme parks and amusement parks
• Restaurants, bars, and cafes
• National tourism boards
• Regional and state tourism offices
• City visitor bureaus
• Travel booking and comparison sites
• Mobile applications for travel planning and navigation
• Travel review and recommendation sites (e.g. TripAdvisor)
• Metasearch engines for flights, hotels, and car rentals (e.g. Kayak, Skyscanner)

Why is marketing in the travel industry important?

Marketing is an indispensable tool for travel brands. Without it, you would struggle to achieve your business goals. Effective marketing can help you attract more customers, increase your revenue, and establish a strong brand.

What are the benefits of travel marketing?

• Increased visibility: Marketing helps significantly to increase your brand’s exposure. This ensures that potential customers are aware of the travel services and experiences you offer and boosts overall visibility in the crowded marketplace.
• Customer acquisition: A well-executed marketing campaign attracts new customers by showcasing the value and unique aspects of your travel business, ultimately driving revenue growth.
• Improved customer retention: Marketing enables your travel brand to maintain long-term relationships with your existing customers by offering personalized and contextually relevant content and engaging with them consistently across channels.
• Enhanced customer loyalty: Including loyalty programs, exclusive offers, and personalized promotions in your marketing can build customer loyalty, leading to repeat business and higher customer lifetime value (CLV).
• Competitive advantage: Innovative and targeted marketing strategies can help your travel brand stand out from the competition, positioning you as a leader and providing an advantage in a highly competitive market.
• Increased revenue: Marketing can be used to generate upselling and cross-selling opportunities, increasing the average transaction value and ultimately resulting in higher revenue.
• Improved brand reputation: Using marketing, you can manage your online presence, customer reviews, and social media engagement. This positively influences your brand reputation, driving more business from potential customers who trust and value your brand.
• Informed decision-making: Leveraging data collected through your marketing activities for analysis and insights can help your business make informed decisions about product and service offerings, and marketing strategies, allowing you to optimize your efforts and boost performance.
• Expansion into new markets: Marketing can play a critical role in identifying new potential markets, demographics, and customer segments to target, enabling you to expand your reach and tap into new growth opportunities.
• Adaptability and resilience: Marketing enables you to react quickly to unpredictable events, market trends, and competitive moves, adapting your strategies to maintain customer engagement and drive bookings while ensuring resilience in the face of challenges.

Need to know marketing statistics for the travel industry

In today’s complicated and dynamic digital world, you must do all you can to understand the intricacies of the travel industry. Using these statistics, you will be able to get a bird’s eye view of global trends, customer behavior trends, and forces that are set to drive the multibillion-dollar industry forward in the years to come.

What are the challenges of travel marketing?

Despite economic uncertainty and the lasting impact of the pandemic, the travel industry is returning to pre-pandemic levels and enjoying steady growth.

Still, airlines, hotels, travel agencies, and other travel brands across the world are facing unique challenges that set you apart from typical marketing teams. In the ever-changing world of travel marketing, you have your hands full keeping up with the latest trends and technological advancements. Below are just a few of the top challenges you’re facing on an almost daily basis and how to overcome them.

With inflation in flux and travel expenses rising, travelers now consider price to be their top priority. To connect with your audience, you should emphasize low rates and demonstrate high value. Promoting discounts, bundles, and loyalty programs will appeal to budget-conscious consumers.

As remote work, digital engagement, and eco-consciousness continue to impact customer behaviors, you need to stay on top of trends to cater to emerging segments like bleisure (business and leisure) travelers. Data-centric platforms like Dotdigital plug into CRM systems and use machine learning can help brands understand these new customer groups.

With 86% of travelers seeking personalized experiences , you need to create tailored campaigns that resonate with your audience. Data collection and integration with CRM platforms are essential for delivering enjoyable, relevant, and personalized marketing experiences.

By understanding and following emerging travel trends, you can engage with audiences throughout the whole customer journey. You need to approach the journey holistically and create a cohesive experience across channels. Tools like single customer view (SCV) and eRFM will help you get a clearer view of travelers’ behavior.

To maintain your competitive edge, you must offer a seamless, efficient experience for customers, from booking to post-break feedback. You should tap into technology to adapt to market changes. Ensuring data quality and consolidation will help you reap the full benefits of new tech advancements.

To cater to your more environmentally-conscious travelers, you need to demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainable practices. Avoiding greenwashing and adopting eco-friendly practices help you align your campaigns with customer values and support a greener future.

How to build a successful travel marketing strategy

Building a successful travel marketing strategy involves careful planning, targeting the right audience, and effectively leveraging your various marketing channels. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a winning travel marketing strategy:

Step 1: Define your target audience

Start by clearly defining your target audience. Conduct market research to determine their demographics, preferences, and behaviors. This will help you tailor your marketing materials to resonate with this specific group and achieve better results.

Step 2: Develop a strong brand identity

Create a memorable and eye-catching brand identity that encapsulates your company’s ethos and values. This includes your company name, logo, tagline, color scheme, and visual style. Consistency across all marketing channels reinforces brand recognition and establishes trust.

Step 3: Optimize your online presence

Create a user-friendly website that provides relevant information, showcases your offerings, and guides visitors to conversions (i.e. bookings or inquiries). Ensure your website has strong SEO to improve search engine ranking. Utilize social media platforms to engage with your audience and share valuable content.

Step 4: Leverage content marketing

Produce high-quality, informative, and engaging content that inspires travelers and provides value. This could include blog articles, videos, or destination guides. Diversifying your content not only keeps your audience interested but also addresses different stages of their customer journey.

Step 5: Monitor, analyze, and adapt 

Implement analytics tools to track your marketing efforts and identify what works best. Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and adjust your strategy accordingly to optimize results. By continually learning from your data, you can make informed decisions and enhance your marketing effectiveness.

Boost growth with cutting-edge marketing technology

To enhance your visibility, captivate travelers, and boost bookings and inquiries, it’s essential to tap into the technology you have available. For peak success in the travel sector, you need technology that collaborates seamlessly with your existing tech solutions. 

Dotdigital’s customer experience and data platform (CXDP) delivers an array of travel marketing tools and channels through a unified, all-encompassing platform. By maximizing your technology usage, you can elevate traveler engagement, increase bookings, and optimize your travel marketing initiatives.

Email marketing for travel marketers

Email marketing is a powerful tool for the travel industry, as it enables you to reach your target audience, build lasting relationships, and drive conversions.

In this section, we’ll explore the benefits of email marketing and the essential elements of successful email marketing for travel businesses, including creating targeted campaigns, utilizing data to send personalized content, and ensuring that emails are engaging and mobile-friendly.

The benefits of email marketing for travel brands 

Email marketing is an essential tool for marketers in the travel industry for several reasons:

1. Direct communication channel

Email marketing is a direct line of communication with your target audience, allowing you to share news, updates, offers, and content straight to subscribers’ inboxes, enhancing engagement and nurturing long-term relationships.

2. Strong ROI

Compared to other forms of marketing in the travel sector, email marketing is relatively inexpensive while maintaining a high return on investment (ROI). This makes it one of the best options for travel brands looking to reach large audiences or target specific segments without breaking the bank.

3. Personalization capabilities

Email marketing enables you to create perfectly personalized content and offers based on your subscriber’s demographics, preferences, and travel or engagement history. Ultimately, personalization leads to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, as your audience feels catered to and valued by your brand.

4. Behavioral targeting

With email marketing campaigns, you can track various metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, allowing a better understanding of travelers’ behaviors and preferences. This valuable information can be utilized to optimize future campaigns, ensuring better audience targeting and fostering long-term customer relationships.

5. Urgency and exclusivity

You can use email marketing to create a sense of urgency through time-sensitive offers, limited promotions, and exclusive deals, encouraging customers to book their travel or upgrade reservations.

6. Increased customer retention

By regularly sending informative content, helpful resources, and engaging promotions through email marketing campaigns, you will nurture customer loyalty and increase repeat bookings over time.

7. Relevance and timeliness

Email campaigns can be triggered based on specific events or customer actions, ensuring that the content is relevant and timely as per each individual’s needs. This could include sending reminder emails about upcoming trips or limited-time promotions resulting in better engagements and more conversions. 

Email marketing best practice for travel marketers 

Travel marketers can employ these best practices to create effective and engaging email campaigns:

Write catchy and enticing subject lines to increase open rates. Make your subject line relevant to the email’s content, and ensure it resonates with your target audience. Tap into the power of generative AI to really save time and improve results. 

Personalize your email campaigns by using the recipient’s first name and providing recommendations, content, or offers based on their preferences, travel history, or demographics.

Divide your subscribers into targeted segments based on factors such as geographical location, interests, booking history, or language, and send tailored content that appeals to each segment’s unique attributes.

Embed high-quality images and videos of destinations, accommodations, or activities to inspire and evoke emotions, leading to higher engagement levels.

Make your CTAs clear, concise, and visually emphasized, directing subscribers toward the desired action, such as visiting a web page, booking a travel package, or redeeming special offers.

Ensure that your email template is mobile-friendly, with easy-to-read text and a clean layout, as a large portion of your audience will likely read your emails on mobile devices.

Aim to provide valuable, informative, and engaging content that relates to the interests and needs of your subscribers, building trust and fostering lasting customer relationships.

A/B test various elements of your emails, such as subject lines, send times, layout, or content, to determine what generates higher engagement and conversions. Continuously optimize your campaigns based on the insights gained from these tests.

Keep track of key email marketing metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and identify areas for improvement.

Regularly review and clean your email list, removing inactive subscribers or outdated addresses to improve deliverability and maintain a high-quality mailing list.

Segmentation strategies for travel marketers

Segmentation is a crucial tactic for all marketers, but none more so than marketers in the travel sector. It involves dividing your target audience into distinct groups based on their preferences, demographics, or behaviors.

Implementing a segmentation strategy allows you to create highly targeted marketing campaigns that resonate better with each group, ultimately driving higher customer engagement and conversions.

Top five benefits of segmentation

1. targeted marketing messages.

Segmentation allows you to tailor your marketing messages and content to specific segments, resulting in greater relevance, customer engagement, and conversion rates.

2. Improved customer experience

Offering personalized content, recommendations, and offers based on segmentation fosters a better customer experience, deepening brand loyalty, and strengthening long-term relationships.

3. Resource allocation

By focusing marketing resources on specific customer segments, you can effectively allocate your budget, time, and efforts, ensuring maximum impact for your marketing activities. eRFM customer modeling will help you identify highly engaged, high-value customers to prioritize.

4. Increased ROI

Using segmentation, you can build tailored campaigns designed to appeal to different groups, resulting in higher response rates and, ultimately, an increased return on marketing investment.

5. Market insights

Segmentation provides insights into your customer preferences and behaviors, helping you identify new market opportunities, improvement areas, or trends that can inform marketing strategy.

Top tips for implementing a segmentation strategy

Collect customer data from various sources, such as website behavior, booking history, survey responses, third-party travel partners, and CRM systems, and unify them to build a comprehensive understanding of your audience.

Utilize Dotdigital’s advanced segmentation tools, including eRFM (engagement, recency, frequency, monetary) modeling and single customer view (SCV) data. These features allow you to achieve more precise targeting and improved insights into customer behavior.

Develop content and promotional offers that resonate with the specific needs, desires, and pain points of each segment. Personalized marketing messages have a higher chance of engaging and converting customers. Use the data collected from Dotdigital’s eRFM and SCV features to inform these strategies.

Ensure that appropriate marketing channels are used for each segment. Different customer groups may prefer email, SMS, or other channels, so align your strategy accordingly. Dotdigital’s customer insights will help you build a seamless cross-channel marketing plan.

Continuously test and analyze the performance of segmented campaigns. Monitor key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and CLV to identify areas for improvement. Adjust your segmentation approach and marketing strategies based on these data-driven insights.

Customer preferences and behaviors change over time. Periodically reassess your segments, refresh your data, and leverage updated customer insights to ensure your marketing efforts remain relevant and effective.

Successful customer re-targeting

Discover how the holiday comparison site, Icelolly boosted conversion rates and enhanced its email marketing performance with personalized re-targeted marketing.

SMS marketing in the travel industry

SMS marketing is a powerful and often underutilized marketing channel that can boost engagement and provide exceptional value for travel businesses like yours. As a direct and immediate form of communication, SMS marketing can help you reach customers in ways other channels might not.

Benefits of SMS marketing for travel marketers

1. high open rates.

SMS messages have an exceptional open rate, with most recipients reading the message within minutes of receiving it. This ensures that promotional offers, updates, or reminders are seen by the vast majority of your target audience.

2. Real-time communication

SMS provides real-time, immediate communication that allows you to send time-sensitive offers, last-minute deals, or critical travel updates to your customers.

3. Mobile accessibility

With the vast majority of the population carrying mobile devices, SMS marketing provides an efficient way to reach your customers regardless of their location or internet access.

4. Cost-effective

SMS marketing campaigns are easy to set up and cheaper than most other marketing channels. This means you can effectively reach your target audience, even on a budget.

5. Personalized experiences

SMS campaigns can be tailored to individual users based on their preferences, interests, or travel history, creating a more personalized and engaging experience for your customers.

6. Easy integration with other marketing channels

SMS marketing can be easily combined with other channels such as email, app, or social media, to create a comprehensive and cohesive marketing campaign for your travel brand.

How to integrate SMS into your travel marketing

By adopting SMS marketing, your travel business can unlock new avenues of customer engagement and diversify your overall marketing efforts, ultimately boosting bookings and customer satisfaction. Here are some campaign ideas that can be implemented through SMS marketing:

Send helpful reminders for upcoming trips, pre-travel checklists, departure times, locations, or travel document requirements.

Share essential real-time updates like flight delays, gate changes, or itinerary adjustments, ensuring customers are well-informed and prepared. Ultimately, this will lead to higher satisfaction and experience overall. 

Send exclusive deals, discounts, limited-time offers, or last-minute specials to encourage customers to book travel or secure a service through your business.

Remind customers about travel packages, accommodation options, or services they were considering but have not completed the booking process.

Suggest relevant add-ons or upgrades to customers based on their travel plans, such as excursions, activity bookings, premium seating, or transportation options.

Request post-trip feedback, ratings, or reviews through an SMS message, using the insights to improve your services and customer satisfaction. SMS is a great channel for this because it requires little lift from your team and has a high completion rate. 

Notify customers of their rewards or loyalty points balance and inform them of any opportunities to earn additional points or redeem special offers.

Share useful destination-based information, such as local attractions, events, dining options, or safety tips, to enhance your customers’ travel experiences.

Top tips for successfully incorporating SMS into your travel marketing campaigns

• Combine SMS with email marketing Integrate SMS marketing into your existing email marketing strategy, sending important alerts, reminders, or limited-time offers through SMS to complement your email marketing activity.
• Segment your audience Create targeted SMS campaigns based on demographics, geographic location, or travel preferences, ensuring that your messages resonate with subscribers and are relevant to their needs in the moment.
• Personalize messages Deliver tailored content and offers based on customers’ booking history, travel destinations, or preferences, creating a sense of exclusivity and personal connection.
• Use automation Use customer actions to trigger SMS marketing campaigns, such as booking confirmation, travel reminders, or payment due notices. This will ensure your text messages are landing at the best time to drive customer conversions.
• Keep messages concise Deliver the key message or the call-to-action within the constraints of the character limit. Stay concise, and focused, and ensure your message is easy to understand. Tap into AI tools to help.

Using SMS for two-way communications

Discover how British Airways used Dotdigital’s two-way SMS functionality to encourage travelers to complete monthly customer satisfaction surveys. 

MMS for travel marketing campaigns

MMS (multimedia messaging service) is a branch of SMS marketing that allows the sending of multimedia content, such as images, videos, and audio files, alongside text messages. It presents new and exciting opportunities to engage customers in a more dynamic and visually appealing way.

MMS allows you to send rich visual content, including high-quality images and videos that showcase destinations, accommodations, or activities. This allows customers to get a better sense of the travel experience being offered and will inspire them to book.

Multimedia messages, including images and videos, have higher engagement rates compared to simple text messages. By leveraging MMS, you can evoke stronger emotional responses and drive customer interest, resulting in increased conversions and bookings.

MMS helps you to create immersive narratives by sharing pictures, videos, or audio clips of real travel experiences. This storytelling approach can help build a connection with potential travelers, increasing the likelihood of them engaging with your brand.

MMS can be customized based on individual preferences, interests, or travel history. By sending personalized multimedia content to customers, you can create a more relevant and memorable connection, ultimately fostering brand loyalty.

Although MMS adoption is growing, many businesses still primarily rely on text-based marketing. By being an early adopter of MMS, you can differentiate yourself from competitors and establish a unique brand identity in the minds of consumers.

MMS works well in conjunction with SMS, email, and social media campaigns. Integrating MMS into your overall marketing strategy can help create a comprehensive and cohesive approach that covers different stages of the customer journey.

Marketing automation for travel marketers

Marketing automation streamlines and optimizes repetitive marketing tasks, leading to enhanced efficiency, reduced manual efforts, and improved results. Intelligent marketing automation tools like Dotdigital create conversion-driving, loyalty-inspiring experiences by tapping into customer data and turning it into real-time marketing campaigns.

Benefits of marketing automation for travel brands

1. time-saving and cost-efficiency.

Marketing automation significantly reduces manual tasks associated with campaign management and customer segmentation, freeing up time for you and your teams to focus on strategic tasks, such as content creation and performance analysis.

2. Seamless communication

Marketing automation ensures regularly scheduled and consistent communication with customers across different channels. This is essential for maintaining customer engagement and building long-term brand loyalty.

3. Personalization

By tracking customers’ actions, preferences, and booking history, marketing automation tools help you deliver personalized and relevant content that resonates with your target audience. This moments-based approach to marketing enhances the overall customer experience, improving ROI, average order value (AOV), and customer lifetime value (CLV).

4. Cross-channel campaign management

Marketing automation platforms help you manage and coordinate campaigns across various channels, such as email, SMS, social media, and web push notifications, ensuring a seamless and cohesive marketing strategy.

5. Data-driven insights

With the help of detailed analytics provided by Dotdigital, you can make data-driven decisions, monitor campaign performance, and optimize your strategies for maximum results.

Essential automation programs for travel brands 

Set up automated welcome emails or messages for new subscribers, providing an initial introduction to your brand, exclusive offers, and personalized travel recommendations based on their preferences.

Automate booking confirmations, reservation details, and pre-travel reminders, ensuring all necessary information reaches the customer on time. This can include flight check-in reminders, pre-trip preparation tips, and travel documentation requirements.

Implement automated messages for customers who added travel packages or services to their cart but didn’t complete the booking process. These messages can include personalized incentives or offers to encourage conversion, AI-powered recommendations, or exclusive discounts for high-value customers.

Build automated re-engagement or nurture campaigns to connect with inactive or lapsed customers, offering relevant travel deals or content that sparks renewed interest in your brand. Use eRFM to identify these customers and SCV to gain insight into the channels and content that will drive them toward conversions.

Loyalty programs are a big motivating factor in the decision-making process of modern travelers. Automate loyalty program updates, notifications, or special offers to reward repeat customers and enhance long-term brand loyalty.

Automate post-trip feedback requests, analyze customer experiences, and collect valuable insights to inform improvements in your offerings and services. Positive reviews also make great marketing collateral so the importance of this program must not be underestimated. 

Schedule automated campaigns centered around holidays, seasonal offers, or special events, targeting customers with relevant deals and packages. Use customer insights to see when customers are most engaged or typically looking at your website to identify essential times to launch annual offers.

By understanding the benefits of marketing automation and implementing these recommended automation programs, you can streamline your marketing efforts, engage customers across multiple touchpoints, and enhance the overall customer experience while driving revenue and brand loyalty.

Marketing automation in action

Discover how international flight operator, Copa Airlines used Dotdigital to streamline its automated marketing communications to deliver a significant increase in revenue.

Web personalization for travel marketing teams

Web personalization involves tailoring website content to individual visitors based on their preferences, behavior, and demographic data.

In the travel industry, web personalization offers significant benefits and opportunities for enhancing customer engagement and boosting conversion rates. In this section, we’ll discuss the advantages of web personalization for travel marketers and provide strategies to create personalized online experiences.

Benefits of web personalization for travel marketers

1. enhanced customer engagement.

Personalized content and offers on your website can capture users’ attention and create a positive, engaging experience, increasing the likelihood of bookings and purchases.

2. Improved relevance

By addressing customers’ preferences and needs, web personalization ensures that your website’s content remains relevant and tailored to each user, making your brand more appealing to potential customers.

3. Increased conversion rates

Personalized content, offers, and recommendations can lead to an increase in customers taking action, whether booking a trip, subscribing to newsletters, or requesting more information.

4. Reduced bounce rates

An engaging and personalized website encourages visitors to spend more time exploring your offerings, reducing bounce rates and increasing the chances of customer conversions.

5. Improved ROI

By delivering personalized content and experiences to specific segments, web personalization can result in better use of marketing resources and a higher return on investment.

Strategies for personalizing web experiences

Show customers recommended travel destinations, offers, or services based on their current location, accounting for local events or geographic preferences.

Leverage customer behavior, such as browsing habits, pages visited, or previous booking history, to deliver personalized content, deals, or recommendations.

Divide your website visitors into specific segments based on demographics, interests, or travel preferences, and tailor website content to cater to these segments.

Implement exit intent pop-overs with tailored, last-minute offers or incentives that persuade visitors to book, subscribe, or engage further with your brand before leaving the website.

Use dynamic content that adapts based on user interactions, website behavior, or previous travel bookings, recommending related destinations, accommodations, or activities.

Employ remarketing campaigns that display personalized ads to users who have previously visited your website, featuring customized offers, messages, or promotions.

Integrate AI-driven recommendations into your website, providing visitors with personalized travel options across your homepage, product, and service pages.

Create dedicated, personalized landing pages for various promotions or travel offers based on customer segments, increasing the chances of conversions and bookings.

Push notification marketing for travel brands

Push notification marketing is a powerful tool for brands operating in the travel industry. It allows you to engage with customers directly through real-time, targeted, moments-based messages delivered directly to users’ mobile devices or web browsers.

Benefits of using push notifications in your travel marketing

1. increased engagement.

Push notifications give you new opportunities to re-engage customers by sending personalized promotions, announcements, and reminders. Ultimately, this enhances customer interactions and brand connection.

Timely and relevant notifications help you to communicate instantly with users, facilitating real-time updates on special deals, flight status, itinerary changes, or exclusive offers.

3. Higher conversion rates

By delivering tailored offers and targeted content, push notifications can increase conversion rates, driving bookings and encouraging customers to take action.

4. Improved user experience

Push notifications can enhance the user experience by offering personalized recommendations, location-based offers, and immediate assistance, fostering a stronger bond between customers and your brand.

5. Trackable performance metrics

Push notifications offer valuable performance insights, such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, helping you optimize campaigns and improve future marketing efforts.

Reporting and analytics for travel marketers

For marketers in the travel industry, maximizing efficiency and leveraging your budget and resources effectively is crucial. Utilizing advanced reporting and analytic tools can streamline and optimize your digital marketing efforts.

Advanced analytics and reporting tools 

Email reporting and analytics.

Email reporting and analytics provide insights into the performance of your email marketing campaigns. This information helps you to:

• Identify trends in your email marketing campaigns
• Ensure your campaigns are meeting their objectives
• Pinpoint areas that need optimization to enhance campaign performance

Email dashboards

Email dashboards provide you with an overview of all your email marketing campaigns, while email reports focus on a single campaign, outlining key performance metrics. By getting a bird’s eye look at your email marketing campaigns, you can discover:

• Statistics about your delivered, bounced, and skipped emails.
• Data about opens, unique opens, non-opens, and social shares.
• A heat map showing the areas of the world where your email campaign was most opened.
• The most popular links in your campaign, clicks, unique clicks, and click-to-open rates.
• Details about your winning and losing split tests.

SMS reporting

SMS campaign reports monitor channel performance, enabling you to continuously improve your marketing results. These reports showcase:

Helps track the frequency of SMS campaigns and analyze performance metrics over time.

Measures the effectiveness of your campaign, comparing the number of clicks to successfully delivered messages, which can inform improvements in content or targeting.

Indicates the percentage of recipients who completed a desired action, such as booking a trip or signing up for a newsletter, helping to evaluate the success of promotional efforts.

Evaluates the total revenue generated by a specific SMS campaign, determining ROI and guiding budgeting decisions.

Provides insight into the revenue generated from bookings or purchases influenced by an SMS campaign, even if completed through different channels.

Informs segmentation strategy by showing the number of segment groups targeted in the campaign, helping you assess the depth and breadth of your reach.

Indicates engagement with SMS content by revealing the number of clicks on embedded links, allowing you to better analyze which messages resonate best with your target audience.

Measures the reach of an SMS campaign by tallying messages successfully received, helping to gauge overall marketing effectiveness.

Provides an overview of SMS campaign volume, enabling evaluation of the relationship between quantity and campaign success.

Program analytics

Dotdigital’s program analytics tools offer several benefits to travel marketers, especially by helping you optimize your marketing automation programs and maximize campaign impact. Key benefits include:

Program analytics provide a comprehensive and data-driven overview of your marketing automation programs, allowing you to make informed decisions about marketing strategies and tactics.

The visual representation of the different nodes in your marketing automation workflow enables you to gain a deeper understanding of your programs and quickly identify areas that require optimization.

Dotdigital’s program analytics tools allow you to monitor the performance of your marketing automation programs in real-time, enabling you to quickly adapt to changing trends and make necessary adjustments.

The detailed view feature allows you to choose between different chart views (trend and cumulative) to get a granular analysis of key program metrics, providing insights tailored to your specific needs.

By evaluating the performance of start nodes, decision nodes, and action nodes, you can better understand customer interactions and optimize your marketing automation programs to increase effectiveness.

Program analytics tools can help you identify the success of different segments and decision paths in your automation workflows. This allows you to refine your targeting strategies and drive better results.

The ability to analyze the detailed data and insights provided by program analytics tools enables you to streamline your efforts, eliminate inefficiencies, and allocate resources more effectively. 

By providing in-depth data and insights on marketing automation programs’ performance, program analytics tools can help you optimize campaigns to maximize ROI. Through continuous improvement, marketers can generate better results and higher revenue, ultimately improving the overall ROI of their marketing efforts.

Advanced revenue attribution

Advanced revenue attribution is a method used to calculate the revenue generated by email and SMS marketing campaigns, based on clicks that lead to a purchase within a specified conversion window. Unlike direct tracking, which attributes revenue to clicks within a single window, advanced revenue attribution provides a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of how a campaign may have influenced the customer’s purchasing decision.

The benefits of using advanced revenue attribution include:

By tracing revenue to specific email and SMS campaigns, you can better assess the true influence of your marketing efforts on customers’ purchases, even if the purchase occurs outside the one-hour window of direct tracking.

Advanced revenue attribution offers a more complete picture of how different touchpoints contribute to your customer’s decision-making process, enabling you to optimize your campaigns for higher engagement and conversion rates.

Visibility into campaign performance through revenue attribution helps you to allocate budget and resources more effectively, focusing on campaigns that deliver the most significant ROI.

You can analyze the performance of email and SMS campaigns side by side, determining which channel is more effective at driving revenue and adjusting your marketing strategies accordingly.

By understanding which campaigns generate higher revenue, you can refine your targeting and segmentation strategies to engage the right audience with relevant and persuasive messaging, resulting in higher conversion rates.

Advanced revenue attribution can reveal patterns in customers’ behavior over extended periods, helping you identify crucial touchpoints for nurturing long-term relationships and customer loyalty.

WinstonAI™️ marketing intelligence engine

Designing a successful marketing campaign is far from easy. Especially in the ever-evolving travel sector, you must stay ahead of your competition. Embracing artificial intelligence (AI) at this early stage and leveraging it in your day-to-day marketing will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

Benefits of early AI adoption

1. perfect personalization.

AI ensures you offer highly tailored experiences to your customers. By analyzing a vast amount of customer data, AI can identify patterns and preferences that are crucial for the creation of personalized marketing campaigns. As a result, your customers are more likely to be engaged and satisfied with their overall experience.

2. Data-driven decision making

AI-driven analytics provides you with actionable insights and data that help you make informed decisions. Early AI adopters can use powerful tools that analyze customer behavior, identify trends, and provide valuable recommendations. This ensures that your marketing resources are optimally allocated and drives higher ROI.

3. Time and cost efficiency

Adopting AI early on helps to streamline and automate your routine tasks. As AI can process a vast amount of data quickly, it saves time, increases productivity, and greatly reduces human errors. This frees up your time to focus on higher-value strategic and creative tasks.

4. Real-time optimization

AI provides real-time performance tracking and optimization opportunities for your marketing campaigns. By continually monitoring and adjusting, you can optimize your outreach methods, ultimately enhancing customer engagement, conversions, and revenue.

5. Competitive edge

Early AI adopters in the travel marketing sector will stay ahead of the competition by leveraging technologies that many competitors may not even be aware of. This provides a unique opportunity to gain market share and establish a brand reputation as a forward-thinking, innovative business.

WinstonAI capabilities

WinstonAI is Dotdigital’s industry-leading marketing intelligence engine, designed to simplify your daily marketing activity. Its ever-growing capabilities help you save time, money, and effort, further streamlining your market teams’ outputs.

Effortlessly create compelling content with WinstonAI’s innovative features, which include:

• Subject line assistant: WinstonAI helps elevate your subject lines by analyzing past engagement rates and generating inspiring suggestions for your next travel campaign.
• Email campaign assistant: WinstonAI not only offers alternative subject lines but also provides valuable feedback to refine your content. Get insights on tone evaluation and creative suggestions for your upcoming email campaigns.
• Grammar and spell check assistant: Eliminate time-consuming manual proofreading by using WinstonAI’s grammar check for emails, SMS, landing pages, and forms.
• One-click email to SMS generator: Save time by repurposing valuable email content into SMS messages for subscribers who prefer text messages. WinstonAI achieves this with just one click.

Transform your data into insightful actions with WinstonAI’s powerful analytics capabilities:

• Predictive analytics: Anticipate your customers’ behavior and adapt your marketing strategies accordingly, ensuring continuous engagement throughout their journey.
• eRFM segments and opportunities: Develop a deeper understanding of your customer base by integrating engagement scores with RFM (recency, frequency, monetary) ratings to create distinct personas.
• SCV and lookalike segments: Engage deeply with individual customer profiles using single customer view and generate segments with similar traits to your ideal customers.

Maximize your outreach potential and ensure your messages land at just the right moment with WinstonAI:

• Send time optimization: Enhance engagement levels by utilizing AI-driven send time optimization (STO) to deliver emails at the most opportune moment for the recipients.
• Automated reputation manager: Improve campaign performance and sender reputation by employing top-quality data that WinstonAI continuously monitors and evaluates.
• Watchdog data importer: WinstonAI’s data watchdog acts as a vigilant guardian of your sender reputation by safeguarding your delivery rates and thoroughly analyzing incoming email addresses.
• Non-human interaction (NHI) filtering: WinstonAI filters out activity from security tools or bots that can skew marketing results, providing you with a more accurate assessment of your campaigns’ performance.

Integrations and data management for travel marketers

From your booking systems and CRM to ticketing and customer service software, tech stacks for travel brands are vast and spiraling. The only solution is to have a customer experience and data platform that connects and unifies all your systems into a single source of truth. This will help you provide seamless and personalized customer experiences, streamline operations, and enable relevant and timely marketing activity.

Key integration and agency partners 

CRM systems allow you to manage and analyze interactions with potential and existing customers. This helps to maintain and improve customer retention, satisfaction, and revenue generation. Integrating your CRM and marketing channel providers ensures you have all the data you need to provide data-driven marketing campaigns. 

Integrations with booking platforms and reservation systems are crucial for streamlining traveler information management, allowing you to personalize offers and communications based on booking history and preferences.

Ticketing systems are vital for travel brands as they help manage and streamline customer support inquiries, leading to enhanced customer experiences. Integrating these into your marketing platform empowers cross-team collaboration, ensures timely communication, and improves customer retention as every interaction is accessible for marketers and customer service teams alike. 

Loyalty programs play a significant role in retaining customers and enhancing brand loyalty for travel brands. Integrating these systems into your marketing platform helps you tailor rewards and offers to customers based on their preferences, purchase history, loyalty points, and other relevant data. Personalized rewards lead to higher customer satisfaction and engagement, strengthening brand loyalty.

Integrations with review platforms such as TripAdvisor, Feefo, and Trustpilot enable you to monitor customer feedback, identify areas for improvement, and showcase highlighted reviews to increase credibility and trust.

Integrations that deliver results

Discover how the Australian tourism board, Visit Victoria used Dotdigital’s Zapier integration to segment, personalize, and automate tailored cross-channel re-targeting campaigns.

Travel businesses need to understand the different types of marketing channels and tactics available to them to effectively promote their products, services, and experiences. By utilizing innovative strategies, personalized promotions, and data-driven insights, travel businesses can stand out from the competition, attract new customers, and retain existing ones.

The travel industry is constantly evolving, and you need to keep up with the latest trends and technologies to succeed in the highly competitive market. With the right marketing strategy in place, travel businesses can capitalize on the current post-COVID travel boom and take advantage of the many opportunities available in the industry.

Winter is here! Check out the winter wonderlands at these 5 amazing winter destinations in Montana

• Travel Tips

What Is Tourism Marketing?

Published: December 12, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Oneida Gruber

• Plan Your Trip
• Sustainability

Introduction

In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, the tourism industry has become increasingly competitive. To stay ahead and attract travelers, destinations, tour operators, and hoteliers need to implement effective marketing strategies. This is where tourism marketing plays a vital role.

Tourism marketing encompasses a range of activities aimed at promoting and selling travel services, experiences, and destinations to potential customers. It involves understanding consumer behaviors, identifying target markets, creating compelling messages, and deploying various promotional tactics to reach and engage with the right audience.

With the rise of the internet and social media, the tourism industry has witnessed a significant shift in how marketing is conducted. Digital platforms have opened up new avenues for reaching and engaging with travelers, providing ample opportunities to showcase destinations, attractions, and services.

The primary goal of tourism marketing is to increase awareness, generate interest, and drive bookings or visits. It is about inspiring and influencing travelers to choose a particular destination, tour package, or accommodation option. By effectively marketing their offerings, tourism businesses can enhance their revenue, grow their customer base, and build long-term relationships with their target audience.

However, effective tourism marketing goes beyond simply promoting travel products. It involves creating a holistic and immersive experience for travelers, reflecting the unique qualities and appeal of a destination. This requires a deep understanding of the target market’s needs, preferences, and aspirations, as well as the ability to effectively communicate the value and benefits of the travel experience.

Moreover, tourism marketing is not limited to tourism boards or large travel companies. It is also essential for small and medium-sized businesses within the industry, such as local tour operators, boutique hotels, and restaurants. By implementing targeted marketing strategies, even smaller players can compete on a global scale and attract their ideal customers.

Definition of Tourism Marketing

Tourism marketing can be defined as the strategic planning and implementation of activities that aim to promote and sell travel-related products and services. It involves understanding consumer behavior, identifying target markets, creating compelling messages, and deploying various marketing tactics to reach and engage with potential travelers.

At its core, tourism marketing is about showcasing the unique experiences and attractions that a destination has to offer. It involves leveraging the distinctive cultural, natural, and historical aspects of a place to appeal to travelers’ interests and desires.

One of the key objectives of tourism marketing is to create awareness and generate interest in a particular destination or travel experience. This can be achieved through a variety of marketing channels, including digital platforms, traditional advertising, public relations, and partnerships with travel agents and tour operators.

In addition to promoting destinations, tourism marketing also encompasses the marketing of travel services such as accommodation, transportation, activities, and tours. It involves highlighting the unique features, amenities, and benefits of these services to differentiate them in a crowded marketplace.

Moreover, tourism marketing often involves segmenting the target market based on various factors such as demographics, psychographics, and travel preferences. This allows marketers to tailor their messages and marketing strategies to specific customer segments, increasing the chances of attracting the right travelers.

Effective tourism marketing requires staying updated with the latest trends and leveraging technological advancements. With the rise of the internet and social media, digital marketing has become a crucial aspect of tourism marketing. This includes activities such as search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, social media advertising, influencer marketing, and online reputation management.

In summary, tourism marketing is the strategic promotion and selling of travel-related products and experiences. It involves understanding consumer behavior, creating compelling messages, and deploying various marketing tactics to reach and engage with potential travelers. By effectively marketing destinations and travel services, tourism businesses can attract more visitors and drive growth in the industry.

Importance of Tourism Marketing

Tourism marketing plays a crucial role in the success and growth of the tourism industry. Here are several reasons why tourism marketing is important:

• Increasing Destination Awareness: Effective tourism marketing helps to create awareness about destinations. It showcases the unique attractions, cultural heritage, and natural beauty of a place, encouraging travelers to consider it as a potential travel destination.
• Attracting More Visitors: Through targeted marketing strategies and promotional campaigns, tourism businesses can attract more visitors to their destinations, hotels, and tour packages. By effectively communicating the value and benefits of a travel experience, marketing efforts can inspire and influence travelers to choose a specific destination.
• Boosting Local Economy: The tourism industry is a significant economic driver in many regions. By promoting tourism and attracting more visitors, tourism marketing helps to generate revenue for local businesses, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth.
• Enhancing Competitiveness: In a highly competitive tourism industry, effective marketing can give destinations and businesses a competitive edge. By promoting unique selling points and differentiating offerings, tourism businesses can stand out from the competition and attract their ideal customers.
• Cultivating Repeat Visitors: Marketing efforts, such as personalized email campaigns or loyalty programs, help to cultivate repeat visitors. By nurturing relationships with past visitors, tourism businesses can encourage them to come back and explore more of what the destination has to offer.
• Driving Collaboration: Tourism marketing often involves collaboration among stakeholders within the industry. Destination marketing organizations, hotels, tour operators, and local businesses work together to promote the destination as a whole, leveraging each other’s strengths and resources for a more impactful marketing strategy.
• Creating Positive Perception: Effective tourism marketing not only promotes destinations and travel services but also helps create a positive perception of a place. Through storytelling and compelling narratives, marketing efforts can shape and enhance the reputation of a destination, making it more appealing to potential travelers.

In a nutshell, tourism marketing is essential for raising destination awareness, attracting visitors, boosting the local economy, enhancing competitiveness, fostering repeat business, driving collaboration, and creating a positive perception of a destination. By investing in well-planned marketing strategies, tourism businesses can thrive in a highly competitive industry and contribute to the overall growth and development of the tourism sector.

Components of Tourism Marketing

Tourism marketing involves various components that work together to create effective promotional strategies. Here are the key components of tourism marketing:

• Market Research: Market research is an essential component of tourism marketing. It involves gathering and analyzing data to understand consumer behavior, travel trends, market demand, and competitor strategies. This helps tourism businesses identify their target market, tailor their marketing messages, and make informed decisions.
• Segmentation and Targeting: Segmenting the target market is crucial to deliver tailored marketing messages. Tourism marketers divide the market into specific segments based on demographics, psychographics, and travel preferences. This enables them to customize their marketing efforts and reach the right audience with the right message.
• Positioning: Positioning refers to how a destination or travel service is perceived in the minds of consumers. Tourism marketers define a unique selling proposition (USP) and create a positioning strategy to differentiate their offerings from competitors. This involves highlighting the unique features, benefits, and experiences that set them apart from others.
• Branding: Branding plays a crucial role in tourism marketing. It involves creating a distinct brand identity, including a logo, tagline, and visual elements, that represents the destination or travel service. A strong and consistent brand helps build trust, recognition, and loyalty among travelers.
• Advertising and Promotion: Advertising and promotion are key components of tourism marketing. This includes traditional advertising such as television, radio, and print ads, as well as digital advertising through search engines, social media platforms, and display networks. Promotional tactics may also include public relations, partnerships with travel influencers, and participation in travel fairs and events.
• Content Marketing: Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable and informative content to attract and engage potential travelers. This can include blog posts, articles, videos, infographics, and social media posts that showcase the destination, provide travel tips, and inspire wanderlust. Content marketing helps build brand credibility, increase website traffic, and foster customer loyalty.
• Online Presence and Website Optimization: A strong online presence is crucial in tourism marketing. It includes having a visually appealing and user-friendly website that provides relevant information, easy navigation, and online booking options. Website optimization, including search engine optimization (SEO) and user experience (UX) optimization, helps improve visibility in search engines and enhances the overall online presence.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Effective customer relationship management involves building and maintaining strong relationships with past, present, and potential customers. This can include personalized email marketing, loyalty programs, and customer feedback management. CRM helps nurture repeat business, encourage positive reviews, and strengthen customer loyalty.

By integrating these components into their marketing strategies, tourism businesses can create comprehensive and effective campaigns that resonate with their target audience and drive bookings and visits to their destinations and services.

Strategies and Tactics in Tourism Marketing

Tourism marketing involves a range of strategies and tactics to effectively promote destinations, travel services, and experiences. Here are some commonly used strategies and tactics in tourism marketing:

• Targeted Advertising: Tourism marketers utilize targeted advertising to reach specific demographics and interests. This includes running targeted ads on social media platforms, search engines, and travel-related websites to reach potential travelers who are most likely to be interested in a specific destination or travel service.
• Content Marketing: Content marketing involves creating and sharing informative and engaging content to attract and engage potential travelers. This can include blog posts, articles, videos, and social media posts that inspire and educate travelers about destinations, travel tips, and experiences. Effective content marketing builds brand credibility and connects with the target audience on a deeper level.
• Social Media Marketing: Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have become powerful tools in tourism marketing. By creating compelling visual content, engaging with followers, and running targeted ads, tourism businesses can reach a wide audience and generate brand awareness. Influencer partnerships and user-generated content also play a significant role in social media marketing.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): A well-optimized website is crucial for tourism marketing. SEO involves optimizing website content, meta tags, and other on-page elements to improve search engine rankings. A higher ranking in search results increases visibility and organic traffic to the website, ultimately leading to more bookings and visits.
• Online Reputation Management: Online reviews and ratings have a significant impact on travelers’ decision-making process. Tourism businesses need to actively manage their online reputation by encouraging positive reviews, responding to negative feedback, and addressing customer concerns promptly and professionally.
• Partnerships and Collaborations: Collaborating with influencers, local businesses, and other tourism stakeholders can amplify marketing efforts. Partnerships can include influencer campaigns, joint advertising initiatives, and cross-promotion to reach a wider audience and provide added value to travelers.
• Personalization and Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Personalization is a powerful tactic in tourism marketing. By collecting and analyzing customer data, tourism businesses can deliver personalized marketing messages, custom offers, and tailored experiences to individual travelers. CRM tools and strategies help manage customer relationships, nurture loyalty, and drive repeat business.
• Event and Experience Marketing: Hosting or sponsoring events and creating unique experiences can be highly effective in tourism marketing. This can include cultural festivals, adventure challenges, or themed tours that attract attention and create a buzz around a destination or travel service.

It’s important for tourism marketers to employ a combination of these strategies and tactics, tailored to their target audience and marketing goals. By implementing a comprehensive and integrated approach, tourism businesses can effectively engage with travelers, drive bookings, and ultimately succeed in a competitive industry.

Digital Marketing in Tourism

Digital marketing has revolutionized the way tourism businesses promote their offerings and engage with travelers. With the proliferation of the internet and social media, digital marketing has become a crucial component of tourism marketing strategies. Here are some key aspects of digital marketing in the tourism industry:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO is essential for improving a tourism website’s visibility in search engine results. By optimizing website content, meta tags, and backlinks, tourism businesses can rank higher in search results and attract organic traffic.
• Content Marketing: Content marketing is a powerful tool in the digital landscape. By creating high-quality and valuable content, such as blog posts, articles, and videos, tourism businesses can attract and engage potential travelers, build brand credibility, and drive organic traffic to their websites.
• Social Media Marketing: Social media platforms provide tourism businesses with a direct way to connect and engage with travelers. Through strategic social media marketing, businesses can build a strong online presence, cultivate a loyal following, and showcase their destinations, services, and experiences.
• Online Advertising: Online advertising, including search engine marketing (SEM) and social media advertising, allows tourism businesses to reach a targeted audience. By running well-crafted ads, businesses can increase brand visibility, drive traffic to their websites, and generate bookings or inquiries.
• Influencer Marketing: Collaborating with travel influencers can be highly effective in digital marketing. By partnering with influencers who have a large and engaged following, tourism businesses can tap into their influence and reach, showcasing their offerings to a wider audience and gaining credibility through authentic recommendations.
• Online Travel Agencies (OTAs): OTAs such as Expedia, Booking.com, and Airbnb have become prominent players in the digital marketing landscape. Tourism businesses can leverage these platforms by listing their offerings and optimizing their presence to reach travelers who use OTAs for travel bookings.
• Email Marketing: Email marketing allows tourism businesses to nurture relationships with past and potential customers. By sending personalized and targeted emails, businesses can provide relevant offers, travel updates, and exclusive deals to encourage bookings and foster customer loyalty.
• Website Optimization and User Experience (UX): A well-designed and user-friendly website is crucial for digital marketing success. Ensuring fast loading times, easy navigation, mobile responsiveness, and clear call-to-action buttons can significantly improve user experience and boost conversion rates.

Implementing a comprehensive digital marketing strategy can give tourism businesses a competitive advantage in reaching and engaging with the modern traveler. By leveraging digital channels effectively, businesses can increase their online visibility, attract more visitors, and ultimately drive bookings and revenue.

Challenges and Trends in Tourism Marketing

The tourism industry is constantly evolving, and with it comes new challenges and emerging trends in tourism marketing. Here are some of the key challenges and trends that tourism businesses need to be aware of:

• Rising Competition: The tourism industry is becoming more competitive with the rise of digital marketing and the ease of global travel. Tourism businesses need to find innovative ways to differentiate themselves and stand out from the competition.
• Managing Online Reputation: With the increasing influence of online reviews and social media, tourism businesses need to actively manage their online reputation. Addressing customer concerns, responding to reviews, and providing excellent customer service are crucial for maintaining a positive online image.
• Changing Consumer Behavior: Consumer behavior is continuously evolving, with travelers becoming more tech-savvy and seeking personalized and unique experiences. Tourism businesses need to adapt their marketing strategies to cater to the changing preferences and expectations of travelers.
• Data Privacy and Security: With the collection and use of customer data for marketing purposes, data privacy and security have become significant concerns. Tourism businesses must comply with privacy regulations and ensure the security of customer information to maintain trust and protect sensitive data.
• Sustainability and Responsible Tourism: The growing importance of sustainability and responsible tourism has led to a shift in consumer attitudes. Travelers are increasingly seeking environmentally friendly and socially responsible travel options. Tourism businesses need to incorporate sustainability practices and communicate their commitment to responsible tourism in their marketing efforts.
• Technological Advancements: Emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming the tourism industry. Tourism businesses need to stay updated with these advancements and explore ways to incorporate them into their marketing strategies to provide immersive and personalized experiences to travelers.
• Shift towards Experiential Travel: Travelers are seeking more authentic and experiential travel experiences. This has led to a shift from traditional sightseeing to immersive and meaningful experiences. Tourism businesses can capitalize on this trend by designing unique experiences and crafting compelling storytelling in their marketing campaigns.
• Influence of Social Media and Influencers: Social media platforms and travel influencers have a significant impact on consumers’ travel choices. Tourism businesses need to harness the power of social media and build relationships with influencers to effectively engage with their target audience and tap into their influence.

By acknowledging and adapting to these challenges and trends, tourism businesses can stay ahead of the curve and create effective marketing strategies that resonate with today’s travelers. Embracing technology, promoting sustainability, and delivering personalized and experiential travel offerings are key to success in the dynamic tourism industry.

Tourism marketing plays a vital role in the success and growth of the tourism industry. It encompasses various strategies and tactics aimed at promoting destinations, travel services, and experiences to potential travelers. In today’s digital age, digital marketing has become an integral part of tourism marketing, allowing businesses to reach and engage with travelers on a global scale.

Effective tourism marketing is essential for raising destination awareness, attracting visitors, boosting the local economy, enhancing competitiveness, fostering repeat business, driving collaboration, and creating a positive perception of a destination. By implementing well-planned marketing strategies, tourism businesses can thrive in a highly competitive industry and contribute to the overall growth and development of the tourism sector.

However, tourism marketing also faces various challenges, including rising competition, managing online reputation, changing consumer behavior, data privacy concerns, and the emergence of new technologies. It is crucial for tourism businesses to stay updated with the latest trends and adapt their marketing strategies to meet the evolving needs and expectations of travelers.

Looking ahead, sustainability, experiential travel, technological advancements, and the influence of social media and influencers will continue to shape the tourism industry. Tourism businesses that embrace these trends and incorporate them into their marketing strategies will be better positioned to attract and engage with modern travelers.

In conclusion, tourism marketing is a dynamic and ever-evolving field that requires creativity, adaptability, and a deep understanding of consumer behavior. By leveraging targeted strategies, embracing digital marketing channels, and staying ahead of industry trends, tourism businesses can effectively promote their offerings, attract visitors, and contribute to the growth and success of the tourism industry.

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The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Travel & Tourism Marketing Strategy

Creating a marketing strategy for your travel and tourism company can help set you apart from the competition! If you need some guidance on how to begin and where to reach new customers, continue reading!

The COVID-19 pandemic placed an extreme burden on the travel and tourism industry. Between government-mandated shelter-in-place orders and individuals’ reluctance to venture far from home, Forbes estimates that travel and hospitality businesses worldwide lost an estimated $935 billion in 2020. The OECD estimates that international travel revenue decreased 80% . Shoring up travel and tourism is going to take a multi-pronged approach of restoring travelers’ confidence, offering clear information to domestic and international travelers, and building more resilience into your business through diverse offerings and quality services. Another way your hospitality business can build back is through thoughtful marketing.

Preparing to meet the pent-up demand for travel and tourism means being ready with an updated travel and tourism marketing strategy. Why have one? Marketers with a documented marketing strategy are 313% more likely to achieve their business goals. Just as keeping a planner helps individuals stay organized, having a marketing plan maps out the inputs your travel business will need to achieve its goals and how to put them in motion to enjoy the success you dream about.  

A marketing plan can also help you remain competitive. It will assist you with identifying target markets and understanding their wants. Marketing plans help you set measurable goals for sales and finances, and map out how you’ll reach customers and prospects with information about your offerings. In short, a travel and tourism marketing plan shows how you’ll tell the world how awesome your properties and services are. 

In this guide, we offer a basic flow for developing a marketing plan as well as strategies and tactics to consider. With a little planning and creativity, you can market your travel business like a pro!

Step 1: Conduct Market Research Among Key Stakeholders

Before you can begin creating a marketing strategy, you need to understand the why behind your need for one. You also need to understand where your brand has been… where it currently is… and where you want to take it. To do this, you need to sit with key stakeholders and identify:

• What is your unique value proposition - the thing that truly separates you from your competitors. 
• Who are your top competitors?
• If your brand were a person, what five words would you use to describe them?
• What are the top challenges you face when it comes to growing your business? 
• Who are the dream clients you aspire to work with?
• Who are your advocates? 
• What social media channels do your audiences hang out on? Are you on them?
• What is your goal for a marketing strategy? To grow brand recognition, gain clients, establish thought leadership opportunities for your executive team? All of the above?

You could find answers to these questions through focus groups, phone or online surveys, one-on-one interviews, or a combination of all. It’s best to employ a mix of quantitative and qualitative research when setting a marketing strategy for travel. Quantitative travel research will give you the “what” of your strategy while qualitative travel research will tell you the “why.”

Step 2: Establish Your 4 ‘Ps’ of Marketing

Having a marketing strategy means having plans in place to deal with both expected and unexpected situations. A marketing strategy helps you position your product to the right audience, at the right time for the right price. You should build your marketing strategy around the “Four Ps” of marketing:

• Product: The goods or services you offer.
• Price: The amount of money you charge for your product.
• Placement: Where or how your product is available for purchase.
• Promotion: What you do to communicate your product’s features and benefits to your target audiences.

Many variables affect your business success in the travel and tourism industry: competition, climate, current events. But you can control the four Ps.

Once you have decided on the four Ps for your product, one very important part of a marketing strategy that every business should establish early on are goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). What do you hope to achieve through your offerings? Increased sales? Higher volume? More frequent repeat business? And how will you know you’re getting there? KPIs are any metric that indicates success for your business. Ten businesses could designate 10 different KPIs for measuring their success and they would all be correct. 

Spend some time creating meaningful goals and KPIs that will define success for your travel business before you start working on tactics.

Step 3: Know Your Customers

It’s imperative to be close to your data when developing a marketing strategy. In order to do this, you need a customer relationship management system (CRM). A CRM will help you accurately track your company’s interactions with a current or potential customer. Every phone call, email, and website page visit gives you incredible insights into who your customers are and what they are interested in. And with 80% of consumers more likely to purchase from brands that provided personalized experiences, you’re leaving big money on the table by not using a CRM. 

What’s more, CRMs allow you to track the entire customer journey. There are five main stages in a typical travel customer’s lifecycle:

• Acquisition

At each stage, a CRM can help you serve the customer through:

• Generating brand awareness
• Acquiring leads
• Converting leads into customers
• Providing superior support
• Driving upsells and referrals

Successfully navigating leads and customers through these stages results in more business and profits for you, and a more customized experience for your customer. 

You’ll want to integrate your CRM with your other business tools. Connecting your CRM to your ticketing system helps you track orders and deliver promptly. Integrating your CRM with your content marketing platform helps you see what content is resonating best with your customer base and what knowledge gaps you still need to fill to encourage leads to convert. Joining your CRM with your phone system makes it easy for your call center agents or sales representatives to offer better customer support by having quick access to a customer’s purchase history or a potential customer’s journey through your sales funnel.

Step 4: Break Down Your Strategy Into Execution Channels

Marketing covers a huge span of online and offline channels. And studies show that having a strategy that covers multiple channels greatly impacts the bottom line. The numbers don’t lie: 

• Brands experience a 287% higher purchase rate when using three or more channels
• Average SMS ROI of approximately 2755%
• The average order is 13% more per order with an omnichannel approach vs. single channel
• Customer retention rates are 90% higher for omnichannel vs. single channel

A website is a critical component to your business success. It’s the central hub where your guests find information regarding travel packages and services, booking and reservations, travel details, and more. It’s one of the main places where your prospects are going to convert. 

Your website is a reflection of your brand, and you want to convey a friendly, no-hassle experience to your travelers in the form of aesthetically pleasing imagery, captivating copy, easy-to-navigate site setup, branding, and phone numbers to direct your customers’ questions to the right place. 

Your website’s user experience (UX) must offer information that answers all sorts of questions your guests may have about your services: pricing, amenities, loyalty programs, housekeeping, shuttle service, meeting rooms, excursions, and more. Displaying those details on your website and keeping lines of communication open helps your guests have a better experience with your brand. To make your website stand out and attract customers, you’ll want to consider adding these features to enhance your ability to communicate all this information. 

Crystal-Clear Navigation

Travelers don’t have time to dig through the weeds of a complicated website. If they can’t find what they’re looking for in 15 seconds, about half of your visitors have no problem leaving your site and looking on a competitor’s page. 

You can make it easy on visitors just by creating easy-navigation menus to create siloed information around specific topics of interest. Some of these topics in your menus might include: destinations, limited-time offers or specials, book or reserve, flight status, help or contact us, travel information, COVID-19, etc.  

Top navigation is to help travel brands create a natural flow of progression and a good customer experience. If this is your first experience with building out a custom menu, a good rule of thumb to follow is to stick with a menu no more than two steps deep. If you need more, your setup isn’t offering an ideal customer experience.

Real, Professional Photos

People want to see real, professional images of your product or service. It conveys authenticity and adds value. Your prospects can sniff out a stock photo from a mile away - don’t do it. Give your website visitors a real taste of what they’ll get if they book their stay or travel with you. Invest in a professional photographer to take photos that show off your hospitality and the beauty of your destinations in the best light possible. Update them for the seasons as your business grows. It will be money well spent. 

Phone Numbers in Prominent Places

Phone calls are still one of the fastest ways to get specific information. And, it remains the most preferred method of communication . When talking with a live staffer, Newcastle Web Design notes that callers have a better user experience. They’re able to get urgent answers and can ask probing questions in real-time. And, posting a phone number on your website builds trust between you and your prospect. 

Easily accessible phone numbers for guests to contact you about sales and support information is essential to a good experience. This is where virtual numbers add value, providing reliability, exceptional call quality, and little to no cost towards the consumer. 

• Toll Free Phone Numbers . Guests can dial into your call center from one country for free.
• Vanity Phone Numbers . Similar to a toll free number, vanity virtual numbers can be dialed from one country but use numbers that are easy to remember or spell out a brand name.
• UIFN . A UIFN (universal international freephone number) is a global toll free number that can be dialed from multiple countries. 
• Local DID + Caller ID . Establish a local presence and engage more with customers with two-way voice services plus caller ID. 

People love chatbots on websites because much like phone calls, chatbots offer instantaneous answers to very specific questions, resolution support issues, updates to existing itineraries, reservations and bookings, etc. IBM estimates that chatbots can answer up to 80% of common questions. 

Chatbots are great tools to integrate with your global phone system. They can save your business time and money by automatically handling queries to questions that would otherwise fill up your call queues and overwhelm the staff. 

Similar to instant gratification phone calls and chatbots offer, an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page is a perennial favorite among travelers because they house quick answers to, well, the most frequently asked questions. 

This common feature of websites saves visitors time by signaling where they can find digestible, short-form information on hot topics. FAQ sections also save your agents time by heeding off individual questions you hear all the time in the call queue - giving your staff more time for more taxing customer support and conversion activities. 

2. Content Marketing

Content marketing is strategically curating written articles, visuals, audio, and video to encourage conversions for your business. Essentially, it’s the process of providing your customers value in hopes that it will keep them informed and trusting of your brand so they will eventually buy, refer, and repeat. It means using a combination of the tactics below to promote your business across a variety of channels and touchpoints. Let’s look at the most common travel and tourism content marketing tactics. 

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the activities you can perform to ensure your targeted audience can find your website via search engines. This includes search engine marketing, improving your website’s content, using specially formatted text or coding to communicate directly with search engines, creating online business listings, and working with other websites to gain inbound links. 

SEO is important because search engines deliver a targeted audience to your site. People use search engines to find the information they need right then and there. The first page of search engine results gets 95% of all search engine traffic . Very few people click through to the second, third, or fourth pages. 

You want to optimize your travel and tourism website to be discoverable by search engines and ranked highly for the keywords of your choice. Unfortunately, there is no easy formula for getting your site on the first page of search results. Google, Bing, Yahoo! and other search engines constantly update and tweak their algorithms that respond to search queries and deliver search results. But there are a few things you can do to make your site more search engine- and user-friendly that will always count toward a better search engine ranking:

• Make your site relevant with engaging, thoughtful content . Sites that contain original, organized content centered around a well-defined topic (like your organization and its activities) will always outperform sites that are not well-organized or thoughtfully written. Take some time to review the text on your site, and ask yourself: Is it understandable? Is it grammatically correct? Is it non-repetitive? If the answer to any of these questions is no, revise it. 
• Use relevant images with alt text . Alt text is text that shows up in an image box when you hover your mouse over it or when the image does not load within your browser. This text tells search engines what the image is about, giving the engine a better idea of what your overall site is about.
• Make your site useful and current enough that other sites want to link to you . Although search engines no longer consider the number of outbound links you host when deciding how to rank you, they still consider inbound links – links on other sites that lead to your site. The best way to build your popularity is slowly, by encouraging related/similar sites to link back to you and by earning linkbacks through hosting updated, relevant content.
• Optimize your website for small screens .  79% of consumers used a mobile device in 2020 to make a purchase. Format your website to be more mobile responsive or risk discouraging visits. 
• Localize your content . Make sure your NAP is consistent across all your organic channels. NAP stands for name, address, and phone number, and it’s essential to ensure that every major search engine can verify your company’s existence. 
• 7-Day Italy Adventure > Book Now
• Atlanta Hotels > Check Rates
• Europe Cruise Fleets > Learn More
• Flight Details > Shop Now
• Travel Restrictions > Stay Updates 
• Track your website’s progress. Google Analytics helps brands track and report a myriad of website performance metrics. Coupled with call tracking software , companies can measure the reach and ROI of where their inbound calls are sourced from (direct website traffic or organic results) within Google Analytics or their VoIP provider dashboard. 

Once you’ve figured out what you want your travel and tourism website to be known for, support your SEO goals with rich content on a company blog. Use your keyword research to develop and execute an ongoing series of blog articles - with written word, images, video, and audio content - that feature those top-level keywords travelers use to find information about their next travel purchase. 

Getting content for your travel & tourism blog is easier than you might think when you view every marketing deliverable as potential content. Are you sending a promotional email to your contact database? Turn the email into a blog post. Have you created some print collateral recently? Pick content from those pieces to create several blog articles (and some even snappier social media posts). Everything and anything can be talked about from the right angle. 

Testimonial & Reviews

Word of mouth remains one of the most effective marketing tactics. In addition to friends and family sharing recommendations, we now have sites like Yelp, Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, and Travel + Leisure where travelers can share detailed experiences and recommendations for travel. Even short-term rental sites like Airbnb and VRBO act as de facto review sites because of the public reviews guests leave for each property. 

Be proactive about being visible on review sites. Ask your customers or guests to leave an online review about your business. Their testimonials will carry more weight than most, if not all, of your marketing. Place outstanding reviews in a prominent place on your website and within social media posts. Thank the people who offer a positive review and respond to any negative reviews with gratitude for their feedback and promise to do better going forward.

Video Creation

As tools like smartphones and video editing apps become more accessible, the popularity of video as a marketing tool is skyrocketing. Why use a still photo or words to describe your destination when you can show a viewer exactly what your destination looks and sounds like? As of last year, 86% of businesses used video as one of their marketing tools. Furthermore, among marketers promoting their business with video, 93% say it’s an important part of their strategy. 

If you’re not using video, what are you waiting for? Nowadays, brand loyalists and casual customers alike don’t always expect a company’s videos to be polished and slick. People value authenticity in marketing. They don’t necessarily care that a video was filmed on a smartphone as long as they perceive the story the video tells to be genuine. 

Some ideas for video marketing content:

• A tour of your property, cruise ship, leading travel destinations, etc.
• A walk-through of your services
• Interviews with internal advocates and customers

Remember to provide your viewers with a website domain and phone number at the end of your videos so they can reach out and engage with your brand. 

Social Media

Social media has become a ubiquitous part of travel planning because it’s so visual by nature - who can resist showing off photos of their latest dream vacation or swanky business trip? As part of your robust content marketing strategy, you’ll need to cultivate a social media presence on the platforms of your target audience’s choice. Items to consider:

• Where is your customer base gathering? Don’t bother spending time posting to LinkedIn if people are not talking about services or products related to your business there. You’ll probably want to focus on social media channels that are more visual, such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and TikTok. 
• What do your customers want to know more about? Post content that responds to their travel information needs that you identified during your stakeholder research. 
• How often do your customers want to hear from you? You don’t have to post multiple times a day or even every day to have a successful, engaging tourism social media strategy. You simply need to post shareable and digestible content consistently.
• What are your staff’s social content capabilities? Some platforms require specific types of content: videos for YouTube or TikTok, photos for Instagram. If you want to stand out on these platforms, not only will you need to know how to create videos or take compelling photos, but you’ll want to know the nuances of social media culture. TikTok has a very different vibe than Facebook, for example. Make sure someone on your staff understands how to culturally navigate platforms before you overextend your business or inadvertently commit a social media faux pas.

While we may sound like a broken record here, having consistent messaging is vital in content marketing. You want your brand presence to reflect that so your customers have a good experience engaging with your business. Make it a point to always ensure your brand description, website domain, name, address, and telephone numbers point back to the related location your customers are intending to visit. 

3. Email Marketing

Email is one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to reach your potential customer base. Even with an estimated 306.4 billion emails sent per day , people still prefer receiving news and other messages via email. 58% of people check their email before reading news or social media, and 60% want to receive promotional information via email rather than through other channels. 

Email is a great way to market your travel and tourism business because it allows you to send personalized messages. You can segment your customer list to send more relevant promotions and information to customer subgroups while allowing customers to segment themselves by signing up for certain types of emails they’re interested in. You can let customers control how frequently they hear from you by using automated email campaigns that run at designated frequencies. 

To be really effective at email marketing, you’ll want to first build an email list. You should start with existing customers. Collect new contacts everywhere you have a potential customer touchpoint: 

• Web-based subscription forms
• Gated online content and coupons
• Trade shows or expos
• Webinar registrations

What kinds of emails should you send? That depends on the exact nature of your travel business. In general, you’ll want to set up the following types of emails, many of which you can create in advance and tell your email marketing platform to automatically send when your CRM tells your email platform that a recipient has reached a certain milestone or completed a certain conversion:

• Welcome emails : when someone signs up to receive your emails.
• Follow-up emails : sent a few days to one week after someone signs up. These offer extended information about a topic or more detailed information about your offerings.
• Milestone emails : to recognize (sometimes with a discount) when someone has a birthday or reaches an anniversary of supporting your business. 
• Newsletters : to keep subscribers apprised of what’s new with your business, how to maximize their travel, and how to discover offerings they haven’t yet considered.
• Informational emails: including product explanations, trip updates, and responses to current events that affect your operations. 
• Confirmation emails : sent when someone makes a purchase or completes a conversion.
• Abandoned cart emails: sent when someone adds a trip to the online cart but then leaves your website without purchasing it. These emails should remind the recipient of the benefits of the service(s) they intended to purchase and offer customer service or tech support if needed.
• Thank you emails : sent when someone makes a purchase or converts.

There’s a lot to email marketing. Make sure that your email templates always point back to a relevant landing page to your website or customer support contact. For example, if you’re sending an informational email regarding new 2022 trips to Asia, be sure to include a CTA that links to a landing page where those newly-added itineraries live.

4. Advertising

Paid search ads.

When people are searching for specific information, one of the first places they go is an online search engine. Make sure your brand is included in their search results by bidding on paid search ad spaces. Paid search ads appear next to organic search results. They look similar to organic search links but are sold in instantaneous mini-auctions among companies vying for potential customers searching for related information. You only pay for the ad if someone clicks on it.

Your business can appear within search results about your niche of the travel and tourism industry when you run ad campaigns on search engine platforms like Google , Yahoo ! or Bing . With the free training those platforms provide, it’s easy to set up an ad campaign that targets people searching for a set of keywords you determine. You can also target client lookalike audiences based on their past searches and general demographics. Be sure to establish a reasonable budget for paid search campaigns and spend some time refining a tightly-focused keyword list that describes the core of your travel/tourism business. With millions of people using search engines each day, you could easily blow through hundreds or thousands of dollars every day in paid search ad clicks. At the same time, you want to bid competitively so your ads actually appear high up in search results and have the chance for potential customers to see them.

Programmatic Ads

Programmatic advertising is the use of technology and automation in the buying and selling of online media. Programmatic ad platforms track your site’s visitors as they surf the web, serving them ads in established display ad spaces relevant to what they’ve already viewed. These retargeted ads encourage the user to revisit past site pages and take action. 

So say you had visitors who viewed your website’s destination page but didn’t convert. Instead of relying on them to come back to that page, programmatic or retargeted ads pull through on their most visited third-party sites and social media platforms. This is a cost-effective way to advertise online and remind customers of your brand and the services you can provide. 

Metasearch Engines

These are price comparison websites that compare rates for major travel-related expenses like flights, hotels, rental cars, or cruises across several companies or brands. Several metasearch engines in the travel and tourism industry include Destinia, TripAdvisor, Trivago, Skyscanner, and Kayak. Travelers enjoy using metasearch engines because these sites save research time and money on their reservations. Consider purchasing display ads or digital retargeting ads on these sites to reinforce your brand when people search for related services or move on to other websites during their research. 

Direct Mail

Once the bane of homes everywhere, direct mail is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Consumers are more accepting of direct mailers for products and services, with open rates landing at 90% and 39% of consumers purchasing from a new business that sent a direct mailer. 

When creating a direct mailer, consider the shareability aspect. RetailWire has found that households collaboratively discuss 88% of key purchases, including travel. And it’s proven to be effective at generating sales: a study by Go Inspire Group found that people who received a direct mail piece spent five times as much on the advertised product as another group who only received emails about the same product. Even better, a third group who received emails and direct mail spent more than six times as much as the email-only group.

If you want to make direct mail a part of your marketing strategy, the U.S. Small Business Administration recommends these steps :

• Start with existing customers: Your customers remain loyal because they know the services you provide them. Two-thirds of people discard mail from companies they haven’t heard of. Don’t waste money on people who don’t care about you (yet).
• Target your direct mail: Beyond your customers, send promotional direct mail pieces to people potentially interested in your product. The USPS offers resident demographics through their Every Door Direct Mail program . You could also rent targeted mailing lists through a variety of list companies.
• Use thoughtful design: Mail pieces with interesting visuals, minimal, readable text, and a clear call-to-action perform the best.
• Extend a worthy offer: Speaking of calls-to-action, tell the recipient what you want them to do and make them a deal so sweet they can’t resist taking advantage of it. You’re already investing a fair amount of money in a direct mail campaign. If you want it to result in conversions, your offer must be great.

5. Public Relations

Public relations (PR) is the strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics. It is about influencing, engaging, and building relationships with your key audiences across multiple platforms such as paid media (including advertising), earned media (media appearances), and owned media (like your website or social media pages). While PR has a reputation (and history) of being a bunch of spin, modern public relations is much more about telling your organization’s story in an honest way that responds to audience concerns so that your organization can succeed.

With that in mind, what stories about your travel or tourism company could you tell to respond to travelers’ concerns? What benefits of engaging with your company could you explain, and through which channels, to reach potential customers and get on their short list of travel-related companies to patronize?

To run a successful PR program, Aventur Marketing advises following a few key points:

Know Your Audience

Who are they? What are their demographics? What are their lifestyles like? What do they want from a travel or tourism company? Furthermore, where are they “hanging out” when it comes to the media? Do they watch television, or prefer to read newspapers and magazines? Do they frequent certain travel blogs? Do they congregate on Facebook, Twitter, or both? Meet your audiences where they are with your message.

Build Relationships With Key Travel Media Professionals

It’s not enough to distribute a press release about your new property or renovations and hope every publication you emailed will print it. Publishers receive hundreds of releases and media advisories weekly. They won’t pay attention to your press release unless it appeals directly to their readers, and they trust you to provide high-quality content.

Build relationships with travel writers and bloggers from a targeted list of travel and tourism publications you assemble that you know your audience consumes. Know what these writers enjoy writing about, and provide them with related, substantive content even if it doesn’t directly promote your business. They’ll come to trust you as a reliable source of information that makes their job easier. Then, when you do have an item to promote about your tourism company, they’ll be much more receptive to working with you to reach their audience.

Customize Your Pitches to Different Niches

You can’t pitch the same topic to every publication and expect them all to publish it. Customize your story pitch to the publication and medium. For example, your convention and visitors bureau’s (CVB) news about a new facility opening might easily win placement in your local newspaper because of the local business aspect. But to win placement in an out-of-state publication, you’ll have to explain why out-of-state visitors should stop at your shiny new facility.

Maybe it’s the free concierge services you offer for local attractions? Or maybe it’s the ticket discounts you can only get by visiting your new location? In addition, a travel-oriented Instagram account is going to want photos to accompany your written information. A travel sage YouTuber is going to want video B-roll, or the opportunity to visit and have your staff guide them around as they film for their YouTube channel. Customize the format in which you offer information to dramatically increase the chances different media will pick it up. 

Get to Know the Local DMOs & CVBs

Speaking of CVBs, make friends with these staff right away! Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and CVBs are groups whose job is to promote a local area to tourists, business visitors, and people thinking of relocating there. They know all the best information and movers/shakers related to travel and tourism in the area. If they come to know your business as an interesting, can’t-miss part of the local experience, they could provide very valuable paid or earned marketing for you that is backed by their authority in the local travel arena. They could also help boost your business by sending journalists assigned to cover your area to talk with you about your business. These connections can result in greater web visibility through increased SEO and exposure.

Again, travel publications receive hundreds, if not thousands, of pitches weekly. You have a few seconds to grab their attention with your email or phone call, so get to the point of your news quickly. One or two paragraphs is usually the maximum needed before a journalist or writer will decide to reach out to you for more information.

If you’re unsure about how to craft a winning PR pitch or how to start building relationships with journalists, check out Destination British Columbia’s excellent guide to travel media relations strategies and tactics.

Preparing for the New Travel Market

COVID-19 changed everything about the way travel and tourism brands need to market themselves to remain competitive as economies open back up.  It's more important now than ever for CMOs of travel and tourism brands to reevaluate their marketing strategies to accommodate growing customer expectations. And a “wait and see” approach won’t help you make up for lost dollars as people begin to travel again. 

We hope that this guide will help you to evaluate your current strategy and make the necessary changes that will help your organization thrive now and in the future. 

Deliver a 5-Star Guest Experience with Modern Cloud Communications

Stay connected to your guests with modern global communications software. Your marketing strategy brought them to you, now nurture and grow your relationship with excellent call quality, robust virtual number inventory spanning 170+ countries worldwide, and more - all on a reliable voice platform. 

Katharine Kellar

Katharine is the Director of Marketing Communications at AVOXI, bringing over 17 years of experience in nurturing B2B, e-commerce, SaaS, and global brands. Fueled by her relentless drive for growth and an unwavering optimism, she finds joy in every day's silver linings. Outside of her professional achievements, Katharine is a coffee aficionado, savoring the aroma and taste of a freshly brewed cup as she crafts compelling narratives that resonate across diverse markets.

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Travel Agency Marketing - What Exactly Is It?

Updated March 15, 2024

Ever find yourself scrolling through breathtaking photos of far-off destinations and thinking, "Wow, I need to be there"?

Well, behind every captivating image and irresistible travel deal lies the unsung hero of the travel world: travel agency marketing.

But what exactly is travel agency marketing?

Let's jump in and talk about what, exactly, is marketing and its role in the travel industry. And more specifically, its role in your travel agency.

What exactly Is travel agency marketing?

At its core, travel agency marketing is all about storytelling.

It's the art of crafting compelling stories that invite potential adventurers to explore new destinations. Every travel package you sell is an adventure waiting to be had, and your mission is to entice the audience not just to listen but to step in and be part of the story.

It's about connecting the right traveler with the perfect journey, using a blend of creativity, strategy, and maybe a dash of magic.

The many paths of travel agency marketing

The world of travel marketing is as vast and varied as the destinations we long to visit.

Let's take a look at the different types of digital marketing that make up the overall marketing picture.

Content Marketing

Think of content marketing as the travel brochure of the digital age.

But instead of static pages, you're weaving  stories that transport readers to the cobblestone streets of Rome or the serene beaches of Bali. It's your chance to showcase the beauty and uniqueness of destinations, sharing insider tips, and hidden gems that make each journey unforgettable.

Most of the time when people talk about content marketing in the digital marketing world, it's specifically referring to a blog. A travel blog can be an essential part of your marketing strategy, and allow you to reach new audiences and potential customers.

Social Media Marketing

More often than not, when people have questions about marketing, they're only thinking about social media marketing.

While social media marketing can be an important part of your overall marketing strategy, it doesn't begin and end there!

Whether you choose to be on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn or YouTube (or any other social media platform), one thing to keep in mind is that you don't control your results.

Each of these companies have their own algorithm that determines what gets seen, when and by how many people. So while it is free (unless you pay for advertising or boosting posts), your marketing efforts can be in vain if you don't have a good strategy and understand each platform's algorithm.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The Map to Visibility

Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization are both parts of your website digital marketing strategy.

By using keywords and phrases that people are searching for, you can have your website show up in search results when people are searching for specific things.

In order for keywords to work, you need to narrow down the list of keywords you're trying to rank for as part of your digital marketing plan. Too many and you'll never create enough content to rank for any of them. Too few, or too specific, and you'll never outrank the big online travel agencies and your content wont be seen.

Influencer and Partnership Marketing

Yes, there is a place in travel agency marketing for partnership and influencer marketing.

Is there a travel content creator who appeals to the audience you'd like to attract? Reach out to them and ask if you can help plan a trip. Not that you'll be providing things for free, but that you'll be providing your planning services for free.

As part of the partnership agreement, they tag your agency as the partner who made this adventure possible.

It's not a strategy that I'd recommend with a huge content creator, but if there's a smaller account whose content your audience would also enjoy, try working together to grow each others' travel business.

Working together with a travel blogger is also an option. Many bloggers are looking for places to guest post, so if you have a strong website and blog platform you may be able to guest post and grow from each others audience.

You can also partner with other travel advisors. Do you have a specific niche, but often get requests outside of it? Find another advisor with a different niche and share leads.

Email Marketing

While email marketing is the most effective form of digital marketing, it can only happen once potential clients know you exist and decide to join your email list. It's your direct line to potential travelers.

The beauty of email marketing is that it reaches people, who have already asked to hear from you, someplace that is personal to them. Aka, their inbox.

The key to good email marketing is personalization. Just as no two travelers are the same, no two emails should be either.

Tailor your messages to fit the interests and dreams of your audience, and watch as your open rates climb.

The bottom line

Each of these types of travel agency marketing has its pros and cons, and they work best as part of an overall digital marketing strategy.

One size doesn't fit every travel company, and no single marketing strategy works on its own. 

It's all about finding the right combination for you and your specific travel agency.

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6 Strategies for Harnessing Travel and Tourism Marketing

Published On: November 25, 2022

Travel is back, and it’s coming back strong . Since 2020, US digital ad spend has been steadily increasing year over year. In 2023, it’s projected that spend will reach $4.54 billion USD, a 12% increase from 2022. 

For travel marketers, this growth signals that it’s time for a fresh tourism marketing strategy. To help you build a programmatic strategy for travel that drives results, we’re unpacking the latest trends in the industry, and sharing top-of-mind travel and tourism marketing strategies. 

Travel and Tourism Trends 

It’s clear that the travel revival has started. Across the industry, there have been positive signs, from increasing traffic in US airports to growing ad spend . Let’s dive into some of those travel and tourism marketing trends in detail. 

Domestic Tourism Is Booming

Although international destinations also account for a large amount of US consumer spending on travel, it’s important not to forget about domestic travellers. Americans go on over 2.29 billion domestic trips every year! 

In fact, one study found that 96% of the survey respondents took (or planned to take) at least one domestic leisure trip in 2022. And, 80% of those respondents described their most recent local travel experience as positive or very positive.

Consumers Are Looking to Travel With Purpose

Travellers are becoming increasingly value driven, which is influencing their decisions when purchasing travel products and services. Seventy-two percent of travellers are looking to have a positive impact and support communities and businesses through tourism. 

Sixty-nine percent of consumers said they are more mindful of choosing hotels and airlines that align with their values and support diversity and inclusion within their workforce. Travellers are also becoming more eco-friendly and many are looking to support airline brands that are sustainable (68%) and carbon negative (55%).

Personalized Experiences Are for Travellers, Too

Consumers are increasingly expecting personalized marketing experiences at every touch point through the marketing funnel, from their first exposure to a brand, all the way to their post-purchase experience. 

This is relevant across all industries, including travel and tourism marketing. Personalized marketing in travel is now a must-have. According to Skift , That personalized touch can drive increased conversion rates and revenue, and improve customer loyalty. 

6 Travel and Tourism Marketing Strategies

Here are 6 travel and tourism marketing strategies that will help map out your next travel campaign. 

1. Use Geotargeting to Reach Nearby Consumers

Geotargeting is the practice of delivering content to a consumer—via mobile or web—using the geographic location information of the recipient. For travel and tourism marketing, it’s the perfect strategy for tapping into the booming domestic tourism market. 

For example, if a destination marketing organization (DMO) based in Nevada wants to attract travellers from their neighbour state, California, they can leverage geofencing to capture the attention of people located there. Geofencing targets users based on the geographic location information of the recipient. This tactic draws a virtual fence around a geographic location, so that users who enter that “fenced” area are served your ads.

You can target audiences using location data like country, state, postal or zip code, or even a specific address. If you’re looking to attract domestic consumers, geotargeting is one strategy that will help you remind travellers of what’s in their own backyard. 

2. Use Video to Entice Consumers to Book

Travel is an emotional experience for consumers. Therefore, leveraging a channel that speaks to that emotion is a great way to capture the interest of your target audience. Video is particularly effective for travel because it’s an engaging and immersive medium that uses visual cues to create emotion in viewers. 

Travel brands can use video advertising to engage viewers with storytelling and showcase the experiences that they are offering. By engaging a viewer’s emotion, your video may entice them to book a weekend getaway at your hotel, or travel to your resort for the gorgeous beaches. When you run your video campaign on connected TV (CTV), you can capture and hold user attention particularly well because CTV provides a natural, full-screen experience. 

Ads shown on CTV are highly viewable, and are served in an environment in which the audience is already engaged. When watching a connected TV device, viewers understand and accept that ads are part of the viewing experience. 

Knowing this, they are more receptive to them. These benefits combined with CTV’s enhanced targeting options and inventory selection are just part of why we’re seeing CTV overtake linear ad spend. For travel marketers, CTV is the perfect channel for delivering video ads that will entice consumers to book travel. 

3. Appeal to the Audiences Through Eye-Catching Creative

Video is a fantastic channel for emotionally engaging consumers, but all formats of ad creative have a similar effect. Your campaign’s messaging, regardless of the medium, plays an important role in capturing the interest of your target audience. Build creatives that resonate with your target audience, so you can attract the travellers who are most likely to engage with your campaign. 

When running a travel campaign, use your ads to grab the interest of your audience by showing content that is relevant to them. For example, target users in cold geographic regions with images that show warm and sunny destinations. Hook your target demographic in the first few seconds by using language that speaks to them, intrigues them, or spurs an emotional response.

4. Leverage Contextual Advertising to Reach the Right Audience

Contextual targeting in travel and tourism marketing can enable you to reach audiences who are ready to travel. This targeting tactic uses algorithms to place ads based on keywords, website content, and other metadata. This way, users are targeted based on the environment in which an ad appears, which places focus on the consumer’s current frame of mind to show an ad that is hyper relevant.

Capturing an audience that is currently receptive to travel is the key to success. For example, by using contextual advertising to target content like, “best destinations in 2023,” you can reach travellers who are planning to travel soon, or planning to travel in the near future. To reach the people who are considering travel, make sure to first engage with those who are most interested—they will be more likely to book a trip. 

5. Measure Travel Advertising Results With a Brand Lift Study

Brand lift studies go beyond traditional metrics, like impressions, to help you measure a travel campaign’s impact on consumer perceptions and behaviour . A brand lift study measures the impact of your campaigns across all your programmatic channels, typically providing a picture of the consumer sentiment and brand affinity of people who have been exposed to your media. 

For travel marketing, it can be used to measure the impact of upper funnel campaigns on your consumers’ perception of your brand. Or, leverage it to measure consideration or purchase intent in the mid- to lower funnel.

Let’s say a hotel chain has just launched its first marketing campaign around a new hotel perk. The chain runs a brand lift study to understand whether their target audience is interested in the new offering. The study can discover how likely travellers are to pay more for access to the hotel perk, as well as the perception a consumer has about the chain after seeing an ad that mentions it. 

6. Use Messaging to Highlight the Value of Your Offering

Messaging in your travel marketing campaigns is your best tool for letting consumers know why they should book with you. In travel and tourism marketing, it can be leveraged to build consumer confidence, as well as to personalize. It’s your opportunity to share what makes your offering stand out. For example, if an airline offers a flexible rebooking policy, this should be highlighted in their digital campaigns. This way, airlines can capture the interest of hesitant travellers. The knowledge that an airline offers flexibility builds consumer trust, and may be the deciding factor for that consumer who might be on the fence. 

For personalization, consider what it is about your offering that will appeal to specific target audiences. For example, resorts that are eco-friendly should highlight this within their messaging. Let your audience know what the resort is doing that aligns with their values. With so many consumers looking to travel with purpose, this could be the deciding factor in making a purchase decision.

Use Case: How to Reach Beach Goers 

A resort in a sunny destination wants to attract beach goers. Here’s how this resort could use a combination of the above travel advertising strategies to reach their target audience.

• Leverage a video campaign to engage viewers with storytelling and showcase the experiences that the resort offers. Imagery of the resort will engage a viewer’s emotion, and entice them to book a vacation so that they can experience what they’ve seen in the video. 
• Incorporate into the campaign messaging that addresses common travel concerns. Build the trust of beach goers by highlighting a flexible rebooking policy, resort features, and more. 
• Incorporate creatives that targets users with video of a sunny, hot, beach, while targeting users in warmer climates with creatives of breezy ocean. By tailoring the creative based on geographic location, the campaign will appeal to the desires of consumers according to their customer profile. 
• Use contextual targeting to capture an audience that is currently receptive to a beach vacation. To reach beach goers, target content like, “best beach vacations 2023.” That way, the campaign reaches consumers who are actually eager to go on vacation, or are receptive to the idea of a beach vacation in the near future. 

Travel and Tourism Marketing is Going Places

Are your travel and tourism marketing campaigns ready to take flight? To keep up with the current trends in travel, be sure to leverage strategies that reach the right audiences, at the right moment. That could mean using geotargeting to attract domestic travellers, or crafting messaging that aligns your offering with consumer values. The key is to test your strategies until you find the perfect mix. 

StackAdapt is partnered with Adara, the leader in travel data, to offer solutions for travel campaigns, including unique audiences, insights and targeting.

Want to get started with travel and tourism marketing? Request a demo to learn more about our travel solutions.

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VP of Marketing

Christiana leads the global marketing team and brings 9+ years of dedicated adtech experience to the forefront of the industry. She is committed to shaping and executing marketing strategies that propel StackAdapt to new heights in digital advertising.

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Experiences refined for people

The Top 12 Travel Marketing Trends Defining 2024

Erik Stubenvoll

Wanderlust is revitalizing the travel industry.

Amidst this boom,  travel advertisers rebounded with post-pandemic vigor, boosting ad spending by 15% in 2023 over the previous year.

Explore these 12 travel marketing trends that illustrate an industry recovering and reimagining its future.

1. Alternative ID-free targeting methods are surging in the new cookieless advertising era

With increasing concerns over privacy and Third-Party cookies’ impending phase-out , travel marketers must rely more on alternative methods like First- and Second-Party data, contextual marketing, cross-device audience targeting, and more.

Below are the top targeting strategies you’ll see to in response to this cookieless trend:

1.  First-Party Data

First-Party (1P) data , collected directly from customer interactions, is now the gold standard in travel advertising. This includes data collected through direct interactions, like website visits, app usage, customer feedback, and booking histories. 

Travel brands use this data to understand where and how their core customers interact with digital marketing placements.

2. ID-Free Artificial Intelligence (AI) & First-Party

ID-free targeting combines AI with First-Party data to analyze anonymous digital journey patterns, creating a map to identify the actions of similar website visitors. 

Advertisers can tailor their model using their own First-Party data to forecast and choose impression opportunities.

3. Second-Party Data

Collaborating with trusted partners to use Second-Party data involves collecting data through deterministic processes like login IDs, providing a more accurate and scalable way to target specific audience segments.

4. Contextual Marketing

Contextual marketing targets ads based on the content currently being viewed by users, replacing the need for Third-Party data.

Contextual marketing matches ads with the user’s current interests and the webpage’s theme, enhancing relevance and audience engagement.

AI-powered contextual marketing analyzes audience actions in real time to identify engagement patterns, enabling brands to target similar content to new audiences at optimal moments.

Travel marketers should explore and implement cookieless solutions, experimenting with strategies that best align with their brand and audience to stay ahead this year.

💡 The Takeaway

Travel marketers must adopt cookieless targeting strategies like First- and Second-Party data, ID-free AI, and contextual marketing to achieve precise, privacy-compliant audience engagement.

2. Sports tourism is very popular amid the Paris Olympics & other big events

Sports tourism will continue to surge in 2024, fueled by high-profile events like the Paris Summer Olympics , the FIFA World Cup , March Madness , and the Super Bowl , where tourists book travel tickets at least a year in advance.

The appeal of sports tourism is growing due to new tournaments and a rise in women’s sports participation, including events like the Women’s Big Bash League and the women’s edition of the Indian Premier League.

Increased government funding, initiatives to promote sports tourism, and a rise in young athletes are also major influences.

Travel marketers can take full advantage of this surge by integrating strategies, such as advanced TV advertising strategies like Connected TV (CTV) and Picture-in-Picture (PiP) (a type of interactive CTV) advertising , as well as advertising on Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels.

PiP allows viewers to watch live sports and other content, allowing travel brands to present appealing packages during these events.

Sports tourism’s rising popularity, driven by major events like the Paris Olympics and increased women’s sports participation, presents a significant opportunity to use advanced advertising strategies and tap into this growing market.

3. Video content to expand target audiences & enhance website traffic

Integrating traditional blog posts with concise, visually engaging video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram greatly enhances a brand’s reach and website traffic potential.

TikTok’s user growth–approximately eight new users every second –highlights video content’s potential to reach a broad audience. This trend isn’t lost on travel companies, which they use to engage customers better.

Video content for travel marketing serves multiple purposes:

• Sharing Holiday Experiences: Travel companies use videos to give potential customers a glimpse of the experiences that await them, making these destinations more tangible and inviting.
• Highlighting Destination Information: Videos provide a dynamic way to showcase the attractions and uniqueness of a country or destination, offering viewers a virtual tour that text alone cannot match.
• Presenting Activities and Experiences: Through video, travel brands can vividly depict the range of activities available at a destination, from adventurous excursions to relaxing retreats, engaging viewers with the possibilities.
• Conveying the Destination’s Essence: Videos enable travel companies to capture and convey the essence of a destination – its culture, scenery, and atmosphere – creating a compelling narrative that draws viewers in.

Online video (OLV) and Connected TV (CTV) have also opened new avenues for reaching families and larger audiences, especially using cross-device targeting.

For example, a family watching a Royal Caribbean cruise ad on CTV is later targeted with personalized smartphone follow-up offers, enhancing engagement and allowing travel marketers to track the ad’s effectiveness across multiple platforms.

💡 The Takeaway Integrating visually engaging video content, such as on TikTok and Instagram, alongside traditional blog posts can significantly expand a travel brand’s reach and website traffic potential, engaging viewers with immersive storytelling.

4. TikTok emerges as a modern travel guide to engage younger audiences

TikTok has transformed travel guides, with videos replacing traditional blog posts as the go-to source for travel inspiration and information.

Since 2021, TikTok has seen a staggering 410% increase in views of travel content, with 71% of European users likely to book a holiday based on TikTok recommendations. 

🌴 TikTok Made Me Travel There 83% of Spanish users would consider a travel product or activity after seeing it on TikTok.

TikTok’s community craves content that stirs wanderlust, showcasing unique destinations and experiences.

TikTok’s findings on the top travel content for 2023.

Travel brands should align their content strategy with the top emerging TikTok travel trends and user preferences, such as:

• Luxury Travel: Many users discover affordable luxury destinations on TikTok, increasing interest in these experiences. Brands should showcase any luxury options.
• Domestic Travel: As travel preferences shift towards more local experiences, brands should highlight unique local travel experiences.
• Sustainable Travel: Sustainability is a growing concern among TikTok users, with hashtags like #SustainableTravel and #EcoTourism drawing millions of views. Travel brands should promote eco-friendly and sustainable travel options.

Adapting to these trends, travel brands can inspire, engage, and connect with a travel-enthusiastic audience.

TikTok is a prime platform for travel inspiration and recommendations. Travel brands should align their content with emerging TikTok travel trends like luxury, domestic, and sustainable travel to engage younger audiences effectively.

5. Influencer marketing is a resurgent force, especially on TikTok

According to a MediaRadar report, as major travel categories (e.g., airlines, lodging, rental car companies) ramp up their marketing efforts, a substantial portion of their budgets is allocated to partnerships with creators and influencers.

Influencers, with their large followings and ability to generate authentic content, offer a personal touch and a sense of trust that traditional advertising channels often can’t match. 

Local influencers help draw their following to restaurants and other locations in the area.

@gracietravels i bet you didnt know about these! 🫣 ✈️ #travelhacks #traveltiktok #travelfyp #travellife #traveltips #travelhack #traveltok ♬ original sound – grace | TravelCreator✨

Gracietravels shares helpful dos and don’ts for various exotic locations.

As travel marketing continues to surge, much of marketing spending will likely go to creator partnerships, increasing total influencer marketing spending.

Influencer marketing is returning, particularly on TikTok, with significant budgets allocated by major travel categories for partnerships with creators who offer authentic and trustworthy content.

6. Eco-tourism is a rising star, especially among younger travelers 

Ecotourism focuses on travel experiences that preserve and sustain natural environments while improving the welfare of local populations.

A lust for more outdoor travel experiences, urbanization, and affordable flight availability primarily drives ecotourism’s popularity. Generation Y (millennials) dominates ecotourism, with 60% of the share and spending $200 billion on travel.

For example, #SustainableTravel boast s 78.1 million views, and #EcoTourism garnered 72M views on TikTok.

Booking.com found that 76% of survey respondents planned to travel greener, up 15% from 2021. 55% of travelers seek off-the-grid vacations for escapism, with 44% preferring simpler travel experiences.

Hotels are increasingly committing to go carbon-neutral by 2050 or earlier to appeal to eco-conscious travelers. The Brutalist-style Hotel Marcel Hilton in Connecticut is the first net-zero carbon emissions hotel in the United States.

Travel marketers can tap into these younger generational and eco-conscious segments by focusing on eco-friendly and unique travel experiences in their campaigns.

Ecotourism is on the rise, driven by the popularity of outdoor travel experiences and younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z. Travel marketers can cater to eco-conscious travelers by highlighting sustainable initiatives.

7. Virtual reality offers virtual tourism opportunities

As VR technology becomes more sophisticated and accessible, it opens up new opportunities for consumers and advertisers.

Innovative services like Discover Live and Wowzitude , are offering interactive virtual vacation tours, allowing users to experience destinations before they decide to visit them in person.

Companies like Meta are enhancing the VR experience, with products like the Oculus headset offering virtual tours of world-renowned sites, such as the reconstruction of Notre Dame.

Platforms like Renderverse and Avatour provide VR-based real estate and travel tours, allowing users to explore properties and destinations remotely.

The VR space also opens up the potential for partnerships and sponsorships. For instance, theater groups could secure corporate sponsorships by integrating ads into their VR performances.

Despite its growing popularity, VR technology is still evolving. Users want high-quality, real-time experiences to share with friends, pushing the boundaries of current VR capabilities.

Virtual reality (VR) technology offers immersive virtual tourism experiences and advertising opportunities, driven by innovative services and products, but the demand for high-quality, real-time VR experiences continues to challenge its growth.

8. Adapting to SEO & local SEO in the AI age

Advanced AI models like Google’s Gemini signal a trend toward AI-generated content rich in quality and relevance. Gemini can understand diverse formats like text, images, and even audio.

Google’s Search Generative Experience will integrate diverse content formats like videos, web stories, and podcasts in SERP (search engine results pages) optimization to directly engage users from the search results. A consistent and diversified presence across these channels can help travel brands capture more organic traffic, complementing paid search strategies.

For travel marketers, the increasing need for personalized, localized, and experiential local strategies signifies a shift towards creating more immersive and region-specific content. 

Create content that resonates with the local culture and experiences. This includes local posts, stories about the area, and highlights of unique local attractions.

In the AI age, travel marketers should prioritize creating immersive and localized content to enhance SEO and engage users effectively.

9. Travel apps are transforming how travelers organize trips

Travelers have a growing demand for travel apps, with the industry witnessing a 53% increase in the last year.

These platforms serve as digital travel agencies, offering a seamless interface for managing bookings, accommodations, and activities. They offer convenience without juggling various booking sites and the fear of falling into tourist traps or overpriced services.

As digital tools for trip planning become more popular, opportunities in marketing partnerships, targeted ads, and direct customer engagement grow. Booking.com leads with its intuitive design and broad booking capabilities.

Meanwhile, niche apps like TakeMeOutOfOffice , Brevity , and LetsBatch cater to unique travel needs, offering specialized services for leisure breaks, business trips, and group travel, respectively.

10. Return to hotels in the face of Airbnb’s growing challenges

Despite financial prosperity, with bookings hitting unprecedented highs and the company celebrating its first full profitable year in 2022, Airbnb confronts a mix of discontent from guests, hosts, and cities alike. 

Issues range from the platform’s rising costs to the mismatch between online portrayals and actual accommodations, alongside stringent regulations from cities aiming to curb short-term rentals.

Airbnb listings surpass available apartments:

• Airbnb listings outnumber available apartments in NYC areas (Manhattan, Brooklyn, northwest Queens).
• Asheville, NC: 2,881 Airbnb properties vs. 250+ long-term rentals.
• Austin: 12,205 Airbnb listings vs. 3,700 long-term rentals.

Airbnb’s growing challenges, including rising costs, regulatory pressures, and guest dissatisfaction, are driving a noticeable shift of some travelers back to traditional hotels.

11. New Airbnb-style car rental companies are taking off

Skyrocketing rental car prices were a popular frustration during pandemic-era travel stories, hitting record highs in July 2021. Turo , a peer-to-peer car-sharing platform, allows car owners to rent their own cars to regular people, like an Airbnb for cars.   The global car-sharing market surpassed $2 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at least 20% annually through 2027. Taking advantage of the industry’s growth, other companies like Getaround and Car Shair are quickly following. These platforms cater to a growing consumer demand for more accessible, cost-effective, and flexible car rental options. Whether or not it will face the same fate as Airbnb is yet to be decided, though it is certainly challenging traditional rental agencies.

The rise of peer-to-peer car rental platforms signifies a transformative shift towards economical and personalized transportation options, challenging traditional rental models.

12. Travelers want nostalgia & more family time

A staggering 88% of travelers desire nostalgic getaways that hark back to yesteryears—be it visiting locations of retro film fame or opting for bus travel reminiscent of school excursions.  23% of travelers, including millennials and Gen Z who have not experienced it firsthand, are yearning for pre-digital charm, seeking an escape to a simpler time. This sentiment is fueling interest in popular destinations in the ’80s and ’90s, such as Budva in Montenegro and Bolzano in Italy, both trending locations in 2023. Furthermore, family travel is evolving, with 54% of respondents planning multi-generational trips or “family reunion” vacations.

There’s an increasing demand for nostalgic travel and multi-generational family trips. Offering competitive Child Rates is a strategic move to capitalize on this trend. Such initiatives can potentially boost family bookings by 15% on average.

Travel Advertising Trends in 2024

The shift towards cookieless advertising, the rise of sports tourism, the dominance of video content, and the growing influence of platforms like TikTok and VR technology are redefining how travel brands engage with their audiences.  With a stronger focus on eco-tourism and the integration of AI in SEO strategies, travel marketers are poised to deliver more personalized, immersive, and sustainable travel experiences. Adapting to these trends will help travel brands stay ahead in a competitive market and meet diverse traveler needs around the globe.

About the Author

Erik Stubenvoll is a Managing Director at KORTX with over 20 years of experience. When he is not learning about his client’s goals, he is on the sidelines with his wife at his daughter’s softball and soccer games or on the golf course.

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Travel Marketing: Strategies That Work

In the travel industry, the success of one’s business is greatly influenced by the effectiveness and creativity of their marketing strategies. At its core, travel marketing is the linchpin, connecting destinations with dreams, services with experiences, and accommodations with adventures.

It’s the art and science of inspiring potential travelers, guiding them from initial curiosity to the final act of booking. The importance of travel marketing cannot be overstated; it is the driving force that propels travel companies, agencies, and destinations into the spotlight of their target audience.

As we delve deeper, emerging technologies like virtual reality, mobile apps, and augmented reality continually reshape the tourism industry’s landscape, making marketing efforts more interactive and immersive.

These tools and traditional digital marketing , such as email marketing, social media, and SEO, form the backbone of an effective marketing strategy. They allow travel brands to weave compelling narratives around travel destinations, showcasing unique selling points through engaging content, virtual tours, and real-world settings.

Effective marketing strategies—crafting engaging social media posts, leveraging user-generated content, or executing targeted email campaigns—cannot be underestimated in driving the success of travel companies and destinations. These strategies ensure that every marketing effort is a step towards enhancing the customer experience, engaging potential travelers, and building a loyal customer base.

Online travel agencies and tour operators vie for attention on various platforms, the need for standout travel marketing tips and strategies has never been more critical. The best travel marketing tips hinge on understanding the specific demographic of your target market, engaging with them through high-quality content on platforms they frequent, and utilizing data analytics tools like Google Analytics to refine your approach.

For travel agencies, travel agents, and all stakeholders within the travel business, embarking on refining or reinventing your travel marketing strategy means embracing many digital tools—from SEO to influencer marketing and virtual reality tours to social media marketing campaigns. These tools aim to attract visitors to a particular destination and enhance the overall marketing campaign cost-effectively and efficiently, ensuring that marketing content resonates well with prospective customers.

Table of Contents

The Essence of Travel Marketing: Creating Dreams into Destinations

Travel marketing stands at the intersection of aspiration and action. It embodies the essence of inviting potential travelers to leave their comfort zones and explore the vast, vibrant world beyond. It is an intricate blend, where strategy and creativity converge to capture the imagination of prospective customers and inspire them to embark on journeys anew.

At its heart, travel marketing seeks to communicate the unparalleled joy and enrichment that comes from discovering new travel destinations, experiencing diverse cultures, and making memories that last a lifetime.

The core objectives of travel marketing are to raise awareness, spark interest, and ultimately drive bookings for travel services offered by travel agencies, online travel agencies, tour operators, and travel companies.

Through a meticulously crafted mix of digital marketing tactics—including social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and search engine optimization—travel marketers strive to reach their audience online, from social media platforms to review platforms and beyond.

But travel marketing goes beyond mere promotion; it is about weaving stories that resonate, leveraging user-generated content and virtual tours to bring real-world settings to vivid life. With VR and AR, potential travelers can get tantalizing previews of what awaits them, leaping from dreaming to booking faster than ever.

This technological evolution, coupled with traditional yet powerful techniques like engaging email campaigns and informative blog posts, creates a multifaceted approach capable of reaching customers on mobile devices and desktops alike.

The primary purpose of tourism marketing is to inspire, persuade, and invite travelers to explore specific destinations, experiences, or services. It’s about highlighting a destination’s unique selling points and showcasing the beauty and thrill of travel destinations through engaging content and spectacular imagery. Travel marketing strategies aim to make the idea of travel irresistible, turning potential travelers’ wanderlust into concrete travel plans.

Practical travel marketing efforts rely heavily on understanding the specific demographic of the target market. It involves comprehensive market research to tailor marketing strategies that resonate with the target audiences’ interests, preferences, and behaviors.

The best travel marketing tips always emphasize the importance of aligning marketing content with the values and desires of prospective customers, ensuring that every social media post, marketing campaign, and piece of marketing content is designed to attract visitors and convert interest into action.

In a highly competitive tourism industry, standing out requires following the latest travel marketing strategies and setting the trends. From leveraging the power of influencer marketing to enhance customer engagement and crafting memorable marketing campaigns that utilize the cost-effectiveness of digital marketing to providing valuable information through high-quality content and answering queries with precision—every aspect of travel marketing is about enhancing the customer experience and building a robust customer base.

Travel agencies and travel businesses are thus challenged to adopt a marketing strategy that captures the essence of their brand and the destinations they promote and speaks directly to the hearts and minds of potential travelers. This involves utilizing traditional and innovative marketing channels, from social media to virtual reality, to create immersive experiences that make travelers feel as though they’ve already begun their journey, even before booking their trip.

As we navigate the travel industry, the role of travel marketing becomes increasingly significant. It’s about offering discounts that matter, using mobile apps to ease the journey, deploying ad campaigns that capture attention, and ultimately, ensuring that your travel brand becomes synonymous with adventure, relaxation, and everything in between.

For travel marketers, embracing the latest travel marketing strategies and tips means continuously experimenting, adapting, and exceeding the expectations of today’s discerning traveler.

In the quest to attract visitors and convert them into loyal patrons, travel marketing is a journey that requires passion, innovation, and a deep understanding of the tourism industry’s dynamics. It is a journey of connecting with potential travelers personally, making every marketing effort count in the quest to turn travel dreams into tangible realities.

Key Strategies for Effective Travel Marketing

In the travel industry, distinguishing your travel brand requires not just a presence but a profoundly impactful one. Here, we delve into the crux of strategies that empower travel companies to navigate and lead in the competitive arena of tourism marketing.

Understanding Your Audience

Understanding your customers is essential for a successful travel marketing strategy. This entails conducting market research to grasp prospective customers’ preferences, behaviors, and motivations. Travel agencies and marketers must tailor their marketing messages to meet their target market’s needs and desires, whether catering to luxury travelers, adventure seekers, or business trip clients.

Identifying and segmenting your target audience ensures that your marketing efforts resonate on a personal level, significantly increasing the likelihood of converting interest into bookings.

Leveraging Digital Platforms

Effectively utilizing digital platforms is indispensable for travel marketers. Social media, content, and email marketing are key channels for reaching potential travelers, offering a direct line to your audience where they spend considerable time: on their mobile devices.

The role of SEO and search engine marketing (SEM) extends beyond mere visibility; it’s about ensuring that when prospective customers search for travel destinations or services, your brand appears front and center on search engines. This digital approach broadens your reach, enhances customer engagement, and drives more traffic to you online.

The Power of Storytelling

Storytelling transcends traditional marketing by creating an emotional and personal connection. For travel businesses , leveraging real stories and experiences can significantly enhance their brand’s appeal. Through engaging content, virtual tours, and immersive real-world settings, storytelling can transport potential travelers into the narrative, making the brand’s experience irresistible.

This approach builds a deeper connection with your audience, turning abstract services into tangible desires.

Influencer and Affiliate Marketing

Where social proof reigns supreme, collaborating with influencers and engaging in affiliate marketing present unparalleled opportunities for travel brands to expand their reach. Influencers can tap into new audiences, lending their credibility and audience to your brand. Affiliate marketing , on the other hand, leverages partnerships to promote travel services, offering a performance-based approach that can significantly increase bookings.

Both strategies are vital in a comprehensive travel marketing plan, offering cost-effective ways to attract visitors and enhance the travel customer experience.

Data-Driven Marketing

The pivot towards data-driven marketing strategies marks a turning point in how travel agencies and companies approach their marketing efforts. Data analytics allows marketers to understand customer behavior, refine marketing strategies, and precisely measure the return on investment (ROI).

This analytical approach enables travel businesses to adjust their strategy based on performance data, ensuring that every marketing campaign is optimized for maximum impact and cost-effectiveness.

Implementing these key strategies in your travel marketing efforts can dramatically transform how your travel agency or company connects with potential travelers. From the strategic utilization of digital platforms and SEO to the compelling power of storytelling and the targeted approach of influencer marketing, each element plays an important role in attracting your audience.

Moreover, grounding your marketing strategies in data ensures that your efforts are creative but also smart, adaptable, and results-driven. In the competitive landscape of the tourism industry, where every travel brand vies for attention, these strategies are not just recommendations—they are the cornerstones of success in travel marketing.

Navigating the Trends in the Travel Industry

In the travel industry, staying abreast of current trends is not just beneficial—it’s imperative for survival and growth. Travel marketing is changing, shaped by technological advancements, changing consumer preferences, and the global economic climate.

Travel agencies, tour operators, and travel companies must adapt and innovate, ensuring their marketing strategies are as fluid and flexible as the trends they follow.

Embracing Digital Transformation

The digital transformation within the tourism industry has accelerated, with virtual reality (VR) tours, augmented reality (AR) experiences, and mobile apps becoming increasingly integral to travel marketing strategies. These technologies offer potential travelers immersive previews of destinations, enhancing the customer experience before their journey begins.

Travel brands leveraging these tools in their marketing campaigns find themselves at the forefront, captivating their target audience’s imagination and converting interest into bookings more effectively.

UGC and Influencer Marketing

User-generated content (UGC) and influencer marketing have emerged as powerful tools in the travel marketer’s arsenal. Encouraging customers to share their real-world experiences on social media and review platforms provides valuable information to prospective customers and builds trust and credibility for your brand.

Collaborating with influencers, on the other hand, can amplify your reach and attract visitors from new demographics and markets.

These strategies, rooted in authenticity, can significantly enhance engagement and foster a sense of community around your travel brand.

Personalization and Customer Engagement

Personalization is key to capturing the attention of potential travelers. Customized email marketing campaigns , push notifications, and landing pages that cater to your target market’s specific interests and preferences can dramatically improve customer engagement.

Travel businesses can boost marketing effectiveness by crafting personalized messages with data analytics and market research to understand their customer base.

Sustainable and Responsible Travel

As environmental concerns take center stage globally, sustainable and responsible travel has become a compelling, unique selling point for many travel destinations and services.

Travel companies that highlight their commitment to sustainability in their marketing content align with the values of a significant segment of their target audience and contribute to a larger movement towards eco-friendly travel.

This approach enriches the customer experience and positions your brand as a responsible leader in the tourism industry.

Leveraging SEO and Other Search Engines

With most customers beginning their travel planning journey online, the importance of SEO and visibility on other search engines cannot be overstated. A well-thought-out SEO strategy ensures that your travel services appear prominently when potential travelers search for related keywords.

This, combined with engaging content and high-quality visuals online, can significantly increase traffic and conversion rates.

Adaptation and Innovation

To stay ahead in the travel industry, businesses must constantly adapt their marketing strategies . This means keeping an eye on the latest travel marketing strategies, understanding the evolving preferences of your target audience, and being ready to pivot your approach based on performance data and industry trends. Whether exploring new digital marketing avenues, adopting the latest VR technology, or refining your social media strategy, the willingness to innovate can set your travel brand apart.

Navigating the trends in the travel industry requires a proactive and dynamic approach to travel marketing. Travel marketers can ensure their brand survives and thrives by embracing digital transformation, leveraging user-generated content, personalizing customer engagement, promoting sustainable travel, and optimizing search engines.

Conclusion: Charting the Course for Success in Travel Marketing

As we draw the curtain on this exploration of effective travel marketing strategies, it’s clear that the path to success in the travel industry is dynamic and multifaceted. The landscape of travel marketing is constantly evolving, shaped by new technologies, changing consumer behaviors, and the global push towards more sustainable practices.

For travel agencies and travel companies, staying ahead means embracing innovation, understanding the needs and desires of your audience, and continuously refining your strategies to align with the latest trends.

The key takeaways from our journey through the essentials of travel marketing underscore the importance of leveraging digital platforms, engaging in storytelling, utilizing influencer and affiliate marketing, and adopting a data-driven approach to understand and connect with potential travelers. By implementing these strategies, travel marketers can enhance the customer experience, attract visitors to various travel destinations, and drive bookings and growth for their businesses .

Virtual reality, augmented reality, and mobile apps offer an unparalleled opportunity to bring destinations to life, offering virtual tours and engaging content that captivates prospective customers’ imaginations. Moreover, the power of user-generated content and influencer marketing in building trust and credibility cannot be overstated. These elements, combined with targeted email marketing campaigns and a robust social media strategy , are vital in creating a compelling digital presence that speaks directly to the heart of your target.

Yet, the foundation of all these efforts lies in understanding your audience. Market research, search engine optimization, and leveraging data analytics provide invaluable insights into the preferences and behaviors of potential travelers, allowing for the creation of personalized and effective marketing campaigns.

Adopting the latest travel marketing strategies and tips in an industry as competitive as tourism is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity. From enhancing your social media posts to optimizing your website for mobile devices and other search engines, every aspect of your marketing plan should aim to provide valuable information, answer queries, and offer discounts that resonate with your specific demographic.

Let this exploration of travel marketing strategies serve as a beacon, guiding your marketing efforts toward innovation and success. The potential for growth and achievement in travel marketing is boundless for those willing to change, try new ideas, and adapt to the travel industry. Remember, the essence of travel marketing is not just to sell a service but to inspire dreams, cultivate experiences, and enrich lives.

FAQ: Navigating the World of Travel Marketing

In the travel industry, questions abound regarding how to effectively market travel services and destinations. Here, we delve into some of the most pressing queries, offering insights and strategies to help travel agencies, tour operators, and companies navigate the complex world of travel marketing.

What is the best marketing strategy for a travel agency?

Understanding your audience is the cornerstone of any successful travel marketing strategy. The best strategy involves tailoring your approach to meet your audience’s interests, needs, and desires and effectively leveraging digital platforms. Incorporating a mix of social media marketing, SEO, content marketing, and email campaigns will ensure that your travel agency reaches a wider audience and engages potential travelers in meaningful ways.

How do I advertise my travel agency online?

Using digital marketing tools and platforms to advertise your travel agency online effectively. Use social media to create engaging posts and share high-quality content showcasing your unique selling points and travel destinations. Use SEO strategies to improve your visibility, making it easier for customers to find you. Content marketing can provide potential travelers with valuable information and immersive experiences through blogs and virtual tours. Additionally, email marketing campaigns allow for personalized communication, offering discounts and updates directly to your target market.

What is an excellent online marketing strategy?

A good online marketing strategy is comprehensive and multifaceted, incorporating SEO, content marketing, social media engagement, and data analytics to drive decisions. It focuses on creating high-quality content that resonates with your audience, using social media to foster customer engagement, and analyzing data to refine and optimize marketing efforts. A successful strategy also adapts to the latest travel marketing strategies and technologies, such as virtual reality and mobile apps, to enhance the customer experience and ensure your marketing content stands out in a competitive landscape.

What is the meaning of travel marketing?

Travel marketing is the dynamic process of promoting destinations , services, or experiences to potential travelers. Its primary aim is to inspire and persuade individuals to embark on journeys for leisure, business trips, or cultural exploration. Through various marketing channels and strategies, travel marketing seeks to connect with prospective customers, highlight the unique attractions of travel destinations, and, ultimately, drive bookings and travel activity.

What is the primary purpose of tourism marketing?

Tourism marketing aims to attract visitors to a destination by highlighting its unique attractions, culture, and experiences. It involves crafting compelling reasons for travelers to choose a particular destination over others through engaging content, captivating visuals, and targeted marketing campaigns. Tourism marketing aims to enhance the visibility of travel destinations , improve customer engagement, and contribute to the overall growth of the tourism industry.

How do you market a destination?

Marketing a destination requires a strategic approach that showcases its unique attractions, culture, and experiences. This involves researching your audience’s preferences and using marketing channels to tailor your messaging. Engaging content, including virtual tours, high-quality images, and user-generated content, can bring the destination to life for potential travelers. Influencer marketing can also be crucial in attracting new audiences by leveraging the reach of influencers who align with your brand’s values and demographic.

Adopting these strategies and tips can help travel agencies and companies navigate the complexities of travel marketing and achieve their marketing goals. By focusing on understanding your target audience, leveraging the latest digital marketing techniques, and continuously innovating your approach, the potential for success and growth in the travel industry is boundless.

What is the future of travel?

All aboard! After the pandemic upended life and leisure as we know it, travel is roaring back. The industry is set to make a full recovery by the end of 2024, after losing 75 percent of its value in 2020. Much of this has been so-called “revenge travel,” or people embarking on international or bucket list trips that were delayed by the pandemic. But domestic travel is recovering quickly too and is set to represent 70 percent of travel spending by 2030.

Get to know and directly engage with senior McKinsey experts on travel and tourism

Margaux Constantin is a partner in McKinsey’s Dubai office, Matteo Pacca is a senior partner in the Paris office, and Vik Krishnan is a senior partner in the Bay Area office.

We’ve done a deep dive into the latest travel trends and how industry players can adjust accordingly in The state of travel and hospitality 2024 report. Check out the highlights below, as well as McKinsey’s insights on AI in travel, mass tourism, and much more.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics, and Infrastructure Practice .

Who are today’s travelers, and what do they want?

In February and March 2024, McKinsey surveyed  more than 5,000 people in China, Germany, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom, and the United States who had taken at least one leisure trip in the past two years. Here are six highlights from the results of that survey:

• Travel is a top priority, especially for younger generations. Sixty-six percent of travelers we surveyed said they are more interested in travel now than before the COVID-19 pandemic. And millennials and Gen Zers  are traveling more and spending a higher share of their income on travel than their older counterparts.
• Younger travelers are keen to travel abroad. Gen Zers and millennials who responded to our survey are planning nearly an equal number of international and domestic trips in 2024. Older generations are planning to take twice as many domestic trips.
• Baby boomers are willing to spend if they see value. Baby boomers still account for 20 percent of overall travel spending. They are willing to spend on comforts such as nonstop flights. On the other hand, they are more willing to forego experiences to save money while traveling, unlike Gen Zers who will cut all other expense categories before they trim experiences.
• Travel is a collective story, with destinations as the backdrop. Travelers both want to hear other travelers’ stories and share their own. Ninety-two percent of younger travelers were inspired by social media in some shape or form for their last trip.
• What travelers want depends on where they’re from. Sixty-nine percent of Chinese respondents said they plan to visit a famous sight on their next trip, versus the 20 percent of European and North American travelers who said the same. Respondents living in the UAE also favor iconic destinations, as well as shopping and outdoor activities.

Learn more about McKinsey’s  Travel, Logistics, and Infrastructure Practice .

What are the top three travel industry trends today?

Travel is back, but traveler flows are shifting. McKinsey has isolated three major themes for industry stakeholders to consider as they look ahead.

• The bulk of travel spending is close to home. Seventy-five percent of travel spend is domestic. The United States is currently the world’s largest domestic travel market, but China is set to overtake it in the coming years. Stakeholders should make sure they capture the full potential of domestic travelers before turning their attention abroad.
• New markets such as India, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe are growing sources of outbound tourism. Indians’ travel spending is expected to grow 9 percent per year between now and 2030; annual growth projections for Southeast Asians and Eastern Europeans are both around 7 percent.
• Unexpected destinations are finding new ways to lure travelers and establish themselves alongside enduring favorites. Rwanda, for example, has capitalized on sustainable tourism by limiting gorilla trekking permits and directing revenue toward conservation.

Looking for direct answers to other complex questions?

For a more in-depth look at these trends, check out McKinsey’s State of travel and hospitality 2024   report .

How will AI change how people travel?

In the 1950s, the introduction of the jet engine dramatically reduced travel times, changing the way people traveled forever. Now AI is upending the industry  in a similarly fundamental way. Industry players down to individual travelers are using advances in generative AI (gen AI) , machine learning , and deep learning  to reimagine what it means to plan, book, and experience travel. “It’s quite clear,” says McKinsey partner Vik Krishnan , “that gen AI significantly eases  the process of travel discovery.”

For travel companies, the task now is to rethink how they interact with customers, develop products and services, and manage operations in the age of AI. According to estimates by McKinsey Digital, companies that holistically address digital and analytics opportunities have the potential to see an earnings improvement of up to 25 percent .

McKinsey and Skift Research interviewed executives from 17 companies across five types of travel business. Here are three key findings on how travel companies can reckon with emerging technologies, drawn from the resulting report The promise of travel in the age of AI :

• Segmentation. Companies can use AI to create hyperspecific customer segments to guide how they interact with and serve customers. Segmentation can be based on a single macro characteristic (such as business versus leisure), or it can be so specific as to relate to just one customer.
• Surprise and delight. In the travel context, gen AI could take the form of digital assistants that interact with customers throughout their journeys, providing personalized trip itineraries and tailored recommendations and helping to resolve unexpected disruptions.
• Equipping workers better. AI tools can free up frontline workers’ time, allowing them to focus more on personal customer interactions. These tools can also shorten the training time for new hires and quickly upskill  the existing workforce.

AI is important, yes. But, according to Ella Alkalay Schreiber, general manager (GM) of fintech at Hopper, “The actual challenge is to understand the data, ask the right questions, read prediction versus actual, and do this in a timely manner. The actual challenge is the human thinking, the common sense .”

How is mass tourism changing travel?

More people are traveling than ever before. The most visited destinations are experiencing more concentrated flows of tourists ; 80 percent of travelers visit just 10 percent of the world’s tourist destinations. Mass tourism can encumber infrastructure, frustrate locals, and even harm the attractions that visitors came to see in the first place.

Tourism stakeholders can collectively look for better ways to handle visitor flows before they become overwhelming. Destinations should remain alert to early warning signs about high tourism concentration and work to maximize the benefits of tourism, while minimizing its negative impacts.

Destinations should remain alert to early warning signs about high tourism concentration and work to maximize the benefits of tourism, while minimizing its negative impacts.

For one thing, destinations should understand their carrying capacity of tourists—that means the specific number of visitors a destination can accommodate before harm is caused to its physical, economic, or sociocultural environment. Shutting down tourism once the carrying capacity is reached isn’t always possible—or advisable. Rather, destinations should focus on increasing carrying capacity to enable more growth.

Next, destinations should assess their readiness to handle mass tourism and choose funding sources and mechanisms that can address its impacts. Implementing permitting systems for individual attractions can help manage capacity and mitigate harm. Proceeds from tourism can be reinvested into local communities to ensure that residents are not solely responsible for repairing the wear and tear caused by visitors.

After risks and funding sources have been identified, destinations can prepare for growing tourist volumes in the following ways:

• Build and equip a tourism-ready workforce to deliver positive tourism experiences.
• Use data (gathered from governments, businesses, social media platforms, and other sources) to manage visitor flows.
• Be deliberate about which tourist segments to attract (business travelers, sports fans, party groups, et cetera), and tailor offerings and communications accordingly.
• Distribute visitor footfall across different areas, nudging tourists to visit less-trafficked locations, and during different times, promoting off-season travel.
• Be prepared for sudden, unexpected fluctuations triggered by viral social media and cultural trends.
• Preserve cultural and natural heritage. Engage locals, especially indigenous people, to find the balance between preservation and tourism.

How can the travel sector accelerate the net-zero transition?

Global warming is getting worse, and the travel sector contributes up to 11 percent of total carbon emissions. Many consumers are aware that travel is part of the problem, but they’re reticent to give up their trips: travel activity is expected to soar by 85 percent  from 2016 to 2030. Instead, they’re increasing pressure on companies in the travel sector to achieve net zero . It’s a tall order: the range of decarbonization technologies in the market is limited, and what’s available is expensive.

But decarbonization doesn’t have to be a loss-leading proposition. Here are four steps  travel companies can take toward decarbonization that can potentially create value:

• Identify and sequence decarbonization initiatives. Awareness of decarbonization levers is one thing; implementation is quite another. One useful tool to help develop an implementation plan is the marginal abatement cost curve pathway framework, which provides a cost-benefit analysis of individual decarbonization levers and phasing plans.
• Partner to accelerate decarbonization of business travel. Many organizations will reduce their business travel, which accounts for 30 percent of all travel spend. This represents an opportunity for travel companies to partner with corporate clients on decarbonization. Travel companies can support their partners in achieving their decarbonization goals by nudging corporate users to make more sustainable choices, while making reservations and providing data to help partners track their emissions.
• Close the ‘say–do’ gap among leisure travelers. One McKinsey survey indicates that 40 percent of travelers globally say they are willing to pay at least 2 percent more for carbon-neutral flights. But Skift’s latest consumer survey reveals that only 14 percent  of travelers said they actually paid more for sustainable travel options. Travel companies can help close this gap by making sustainable options more visible during booking and using behavioral science to encourage travelers to make sustainable purchases.
• Build new sustainable travel options for the future. The travel sector can proactively pioneer sustainable new products and services. Green business building will require companies to create special initiatives, led by teams empowered to experiment without the pressure of being immediately profitable.

What’s the future of air travel?

Air travel is becoming more seasonal, as leisure travel’s increasing share of the market creates more pronounced summer peaks. Airlines have responded by shifting their schedules to operate more routes at greater frequency during peak periods. But airlines have run into turbulence when adjusting to the new reality. Meeting summer demand means buying more aircraft and hiring more crew; come winter, these resources go unutilized, which lowers productivity . But when airlines don’t run more flights in the summer, they leave a lot of money on the table.

How can airlines respond to seasonality? Here are three approaches :

• Mitigate winter weakness by employing conventional pricing and revenue management techniques, as well as creative pricing approaches (including, for example, monitoring and quickly seizing on sudden travel demand spikes, such as those created by a period of unexpectedly sunny weather).
• Adapt to seasonality by moving crew training sessions to off-peak periods, encouraging employee holiday taking during trough months, and offering workers seasonal contracts. Airlines can also explore outsourcing of crew, aircraft, maintenance, and even insurance.
• Leverage summer strengths, ensuring that commercial contracts reflect summer’s higher margins.

How is the luxury travel space evolving?

Quickly. Luxury travelers are not who you might expect: many are under the age of 60 and not necessarily from Europe or the United States. Perhaps even more surprisingly, they are not all millionaires: 35 percent of luxury-travel spending is by travelers with net worths between $100,000 and $1 million. Members of this group are known as aspirational luxury travelers, and they have their own set of preferences. They might be willing to spend big on one aspect of their trip—a special meal or a single flight upgrade—but not on every travel component. They prefer visibly branded luxury and pay close attention to loyalty program points and benefits .

The luxury-hospitality space is projected to grow faster than any other segment, at 6 percent per year  through 2025. And competition for luxury hotels is intensifying too: customers now have the option of renting luxurious villas with staff, or booking nonluxury hotels with luxury accoutrements such as rainfall showerheads and mattress toppers.

Another critical evolution is that the modern consumer, in the luxury space and elsewhere, values experiences over tangible things (exhibit).

Luxury properties may see more return from investing in a culture of excellence—powered by staff who anticipate customer needs, exceed expectations, create cherished memories, and make it all feel seamless—than in marble floors and gold-plated bath fixtures. Here are a few ways luxury properties can foster a culture of excellence :

• Leaders should assume the role of chief culture officer. GMs of luxury properties should lead by example to help nurture a healthy and happy staff culture and listen and respond to staff concerns.
• Hire for personalities, not resumes. “You can teach someone how to set a table,” said one GM we interviewed, “but you can’t teach a positive disposition.”
• Celebrate and reward employees. Best-in-class service is about treating customers with generosity and care. Leaders in the service sector can model this behavior by treating employees similarly.
• Create a truly distinctive customer experience . McKinsey research has shown that the top factor influencing customer loyalty in the lodging sector is “an experience worth paying more for”—not the product. Train staff to focus on tiny details as well as major needs to deliver true personalization.

What’s the latest in travel loyalty programs?

Loyalty programs are big business . They’ve evolved past being simply ways to boost sales or strengthen customer relationships; now, for many travel companies, they are profit centers in their own right. One major development was that travel companies realized they could sell loyalty points in bulk to corporate partners, who in turn offered the points to their customers as rewards. In 2019, United’s MileagePlus loyalty program sold $3.8 billion worth of miles to third parties, which accounted for 12 percent of the airline’s total revenue for that year. In 2022, American Airlines’ loyalty program brought in $3.1 billion in revenue, and Marriott’s brought in $2.7 billion.

But as this transition has happened, travel players have shifted focus away from the original purpose of these programs. Travel companies are seeing these loyalty programs primarily as revenue generators, rather than ways to improve customer experiences . As a result, loyalty program members have become increasingly disloyal. Recent loyalty surveys conducted by McKinsey revealed a steep decline in the likelihood that a customer would recommend airline, hotel, and cruise line loyalty programs to a friend. The same surveys also found that airline loyalty programs are driving fewer customer behavior changes than they used to.

So how can travel brands win customers’ loyalty back? Here are three steps to consider:

• Put experience at the core of loyalty programs. According to our 2023 McKinsey Travel Loyalty Survey , American respondents said they feel more loyal to Amazon than to the top six travel players combined, despite the absence of any traditional loyalty program. One of the reasons for Amazon’s success may be the frictionless experience it provides customers. Companies should strive to design loyalty programs around experiential benefits that make travelers feel special and seamlessly integrate customer experiences between desktop, mobile, and physical locations.
• Use data to offer personalization  to members. Travel brands have had access to customer data for a long time. But many have yet to deploy it for maximum value. Companies can use personalization to tailor both experiences and offers for loyalty members; our research has shown that 78 percent  of consumers are more likely to make a repeat purchase when offered a personalized experience.
• Rethink partnerships. Traditionally, travel companies have partnered with banks to offer cobranded credit cards. But many credit card brands now offer their own, self-branded travel rewards ecosystems. These types of partnerships may have diminishing returns in the future. When rethinking partnerships, travel brands should seek to build richer connections with customers, while boosting engagement. Uber’s partnership with Marriott, for example, gives users the option to link the brands’ loyalty programs, tapping into two large customer bases and providing more convenient travel experiences.

In a changing travel ecosystem, travel brands will need to ask themselves some hard questions if they want to earn back their customers’ loyalty.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics, and Infrastructure Practice . And check out travel-related job opportunities if you’re interested in working at McKinsey.

Articles referenced include:

• “ Updating perceptions about today’s luxury traveler ,” May 29, 2024, Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann
• “ The way we travel now ,” May 29, 2024, Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann
• “ Destination readiness: Preparing for the tourist flows of tomorrow ,” May 29, 2024, Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann
• “ How the world’s best hotels deliver exceptional customer experience ,” March 18, 2024, Ryan Mann , Ellen Scully, Matthew Straus, and Jillian Tellez Holub
• “ How airlines can handle busier summers—and comparatively quiet winters ,” January 8, 2024, Jaap Bouwer, Ludwig Hausmann , Nina Lind , Christophe Verstreken, and Stavros Xanthopoulos
• “ Travel invented loyalty as we know it. Now it’s time for reinvention. ,” November 15, 2023, Lidiya Chapple, Clay Cowan, Ellen Scully, and Jillian Tellez Holub
• “ What AI means for travel—now and in the future ,” November 2, 2023, Alex Cosmas  and Vik Krishnan
• “ The promise of travel in the age of AI ,” September 27, 2023, Susann Almasi, Alex Cosmas , Sam Cowan, and Ben Ellencweig
• “ The future of tourism: Bridging the labor gap enhancing customer experience ,” August 1, 2023, Urs Binggeli, Zi Chen, Steffen Köpke, and Jackey Yu
• “ Hotels in the 2030s: Perspectives from Accor’s C-suite ,” July 27, 2023, Aurélia Bettati
• “ Tourism in the metaverse: Can travel go virtual? ,” May 4, 2023, Margaux Constantin , Giuseppe Genovese, Kashiff Munawar, and Rebecca Stone
• “ Three innovations to solve hotel staffing shortages ,” April 3, 2023, Ryan Mann , Esteban Ramirez, and Matthew Straus
• “ Accelerating the transition to net-zero travel ,” September 20, 2022, Danielle Bozarth , Olivier Cheret, Vik Krishnan , Mackenzie Murphy, and Jules Seeley
• “ The six secrets of profitable airlines ,” June 28, 2022, Jaap Bouwer, Alex Dichter , Vik Krishnan , and Steve Saxon
• “ How to ‘ACE’ hospitality recruitment ,” June 23, 2022, Margaux Constantin , Steffen Köpke, and Joost Krämer
• “ Opportunities for industry leaders as new travelers take to the skies ,” April 5, 2022, Mishal Ahmad, Frederik Franz, Tomas Nauclér, and Daniel Riefer
• “ Rebooting customer experience to bring back the magic of travel ,” September 21, 2021, Vik Krishnan , Kevin Neher, Maurice Obeid , Ellen Scully, and Jules Seeley

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June 21, 2023

Travel Marketing Trends and Changes in Tourism Consumer Behavior

By liza colburn.

Today’s consumers are traveling more often than in previous years. Multiple consumer travel marketing trends studies (including Persado’s) have found the same upward trend in travel plans and bookings. According to Hopper’s 2023 Travel Trends Report , 59.3% of respondents plan on spending more on travel in 2023 than they did in 2022. 53.6% plan on taking more trips in 2023 than they did the previous year. Persado’s 2023 Consumer Travel Survey shows more of the same results. 74% of the respondents said they plan to take the same or more vacations this year as they did in 2022. In fact, consumers seem to be prioritizing travel over other leisure expenses. 

Economic changes and personal debt don’t seem to be slowing down travel spending, either. In Persado’s recent tourism motivation survey , only 9% of respondents indicated they will delay travel until they pay off personal debt. 15% stated that personal debt does not affect their travel plans at all. While changing economic conditions have transformed consumer behavior in other industries such as financial services and retail sales , travel is accelerating despite changes in the economy. 

While the consumer signs are positive, travel operators face new challenges. These challenges include serving increasing demand and competition in an environment marked by changing consumer behavior. There are also new expectations and emerging travel marketing trends to consider. How can top travel & hospitality brands better serve today’s travel-ready consumers and gain market share? By understanding how to personalize the digital booking experience, delivering digital messaging that inspires customers to take action, and delivering value according to what the ever-evolving consumer expects from their next getaway.

Travel marketing trends: The need for personalized digital booking experiences 

Thanks to highly successful travel loyalty marketing programs and other factors, travel & hospitality brands have more data on their customers than most industries. Nonetheless, personalization across the digital booking experience remains relatively low across travel & hospitality. 

The personalization of the digital customer experience has been traditionally limited to location-based campaigns around where customers live. While it might be nice to receive a deal on a tropical vacation on a brisk day in the Northeast of the US, travel & hospitality brands have the opportunity to create far more impactful personalized digital experiences and meet the modern traveler’s booking experience expectations using their wealth of data alongside the latest travel marketing trends. 

Let’s dive into some trends and responses to recent changes in tourism consumer behavior. 

8 game-changing tourism marketing trends to watch  

1. increased flexibility and protection .

Modern travelers see flexibility, or the ability to seamlessly cancel or reschedule their trip without penalty, as paramount to the booking experience. Policies that protect the customer from an unforeseeable change in plans are just as important as personalization in inspiring the confidence customers need to finalize their booking. Lack of flexibility is one of the primary reasons customers abandon their booking at the trip summary page or don’t book at all. 

Today’s customers want to be reassured that their money is protected should they have to change or cancel their trip. While the desire to travel is high, so is travel anxiety. After witnessing or perhaps experiencing massive travel disruptions over the past few years, today’s travelers need some extra reassurance in order to confidently book. Brands should not only offer these policies, but also promote them throughout the digital customer journey to keep customers engaged, inspired, and assured, especially on the trip summary page. 

2. Personalized booking experiences – including on the trip summary page 

Top travel & hospitality brands have the data they need to further personalize the digital customer experience through personalized digital messaging, useful recommendations, and more based on their travel history and preferences instead of more generalized segments based on age, gender, geography, etc. One of the most neglected, yet most impactful opportunities for personalization is on the trip summary page. According to McKinsey , a message’s timing is just as important as its content. With booking abandonment rates around 85% on average , it’s time travel & hospitality brands found new ways to get more customers across the finish line at the moment it matters most. 

Persado Dynamic Motivation uses web session data alongside Generative AI and our unique Motivation AI knowledge base to deliver the words that motivate travelers to book right on the trip summary page. While one person may see “Your adventure awaits,” another will see “Time to get away.” 

Dynamic Motivation works on the trip summary page whether or not a customer is signed in or not. It adapts to the customer’s behavior to deliver the most effective messaging. It can also be applied across the entire website and email in order to drive more upgrades and higher AOV. Travel & hospitality leaders who use Dynamic Motivation on the trip summary page see a 3-5% increase in incremental revenue. 

Persado Motivation AI helps travel & hospitality leaders personalize digital marketing messaging across every digital channel to motivate more customers to engage and book. Brands generally see a 41% conversion lift on average across their digital channels. 

3. Authentic and personalized upgrade options 

The booking experience doesn’t end once the customer books a trip. Travel & hospitality brands continue to market upgrades leading up to the vacation and throughout the trip. Not only do customers want to feel like upgrades are personal recommendations selected just for them, they also want to feel like the experience itself is unique, personalized, and culturally authentic. In addition to personalized language throughout the online booking experience, travel & hospitality leaders should also take a second look at the types of upgrades and experiences they offer. 

According to the American Express Travel 2023 Global Travel Trends Report , today’s travelers want to take part in authentic experiences. They want to get a true taste of local culture and to support the local community. Modern travelers want experiences that are off the beaten path and look to visit lesser-known destinations before they become popular. Digital marketing campaigns around these experiences and upgrades should promote their authenticity and the ways these excursions give back to local communities. According to Avantio sustainable tourism statistics , travel & hospitality brands can drive more upgrades by upselling services and experiences in partnership with the local community. Emerging tour companies like Withlocals are already doing this. This goes along with the movement toward sustainable travel (more on that later). 

If your brand already offers authentic local experiences that support the community, but they aren’t marketed as such, it’s a missed opportunity to drive interest and additional bookings. If your upgrades and experiences are too commercial or don’t authentically represent or support the local community or economy, consider replacing those experiences with partnerships with local businesses and guides. 

4. More competitive loyalty programs 

Just about every major travel & hospitality brand has a loyalty program . Most are competitive with a corresponding credit card and various chances to earn points and rewards. However, as competition among loyalty programs, including brand agnostic travel points programs like that of Chase Sapphire Reserve, and competition across travel brands increases, consumers demand more from their travel loyalty programs. Brands can enhance their travel loyalty marketing through mutual partnerships with non-competitive yet complementary brands (ex: Hilton Honors + Lyft ). They should consistently reevaluate the needs of the ideal customer along with changing tourism consumer behavior. 

5. Sustainable travel

Sustainable travel refers to ethical travel practices that minimize the impact of tourism on the environment. Sustainability in travel also represents and affects local cultures in a positive way. According to Exploding Topics , searches for sustainable travel are up 250% in 2023. Booking.com research found that sustainable practices in travel are important to 81% of travelers. 59% said they want to leave the places they visit better than when they arrived. 

Sustainable travel is less of a travel marketing trend and more of a movement toward greener and more ethical tourism practices. 73% of travelers are more likely to choose accommodations that markets their sustainable practices. Many major hotel chains such as Fairmont and Marriott publicly share their sustainability policies and goals. United Airlines launched their Eco-Skies Alliance program and JetBlue is working toward zero carbon emissions by 2040 . Leaders in travel & hospitality not only have sustainable travel practices, they also market them prominently across the omnichannel customer experience.  

6. Blending business and leisure travel 

Today, there is a lot more fluidity between business and personal travel. Remote work has given rise to the “workation” or “bleisure.” According to Hopper , 77% of survey respondents will tack personal travel onto a work trip. This is a convenient and more cost-effective way to travel. So even if your customer is primarily a business traveler, it might add value to the customer experience to start promoting upgrades, experiences, and deals on an extended stay that they might be interested in purchasing out of pocket in order to capitalize on this travel marketing trend. 

7. Wellness and relaxation 

Consumers look to travel as a way to escape their daily routine, relax, and rejuvenate. According to American Express , 57% of survey respondents plan to take extended vacations to focus on wellness. In order to unplug from their daily lives, people are booking trips to destinations that help them decompress and feel healthier. 

This is supported by the 2023 Persado Consumer Travel Study . When asked what motivated their most recent trip, escaping their day-to-day routine / relax & unwind was the most popular answer among survey respondents. In our 2023 Customer Motivation Report , the Persado Content Intelligence team found that Rejuvenation was the most effective narrative across digital marketing campaigns in travel. 

8. Last minute bookings 

Travelers now book flights and hotels much closer to their departure date than they did pre-pandemic. On average 55% of hotel reservations made on the Hopper app in 2022 were for same-day check-in. This is up by 7.5% compared to 2021 and 10.8% compared to 2020. This is trending even higher in 2023 with 63% of bookings made the same-day as check-in. Hopper also reported that domestic flight bookings have shortened since 2019. On average they are being made about 3 weeks ahead of departure compared to 3-4 weeks in 2019. 

This new tourism consumer behavior follows the need for flexibility and the anxiety consumers feel around the cost of travel. They want to be protected, should their plans change. So they book later in order to avoid the hassle and cost of having to cancel or reschedule a trip they booked too soon. Travelers can score deals on hotels when they book at the last minute, but risk hotels in the area being sold out when they go for last minute deals. 

For more on changing tourism consumer behavior and how top brands use AI to stay ahead of the curve, check out our insights into new consumer profiles and what motivates travel bookings . 

Persado AI-generated language is proven to perform (i.e. drive more bookings and upgrades) across the digital customer journey as it’s based on over 1.5 billion customer interactions from 150 million US-based customers. Top brands such as JPMorgan Chase, Kate Spade, and Gap motivate customers to engage and act across digital channels using Persado. Request a demo . 

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Travel marketing

Get inspired by our travel marketing tips and examples

Travel marketing is a combination of activities and strategies aimed at promoting and selling products related to the travel industry. It helps hotels, airlines, travel agencies, and tour operators catch potential customers’ eye, encourage them to buy a specific travel service or product, and convert them into clients.

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In this article, we’ll unveil why marketing in travel and tourism is essential and review 10 travel marketing strategies , ideas, and tips. We’ll also explore some excellent examples of travel marketing campaigns .

Why is marketing important in travel and tourism?

Marketing is crucial to the success of any business, and the travel industry isn’t an exception. It helps tourism companies in various ways, and in this section, we’ll uncover the most important advantages.

• Stand out in a highly competitive market. The travel sector is filled with numerous hotels, airlines, destinations, and tour operators, so competition is increasingly high. To stand out from the competition, business owners use marketing to communicate their unique value proposition and connect with customers.
• Establish customer awareness. In our digital world, clients search for new destinations, travel products, and services related to tourism online. Companies striving to introduce their products and services to a wider audience and establish brand awareness use advertisements and online content. Once travelers visit specific sites, they can instantly see their options.
• Build a positive brand image. Strong branding , recognition , and trust are a must in the travel industry. Companies with a positive brand image attract more customers and generate more revenue. By utilizing marketing strategies, business owners succeed in creating awareness about the numerous options available, encouraging potential travelers to consider specific products and services for their future adventures.
• Generate higher revenue. Effective marketing strategies can increase the number of tour bookings, hotel reservations, and ticket sales, bringing higher revenues. In turn, this contributes to a business's success and financial health.
• Improve customer engagement. Social media , email marketing , chatbots , content marketing , and other channels help communicate with customers regularly. Travel companies engage with prospects and clients and update them on new trips, destinations, tickets, and promos, turning the audience into loyal customers who return and repeat their bookings, reservations, and purchases.
• Educate clients on specific travel products and services. Travel agencies, airlines, and hotels use marketing for educational purposes. Various marketing channels like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, chatbots, and email campaigns can become sources of valuable information about new destinations, travel tips, and the best locations for different types of travel.
• Adapt to new trends quickly. Like any other, the travel industry changes very quickly due to changes in customer preferences and technological improvements. Marketing enables companies to stay afloat, align with customer needs, and adjust their strategies to stay relevant.

Now that you are aware of the main reasons to consider travel marketing for your tourism business, it’s time to review 10 effective strategies that will help you start implementing it.

10 Travel Marketing Strategies

In this section, we’ll provide 10 strategies you can consider for your tourism business. They’ll help you figure out where to start and how to make your travel marketing efforts work.

• Email marketing. Despite numerous marketing strategies and technology innovations, email marketing is still among the most effective approaches. With the help of email campaigns , you can update customers on the new destinations in your tour agency, inform them about the reduction in ticket prices, provide enticing travel offers, or send personalized recommendations based on users’ searches. It is fast and effective, especially when using a bulk email service like SendPulse . The platform lets you send up to 15,000 professional emails for free, using a no-code editor and ready-to-go templates.
• Content marketing. This strategy is a must for every company involved in the tourism industry. You can significantly improve clients' engagement and desire to buy your travel products or services by writing valuable articles, sharing travel tips, and posting stories about new destinations. To make content marketing work, you need to create high-quality, informative, and engaging content for blog posts, videos, and social media. It will help you demonstrate the unique aspects of your products and services.
• Social media marketing. Utilizing social media like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest allows you to establish awareness, generate engagement, and gain recognition. Social media networks can bring a lot of benefits to business owners when they use these channels correctly. Consider sharing visually appealing content through these platforms: creating informative reels with tips, best destinations, and attractive prices. If you do everything right, social media will promote your content for free, making your company well-known among users.
• User-generated content. Establishing transparency and credibility can be challenging for companies, yet you’ll achieve it faster with user-generated content . As you know, people trust other customers’ recommendations, so it’s essential to let your clients share their travel experiences and make them visible to your target audience . Collect positive customer reviews and showcase them on various platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, to establish a positive image.
• Video marketing. Video content plays an important role in establishing eye contact with clients, building emotional connections, and demonstrating your travel products and services from the best perspective. Visually appealing videos for Instagram and YouTube will help showcase your unique offering and catch customers’ attention. To generate more conversions , consider creating compelling videos covering destination highlights, travel itineraries, hotel overviews, etc.
• Chatbot marketing. Adding a chatbot or AI assistant to your travel company’s site or social media is necessary for instant help and assistance. AI will help you analyze customer behavior and actions on your site and personalize communication with your audience. After utilizing a chatbot, you can quickly respond to FAQs and improve customer satisfaction with your brand. If you are searching for a perfect solution, consider leveraging SendPulse , where you can build a helpful chatbot for Instagram , Facebook Messenger , your site , WhatsApp , and Telegram without knowledge of the code and programming skills.
• Influencer marketing. Opinion leaders greatly influence their audience, especially when recommending products and services they can benefit from. Consider collaborating with influencers related to the travel industry. Today, you can find dozens of couples and solo travelers around the world, and they can become your promoters. Think of the strategy and a powerful message promoting your travel agency, hotel, or spa services. Add videos of your business so that people can instantly see the perks of visiting your place or ordering your services.
• Live streaming events. Engaging with the target audience is useful for your business when you can share useful tips, interesting destinations, and travel experiences. This information can entice customers to buy your travel products or services. You’ll get more conversions when you invite travel experts who can organize Q&A sessions and find the best solutions for those who plan to travel.
• Virtual and Augmented Reality. It’s important to use technology when showcasing your travel products and services. Augmented reality is the best way to provide potential clients a virtual tour of destinations and demonstrate hotel rooms and amenities. It will help you show your unique selling proposition, improve engagement, and help future travelers make well-informed buying decisions.
• Loyalty programs. Lastly, it's essential to establish contact with potential customers and show care towards existing clients. You can do it by implementing loyalty programs . They will help reward repeat clients and encourage them to stay with your travel agency, hotel, airline, or resort. Consider providing exclusive discounts, perks, or access to special events.

Now that you know the strategies, it’s time to explore some excellent marketing ideas and tips, so let’s dive in.

10 Travel Marketing Ideas and Tips

In this section, we’ll discover 10 travel marketing ideas and tips. Let’s get started one by one.

• Send personalized travel recommendations. When the travel industry is enhanced with technology and the competition is high, ensuring a personalized approach to every lead is essential. Consider using your website as a source of information about user activity, behavior, and actions. You can provide personalized recommendations based on the flights, tours, or travel services your site visitors were searching for. To ensure a curated travel experience, you need to look through the interests, social media actions, and previous bookings.
• Provide limited-time offers to establish FOMO. Use email campaigns, social media networks, or SMS campaigns to promote your exclusive discounts and offers. Utilize SendPulse for a convenient process of creating and sending email and SMS campaigns , messages in chatbots , and displaying web push notifications with limited-time offers. Limited-time deals will help you establish a fear of missing out and create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to take the desired action quickly.
• Collaborate with travel bloggers. A partnership with bloggers involved in the travel industry can become a source of more potential clients, higher conversions, and bigger revenue. Consider collaborating with travel influencers to provide information about your destinations, products, and services to a wide audience of people who might be interested. This approach will help you reach customers worldwide and scale faster.
• Develop attractive travel packages. Create exciting travel packages at an attractive price for couples, families, or specific destinations. These packages can cover flights, hotels, and activities to entice customers. Usually, these offers grab travelers’ attention and encourage them to go on a vacation with family or friends.
• Use videos to share travel experiences. Create compelling videos to show the advantages of your company by including travel experiences, new destinations, and travel tips. They will serve customers as sources of valuable information and as channels for additional conversions for your business. Visually appealing videos will help you establish connections with potential clients, interest them, and consider traveling with your company. Videos featuring real travelers will help you establish trust and credibility.
• Encourage user-generated content. Consider using numerous ways to encourage your customers to share their feedback, testimonials, and reviews of your travel products and services. It can be a comment, video recording, or post on social media. Encourage them to use your branded hashtag and share their stories with your company across social media channels. You can provide rewards, gifts, and discounts for further travel with your company in exchange for reviews.
• Offer loyalty programs. Consider leveraging loyalty programs for repeat purchases and better engagement. Reward your loyal clients with perks and discounts to make them stay with your travel agency, airline, or resort. Loyalty incentives can encourage your customers to refer their friends and repeat reservations.
• Provide virtual tours and experiences. Consider utilizing technology for better customer experiences and engagement by using virtual tours of destinations, hotels, or attractions. These tours can serve as a source of inspiration for travelers who will come to your company when they are ready to explore new locations. Your business will help them map out their routes and embody their plans.
• Utilize geo-targeted ads. Localized ads will help you reach your target audience based on their location. You can offer your services to people from different countries when they are in the area you work in. These ads enable you to find individuals who are interested in your travel agency or nearby hotel.
• Host live streaming events. Use live streaming to demonstrate events, festivals, and specific travel activities in real time. You can organize live Q&A sessions to provide travelers with all the necessary information about your company. Your travel experts can share some useful tips and tricks for people to consider when traveling to new locations.

Now that you know the working best practices, let’s proceed to the examples.

Examples of Travel Marketing Campaigns

Travel marketing campaigns have various purposes, yet they often strive to inspire travelers, uncover new destinations, and encourage reservations. In this section, we’ll review some great examples of companies related to the travel industry that use numerous marketing channels to make their products and services visible to customers and improve sales. Let’s get started with Pegasus and its travel marketing email campaigns.

Pegasus Airlines. Email Campaigns with Discounts

The Turkish low-cost carrier actively uses email campaigns to promote its services and encourage more ticket bookings. Subscribers can find various enticing emails from the company containing attractive discounts, introducing new routes, offering hotel discounts, and providing information about available tours and activities.

Below, you can see one such email campaign providing a 50% discount for flights to Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden during a specific period.

Luna Retreats. Sponsored ads on Instagram

Luna Repreats uses sponsored ads on Instagram to find its target audience and educate them about the company’s products and services. The brand strives to build a community of like-minded people who intend to join the transformative retreat training and empower them with new knowledge and skills for a healthy mental and physical lifestyle.

Bürgenstock Resort. Collaboration with Influencers

The luxury resort welcomes guests from all over the world and offers outstanding services. It uses Instagram as one of its promotional channels. The resort focuses on collaboration with opinion leaders who travel around the globe and share new destinations with followers. The Instagram post below includes a tag that will bring users to the resort’s account and a short overview of the spot and its services. The influencer’s pictures demonstrate all the beauty of the places and the perks people can experience when visiting this extremely beautiful location.

Congrats! Now you know what travel marketing is and why it is crucial for every company involved in tourism. We hope that our tips and examples will inspire you to develop an effective travel marketing strategy for your business. Register in SendPulse now to establish your communication with customers through the most popular marketing channels.

Learn more about travel marketing strategies on our blog!

Email Marketing Strategy for Travel and Tourism Industry

85% of people find that "spending money on travel is an investment worth making," so the primary goal of travel agencies is to help customers make their mind up. In this entry, we'll talk about the advantages of email marketing for your travel business and

Chatbots for Travel Industry: Be There for Your Customers 24/7

Find out scenarios, tips, and examples for building a travel chatbot.

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How technology is powering a new generation of travel marketing

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By Chris Sutcliffe, Senior reporter

January 28, 2022 | 8 min read

Listen to article 4 min

Travel marketing is based on feelings and appeals to the senses. From adventure tours to city breaks, many of the most effective campaigns are based on creating tangible wants and desires in the consumer. As travel has been curtailed over the past two years, have tech solutions like VR and AR kept the dream of travel alive – and how else is technology empowering travel marketing?

VR, social media and more are transforming travel marketing

Despite how novel it feels in practice, using virtual reality (VR) tech to promote travel destinations is nothing new. Newspapers including The Financial Times were using 360° videos to profile cities as far back as 2016, and travel agents were using the wow factor of well-done VR experiences to sell packages the same year .

Since then, the rise of consumer VR tech like the Oculus Quest has allowed marketers to go further still. There are any number of fantastic VR travel experiences, from the hard-hitting like Traveling While Black, to the fantastic city tours available on every piece of VR hardware.

Andrew Kiguel is chief executive officer of Tokens.com, an NFT specialist with particular interest in the practical applications of VR. He tells The Drum: “We ’ve invested in a platform called Superworld; it takes a different standpoint in that they’re saying this is virtual tourism so you can go to Mount Rushmore or the Taj Mahal, walk around at your own leisure and see what this looks like. [It’s] something you might not be able to experience otherwise and there’ll be other virtual tourists walking around you can talk to and interact with.

“[It’s] not just like going to the real thing. This is a close second, especially during a pandemic.”

The use of VR to tell travel stories lies at the heart of many of the most effective travel marketing campaigns of the past two years – provided you can do more than simply plonk a 360° camera down and call it a day. The BBC recently invested in just such a narrative-led VR series with The Green Planet Experience, in partnership with EE.

In addition to having invested in on-board VR experiences, airline Qantas has placed marketing funds in VR, with its Qantas VR app having delivered videos that attempt to communicate the feeling of being in destinations including Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef.

John Speers is head of strategy of travel marketing specialist agency Kemosabe. He believes that the role of technology is to create that desire for sensory experiences, even when the technology itself cannot replicate them: “This is travel marketing and the future of it. To replicate (or give a taste of) that experience so palpable that you can’t wait to enjoy it in the real world. We’re not replacing it, as I believe that is impossible, but we are using best-in-class technology to replicate some dimensions of it to ‘whet the appetite.’ It’s marketing the experience, not replacing it.

“Whatever great experience you like, you have a visceral moment where you go, ‘how good is this?’ It’s a sensory experience that you can’t replicate digitally – the sights, smells, sensations, sounds, warmth, relationships, emotions, discomfort, whatever stimuli you pick up as a real live person from a real live situation. You just can’t get this online. No matter what the metaverse produces.”

Social tech

Beyond the flashy aspects of travel marketing in VR, our phones continue to play a huge role in generating the sentiment and desire around booking holidays and excursions. Instagram alone boasts a huge stable of travel marketers, many of whom partner with agencies, resorts or destinations in order to sell those packages.

Back in 2017 The Travel Project, an Instagram-focused project by two ex-ad agency creators, set the stage for further partnerships between platforms, destinations and influencers. And much of that is predicated on the ability of social media and platforms to create communities that share news about and experiences of travel with one another.

Speers says: “I agree with Brian Chesky, the founder of Airbnb, who believes ‘a more three-dimensional internet will replace a two-dimensional internet, not replace real life. I don’t think that’s any technologists’ vision that I’m aware of – that we never exist in the physical world. These digital experiences, to me, are gateways. There are ways for people to try Airbnb for $10 or $20. They can connect with a host without having to get on a plane and stay in someone’s home in another country. It’s a lower commitment.’

“This is exactly the ‘whetting of the appetite’ I refer to. Brian continues, ‘there is a major risk to the digital revolution: we are living in one of the loneliest periods in human history. When you take physical communities and you atomize them, they’re not always as nourishing as the physical world. No one has ever changed someone else’s mind in a YouTube comment section ... the best way to change someone’s mind is to walk in their shoes – to stay in their home, go in their community.’”

That advocacy through social media is also at the heart of how charitable travel companies including Planeterra have marketed themselves over the past few years. Rhea Simms, director of global programs at Planeterra, says: “The pandemic made a lot of Planeterra’s messaging become mainstream in many ways. One of the messages that was really prominent at the start of the pandemic and has continued throughout is the idea of buying and supporting ‘local.’ Many people became aware of the impact they have when it comes to supporting local businesses.

“Another key message that was coming to fruition was just how important the tourism industry was to local people in many destinations. Many travelers started to advocate and make it known they wanted their travels to have a positive impact, and as the world ’s leading non-profit using tourism to aid development were excited that many tourism operators have come to us as a result.”

Between the VR experiences that engender desire and the social campaigns that play on consumers’ desire to share their own experiences, technology is deeply embedded in travel marketing. While much of it has been accelerated by the pandemic, the reality is that humans are curious and social animals, keen to experience and share new stories.

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34 Travel Stats You Need to Know for a Brilliant 2024 Marketing Campaign

Are you looking to run a travel marketing campaign this year? Well, you’re in luck. We’ve compiled all the essential travel stats you need to know to reach your goals and exceed expectations. 

We’ll break down the travel trends by generation. That way, you can implement the best practices for marketing to different generations of travelers. Plus, we’ll go over the sustainable travel trends, how technology influences travel behavior, and all the other 2024 travel statistics marketers like you need to know. 

So what are the latest travel stats of 2024? Let’s dive in. 

Overall Travel Trends in 2024

The post-pandemic travel bug is still impacting travel trends in 2024. Travelers are eager to take a break from work and get out into the world. Here are some general travel stats you may find helpful in planning your upcoming travel marketing campaigns.

1. Most Americans plan to travel in 2024.

90 percent of Americans plan to take a trip this year. 85 percent plan to travel out of state. Most plan to travel with loved ones. 53 percent will travel with family and 41 percent with significant others.

2. 80 percent of Americans say travel is important for wellbeing. 

Top motivators for travelers include beauty, relaxation, and family-friendly experiences. 37 percent say they are motivated to travel to be in beautiful surroundings. 33 percent travel for relaxation and well-being. And 30 percent are motivated by family fun.

3. The most common type of trip in 2024 will be to visit family and friends.

46 percent of American travel will consist of trips to visit loved ones. After that, the most common trip types are beach vacations (36 percent) and road trips (34 percent).

Source: Forbes

4. 2024 trip costs are rising an average 36 percent compared to last year.

Most travelers ( 93 percent ) plan to spend at least some time budgeting, comparing costs, and searching for deals when planning upcoming travel. And 68 percent plan to spend a lot of time on those cost-cutting activities.  

5. 96 percent of Americans expect inflation to impact their travel plans.

Nearly half ( 48 percent ) plan to cut travel costs by traveling closer to home or during the off-season of their destination to cope with the squeeze of inflation. Another 44 percent plan to spend less on accommodations to account for inflation’s impact.

6. Nearly 8 in 10 Americans plan to travel by car.

78 percent of Americans plan to get to their vacation destinations by car, while 35 percent intend to fly. So it might be a good time to strategize that road trip campaign! 

Gen Z Travel Preferences

You may be wondering: how do Gen Z and Millennials differ in their travel preferences? We had the same question. That’s why we broke down Gen Z travel, Millennial travel, and Boomer travel by the numbers, so you can hyper-target your next travel marketing campaign. Use these insights for marketing to Gen Z (born 1997-2012).

7. 84 percent of American Gen Z adults plan to take a trip this year.

That’s more than any other traveling demographic. Gen Z loves to travel. In fact, 75 percent have taken two or more trips in the last year.

8. Half of American Gen Z adults plan to travel internationally in 2024.

That’s right, 49 percent of Gen Z adults plan to leave the U.S. for leisure travel in the next 12 months. Again, that’s more than any other traveling demographic. If you’re looking to target travelers, especially international ones, in your next campaign, set your sights on a Gen Z audience.

9. 65 percent of Gen Z are expected to spend more on travel than last year.

Gen Z knows how to budget for travel and find the best deals. In fact, 38 percent spend a lot of time comparing pricing for upcoming travel destinations and activities to get the most bang for their buck.

10. The average Gen Z trip of 2024 costs $11,766 .

That’s up 39 percent from last year. It’s no wonder 97 percent of Gen Z are concerned about rising costs affecting their travel plans. 

11. Most Gen Z prioritize excitement over relaxation when traveling.

57 percent of Gen Z travel for excitement and exploration rather than downtime. They go for experiential value, immersive exploration, and authentic experiences. Gen Z is more likely to forgo the fancy all-inclusives in favor of budget-friendly options with more experiential value. If your travel marketing campaign is experience-based, Gen Z is a good target demo. Consider them for holiday travel and other experiential campaigns. 

12. 73 percent of Gen Z consider local cuisine when selecting travel destinations.

And almost half ( 49 percent ) follow food influencers whose content helps them make travel-related decisions.

13. 89 percent of Gen Z use TikTok to find travel destination inspo.

And more than half ( 53 percent ) use multiple social media channels for leisure travel recommendations. 

14. Italy and Japan are the most popular 2024 travel destinations for Gen Z. 

This coincides with Gen Z’s tendency to go for cultural experiences over partying or relaxation destinations. Gen Z and their Millennial counterparts searched prices for travel destinations in Asia 50 percent more last year in 2023 than pre-pandemic. 

Millennial Travel Habits

Millennials (born 1981-1996) are the second most likely generation to travel in 2024, they pack the most baggage, and they’re spending the least on average. Here’s how the travel stats shake out for 2024 Millennial travel.

15. 77 percent of Millennials plan to travel this year.

They’re the second-most likely to travel for leisure of any demographic in 2024. They trail only behind their younger Gen Z friends.

16. 3 in 10 Millennials expect to travel internationally in 2024.

29 percent of Millennials say they’ll travel internationally in the next 12 months. They’re still second to Gen Z in this category.

17. 72 percent of Millennials are expected to spend more on travel than last year.  

And they’re careful about where and how they spend on travel. 34 percent of Millennials spend a lot of time comparing pricing of travel destinations and activities for upcoming trips, according to a study by Washington State University.

18. The average Millennial trip of 2024 costs $9,670 . 

This is the lowest average trip cost for generations of travelers. But Millennials have seen the highest percentage cost increase year-over-year. The 2024 average is up 48 percent from 2023.

19. Family-friendly options are important to most Millennial parents .

91 percent of Millennial parents prioritize family-friendly options when researching travel destinations. 

20. Millennials are willing to pay more for comfort and convenience while traveling.

A large majority ( 83 percent ) of Millennials want to feel cared for while traveling. 60 percent say the purpose of their vacations is to rest and recharge, compared to 52 percent who prioritize exploration and adventure.

21. Punta Cana and Rome are top destinations for Millennial parents. 

Millennials are more likely to take quick weekend getaways. Punta Cana is the top destination for these brief excursions, especially for those with children under five. For those with older kids and teens, Rome tops the list and is likely to be the destination for longer trips. 

Travel Trends for Consumers Over 60

Up next we’ve got Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964). Let’s dig into how they travel, how much they spend, and what they’re looking for in their 2024 trips. 

22. 74 percent of Baby Boomers plan to travel in 2024.

While most Baby Boomers intend to take a trip this year, only 21 percent plan to travel internationally. That makes them the least likely generation to travel outside the country. 

23. The average Baby Boomer trip of 2024 cost $10,680 .

That’s up 36 percent year-over-year. And Boomers don’t spend a lot of time planning where that spend will go. They spend the least amount of time searching for deals on travel when compared to other generations. Only 19 percent spend a lot of time planning their trip budgets.

24. Most Baby Boomers use online services to book their travel. 

84 percent of Boomers book their travel online. They’re most likely to read reviews about travel destinations on Facebook and TripAdvisor. 

25. Baby Boomers account for 20 percent of all travel spending. 

Boomers are willing to spend more on what they value. Think nonstop flights, travel comforts, and luxury accommodations. 

26. Boomers favor activity-focused travel packages. 

Boomers are most likely to go for travel packages. They take little planning, often feature all-inclusive options, and allow for immersive activities with minimal research. 

27. Top travel destinations for Boomers include Florida, California, and Las Vegas . 

Because Boomers are most likely to travel domestically, it makes sense these are the hot spots. For those who do travel internationally, Europe features the most desired destinations. Top international spots include Italy, Spain, and Great Britain.

Travel Statistics on Sustainability

Travel is going green as more and more Americans prioritize sustainable practices at home and on vacation. Let’s see how the 2024 travel stats shake out. 

28. 75 percent of Americans prioritize sustainability while traveling. 

This means considering greener modes of transportation, eco-friendly lodging, and being conscious of their impact on local destinations. 

29. Parents with children under 18 care more about sustainable travel. 

59 percent of parents with kids under 18 say they prioritize sustainability when planning travel. This is compared to 41 percent of other Americans. This could be due to the consciousness-raising of Gen Alpha on their parents, but the data is unclear. 

30. Traveling sustainably doesn’t mean going off the grid.

56 percent say they don’t believe it’s important to go to rustic locations without access to technology to travel sustainably. Boomers are the generation to agree with this most, with 65 percent echoing the sentiment. 

31. More than half of Gen Z is willing to pay more for environmentally responsible travel.

Gen Z prioritizes eco-friendly destinations that use renewable energy and minimize waste. And they’re willing to put their money where their mouth is. 54 percent of Gen Z will pay more for more sustainable travel services. Gen Z is considered to be the most environmentally conscious generation of travelers. 

Impact of Technology on Travel

How is technology impacting travel behavior, you ask? Let’s break it down. 

32. Gen Z is most likely to use AI when traveling or planning travel. 

75 percent of Gen Z use AI-powered tools to help plan their travel. That’s the most of any generation. And a majority ( 73 percent ) of Gen Z believe that AI has a net positive effect on their travel planning. 41 percent report using AI to plan trip itineraries. And 43 percent use AI for help while traveling. But Gen Z isn’t without concerns. More than half ( 56 percent ) are wary of using AI-powered travel tools due to privacy concerns.

33. Boomers are least likely to use AI when traveling or planning travel. 

Only 28 percent of Baby Boomers have used AI-powered tools to plan travel or for help while traveling. However, 50 percent of Boomers believe the overall impact of AI on travel is more positive than negative. 

34. Men are more likely to use AI for travel than women. 

55 percent of American men have used AI when traveling or planning travel, compared to 46 percent of women. 

That’s a Wrap on 2024 Travel Stats

So there you have it. All the 2024 travel statistics you need to know to create travel marketing campaigns that will wow vacationers from every generation. We hope this roundup gave you some insight into travel trends and the impacts of technology and sustainability on the current travel market.

Want help creating your next travel marketing campaign? There are more travel statistics where these came from! Our expert team can help you craft the perfect campaign to crush your goals using all the latest industry trends and insights. Schedule a strategy call with us today to get started.

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