Tourism essentially stopped in 2020 during the pandemic. Most countries locked their borders, and flights were limited to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In 2021 and looking forward, many people want to travel to make up for the year they lost and experience places they have never been. However, some independent tourist companies and travel agencies have not upgraded their brand or technology to connect with new customers akin to the big travel search engines like Kayak and Expedia or like independent travel influencers flooding Instagram and TikTok.
Moreover, there are still opportunities for tourism and travel agencies to expand in today’s market with the right strategies to capture more customers.
Vacation Packages
Unique Curated Experiences
Most travel agencies assume people know what they want and where to go. However, this one size fits all is limited. However, pre-packaging one-of-kind experiences can expand your market to a larger audience that prefers a seamless itinerary .
Curating experiences starting with what they may want to do or activities instead of locations is a great way to start.
One example includes compiling unique experiences and sharing it on on social media and event marketplaces like Eventbrite can extend and catapult customers to book in advance for unique experiences. This has been emerging for a few years but not pushed by larger travel agencies and travel groups.
For individuals, a great example in assisting you curation is the Destination Quiz by Travel Channel. Their online quiz provides a different approach figuring out what traveler wants to experience. Upon receiving requests for their needs, you can curate a travel package specifically for the traveler. Here is a cute quiz maker to help you create a quiz for free.
Tourism essentially stopped in 2020 during the pandemic. Most countries locked their borders, and flights were limited to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In 2021 and looking forward, many people want to travel to make up for the year they lost and experience places they have never been. However, some independent tourist companies and travel agencies have not upgraded their brand or technology to connect with new customers akin to the big travel search engines like Kayak and Expedia or like independent travel influencers flooding Instagram and TikTok.
Moreover, there are still opportunities for tourism and travel agencies to expand in today’s market with the right strategies to capture more customers.
Share Travel Stories
Social Media
Instagram and TikTok are filled with travel experiences from users all the time. Shooting photos and videos of fun places are one of the best things to share with potential travelers.
It is best to have authentic original content as opposed to stock images.
Connecting with Influential Brand Ambassadors is one of the best ways to gain that type of content. Providing incentives and discounts on hotels, flights, and expenditures to travel ambassadors will create the content needed to share on your social media platforms referencing your company. Simple DM’s with incentives would work.
Nowadays, people trust their friends and family experiences more than commercials. So, reaching out for already planned trips for influencers will gain more customers.
Google Ads
When looking for travel experiences, most people book their travel online on web platforms and mobile apps. Google Ads allows your ad to showcase both. Expanding your google business and creating lead-generating pages for your travel packages with Google Ads can double your business.
Email Marketing
Newsletters
Email marketing has been the standard for relaying new messaging for your business. Sending out a weekly or monthly newsletter to previous and new customers is one of the best ways to share travel discounts, packages, and more. So, stock up on your list and send out emails consistently to gain more traction.
What They Say
Reviews and Referrals
Gain the reviews from previous clients and incentivize them to receive referrals. Send out an email to your clients and ask for reviews on Yelp and Google Reviews to optimize your online presence.
The travel industry will continually grow year by year by 3 to 7% each year. Despite the setback in 2020 because of the global pandemic, leaps of travel will expand from 2022 and beyond. It’s vital to boost your businesses using technology tools to grow your business brand.
If interested in learning more, contact us for more information and feedback to help with your plans to expand your travel business.
