Tourism marketing, as we mentioned earlier, is constantly changing and evolving, which is why it is important to review it. If it is not updated, any business or company could miss out on significant and beneficial growth opportunities. The same is true in tourism marketing, and even more so in the current climate.
What is Tourism Marketing?
This is the promotion of places carried out by companies in the hotel sector, entertainment venues, restaurants, transport companies, and other public bodies. It is responsible for all actions focused on offering the best service to tourists.
This appeals more to the feelings of potential buyers than simply providing facts and figures, helping potential buyers to experience the trip before it even happens.
The tourist of 2020 is nothing like the tourist of years past. The new consumer likes personalized information that adds value.
That's why they research, consult social media, and seek immediate answers to their questions. That's why today's customers are considered omnichannel, and before buying, they want to see several options and hear other consumers' opinions.
Illustration of Tourism Marketing
What does it take to succeed in it?
1. Video Marketing
Video marketing is one of the formats that is booming and becoming increasingly important in the tourism sector. It allows products or services to be shown in a more attractive way and the feelings they convey to consumers are more appealing.
Audiovisual multimedia content sells almost on its own. Now, with Instagram's new features, companies can create IGTVs in addition to stories. IGTVs are a kind of TV channel integrated into the social network where users can share video content that is longer than 15 seconds. On the other hand, there are also Reels, which are short videos to which you can add audio tracks and songs, inspired by TikTok, but currently limited to 15 seconds. All companies in the tourism sector can and should use Instagram's new features to promote and sell feelings and places.
On the other hand, companies should also use TikTok, the most widely used social network during Covid-19, where everyone shares content. What could be better than using it yourself as a tourism company? With all this, you will increase engagement with your target audience.
2. Streaming Transmission
Another trend that cannot be ignored in tourism marketing is streaming video, which continues to boom thanks to social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and now more than ever, Instagram. Streaming videos on these platforms can multiply engagement and are a great way to communicate and attract new users.
3. Mobile Marketing
The growth inmobile phoneusein the tourism sectoris unstoppable. Users are increasingly deciding on their vacation destinations via their mobile phones.
4. Social Media
Social media is everything. It is an essential strategic link between users and tourism companies. Over 90% of potential customers are on social media, and not being there could mean missing out on a huge opportunity.
Furthermore, it is no longer enough to simply be present; companies must know how to make the most of all communication tools, otherwise they will create a negative image among users. It is very important to choose the social media platforms that best suit the needs of each business.
5. Collaboration with Influencers
Nowadays, if you want to go further, there are also influencers or themed bloggers who can act as fantastic opinion leaders. Analyzing the market and contacting the right influencer or blogger can be the most difficult task. However, once you've found them, all you need to do is reach an agreement and you're good to go.
For example, inviting an influencer to visit a city, preparing a video with them, and contextualizing their communication can be very effective, as all their subscribers will be able to see the city, their experience, and learn the influencer's opinion about it. A recommendation from an influencer can be vital to the purchase decision.
6. Advertising Campaigns
Creating advertising campaigns can be very useful in encouraging travelers to make a purchase decision. For example, a user has visited your website but has not made a purchase. Now, thanks to social media advertising (Facebook Ads or Instagram Ads), you can remarket to them using a promotional video of the beaches at that destination to try to convince them to go ahead with the purchase they had been considering.
7. Virtual Reality
Many tourism businesses have already begun to use virtual reality, one of the most powerful tools for creating almost real experiences. Thanks to this, they are able to offer better customer service, allowing tourists to experience the places they want to visit before embarking on the actual trip.
Online reputation in tourism marketing
Taking care of your online reputation is very important in any digital business, as other users' opinions can be key to whether or not they make a purchase. Offering transparency, having a responsive design, taking care of SEO, and having good customer service are important elements for a good brand image.
Tourism is a sector that is highly sensitive to negative reviews. One dissatisfied customer can mean the difference between other users booking or not. Customer reviews have always been a very important aspect of reputation management in the tourism sector. For this reason, we will share with you the keys to maintaining a good online reputation for your tourism business:
1. ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH
If you create expectations about the experience they will have on the trip, they must always be in line with the reality of the service.
2. TAKE CARE OF EVERY DETAIL OF THE STAY
Customers are very demanding, and the better and more personalized their experience, the more generous they will be when it comes to rating you in their review. Pay attention to the small details, maintain good contact with them before their arrival and during their stay, and then create good feedback when they leave.
3. BE ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Take care of your brand image, add value to your website, and grow your community. They are also a great source of information about users and a good communication channel.
4. ENCOURAGE YOUR GUESTS TO PARTICIPATE
Even if you add photos and experiences to your website, they will be much more credible if they are created by your customers themselves.
5. PERSONALIZED, NON-AUTOMATED RESPONSES
Tourism is very emotional, and users like to see that the service is personalized, so it's best to take the time to respond to comments with your own unique touch rather than always copying the same response for everyone.
And always respond to all comments, whether they are negative or positive.
Respond calmly, asking what aspects they did not like, investigate the problem, and look for a solution.
You should always apologize and thank them for their feedback. If they are wrong, tell them politely because it may have been a misunderstanding.
https://anunciart.com/la-publicidad-en-los-videojuegos-son-una-potente-fuente-de-ingresos/
Video explanation of what Tourism Marketing is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZRTqjO3y_k
