The travel industry remains popular, fascinating, and it has become more accessible to most people worldwide for various reasons, from the emancipation of women in society, obtaining independence with more money in hand to spend, to modern day influencers and travel testimonials.
True, during the Covid-19 global pandemic the travel industry was dented to put it mildly, many organisations suffered and some even closed down shop.
Fortunately, this industry is back in full swing, and if you`re in the business, you better know how to get your slice of pie, as people are spending trillions of euros every year travelling.
Need some leverage? Destination branding is the key. Read on, as we list all the necessary ingredients for your commerce to soar.
Set your Targets
It stands to reason that without clever strategy or planning, no business is destined for success.
Established and renowned organisations are recognised even by looking at their logo. Why? Because they put their cash, their investment where their mouth is, and built a product, a service, which represents their original statement with which they kicked off their venture, clarifying their reason for the existence and the ultimate goals of the business. All this is experienced and appreciated by their loyal clientele who trust them and consequently keep coming.
Start by reviewing your company`s brand, what it stands for, what message are you portraying. If need be go into the details, like reviewing the font, the letterheads, the logo, upgrade your website and utilise social media to your benefit.
Do your research even about what other competitors are doing, where they failed, these are all learning curves which will give you the heads-up, or assist you in planning wisely, to adopt the strategy of their successful areas and avoid any possible potholes ahead.
Be prepared for the hard times though, cause there will be rough patches. So, we recommend that you install close regular relations with experts on the field, like lawyers, accountants and insurers, so that even legally and financially you`re covered, which is paramount if something like a global pandemic raises its head again.
Setting goals, working with a plan, understanding what your audience wants, will put you on the right path to succeed in this industry. Thus, destination branding becomes key to entice and retain clients.
Remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish.
Start from the Website!
We can`t emphasise enough that in this day and age, websites have become the window on your business, the first thing people check when surfing the internet and looking, in our case, to travel.
Make sure that your business has a website which represents and reflects the passion for travelling by its theme, design, font, palette, by simply reading its powerful and dynamic content, articles that inspire, blogs which share the experiences and attract people`s attention.
So, does your present website represent all of the above? Or is it still dull? Study shows that the first 0.05 seconds upon opening a website are crucial to keep the visitors interested, hooked or not.
There`s nothing more potent than visuals, thus a website which showcases destinations in beautiful pictures or videos, even a short welcoming video on the landing page, will do wonders.
Keep it simple for visitors to contact you, via email, or even install a chat bot which will divert any queries to you. List all the possible bookings available and even any offers in an inviting format, which is easily accessible and comprehended with a click.
Be honest with prices and what the full package holds, the last thing you`ll need are disappointed voyagers, as bad publicity moves fast by word of mouth, social media or both.
List any testimonials who share their positive experiences, these will attract more clients as they are given peace of mind to invest their money in an outstanding holiday or a smooth business travel.
Print is still in Vogue
Although we are surrounded by avant-garde technology, websites, social media, while everyone is sporting a smartphone, however, magazines, leaflets and brochures kept their prowess when it comes to marketing which isn`t to be underestimated.
Okay, admittedly paper or print reduced the dominance it once had in publicity, for sure not like they used to be in the past before internet was around.
Nevertheless, although print media had to undergo some challenges and modify itself in new formats, the various flyers and catalogues are still sought, even when entering a travel agency it`s the first thing we pick up and go through, while billboards still attract commuters` attention on our streets.
Utilise Social Media Astutely
In today`s world, this is expected. If a website is crucial for your business to be present online and put you out there as people are surfing from the palm of their hands, the participation in social media is also imperative.
Instagram is the popular platform where people usually showcase their adventures, believe it or not there are people who travel to also enhance their personal Insta page. Be present with an account of your own, create hashtags and connect ideally with influencers who will gladly help you in publicising against some incentives.
Also, a YouTube channel with interesting videos will surely attract followers who will subscribe to keep in the know, while wishing to travel to destinations they see in your videos. Their natural next step will be to approach you.
Other ideas are advertising on Facebook or TikTok, on the latter views are known to blow up, imagine your impact.
Social media then is capable to increase your reach within hours.
Wrapping Up
Leveraging destination branding is key then for the ultimate success story.
Keep promoting all year round, dedicate quality time and passion, invest wisely on marketing, social media but also in catalogues, and keep your clients happy by delivering what you promised. This will not only retain good clients, but also entice new ones.
Last but not least, reassess your marketing strategy annually.