10 Promotion Strategies for the Travel and Tourism Industry that Actually Work

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10 Promotion Strategies for the Travel and Tourism Industry that Actually Work

Almost every industry is (still!) going through tough times since the pandemic outbreak back in 2020. Some of them, though, have been affected by coronavirus far more than the others – and the travel industry is definitely one of them. Canceled trips, canceled flights, confused guests and hosts alike, countless restrictions, and the overall uncertainty of what’s coming next – all this have brought the industry to the brink of collapse.

Thankfully, most travel and tourism businesses decided to fight against the odds, and work their way through the pandemic. As of summer 2022, there are signs of coming back to (normal) life. Nobody knows, though, what autumn will bring and convincing consumers to plan their trips is far more difficult now than it ever was. That’s why clever marketing and promotion strategies seem to be the keys for the industry to get back on its feet.

Marketing for the travel and tourism industries in 2022

The pandemic isn’t the only problem the travel and tourism industry has faced lately. The economy (for example in Europe) forces people to think twice before going on costly vacations abroad. The competition is stiff as ever, and there’s still a need to maintain a healthy balance between costs and earnings. There’s no point in pumping thousands of dollars into marketing strategies if they won’t bring enough ROI. That’s why it’s crucial to select the next promotion strategy for your business carefully.

Here are some notable travel marketing trends are worth mentioning:

  • TikTok marketing – this social video platform became a powerful marketing tool for those skilful enough to unlock its potential. Often referred to as a platform for children and youth (and dismissed for being such), TikTok hosts 1 billion active users. It’s a value that shouldn’t be ignored.
  • Social media marketing – the dominance of TikTok does not mean that other social media platforms are doomed in marketing. Instagram, Facebook, and even LinkedIn – all those media have their place and are still valid marketing platforms. The key is – as always – targeting the right audience.
  • Influencer marketing – staying in the social media area: engaging celebrities and influencers in your marketing activities is an idea worth thinking of. Of course, the influencer with a 250K Instagram profile won’t bring thousands of customers directly to your company, but the recognizability should definitely help.

What about some travel marketing trends for 2022?

  • Flexibility is a key – though low prices are still important, customers are eager to find offers that enable them to get a full refund or change bookings if necessary.
  • Long-term rentals – in times of remote work, more people want to try living in new places for a more extended period. So-called workations have become more popular than ever, and people expect special deals for long-term rentals.
  • Geofencing – looking for attractions near the place of living has become a thing during the pandemic. People are forced to put off their travel plans until somewhere in the future, turned to what their area has to offer. With geofencing , local attractions, such as restaurants, museums, go-karting tracks, escape rooms or laser tag places, became open for people searching for “[something] near me” which, apparently, grew popular in recent years.

Enough of those trends – you’re here for the list, so here it is! 10 promotional strategies for the travel and tourism industry that actually work – they have been launched and tested by companies we know. There’s no room for hypotheses. Below you’ll find nothing but real-life examples – get ready to get inspired!

Gamecity Zoetermeer

Promotion types used: discount coupons, gift cards, giveaways.

gamecity-website

Gamecity GoKarting Zoetermeer is a place of fun games and entertainment for people looking to do something more active and demanding than watching VOD at home or going to the cinema. Gamecity offers go-karting, laser tag, minigolf and an innovative, competitive escape room-like experience called Prison Island.

1. Social media giveaways

Pursuing the newest trends, Gamecity launched a few social media profiles, such as Instagram or TikTok (their most popular video has been watched more than 40K times!). They use TikTok not only for sharing funny, short videos but also to run giveaways for their engaged followers, thus increasing company recognizability and gaining new followers (as well as potential customers):

gamecity-online-giveaway-example

Online contests are usually a very effective way to raise awareness of newly-created brands. Still, nothing stands in your way if you want to organize a sweepstake every now and then to promote your already established brand.

‍ In short: a well-performed online giveaway should not only bring some attention to your company but it might also result in a significant followers increase. Each of them can become your next valuable customer!

2. Discount coupons

People who don’t order any service without typing “[name of the company] discount coupon” in Google Search won’t be disappointed, as Gamecity Gokarting issues discount coupons every once in a while. A nice 20% discount for go-karting should be enough to convince the unconvinced and create the opportunity for them to try new things while traveling or just hanging out with friends.

game city discount coupon example

Discount coupons are the salt of promotion strategies for the tourism and travel industry – it’s always nice knowing that the attraction you were already willing to experience is a bit cheaper than expected. However, from a business perspective, too big of a discount can be deceptive, as people could try it once and then never come back due to the feeling that the service should be cheaper than it is. That’s why companies usually launch 10-20% discounts.

‍ In short: The most significant advantage of the discount coupon promotional strategy is that it’s not very demanding to launch and maintain such a promotion. And with a proper tool, such as the Voucherify, issuing coupons is approachable and developer-friendly.

Promotion types used: gift cards, partnerships, giveaways.

Sportihome has created its unique business model that combines two things you can find in the company name – sports and housing rentals. To make their offer attractive for sports enthusiasts and travelers alike, Sportihome runs numerous giveaways with strongly-thematic rewards, such as entries for sports events and so on:

sportihome-online-giveaway

3. Partnerships

A popular marketing strategy is partnering up with well-known brands to provide discounts, equipment and other gifts. Sportihome decided to follow this path by teaming up with Decathlon , the most prominent sports gear brand in France. Each host, who joins the Sportihome family, gets an exclusive 10% discount for equipping the lodgings they share with Sportihome customers.

Sportihom & Decathlon partnership

In short: partnerships may strengthen your brand as showing up in the right company to a business meeting does. And if the partnership comes with benefits for the customers, you can be sure that it will positively impact your marketing efforts.

4. Gift cards

One of the ultimate travel and tourism promotion types is gift cards. However, buying holidays as a gift can cause unintended trouble – it isn’t easy to be a hundred percent sure that the gifted person won’t have any plans in a given period. Also, choosing the location and lodgings for them might not be the best idea (who knows if they’d like it?). In such a case, the best way would be to present someone with a gift card for holidays of their choice. And that’s exactly what you can do via Sportihome – choose the price (from €50 to €1,000) and choose whether Sportihome should send the card to the recipient or if you want to do this personally.

Each gift card is valid for 24 months, and the gifted person can use the code from the gift card during the payment – after choosing the most suitable location.

sportihome gif cards

In short: Gift cards are present in almost any industry, but they became especially popular when the pandemic began – if all the travel companies ensured full refunds for everyone who wanted to cancel their flights, trips and vacations, they would already be out of business. One of the ways to stay above the surface while encouraging customers to return was to offer them gift cards instead of a cashback.

This is precisely the way easyJet decided to deal with the coronavirus crisis – read more about it in our case study!

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Al Ali Yachts

Promotion types used: BOGO, discount coupons, giveaways.

Al Ali Yachts is a luxury yacht-rental company based in Dubai, UAE. In a demanding market, rental companies have to try different marketing strategies to get to the right audience. One of the most effective promotions used by Al Ali Yachts is BOGO – buy one, get one free – promotion.

How does it work? BOGO promotions add an item whenever a customer orders a required number of items. For example, during the "Enjoy the Summer" promotion, Al Ali Yachts offers their customers 1 hour of yacht rental for free for every 3 hours booked. It’s easy to calculate that the offer equals a 25% discount. The difference lies in the incentive.

If a group of friends would like to rent a yacht for two hours, they might get incentivized by the promotion – they’d rather pay for 3 hours and have a boat for 4 hours.

al ali yacht bogo promotion example

6. Holiday giveaways

There’s always an occasion to celebrate – should it be International Women’s Day, Independence Day or National Pizza With Everything (Except Anchovies) Day, brands have learnt to incorporate them into their marketing efforts. A contest where the winner gets 1 hour of free cruising? Why not? If it brings people interested in the product, it’s probably a good idea (though there’s a million dollars for whoever creates a campaign combining National Pizza Day with yacht rental).

al ali yacht holiday giveaway

Dertouristik

Promotion types used: discount coupons.

Visiting the Dertouristik website for the first time is one of those unforgettable moments, when a pop-up ad doesn’t get on the nerves – why so? Because of an exclusive, time-limited offer (also the fact that it doesn’t cover the whole screen)!

7. Time-limited offers

Though setting a time limit for the offer is old as the world, it’s useful promotional tool companies use with success in 2022 (and will probably still use in 2222). Here’s what it looks like on the Dertour website:

Dertouristik discount coupon pop-up

The window pops up right after entering the website – it says that there’s a €50 discount for any travel package from Dertour, as soon as the total costs are above €500. The offer is valid until midnight, so there’s a strict deadline, but with plenty of time to think this decision through.

It’s a nice touch that after closing the pop-up window, it’s still available under the blue “Ihr Rabatt Code” button, so the customers can get back and copy their code anytime.

Promotion types used: flexibility packages, discount codes, freebies.

8. Flexible packages

Trends in the travel and tourism promotions have changed – customers expect more than low prices, loyalty solutions or various discounts. They also need peace of mind when it comes to planning their vacations. That’s why solutions such as ItaliaRail’s Flexibility packages work! With an additional fee customers can ensure that they would be able to reschedule or cancel their train tickets with an 80% or 90% refund:

ItaliaRail flexibility package

9. Freebies

Genuinely taking care of customers’ well-being is one of the most effective promotional strategies – especially if the goal is to create a long-term relationship with the customer. So ItaliaRail went the extra mile and prepared a little welcoming gift for their potential customers – a free Italian phrases ebook, which can be a helpful guide for those who visit Italy for the first time. Of course, giving away an ebook like this probably won’t become a game-changing strategy for the company. Still, it’s an excellent little addition to make customers feel better about traveling, and to get some email addresses in the process.

ItaliaRail freebie example – an ebook

Promotion types used: cart promotions, discount coupons.

With its branches in Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, France, Poland, Spain, the UK, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and Finland, TUI became one of the most popular travel agencies in Europe, offering holiday trips worldwide.

10. Cart promotions

Knowing that the most straightforward solutions are often the most satisfying ones, TUI went through with cart promotions – the discounts visible immediately while browsing the offers:

TUI deals – cart level promotions

A big, red –41% alert is precisely what TUI wants people to see right after clicking the TUI Deals button on the homepage. The difference between the regular and discounted price is what drives people’s purchasing decisions more often than they want to admit. But the difference between €1410 and €831 is just too good!

‍ Cart-level promotions , though, offer more than only displaying lower prices. Using them, you can assign automatic discounts to each customer who meets the redemption criteria, create personalized deals, enable free shipping, bonus items and much more!

Coming up with a successful promotion strategy for the travel and tourism industry requires a lot of work and dedication – I hope the above list of examples will help you choose the best promotion type to begin with. Now, before I finish, here are three final tips you might find helpful:

  • Select two or three promotion types you’re eager to try out. Learn more about them and see if they are within your reach before investing any money in them.
  • Look around and search for software that would help you create and launch the type of promotions you’re interested in. It’s always a better (and cheaper) idea to find ready-made software instead of trying to come up with your own solution.
  • If you’re determined to try out different types of promotions for your business, make sure that the software you’ve found in step 2 is able to handle each of them. No point in subscribing to (and paying for) two or three different software packages while you can stick to a single one.

If you’re looking for a powerful promotion engine where you can create numerous marketing campaigns (personalized coupons, cart-level promotions, digital gift cards, product bundling, loyalty and referral programs, geofencing), but pay only for the actual usage, try Voucherify. And when I’m saying “try” I mean it – Voucherify comes with a free plan, which you can use to find your way through the platform before deciding to pay any money!

Don’t hesitate any longer

Get started with Voucherify!

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Promotion, advertising, marketing… the subtle differences between these terms (opens in a new tab) is interesting, but ultimately the bottom line is about growing your tour business and boosting your sales. That is what I am going to focus on here.

An effective advertising campaign is the most important aspect in the successful development of a tourism business. The key success factors in any campaign are careful planning and creative ideas. 

We will start with some basic foundational elements of a tourism business, and then go on to share effective promotional ideas.

Building under construction

Your Brand Identity

All the elements of a business are interconnected, and each business prioritizes them slightly differently. However, it is important to continually evaluate the strength of your brand presence while you are developing your promotions and marketing strategies.

– Social Media  

Are your social media accounts set up and active ? This is non-negotiable because so many people rely on social media as their primary source of information, and to verify the value of a business before making a commitment. Focus on maintaining several platforms, and keep them current and engaging as best as you can. You can start here (opens in a new tab) , and then take your social media to the next level with this blog post (opens in a new tab) .

– Starting a blog (or posting relevant articles)

There are several ways a blog can help grow your business. When your site is brimming with interesting blogs showcasing your unforgettable tours, or with useful articles about tourism… that gets people excited! Visitors to your blog see all this fun content, and are motivated to try it for themselves, and they hit that book button. 

The other benefit of a blog is that with enough high-quality content, it positions your company as experts in the field (opens in a new tab) . That is great for ranking in Google searches! In addition you can get a lot of mileage out of a well thought out post. Your articles can also be published on other sites that offer similar services, play double-duty as social media content, or be creatively pitched as a sales tool. Plus, when you are writing about your tours, showcasing beautiful pictures, and reminiscing on the fun you provide… that is an enjoyable reminder of how memorable your business really is.

– A professional website

A website is another important place to solidify your professionalism. Prospective customers who visit a high quality website find essential information organized cleanly, and studded with alluring photos. This is the ultimate selling tool. All your promotion efforts and marketing plans typically deliver prospective customers to your website. Therefore it needs to clearly articulate what you do, and provide a clear plan to book a tour. If you need an upgraded website, TourismTiger are experts in building websites for the tourism industry (opens in a new tab) , and we have many years of experience in this arena.

Roofline of a completed building

Put your dazzling brand identity to work

In an ideal world, a business has the budget to hire a professional marketing and advertising team. Usually, the team would offer market research, web-marketing services, commercial promo, and also creative ideas to make a tourism business more attractive. This team would have time and resources to implement an effective promotional campaign for tourism marketing organizations. (starry emoji here)

However, not everyone has the resources to pay a team of dedicated professionals. That means we must be interesting and innovative on our own.

Let’s check out below how tourism marketing companies (and tourism businesses) attract their audience and the promotional ideas they use.

1. Utilize local listings

The simplest promotion you can do is registering your business with Google My Business (opens in a new tab) – it is the new Yellow Pages. The vast majority of people use Google to find everything . If your business doesn’t show up in all those searches- you are missing out! A Google listing is basically free advertising for you. The setup process is quite simple, and then you have complete control to update your listing, add new photos, or update hours if they change. Follow these steps (opens in a new tab) , and include as much information as possible.

2. Using email newsletters

Using email newsletters (opens in a new tab) and a customer relationship management (CRM) program is an easy yet effective strategy for interacting with clients. There are classic avenues to invite people to sign up for your newsletter, such as built into your website or Facebook page. Also get creative how and where you ask for subscribers. For example, find a fun way to circulate a paper sign up sheet during a tour. And be very thoughtful of the wording you choose. Offer the user the option to subscribe to the newsletter in order to ‘regularly receive information about current offers’ or ‘hear about our seasonal tours’. Offer a newsletter that is relevant and interesting to your prospective customer. Prospective customers have different interests compared to people who already know how great your tours are.

3. Showing online banners

Considering internet marketing tools (opens in a new tab) for the tourism industry is crucial. One of the most effective promotional ideas tourism businesses can employ is to invest in online advertising. Placing ad banners on certain websites, where users will be able to see your current promotions and offers, is a great idea to get more exposure. The websites you advertise on should be the types of sites your target audience visit. Be careful that you’re placing your ads where your ideal customer is visiting, otherwise you could be marketing to the wrong audience and your efforts will be in vain. You can use different sources and sites to place banners, just use top keywords in your Google search, like ‘top hotels’, ‘travel’, ‘top destinations’, etc.

4. Paid social media marketing

You can use SMM (opens in a new tab) (social media marketing) tools and targeted advertising to get in front of your ideal audience on social networks, such as Facebook and Instagram. Paid advertising on Facebook is extremely easy to set up (opens in a new tab) and monitor. Moreover, targeting a specific audience has been perfected by Facebook, so even a novice will be able to see results with their paid FB ad campaigns. Or, consider reaching out to SMM specialists who know how to promote your travel channels, it is the most effective way to advertise your tours.

5. Applying offline promo

Good ol’ fashioned business cards are crucial, especially for travel and tourism businesses. They are extremely useful and cost-effective. With help (in the form of developing multiple marketing strategies, not relying on one), they can really improve the reputation of your brand, increasing the likelihood of interest from travelers and tourists.

Classic postcards are a great direct marketing tool for tourism marketing and travel agents. By sending a colorful postcard with a wonderful landscape of a tourist destination and a small message to potential customers, you will definitely convince them to contact you. I can imagine the star eyes now, when a person longing for a vacation finds a pretty postcard in their mail.

There is no better way to present a brief and interesting overview of the services offered by your travel business than high-quality flyers and brochures. With brand-oriented design, your travel brochures will resonate with your audience and generate interest in your brand.

6. Checking the contextual advertising and SEO

Contextual advertising (advertising on a page that is relevant to your business) and SEO optimization are types of promotional activities that are aimed at end-users who use search engines such as Google to be able to select their desired tour.

-Wait, what?!

Ok, so contextual advertising is basically placing an advertisement in a location that is relevant. For example, a promotional ad for a gym membership with an athletic clothing company. Consider what type of person books your tours, how they learn about your company, and put your paid advertisements in locations relevant to this audience. Learning more about this type of advertising will improve your techniques, and also help inform your marketing strategies as you grow your business. Read a basic summary here (opens in a new tab) . This is another great place to invest money in a pro.

However, if you do not have the budget yet, get creative! Start with a small campaign, consider joining a tourism professional group (opens in a new tab) , and keep detailed notes to track your successes and areas to improve in.

SEO optimization is a hot topic! It is also dynamic and constantly evolving, which can make it an intimidating area to become familiar with.

Each of the online methods is good in its own way, and it’s worth choosing based on the specifics of your tourism business. The main thing in this business is a professional approach for a bright result and further development aimed at improvement.

7. Using tourist promo videos

The popularity of video content is constantly growing. It is also easier than ever to make a high quality video. These trends are important for the tourism industry to capitalize on. If you are trying to boost sales and grow your business… showing people all the fun they can have on your tours is obviously the way to go! Using positive testimonials, as well as photos and videos of your clients enjoying themselves on your tour is the best way to demonstrate the value in what you offer. It is easy to hire a freelance videographer to make a short promo video highlighting your fun tours.

If you can’t hire a pro yet, get your phone out and start using it! Maybe ask for a brief interview after a tour is finished. Being mindful and asking permission to take a video is an easy way to get the conversation going. This is a great way to appeal to your customers. Read tips on how to take great quality videos here. 

In conclusion

The methods above are by far the most effective ways to promote your tourism business, but the list is by no means extensive. You can find lots of other ways to promote your travel business. (opens in a new tab) Check what people are searching for today. If your target customers go to music festivals, this could be a great location for the promo. If they use apps and mobile phones to be up-to-date, don’t forget to advertise on social media.

First and foremost, do not forget to research your market and make a strategy for promotion. Think of your product and how to best present tourism attractions to prospective clients. You have to know what your target audience needs in the first place. Furthermore, you have to offer your services and present your content via different sources, namely your website, social media channels and email advertisements.

With the help of these suggestions you can attract a large audience and promote your tours.

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11 creative tourism marketing ideas

what is tourism advertising

By Rezdy — 23 May 2019

digital marketing   marketing   Marketing resources   marketing strategy   online marketing

Updated June 2022 – Since most tour and activity companies are located in vacation destinations, the market can quickly become crowded. It can be challenging for you, as a tour and activity operator, to stand out against the local competition.

In order to get noticed, you need to keep those creative juices flowing. Here are 11 unique tourism marketing ideas that will help you spread brand awareness:

1. Create a tourism marketing strategy for your business

You should never wing it when it comes to marketing your tour and activity company . It’s critical that you create a tourism marketing strategy that establishes the steps that need to be taken in order to effectively promote your products to the most motivated market segments. With an outline available, you will be able to make thoughtful decisions that will yield results. Thinking of expanding your social media presence? Then create a step-by-step guide of the content you are looking to produce and how you will measure success in the context of the platform. Interested in delving into the world of search engine optimization (SEO) by creating online content that boosts your website’s ranking on Google? Consider researching your target audience’s internet usage and create specific content that targets both their needs and your business’s unique selling point.

2. Communicate your company’s value proposition through content marketing

A content marketing strategy for tourism company growth should play a large role in your overall marketing plans. You should work with experienced professionals to create high-quality written content that demonstrates your company’s unique value proposition. Multimedia content such as slideshows and videos can also be utilized in content marketing. They help to attract customers by visually capturing your services and generating greater awareness.

3. Tailor your marketing mix to fit specific traveler niches

Tourism marketing strategy

Your tourism marketing ideas and promotional materials should never be generic. You need to offer prospective travelers concrete, specific information about what makes you different from other tour and activity operators in the area. If you offer an exclusive look at a popular attraction, focus on that message. If you provide amenities that others don’t have access to, make sure to brag about it in your promotional materials (in a tasteful manner, of course). Your travelers need to know that you offer a distinct experience that can’t be found anywhere else.

The manner in which you construct your marketing mix in travel and tourism forms a key part of ensuring your promotions are targeted enough to ‘speak’ to the traveler niche you are trying to reel in. Are you appealing to backpackers? Utilize tourism market trends on social media to create city guides or advice posts for travelers about the best hostels or bars near your business. Or, if you want to attract adventure travelers, post gripping videos of your tour or activity online that will entice local adrenaline-seekers to check out your website.

4. Use content and video marketing to create helpful guides for travelers

Tourism marketing is an investment, so you will want to utilize your resources wisely. Spend your budget where it counts by focusing on the most motivated traveler market segments. Use data to discover who your customers are, and create content and video marketing materials that will attract those travelers. Genuinely insightful and useful content that targets your specific audience’s needs is more likely to be shared amongst prospective customers. This will help in further growing your brand awareness and online presence. Local video SEO , for example, is perfectly suited to the visual nature of the tourism industry. With millions of online users consuming video content every month, platforms such as YouTube offer an easy-to-use space to showcase your venue and provide helpful tips for travelers.

5. Generate discussion across social media platforms

Tourism marketing idea

Social media is a paradise for travelers, as they can browse potential holiday activities and destinations. Social media allows tourists to travel online by providing them with endless photos of stunning destinations. These photos would usually be almost impossible to find without insider knowledge. There are numerous social media platforms that attract different demographics. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok offer a space to reach prospective customers and entice them with visually-striking images and videos that will leave them envisioning what it’d be like to experience your tour offline. Social media is also a great tool for advertising special events, creating competitions, and handling customer service inquiries.

6. Build a great customer experience that lasts from start to finish

The importance of branding in tourism extends across numerous channels. The customer experience with your brand begins long before the tour or activity starts. By focusing on the usability of your website or updating your automated messaging services, you will be able to improve the customer experience from the moment they discover your brand until after they leave their feedback online.

7. Partner with social media influencers

Tourism market trends

One of the most popular tourism market trends is partnering with social media influencers to spread brand awareness. Uncover travel bloggers and social media stars whose followers include your target market segment. Give them a taste of your experience, and allow them to showcase your brand on their social sites. Before reaching out to social media influencers, take some time to research:

  • Potential candidates
  • Their price points
  • Whether they have previously promoted similar services to yours

All these factors are extremely crucial to ensuring you develop a successful and effective influencer campaign.

8. Promote user-generated content like challenges and brand mentions

One of the most engaging aspects of social media is that it provides everyone with an equal footing. Not only to promote their own content but also to engage with other individuals and businesses. Creating the next viral TikTok challenge or Instagram hashtag may not be on the cards for your business’s tourism marketing strategy. However, encouraging social media users to interact with your online presence is a sure-fire way to secure a greater following.

9. Pay attention to online reviews

While there’s no definite consensus amongst researchers on the specific percentage of people who frequently read online reviews , one thing is undeniable: a majority of people read online reviews prior to signing up for experiences.

Nobody expects you to have a perfect 5 star ranking on Google reviews. In fact, a 4.2-4.5 star rating is deemed much more trustworthy amongst online reviewers than 5 stars.

People perusing online reviews will appreciate seeing that your business has replied to both positive and negative reviews in a polite, courteous manner. Defensive answers to poor reviews can read as distasteful. Take some time out of your day to answer online reviews and consider linking specific review channels that you want to target on your website or social media platform.

10. Optimize your search engine marketing strategy

Marketing strategy for tourism company

Search engine marketing is a valuable strategy for businesses across all industries – including those providing travel and tourism services.

Search engine marketing (or SEM) involves pay-per-click ads, which come in numerous different formats including text-based ads or product listing ads. Both ads are a powerful marketing strategy as they ensure your product or service appears in front of motivated customers who are on the verge of making a purchase. Before investing in SEM, it’s important to conduct keyword research, which forms the backbone of advertising on search engines. You’ll need to identify keywords that not only are actively used by your prospective clients but also relate to your business’s tourism marketing strategy.

11. Stay on top of the latest tourism market trends

The tourism industry is constantly evolving. In the same way, new destinations grow exponentially in popularity over certain periods of time. Tourism marketing rarely stays stagnant for too long. To stay on top of trending tourism market trends you’ll require digital literacy, an openness to collaborate with others, and a willingness to experiment with different forms of content. The best tourism marketing strategy won’t just embrace change: it leads to change. Don’t be afraid to try out new tactics to attract audience attention. In a world where people have been acclimated to ‘sameness’ in marketing tactics, travel businesses should prioritize planning content in advance to ensure consistently creative marketing that doesn’t rely on outdated trends.

Once you have developed an innovative tourism marketing strategy, you will want to consistently utilize hospitality reporting analytics to examine the data and use the metrics available to measure your success. Your tourism marketing strategy should be a living document that is constantly adapting to the changing climate at your business.

For more information on the best tourism marketing ideas for tour and activity operators, download the Rezdy online marketing e-book today.

Curious to see how Rezdy can fit into your business? Start your 21-day  free trial  with Rezdy or book a quick  product demo  today.

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Tourism Insights

  • Get Started

How To Create a Tourism Marketing Plan That Works

  • December 2021

ideas for tourism promotion

Brian Nicholson

ideas for tourism promotion

Step 2: Collect Information

As you collect information, you’re going to come up with several things you want to start doing, stop doing, or keep doing. You could maintain a Start/Stop/Keep list.

Examples of determining focus on your annual tourism marketing plan.

Mine Your Data For Insights

See what your data tells you about what’s worked and what hasn’t. An entire series of articles could be dedicated to how to mine your data, but here are a few sample questions to ask:

  • Is our website traffic profile healthy? Are we too dependent upon paid traffic? Do we have a good amount of referral traffic that converts at a decent rate? 
  • Is our website converting at a good rate? Are there opportunities to be aware of on a per-page basis? 
  • What advertising channels worked and didn’t work? ROAS is a good metric to watch, but sometimes you also need to look at call tracking data, cost per group form submission by advertising campaign, etc. For example, if our client placed a $1000 ad in a print publication, we’ll want to know how many calls came from that ad, and how much revenue came from those calls (both possible with call tracking services). It won’t be a perfect indicator of value, but it will be a useful signal. 
  • Where are the strong and weak points in our marketing funnel? Are we having difficulty getting people to our site? Getting people to start the booking process? Complete their bookings? Return as a customer? 
  • What was our churn rate , and how does it compare to previous years?
  • What was our cost of acquisition (COA) , and how has it changed? 
  • What was our average order value (AOV) , and how has it changed?
  • What is our lifetime value of a customer (LTV) , and how has it changed? (This significantly impacts what an acceptable COA would be.)
  • How did each of our offers do this year? Which ones should we drop, keep, or modify? 
  • What was our gift card breakage rate , and how might that impact our gift card marketing in the future? 

Examples of metrics to review in your tourism marketing plan to ensure you create a great plan

Take Note of What’s New

Ask the following questions to ensure that you’re staying up-to-date.

  • Have we seen consumer behavior shift recently? How should we adapt our product or marketing? Example: When consumers are pulling back on spending, a zipline company may need to find a way to make a short version of their tour available at a lower price point. 
  • Has the competitive landscape changed? Are there new direct or indirect competitors in the market? Has a new opportunity or threat emerged?

Example: Your competitor was more aggressive with discounts last season, and you noticed that when their promotions were running, your ROAS and yield dropped. You’ll need to decide how to respond (and following their lead on discounting may be the wrong answer for your brand).

Take Stock of Your Company and Marketing

Your audience

This is fundamental and should already be well known by you and your entire team, but it’s worth keeping at the forefront of any planning. If you don’t have this documented yet, create a simple audience table, and keep it up-to-date every year. (You can also do this through personas, with much more detail.)

Adventure park example (with just one audience shown):

Examples of how to meet the needs of your target audience when you are creating a tourism marketing plan each year.

  • Is our visual expression on-brand and compelling? This includes your logo, website, ads, photos, videos, etc.
  • Is our verbal expression on-brand and compelling? (Not sure? Shop the competitors like a prospective customer would. See what everyone’s saying about themselves, and ask yourself whether you stand out in the right way.)

Adventure park example:

Examples of how to evaluate your brand messaging for annual brand planning

Your products, services, and pricing

  • Is there anything we should drop (based on low margin, low demand, and/or logistical challenges)  in order to allow us to focus on more-profitable offerings?
  • Is there anything we should add? Do we have any holes to fill in our offerings that might appeal to our target market? Example: An adventure park with a current minimum age of 8 could add experiences that allow families with children as young as 4, instantly increasing their addressable market. 
  • Should we adjust our pricing? Does the market support price increases? Should we run any pricing tests this year? (Watch conversion rate and yield.) 

Your operations

  • What operational bottlenecks are blocking our growth? Staffing shortage? Cumbersome check-in process? Walk-in traffic making it difficult to predict staffing needs? 
  • What opportunities exist based on our operational strengths? (Example: “Jessica has been leading our group experiences, and she’s started structuring some activities to help address the needs of our corporate clients. Maybe it’s time to offer team building.)
  • Are there ways to increase profit per employee by streamlining operations? 

Your customers’ experience

  • Conduct a voice-of-customer analysis to find strong points and weak points. Look at survey results, reviews, complaints, questions, etc.
  • Consider customer journey mapping . This takes some time, but can be a powerful tool for identifying any weak points in the customer’s experience that might be causing friction or frustration, leading to a loss of revenue, reputation, or referrals. 

Example graph of customer journey mapping

Step 3: Create the Plan

You now know what you want to accomplish as a company; you’ve identified what’s been working; and you’ve surfaced several opportunities. Now it’s time to make some decisions and put them into a plan.

Goals → Objectives → Tactics (and KPIs)

This is one of your main brainstorming sessions. For each goal, identify measurable objectives that will support that goal. Then for each objective, create the tactics that will help you achieve that objective. (You can also tally costs for each tactic here, but we’ve removed that column for simplicity.) This example shows the start of the development of a single goal’s plan. 

As you get into this process, have your tactical backlog handy. We maintain a backlog (or “opportunities list”) of ideas that we’re constantly adding to. And because our backlogged tactics are already grouped by objectives such as Improve Conversion Rate, it’s very easy to pick from the list without feeling overwhelmed.

example of goals, objectives and tactics to address when creating a tourism marketing plan for the year.

As you’re doing this, you’re selecting the key performance indicators you’ll be watching, so you’ll be well-positioned to track your progress during the year (assuming your measurement system already accurately measures those KPIs).

Check The Funnel

During your tactical planning, this funnel grid can be useful to remind you of when and where your marketing can have an impact. This can be done on a per-audience and per-tour/activity basis. 

For example, you may find that you’re using ads effectively for driving awareness (discovery campaigns) and staying top-of-mind during the consideration phase (using basic retargeting), but you haven’t yet developed a campaign specifically for those who abandoned their cart. Or you might find that you’ve been addressing families with your social media posts, but not corporate customers. This exercise helps you ensure adequate coverage throughout your funnel.

Example of how to look at your customer journey funnel.

Build Your Calendar(s)

You’ll want to map out promotions, events, major campaigns, seasonal changeovers (e.g., seasonal outdoor adventure companies should update their website and Google My Business profile), etc. 

You may have multiple calendars, depending on your plan. For example, you may have a content calendar for blog posts, social media posts, etc. 

The key is that as you build out your calendars—as with every step of this planning process—don’t become untethered from your key goals and objectives. Even your content calendar should have clear connections to your goals and objectives.

Now Execute, Measure, and Win

There’s still a lot to do from this point forward. For example, if you decide to pilot a membership program, someone needs to figure out the pricing, terms, target audience, promotion opportunities, website landing page, etc. And I didn’t get into media planning, which is one of the next logical steps in many plans. But now you have a list of specific things you need to execute in order to reach your business goals, and you can confidently release your team to execute on those tactics. You know what you’re spending time and money on, and why; and you can track whether you’re reaching the targets you set. This clarity, and this level of alignment between marketing and business goals, will keep your marketing on track throughout the next season so that you create the outcomes you’re looking for.

Looking for help growing your tourism company? Contact us at Blend Marketing; we help tour and activity companies with $2-20 million revenue grow their businesses through a strong brand, good data, and smart marketing .

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About The Author

ideas for tourism promotion

Brian is a partner at Blend Marketing. He focuses on brand strategy, positioning, and analytics for the tourism industry.

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Tourism Marketing

Ideas and resources for your tourism marketing campaign.

Are you looking for innovative marketing ideas to promote tourism? Do you want to generate visibility for your business, brand, or tourist spot? You've landed at your destination!

Welcome to our travel and tourism marketing hub where we've collected real examples of successful tourism marketing campaigns ! Get inspired by our ideas and tips for effective promotional actions and check out our pre-configured templates for tourism and travel promotions. Get a hang of running social media giveaways for travel agencies and hotels, and discover how to generate brand engagement and visibility with contests and interactive games. It's time to  create your next tourism campaign .

Run social media giveaways - on World Tourism Day and all year round!

Some ideas for promoting hotels and tourist accommodation, promote tourist destinations with our creative ideas and tourism games, promotion ideas for promoting restaurants and local businesses, travel and transport agencies: ideas for promoting your products, our resources for travel and tourism promotion ideas.

World Tourism Day , on 27 September, is the perfect day for the tourism sector to run promotions. But Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter giveaways are accessible, easy to organize, and available to brands all through the year. Opt for comment giveaways whenever you want to generate engagement and visibility for your travel agency, tourist spot, or business related to travel. Travel social media giveaways will also help you grow your brand, especially if you team up with other tourism-oriented brands. 

World Tourism Day social media giveaways

Get started right away and create your giveaway in minutes with one of our templates! Remember, the prize is the key to a successful promotion. Make sure to show it off as much as possible. You could even complement the prize with a free stay at your hotel or a trip to a famous tourist attraction in the region.

  • Worl Tourism Day giveaway template for Facebook
  • Worl Tourism Day giveaway template for Instagram
  • Facebook giveaway template for travel agencies and brands
  • Instagram giveaway template for travel agencies and brands

It's common for people to book their hotel stays and tourist accommodation after looking at web pages, hotel comparison sites, and social media. Being active on social media helps hotels stand out from the competition, especially during busy periods like the summer holidays. Use social media promotions for your tourism marketing campaign and attract visitors like never before. Want to reap more benefits from your tourism promotions? Add registration forms to maximize lead generation!

Online interactive hotel promotion ideas

  • See interactive examples and ideas for promoting your hotel or tourist accommodation .
  • Use the Voting Contest app to create a photo contest with your logo or corporate image so that guests can become brand ambassadors.
  • Organize an online game to generate engagement with your audience. Try this Travel Minesweeper promoting a campsite. Download our pre-configured template to launch your own travel game in minutes.

There are many ways of attracting tourists to your destination or establishment through online channels and social networks. Depending on what your main marketing objective is, one promotional dynamic might interest you more than another. Below, you'll find some success stories and articles showing you the options best suitable for your brand. Take a thorough look at all the examples of branded games you can create for your travel agency or brand. 

  • Discover how a travel agency promoted a new tourist destination with the Scenes app.
  • Prize calendars have become yearly traditions for Christmas and Valentine's Day in the town of Leavenworth, Washington, USA. But it all started as a way to cope with the economic impact of Covid-19, learn how this town launched a digital Advent Calendar that has now become part of their holiday traditions. 
  • Mini-games have the power to engage audiences, as well as better position your brand. Check out some of the most creative examples of games  used in tourism marketing strategies.
  • A popular tourist destination in the United States launched a Prize Calendar to generate exposure for their town. 
  • Each year the diving holiday platform Diving Specials organizes a Scuba Girls Diving Photo Contest to grab the attention of women who might be interested in diving.
  • Learn how a Hungarian aqua park attracted visitors with season-opening discounts.

Restaurants, bars, and other catering businesses are an important part of the tourism sector. There are many types of online promotions that they can use to attract customers and better position the brand and service offered, generating engagement and visibility. Here are some ideas and templates for promoting restaurants and bars as part of a tourism marketing campaign . And incorporated registration forms will help lead generation. 

“travel

  • Organizing giveaways on Instagram and Facebook is a great way to generate brand awareness. And it shouldn't be hard to pick a prize: simply offer a dinner for two in your restaurant or a discount voucher for use in your establishment. Use our Instagram or Facebook template for restaurant giveaways to generate engagement on your social media channels.
  • You can also generate leads for your restaurant's mailing list using this Entry Form Giveaway .
  • Incentivize people to leave reviews and ratings with a promotion like this Survey with a guaranteed prize .
  • Ask your clientele to pick their favorite dish with a Voting Contest , a perfect all-in-one solution to promote your gastronomic offer and engage your audience. 
  • Discover more ideas for promoting your restaurant on social media .

After a very tough couple of years for the travel and passenger transport industries, it’s time for companies to start raising brand awareness among consumers once again. That’s why online promotions are such a good idea. Take a look at the following ideas and put into practice the one that fits your budget and marketing goals the best. They all come with templates to make your life easier!

Game

  • Game of Thrones Travel Quiz DEMO and template with themed holiday prize.
  • DEMO and template for a Puzzle promotion for a travel agency.
  • DEMO and template for a tourist landmark tournament . Perfect for attracting users looking for trips and holidays.

Tourism promotion ideas FAQ's

How can i promote a tourist destination online.

There are lots of ways to advertise your region, town or tourist attraction . Social networks and online channels make it possible for you to reach an extremely wide audience. Often, one-way advertising doesn’t cut through, so it’s much better to use interactive dynamics such as games, promotions, sweepstakes and contests to grab people’s attention. It’s now very easy to implement this type of online action thanks to platforms like Easypromos.

Is it possible to capture data from online users interested in my tourist destination in a way that’s cost-effective and transparent?

Yes, there are actions you can carry out on social media that will generate plenty of interest and interaction from your audience. Examples include contests, quizzes and games. If you add an incentive—such as access to a prize giveaway or discount codes—you’ll soon see that this is a very effective way of obtaining data from users interested in your destination. The key is to call attention to your promotion and offer a stay at your destination as a reward, thus ensuring that all participants are interested in your product.

Easypromos apps allow data to be captured in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), making it possible to obtain the express consent of users for the brand to communicate with them at a later date.

If this is my first time launching an online tourism campaign, which type of promotion should I go for?

We always recommend starting with a simple giveaway on social media . For example, a comment-based giveaway on your Instagram profile will enable you to promote your brand to an interested audience. Display your product as a prize and ask users to participate by commenting on the post with their response to a question that you ask. In this way you’ll see how the audience responds and you’ll start to familiarize yourself with these types of promotional actions.

Can I see examples of promotions and contests from the tourism sector on social media?

Yes, there are already plenty of brands that develop interactive campaigns on social media and online channels. On this tourism marketing  microsite, you can see examples, demos and tourism promotion templates.

ideas for tourism promotion

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How to Promote Tourism

Last Updated: November 27, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones . Anyah Gilmore-Jones is a Social Media Marketing Expert based in Nashville, Tennessee. An innovative experiential and social media marketer, Anyah is skilled at creating engaging brand experiences and leverages her passion for connecting people and ideas to drive organic growth for purpose-driven brands. As the founder of GROW by Gilmore, a social media strategy company, Anyah develops data-driven social media strategies focused on authentic community building. She has over 4 years of experience spearheading viral campaigns and producing content for brands like HBCU Buzz, Black & Scholared, SHEIN, and Project Art Collective. She received her BA from Howard University in Political Science and Government. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 11 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 201,314 times.

Looking to attract some new visitors to your town or city? In our current digital age, getting tourists to pay attention to a specific place is more possible than ever. Developing a marketing plan and using tools social media and other promotional materials, can all help to promote tourism in your town or city.

Creating a Marketing Plan

Step 1 Consider what makes your town or city unique.

  • Focus on activities or attractions that are specific to your town. Even a small or strange attraction could attract visitors and bring attention to the town, from the world’s largest paper clip to a man made wave in a river. Ask yourself: What makes the town worth a special trip? What do you have that a tourist can’t get or do somewhere else?
  • Work with a tourism planning committee and narrow your focus on the top three things your town has to offer. The more specific, rather than generic, you can be, the more likely your town will be of interest to tourists.

Step 2 Conduct a survey of the members of the community.

  • What do you think attracts a visitor to the community?
  • What type of visitor do you see coming to our community?
  • How can we do to improve the visitor’s experience?

Step 3 Do a survey of visitors to the town.

  • Where does the visitor live?
  • What attracted the visitor to the community?
  • How did the visitor find out about the tourist attractions?
  • What type of businesses or facilities did the visitor use?
  • What kinds of accommodations or services are needed?
  • A third party endorsement from previous visitors to the town or current visitors is a good way to determine how to better serve future tourists.

Step 4 Create a marketing plan.

  • Geographic market areas, with a section for day trips, overnight trips, and extended visits.
  • Outdoor recreation activities, if any, such as camping, hiking, fishing, and picnicking.
  • Entertainment, such as historic sites, fairs or festivals, shopping, and dining.
  • Other travel purposes, such as business trips and family visits.

Step 5 Create a unique slogan.

  • Think about successful slogans, like Las Vegas’ “What happens here, stays here”, New York’s “The City That Never Sleeps” or Calgary, Alberta’s “Heart of the New West”. They work because they are unique and avoid generic terms or phrases.

Step 6 Make an action plan.

  • The overall recommendation from the tourism planning committee, including the proposed slogan and branding.
  • The budget of the marketing plan, including the costs of all promotional materials.
  • The source of the funds to put the marketing plan into action.
  • The responsible parties of putting the marketing plan into action.
  • A timeline for the completion and launch of the marketing plan.

Using Promotional Materials and Local Media

Step 1 Create promotional materials.

  • Sell these promotional materials at local gift shops located close to popular attractions.

Step 2 Organize public radio spots and television ads.

  • The map can include a brief description of key attractions and sites, as well as activities tourists can do at these locations.

Step 4 Do a promotional draw or contest.

Using Social Media and Other Online Tools

Step 1 Make a website and keep a blog.

  • A good way to get more traffic to the website is to create a blog section on the site and make sure it is updated regularly. Conduct interviews with locals and post the interviews on the blog, or do a post on the best activities to do in the town based on the season.

Step 2 Create a Facebook page and post something every day.

  • You can also create a hashtag that uses the slogan for the town and use it often at the end of every tweet or Instagram post. This will help you track if the town is trending among users and improve your posts to get more attention on these platforms.

Step 4 Start a Youtube channel.

Expert Q&A

Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones

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Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about promoting tourism, check out our in-depth interview with Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones .

  • ↑ http://smallbizsurvival.com/2013/03/how-to-market-a-community.html
  • ↑ http://pubs.nal.usda.gov/sites/pubs.nal.usda.gov/files/tourism.htm
  • ↑ http://www.tourism-review.com/social-media-marketing-in-tourism-industry-page659

About This Article

Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones

To promote tourism in your town or city, start by making a list of the things that make your area unique, such as lots of outdoor activities or a unique attraction. Then, create a slogan that reflects what makes your town special, avoiding common, generic phrases like, “best kept secret.” Additionally, try making a Facebook page for your town and posting pictures or event information every day to make sure people notice the page. You can also open Twitter and Instagram accounts and come up with a hashtag based on your city’s slogan. For tips on how to create a tourist map of your area to give to visitors, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Tourism Marketing: A Guide to Effectively Market Your Tours and Experiences

Discover how to strategically promote your tours with our comprehensive guide on tourism marketing and elevate your brand visibility today

ideas for tourism promotion

by Janelle Visser | 2 February 2024

If you build it, they will come, as the adage goes. But in today’s digital age, where anyone can build anything and put it online in moments, the question becomes: how will they find — and choose — you? 

In the dynamic world of tourism experiences, the key to attracting travelers lies in successfully marketing your tours, activities and attractions. And it’s not just about attracting tourists, it’s about creating unforgettable connections that turn one-time visitors into loyal advocates for your brand. 

Marketing is consistently ranked by Arival event attendees as one of the most important topics they are looking for insights on. As traveler preferences and booking habits change, so do the most effective ways to market to them. 

In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the evolution and strategies of marketing for travel and tourism in today’s digital era, providing actionable insights for tour operators and attractions, and answering key questions that every tour operator grapples with. From crafting a marketing strategy to understanding the components of a successful tourism marketing campaign, we’ll explore how to navigate the competitive and ever-evolving landscape of tour, activity and attraction marketing, and create lasting connections with your guests.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What is Tourism Marketing?

The evolution of tourism marketing, how to create a tour marketing strategy.

  • Conduct Thorough Market Research
  • Identify Your Target Audience
  • Understand Your Customer Needs and Expectations
  • Create Unique Selling Propositions (USPs)
  • Build a Strong Brand
  • Consider Offline Marketing for Tours
  • Embrace Digital Marketing Strategies
  • Leverage Modern AI Technology
  • Take Advantage of the Current Trends
  • Monitor and Evaluate Your Strategy
  • Navigating the Future of Tourism Marketing with Arival

At its core, tourism marketing is a strategic approach to promoting destinations, tourism products and services to tourists. For operators, this primarily means promoting your tour, activity or attraction offerings. The aim is to understand and meet the needs and wants of travelers, creating memorable experiences that encourage reviews, repeat visits and referrals. 

In the context of the global tourism economy, where according to Arival’s latest data the in-destination experiences industry is expected to be worth $270 billion in 2024. Tourism marketing plays a pivotal role in the success of travel businesses, helping them to stand out above their competitors and serving as the bridge that connects them with their target audiences of travelers.

As travel marketing company Blend ’s Managing Director put it recently in an interview with Arival, “The simplest way to define [marketing] is what comes to mind when someone thinks about your brand or experience. And what you do through your marketing channels is help shape that perception.”

The landscape of marketing in tourism has undergone a profound transformation since the early 1900s when the Michelin Guide first encouraged motorists to explore the world beyond their own towns. Progressing from traditional tourism promotion methods like brochures and word-of-mouth recommendations to the digital age of Google searches and social media influencers, technology has played a pivotal role in shaping how destinations and experiences are promoted. 

ideas for tourism promotion

Fast forward to today, where the advent of short-form video marketing and generative AI has added new dimensions, allowing every tour, activity or attraction operator to engage travelers in innovative ways. These tools provide opportunities for engagement, personalization, and storytelling that were once unimaginable, and have become integral to captivating the modern traveler.

Successful marketing for tourism starts with a well-defined marketing strategy, which will help ensure the effort and resources you put into marketing are effective. The following steps will help guide you through the creation of a marketing strategy for your tour, activity or attraction company.

1. Tour Marketing Strategy

Understanding the market is the foundation of any effective strategy. Thorough research into customer demographics, travel patterns, and consumer behaviors will provide invaluable insights as you create your marketing strategy. 

Arival conducts regular tourism market research to assist tour, activity and attraction businesses with this process. For example, Arival’s latest consumer research on the 2024 U.S. Experiences Traveler found that day tours are on the rise among U.S. travelers , and that younger millennial and Gen Z travelers in particular are moving away from traditional sightseeing tours and looking for more experiential tours , such as culinary tours and immersive experiences. See Arival’s latest research here . 

ideas for tourism promotion

2. Identify Your Target Audience

Targeting your tourism marketing plan to a specific audience is crucial, as this will enable you to enhance the relevance of your offerings, improve engagement, and maximize the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

Identifying your target audience involves a strategic process that combines market research as described above, data analysis, competitive analysis and customer profiling. Google and social media platforms, for example, offer analytics tools that provide insights into the age, interests, geographic location and income bracket of your followers, that can help you to develop detailed buyer personas that represent your ideal customers, and create a plan to reach and engage these audiences. 

In addition, analyzing the target audience of your competitors will help you build on this and identify gaps or underserved segments in the market that your tourism marketing plan can effectively target.

ideas for tourism promotion

3. Understand Your Customer Needs and Expectations

Conducting tourism market research and identifying your target audience will help you with this step. Once you have an idea of who your target customers are, you can discover what their needs and expectations are, and how to develop a marketing strategy to reach them effectively. 

For example, if you offer sightseeing tours and you have identified younger Millennial and Gen Z travelers from the U.S. as a demographic you want to market your tours to, you will need to go beyond sightseeing to attract this demographic, according to the latest Arival research . 

How can you make your tours more immersive and experiential, and reflect this in your marketing to engage this demographic? Anticipating and meeting your customers’ needs and expectations can lead to higher customer satisfaction, fostering reviews and repeat business. Personalization is key.

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4. Create Unique Selling Propositions (USPs)

One of the challenges a tourism marketing strategy needs to solve is how to make you stand out above your competitors. Why do tourists choose some travel experiences over others? One way to differentiate your offerings is by identifying and highlighting unique selling points (USPs) that resonate with your target audience.

Let’s say you have identified younger Millennial and Gen Z travelers as a group you’d like to target with your marketing efforts. In your city there are multiple competitors offering similar tour products to yours, however you’ve realized that this target audience has an affinity for food tours. You find a way to work elements of culinary tourism into your sightseeing tour offering and your marketing to set yourself above your competitors and offer something unique in your region.

ideas for tourism promotion

5. Build a Strong Brand

A consistent, strong brand fosters trust and ensures your tour company is memorable in the minds of potential guests. You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t recognize the logo of an apple with a bite taken out of it, or doesn’t know where the phrase “just do it” comes from. 

Brands are about more than creative logos and catchy slogans, however. Building a robust brand for your experience business involves defining a clear identity with a focused mission and incorporating those USPs described in the previous step. Then, reaching out to your target audience through engaging storytelling and content, bolstered by a strong online presence, will enable your customers to build an emotional connection with your brand. Ensuring you’re delivering high-quality customer experiences to your target audience is crucial to building trust in your brand, and encouraging positive reviews is essential to building your brand’s reputation and ensuring ongoing brand success. 

Arival Insider Pro Access members can learn more about the importance of building your brand here. 

ideas for tourism promotion

6. Consider Offline Marketing for Tours

Before we go too deep into digital marketing in tourism, it’s important to recognize that traditional methods like print advertising, brochures, and partnerships with local businesses still have relevance and can complement digital marketing strategies.

Many travelers are still waiting to book their things to do until they are in-destination, which means there is an opportunity to meet these travelers where they are. For example, working with destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and other regional tourist organizations that operate tourist information centers can enable you as a tour or experience operator to get printed promotional material about your experiences physically in the hands of tourists looking in person for things to do. Reach out to destination marketers in your region to take advantage of this offline marketing opportunity. 

ideas for tourism promotion

7. Embrace Digital Marketing Strategies

As travelers increasingly use digital channels to discover, plan and book their travel, operators can and should leverage a range of digital marketing strategies to effectively promote their tours and engage with potential customers. 

From Google Things to do to search engine optimization (SEO), from social media strategy to working with influencers, from effective email marketing to impactful content marketing, a strong tourism marketing plan will incorporate a variety of digital marketing elements to bring a wider audience to the top of the funnel, and engage with them throughout the funnel at various stages of their discovery, planning and booking journey.

Arival has developed a number of guides and articles to help experience operators navigate the world of digital marketing for travel and tourism. Here are a few resources:

  • An Essential Guide to SEO for Tours & Activities
  • Content Marketing
  • Your Guide to Influencer Marketing in Travel and Tourism

ideas for tourism promotion

8. Leverage Modern AI Technology

The popularity of AI in 2024 cannot be understated, however many companies in the travel industry have been using AI in various forms long before the release of ChatGPT in late 2022 brought Generative AI, or Gen AI to the forefront. Gen AI, though, has made it a lot more accessible for travel businesses and tourism marketers without a lot of technical expertise to integrate AI to personalize customer experiences, generate targeted content, and enhance decision-making in marketing strategies for tourism. 

Many companies in the marketing for tourism space have developed tools and resources for tour, activity and attraction businesses, some of which are listed on Arival’s list of AI Resources for Experience Operators . Find out more about what’s the latest with AI in travel and how tour and attraction businesses are using it at the next Arival event. 

ideas for tourism promotion

9. Take Advantage of the Current Trends

Staying up-to-date with the latest digital trends in marketing for travel and tourism is essential to stay relevant and get ahead of your competitors. 

For example, over the last couple of years, short-form videos on platforms like TikTok have risen dramatically as a channel for travelers — younger Millennial and Gen Z travelers in particular — to find inspiration for travel experiences. Incorporating vertical and short-form video in your tourism marketing will help you engage this audience, enabling you to meet travelers where they are online and present the experience offerings of your tour, activity or attraction company in a format your audience is familiar with.

@j_buzzi I don’t think I’ll ever get over how amazing bioluminescence is! 🤯🌌 #bioluminescence #getupandgokayaking ♬ Another Rain (From “Halo 3: ODST”) – DS Music

Justin Buzzi , founder of Get Up and Go Kayaking , jumped on the vertical video trend and attracted millions of views and over one million likes on TikTok with this short bioluminescence video.

10. Monitor and Evaluate Your Strategy

A strategy without evaluation is like a ship without a compass. Regularly assess the effectiveness of your marketing strategy using key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs to monitor the effectiveness of your marketing strategy could include website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement, booking levels, and customer reviews and ratings. Consistent monitoring and evaluation ensure that you not only navigate the course but also make agile adjustments, keeping your strategy aligned with the ever-shifting tides of the tourism market.

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1. What are the key components of a successful tour marketing campaign?

Success lies in a well-researched strategy with clear targeting built on tourism market research, compelling USPs that speak to the needs and expectations of your target audience, and a strong brand built on a balanced mix of offline and digital marketing, as well as a compelling tourism experience product itself. All of these components work together to make for a successful marketing strategy. 

2. How often should I reevaluate and update my tourism marketing strategy?

In the world of tourism marketing, trends and traveler preferences change rapidly. Check in regularly with travel trends (and let Arival research guide you). While you might evaluate the effectiveness of your overall strategies quarterly to stay responsive to market changes and ensure your strategy remains effective, more frequent monitoring of individual social media channels, website KPIs and SEO will help you be that much more effective.

3. How can I optimize my website for tour marketing purposes?

Your website is your digital storefront. Prioritize content marketing , then optimize for search engines ( learn more about SEO here ), ensure seamless user-friendly navigation and online booking system capabilities for both computer and mobile booking , incorporate visually captivating elements like photos and videos, keep your pricing and product listings up to date, and update your content regularly. 

4. Are there any specific strategies to attract international tourists?

To attract international tourists, consider ways to tailor your marketing messages for the specific regional audiences you’re interested in reaching. Look at tourism market research and trends for the different regions you intend to target — what works in the U.S. might not work in Asia and vice versa. Your local and regional destination marketing organizations (DMOs) may be able to help with this, as destination marketers often conduct research on the international travelers coming to your destination. Consider utilizing multilingual content to reach a broader range of potential travelers, and explore partnerships with international travel agencies. Check out Arival’s list of OTAs organized by geographic region to help you identify potential distribution partners in other languages and regions.

5. How important are customer reviews and testimonials in tour marketing?

Customer reviews and testimonials play a crucial role in tour marketing, acting as powerful social proof that influences potential customers. Positive reviews build credibility and trust, addressing concerns and reservations prospective customers may have. Encourage your satisfied customers to share their experiences on platforms like TripAdvisor or Google, or wherever they booked, and don’t forget to respond to these reviews, whether positive or negative.

6. What are some unique challenges in tourism marketing compared to other industries?

Tourism marketing faces unique challenges such as seasonality, unpredictable external factors (e.g., natural disasters ), and the need for real-time adaptability to changing travel trends. High competition demands innovative strategies to stand out, and the reliance on positive word-of-mouth makes ensuring customer satisfaction even in the face of unpredictable challenges critical. 

7. How can I use tourism marketing to cope with seasonal fluctuations in the industry?

To cope with seasonal fluctuations, craft seasonal promotions, diversify offerings to match changing preferences, and use marketing to highlight the unique experiences available during different seasons. Some strategies include implementing targeted off-season promotions, creating incentives for bookings during slower periods, and developing themed tours or events that align with seasonal interests and capitalize on festivals or holidays. Implementing dynamic pricing strategies , where prices vary based on demand, can also help maximize revenue during peak seasons and encourage more visitation during slower periods.

Navigating the Future of Tourism Marketing With Arival

Success in tourism marketing lies in learning about your audience, developing practical strategies to reach them, constant adaptation to keep up with changing market conditions and traveler trends, and utilizing tools and research like what Arival provides to stay ahead in a competitive landscape. 

Keep in mind that you don’t have to do this alone. There are multiple marketing agencies out there that specialize in marketing for travel and tourism companies, with some even focusing specifically on tours, activities and attractions. Check out our curated list of the tourism marketing agencies for tours and attractions here. 

Even better, join us at the next Arival event where we’ll dive into the latest tourism market research insights and trends in travel experiences, and share practical tourism marketing strategies and other actionable takeaways to help you reach your target markets, increase your bookings and grow your business.  

Become an Insider Pro Access member today and get access to the full library of Arival research, plus many other benefits such as free consulting sessions, special discounts and 20% off in-person events, starting from $179 per year.

Sign up to receive insights tailored for the in-destination industry as well as updates on Arival.

Header photo: Unsplash / Merakist

ideas for tourism promotion

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6 ideas for travel and tourism advertising campaigns (with examples)

Carla Vianna

Want to create eye-catching travel ads like Expedia, Southwest Airlines, and KAYAK?

As travel starts to pick up again, it’s time to get serious about your advertising. Tour operators can hugely benefit from paid ads — but with so many forms of advertising available across different platforms, you may be wondering where to start.

In this post, we’re sharing actionable strategies to build better ad campaigns that appeal to your target audience, plus top-level examples from the brands who do it best.

Top factors to consider for travel advertising campaigns

Want to see more positive results from ads? Keep these strategies in mind when crafting your future marketing campaigns .

1. Define your target customer

Do you know who your customers are? Before you begin crafting an ad campaign, you need to know more about your guests.

Building a buyer persona is a strategic way for tour businesses to get to know their customers. A buyer persona is a visual representation of your ideal customer: Dig into their demographics, study their behaviors on your website, and send surveys to your email list to find out more.

The takeaway? You’ll find a much higher ROI with ad campaigns that specifically appeal to your target audience.

2. Understand the travel customer journey

It’s difficult to sell a tour to someone who hasn’t decided on a destination yet. Ideally, you want to show your ads to people when they’re most likely to book.

Understanding the travel customer journey can help you pinpoint when that is. Google defines the travel search process in four stages:

  • Dreaming: Guests are looking for destination inspiration.
  • Planning: Guests are researching potential travel dates, hotels, and activities.
  • Booking: Guests are booking flights, hotels, etc.
  • Experiencing: Guests have arrived and are searching for activities and attractions to experience.

Tour operators are likely to see more conversions in the “booking” and “experiencing” stages. For example, if you’re investing in Google Ads, it’s better to target narrow search terms like “best hiking tours in Colorado,” which is what someone in the booking or experiencing stage would search for.

People in the dreaming stage, on the other hand, would likely be searching overly broad terms like “best summer destinations.”

3. Choose the right platform

There are several different platforms to launch your advertising campaigns, and choosing the right one matters. Where is your audience most likely to see your ad? Where are they already hanging out?

Here are five popular travel advertising outlets:

  • Google Ads: Show up at the top of Google search results for relevant keywords.
  • Social media ads: Target specific demographics on Facebook and Instagram.
  • Yelp ads: Appear to people searching for similar experiences on Yelp.
  • Tripadvisor ads: Target people planning a trip to your destination.
  • Email marketing: Offer discounts to your email list, one of the more cost-effective ways to advertise.

4. Pay attention to seasonality

Timing is one of the most important factors in travel advertising. Keep seasonality in mind when crafting your campaigns, and remember to edit previously launched campaigns as needed.

A skiing ad won’t make sense at the beginning of summer, so make sure to pause seasonally irrelevant campaigns.

5. Stay true to your brand

airbnb experiences

Your ad campaigns should reflect your brand identity. People who click on your advertisements are expecting to find the same tone of voice, visuals, and customer experience on your website.

6. Use geographic targeting 

Rather than making your ad visible everywhere on the planet, you can target specific locations your guests are likely to be in. For example, you can target other tourism websites in your state to lure in tourists who are already visiting.

By narrowing down your ad’s geographic reach, you can maximize your budget and focus on the areas that’ll bring you the most return.

7. Promote your sales and special offers

What better way to entice someone to click on your ad than to present them with an unbeatable offer? Advertisements are an effective way to promote your sales, especially seasonal offers. You can send out an ad offering a great discount during the low season to help replenish your bookings, for example.

Pro Tip: One of the simplest ways to do this is by creating coupon codes. Here is how easy it is to create a new coupon code in Xola.

8. Leverage user-generated content 

intrepid travel instagram post

Sometimes you can generate an ad campaign with user-generated content alone. It’s another cost-effective way to bring more eyes to your tour company.

You can start by encouraging guests to use your brand’s hashtags, share their photos with their own followers, or even submit photos on your website. Apps, like Fotaflo , which integrates natively with Xola, make the process of curating UGC photos and videos easier. Tour operators can also offer incentives for anyone who posts on social media about your tours, such as hosting a giveaway for everyone who uses a hashtag related to your brand.

Tour operator Intrepid Travel asks guests to share their experiences on Instagram with the hashtag #BeIntrepid , for example, which has garnered over 50,000 posts.

Guests typically love seeing their content reposted on other accounts. Still, make sure to always credit the original owner. To avoid serious copyright issues, many brands ask followers to agree to a disclaimer about how and where the images will be used before re-posting them.

Reviews can also be considered user-generated content — but tour operators need to be very careful when it comes to encouraging guests to leave positive reviews. Tripadvisor prohibits brands from offering incentives in exchange for testimonials “because they can hinder the validity and accuracy of reviews.”

9. Use images and videos

Images and videos are the most powerful form of advertising in the travel industry. High-quality images of your destination and scenes from your tours can entice hundreds of clicks. An expertly crafted video can drive even more engagement.

Instagram and Facebook are great places to start experimenting with image and video ads; see a couple of great examples below.

6 examples of great travel advertising examples 

Ready to see these strategies in action? Here are six travel brands that have nailed their travel marketing — including examples of general ad campaigns, paid search ads, and social media ads.

Expedia’s campaign: “It matters who you travel with.” 

This Expedia campaign wants travelers to feel confident booking with the platform in a post-pandemic travel world. The tagline “It matters who you travel with” frames the company as a trusted travel partner rather than just a booking platform.

The company created a playful and very relatable video of a solo traveler who runs into several hiccups on her trip. That is until actress Rashida Jones steps in, embodying Expedia, and makes the trip more memorable.

The company chose a video to expertly convey its marketing message to travelers: Expedia promises a seamless trip and memorable experiences you can’t find on your own.

Southwest’s Transfarency campaign

Southwest Air Lines’ new campaign targets the controversial topic of ticket prices. The company has always billed itself as a transparent brand that cares about employees and customers alike. The new campaign called Trans fare ncy , a play on the words transparency and airfare, builds on that reputation.

The campaign promises customers no unexpected bag fees, change fees, or hidden fees. It’s a great advertisement because it fits perfectly within Southwest’s brand identity, and the airline delivers on the promise.

TourRadar’s travel and destination Facebook ads

Vienna-based TourRadar launched a Facebook campaign to increase bookings from people who had visited its website. The company used visually stunning travel ads to promote relevant tours to people who had browsed the same tours online.

The company also promoted relevant destination offers and tours to people who hadn’t visited their website yet but had shown interest in the destination. The campaign focused on the company’s core markets, including the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.

It was a success: TourRadar doubled its conversion rate over a year.

KAYAK’s video ads on Instagram

Kayak facebook ad example

KAYAK ran video ads on Instagram to bring more people to its website, including one that shows how simple it is to filter flights by airline, price, number of stops, and destination.  

The company played around with ad placement in both Stories and the News Feed, and each ad had a “book now” or “learn more” call-to-action button that linked back to the KAYAK website.

The ads were shown to a lookalike audience based on the travel search engine’s existing audience, which increased the likelihood of clicks. As a result, KAYAK saw a 5x increase in incremental sales conversions.

Airbnb Experiences search ad

Airbnb experiences search ad

Airbnb is targeting people who search for outdoor activities in Colorado to promote its local-led tours. In this example specifically, Airbnb’s paid search ad for a hiking tour shows up under the search for “best hiking in Colorado.”

The title “Hiking in the Rockies – Year Round” quickly answers the questions of “where” and “when,” two details that directly impact the customer’s trip. The wording of the title narrows down the search for the searcher. The description focuses on Airbnb’s unique offerings — “hosted by expert locals,” “experiences vetted for quality,” and “small group sizes — further enticing readers to click.

It’s a great example of Airbnb using a feature other than its main accommodation services to bring people into its website.

Viator’s Brooklyn food tours search ad

viator search ads

Here’s another effective Google Ad example. Viator is promoting its food and wine tours in Brooklyn under the search term “Brooklyn food tours.” 

Unlike the other search ads that pop up, Viator specifically mentions the keywords that the customer will be skimming the page for and includes another enticing offer.

Viator includes “Book & Save Money” in its title, directly appealing to money-conscious travelers visiting a destination known for being very expensive. Therefore, this ad specifically speaks to budget or mid-range travelers who appreciate a good deal.

As you can tell from these examples, an effective ad campaign is crafted around your ideal audience. Top travel companies like Viator and Southwest use words, images, and videos to appeal to their target customers, and your campaigns should follow suit.

Now it’s time to implement these strategies into your own campaigns. Then sit back, relax, and watch those bookings soar.

Writer Carla Vianna

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Set-jetting, Forest Bathing, and Hush Trips: 20 Innovative Tourism Business Ideas and Trends for 2023

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In This Article: Trends to Inspire Your Tours and Activities

Top tourism trends of 2023.

It’s that time of year again to ask ourselves, “What’s new, cool, and innovative in tourism?”. We’ve compiled a list of new, innovative tourism business ideas for 2023 so you can find your niche. 

The travel and tourism industry is in a state of constant flux, never more so than in the last few years. Every change and new trend brings with it an opportunity for tour operators to deliver what their customers old and new want—as well as add new tours and experiences they don’t yet even know they want. 

  As countries began to ease restrictions, 2022 saw the travel industry rebound from 2021 and 2020. Despite new global challenges appearing during 2022 and continuing into 2023, including the Russian-Ukraine war and the global economic fallout, the most important trend of all is that people still want to travel and are even budgeting for more travel.

As one travel professional interviewed for TravelAge West ’s article on travel trends put it: “It’s almost like travel went from a discretionary spend to an essential spend for a lot of people.”

Despite all that is still happening in the world, around the industry there is a continued air of optimism in 2023. Travel Pulse noted that “ while 2022 was the year of recovery [recovered almost 60 percent of its pre-pandemic levels], 2023 is poised to be the year of reinvention.” Booking.com research prompted them to label 2023 as a year of “creative imagination of travel.” Skyscanner’s Travel Trends report concluded that “Post-COVID restrictions, travellers continue to prioritize adventures abroad and embrace travel freedoms with relish.”

Here are some of the latest major trends and innovative tourism business ideas to keep an eye on and potentially incorporate into the tours and travel experiences you offer. We’ll also highlight a few of the more unusual and niche trends that could take off during 2023 or in the longer term, or just inspire some “out of the box” thinking when looking at your own products and services.

1. Transformational trips

Group of people on a lake practicing yoga during sunset

A buzz phrase you’ll hear a lot in 2023 is “transformational retreat.” This refers to travel experiences that cater to people who want to undergo a significant personal or spiritual transformation. Retreats and activities include meditation, yoga, therapy, workshops, and other experiential practices. Most promote self-awareness, personal growth, and positive change, typically taking place in a secluded and peaceful setting and led by experienced facilitators or coaches. 

Booking.com’s Travel Predictions 2023 report called these trips “peace and pleasure pilgrimages.” The report found that 42 percent of travelers want to focus on their mental and physical health, including retreats to smooth the processes of pregnancy and menopause.” A large proportion of travelers are interested in meditation or mindfulness retreats. Some retreats even take the word “trip” literally, catering to people interested in the potential therapeutic benefits of the controlled and supervised use of “magic mushrooms” and other psychedelics.

Innovative tourism business ideas:

  • Beckley Retreats : Science-backed psychedelic retreats
  • Explorer X : A tour operator dedicated to transformational trips
  • Organic Tuscany : Organic cooking retreats in Tuscany.

2. Forest bathing and digital detoxing

Group hiking through the forest

Not everyone is looking for a transformational outcome from their vacation; many simply want to unwind and enjoy some quality “me time.” Wellness vacations have been a growing tourism business trend for some time, with demand accelerated by the pandemic. Tours that offer people the chance to pamper themselves and generally recalibrate are likely to be extremely popular for the foreseeable future.

Two specific innovative tourism business ideas that look likely to be especially popular in 2023 are “forest bathing” and “digital detoxing.” 

Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku , originated in Japan. It involves becoming immersed in nature to enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It can be as simple as going for a long walk through a forest, or sitting by a lake and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the natural surroundings. Research has shown that forest bathing can reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and even boost the immune system and reduce blood pressure and heart rate. After the last few years we’ve all been through, it’s no wonder it’s proving popular with travelers.

In a similar vein, many people want to unplug and undertake a “digital detox” where you never need to ask for the Wi-Fi password because there is no Wi-Fi. They could be seeking respite from “doom scrolling” through social media and news feeds on their digital devices, or they just want a break from the glowing screens so prevalent in their day-to-day. Trips that encourage travelers to leave their devices at home will be popular, whether to wellness retreats that ban or discourage digital devices or an out-of-the-way destination that makes electronic communication extremely difficult.

  • Gaia Wellness Retreat : Digital detox packages in a forest setting
  • Sheldon Chalet : A luxury chalet in Alaska
  • Talaysay Tours : A corporate tour to “connect to the forest with all your senses”

3. Off-grid and “survival” travel

Hikers high fiving each other

One way to both commune with nature and unplug from your digital life is to go where no signal can reach you. Booking.com’s report found that 55 percent of travelers want to spend their vacations off-grid, resulting in an increase in tour operators offering trips to places where you can’t easily be reached. This could be a lodge in a remote part of a country or backcountry camping.

A related trend is the opposite of “glamping.” A growing number of travelers want to challenge themselves to survive in inhospitable conditions (you know… just in case), while learning new skills at the same time. In Booking.com’s report, 58 percent of travelers want to learn survival skills on holiday—everything from fire lighting and food foraging to the more full-on prepping for societal breakdown. Zombie survival camp anyone?

  • Off Grid Travel : Company offering a variety of off grid accommodation around Europe
  • Docastaway : Offers a desert island castaway experience
  • Black Tomato : Offers a “Get Lost service” for people who want to challenge themselves

4. Hush trips, workcations, and micro-cations

Man taking phone calls while in a pool

Shhh, don’t tell anyone (especially your co-workers and definitely not your boss), but “hush trips” are on the rise. A hush trip is a secret trip taken by an employee without their employer’s knowledge. It’s all linked to the huge rise in remote working. People who work in a different city and country from their employer can theoretically do their work from anywhere. However, a hush trip can be slightly different from a “workcation,” another popular trend in the age of remote working, when an employer’s permission is often sought. On a hush trip, no actual work might be done; the employee wants a real holiday to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and recharge, but they may not use their vacation days to take it. They complete their work and take a day or two off without anyone knowing (they hope,) perhaps logging in now and then for appearances’ sake. Or, they may travel somewhere and continue to work, while enjoying their downtime in a new place, again without telling anyone. 

Many hush trips are “micro-cations,” short trips often taken close to home, often at the last minute. The micro-cation trend has continued to grow for the last few years, as people look for quick, convenient, and often budget-friendly getaways that don’t require a lot of planning. 

When you combine the acceptance of remote working among many more employers with a large number of people who left the office behind and didn’t miss it for a second, you have an opportunity to create workcation and hush trip experiences for digital nomads and remote workers.  

  • Selina : Opportunities for people to stay, travel, and work in interesting places around the world
  • Ethos Remote Habitat : Remote working retreats
  • Work from Hyatt : Packages for people who want to work from a Hyatt hotel

5. Traveling for “bleisure”

The travel industry does love a good old word mash-up to describe the latest trend. Hot on the heels of workcations, we have the related trend of “bleisure”—a name coined to describe the trend of business travelers tacking on some leisure time to the end of business trips. Where a workcation is often a longer trip designed around work, the growth of bleisure trips reflects the fact that as business travel bounces back, people still want as much vacation time as they can get. 

Although the economy could affect business travel in 2023 as companies cut costs, it’s worth keeping an eye on the business and conference market to target business travelers who want to carve out some vacation time to explore a destination on their own time.

6. Set-jetting

Hobbit house in New Zealand

If you’ve ever wanted to visit the set of your favorite movie or TV show, you’re not alone. A top travel trend for 2023 is “set-jetting,” when travelers visit destinations primarily because they were featured in a popular movie, TV show, or book. According to research, 39 percent of travelers have booked trips to places featured on shows or movies ( Expedia ). While people have long been drawn to iconic movie locations, perhaps the earliest example of mass set-jetting was New Zealand’s tourism industry getting a huge boost after the country played a leading role in the “Lord of The Rings” movies. Fans of the “Outlander” books and TV series have also been making pilgrimages to Scotland to see the country that provides the backdrop for their favorite show.

People don’t just want to visit the actual physical set and filming location, but also just the cities or countries featured in a particular production. Keep an eye out for popular shows where the location is as much the star of the show as the actors, such as “The Crown” (England,) “Emily in Paris” (Paris,) and “The White Lotus” (Sicily), as they could trigger a surge in demand for particular locations and experiences relating to the shows, such as a themed tour.

  • The Potter Trail : Harry Potter-themed walking tours in Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Red Carpet Tours : “Lord of the Rings” set-jetting specialists
  • On Location Tours : TV- and movie-themed tours in New York, Chicago, and Boston

7. Sustainable tourism and electric travel

“Ecotourism” has been on the rise for several years, and continues to be popular. According to Booking.com’s Sustainable Travel Report 2022 , 81 percent of global travelers say sustainable travel is important to them, and 50 percent are influenced by news reports on climate change when it comes to booking choices. 

So-called “ecotours” let tourists enjoy a vacation while also learning about environmental and sustainability issues in a particular location. Some enable people to do something tangible to help, such as volunteering to plant trees or help to restore habitats. Many travelers these days also seek out “small footprint” or socially-responsible travel. This may not be an eco-tour as such; it could just mean they favor tour companies that take steps to minimize the impact of their tours or incorporate a social responsibility element. 

Many travelers also want to stay in planet-friendly accommodations. According to Booking.com’s report, 57 percent of travelers prefer accommodation with sustainable certification. Another related trend to watch is road trips or other travel using electric vehicles. Some car rental companies are adding electric cars to their fleets, and VW has even built an electric version of their classic camper van, the ID Buzz. Within cities, travelers might want to do tours on electric bikes and focus on other more sustainable modes of transport rather than the traditional taxi and car hire approach. In the not too distant future, electric air travel may even become the norm thanks to companies like Eviation that are developing electric planes.

  • Jumbari Family Safaris : Eco-safaris in Africa.
  • OneSeed Expeditions : Responsible adventure travel around the world.
  • EV Travel : Sustainable adventures in Iceland

8. Indigenous experiences

Indigenous Touri

Countries around the world are making an increased effort to reverse past wrongs when it comes to treatment of Indigenous peoples, while also empowering Indigenous communities to take a lead in areas like travel and tourism. Canada is one nation going through a period of reconciliation as it faces up to and attempts to make amends for its colonial past. This has resulted in a huge growth in Indigenous-led travel companies, experiences, resorts, and accommodation options. 

Australia and New Zealand are also seeing a growth in opportunities for travelers to support and learn about Indigenous communities, histories, and cultures.

If you are an Indigenous entrepreneur, you may find great opportunities available with an increase in programs that support Indigenous tourism in these countries. For others, there may be opportunities for partnering with or supporting Indigenous-led businesses and organizations in your region.

  • Worn Gundidj at Tower Hill : Tours offering the chance to connect with Australian aboriginal culture
  • Road Scholar : Offers a New Zealand cultural experience, learning from local experts  
  • Haida Style Expeditions : Cultural trips on Haida Gwaii on Canada’s west coast

9. Budget-friendly travel

The economic upheaval we saw through 2022 looks set to continue through 2023. Inflation and cost of living rises mean while the desire to travel is still strong, many travelers will still have at least one eye on their budget. This could mean more interest from thrifty travelers in camping, self-catering, and all-inclusive holidays. Activities and vacations that involve renting rather than buying equipment could also be more popular. 

Packlist : Camping gear rentals in Canada

Lazy Days : Camper van rentals in Ireland

Tampa Bay eBikes : eBike rentals on the Gulf Coast

10. Luxury cruises and upscale all-inclusive

Friends jumping off a boat into tropical waters

While there will be a lot of budget-conscious travelers in 2023, there are also plenty of opportunities in the luxury travel market, including two types of travel luxury travelers may previously have turned their noses up at—all-inclusive trips and cruises. The luxury cruise market, as well as the cruise market in general, is set to rebound in style. CN Traveller reported on “ a new breed of luxury yachts from the world’s leading hotel brands,” including  The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection , which boasts  “ the most sophisticated and expensive civilian ship ever built in Spain.” Cruise companies like Scenic and Emerald Cruises are expecting high demand for spots on their luxury ships . If you are on a luxury cruise route, catering your activities to a luxury-seeking clientele, with prices to match, might be worth considering.

Cruises tend to be all-inclusive as standard, but there is also a growth in upscale all-inclusive vacations in general. These experiences offer the best of everything—food, accommodation, and experiences, all for a set (and premium) price. Ikos Resorts will open a new five-star all-inclusive resort in Mallorca in June 2023.

  • Ama Waterways : Luxury river cruises in Europe
  • Windstar Cruises : Luxury small-ship cruises
  • Conrad Maldives Luxury Island : All-inclusive resort in the Maldives

11. Train travel

Passenger train passing through field overlooking mountains

From the “Flying Scotsman” to the “Orient Express,” there are few more romantic ways to travel than by train. However, train travel is also increasingly overlapping with other trends in our list, as it becomes more popular as a way to travel more sustainably by reducing car and air travel, travel slower (unless we’re talking train travel in Japan) and for longer, and travel to more countries on the same trip.

Train travel can also offer scenic views, comfortable travel with spacious seats, sleeping accommodation for longer or overnight trips, and the opportunity to socialize with other travelers, and convenient access to city centres. Piggy-backing the trend toward more immersive travel experiences, train travel also lets travelers see more of a country while mixing with locals. Many countries and rail companies, especially in Europe, offer passes that let travelers visit multiple places in one trip without leaving the ground. If your tours and activities are near a popular rail route, look for ways to capitalize on the increase in train travel by catering to people who may want something to do for a day or two before they move on.

  • Byway : Lets travelers build their own train vacation
  • Intrepid Travel : Offers a range of “Train it” itineraries
  • Glacier Express : Cultural and foodie train trips in Switzerland

12. Glamping

During the pandemic, with international travel off the menu for most people,  RV rentals spiked dramatically . Road trips made it easier for tourists to physically distance from other travelers in a post-COVID world, and “glampervan” vacations became popular. Glamping is still on the rise in 2023; the glamping market is expected to reach US$4.1bn in 2028 ( Stratview Research ). Glamping lets people enjoy sleeping and living in the great outdoors, but with a step-up in comfort from traditional camping. Glampers can stay in everything from classic Airstream trailers to yurts and all manner of other non-tent accommodation.

ideas for tourism promotion

  • Woods on Pender : Stay in a classic Airstream trailer on an island.
  • Huttopia : Glamping getaways in Canada and the US 
  • Under Canvas : Upscale camping in Moab, the Grand Canyon, and other spectacular locations 

13. Go solo or go social

solo traveler in desert

While “travel bubbles” are no longer required for COVID-related reasons, group travel continues to rise in popularity. Hotels and tour companies increasingly cater to family groups or groups of friends who want to take a memorable trip together. For example, Atticus Hotel  in Oregon’s  Bunkhouse room for groups . It’s not just families making up for lost time with “reunion” or “celebration” travel. Tour operator Contiki noticed an upswing in demand for what they call “social travel” from groups of Gen Z-ers who want to get together on a trip to celebrate birthdays, graduations, and other milestones: “Gen Z want to make up for lost time spent together and get travelling.” Another type of social travel piggybacks the rise of “travel influencers” on social media platforms like Instagram. Some popular influencers are pivoting to provide the opportunity for their followers to literally follow them on a trip. People can go on a trip or do an activity with their favorite influencer and a group of fellow followers.

Of course, not everyone has a posse to travel with or wants to travel with others. Solo travel continues to be very popular and has moved from a niche to a mainstream market. A Skyscanner report found that 40 percent wanted to travel solo for mental health wellness reasons, while singles and divorcees ranked highly for being ready to take a solo trip. The report concludes: “There is no longer any stigma attached to taking a trip on your own, and many tour companies cater specifically to this market.”

  • Flash Pack : Small group adventures for solo travelers in their 30s and 40s.
  • On the Go Tours : Pre-designed tours for private groups.
  • My Life’s a Travel Movie : Join social media influencer Alyssa Ramos on a trip

Watch this space: Unusual and niche  tourism trends to track in 2023

14. flat pack hotels.

In a move that reflects the growing interest in responsible and sustainable travel, hotel company Habitas have opened a number of flat-pack hotels around the world for “like-minded people seeking connection, inspiration and a better future together.”

15. Crypto trips

A number of tour operators and travel companies now offer travelers the ability to pay with cryptocurrency. Some examples include Borrow a Boat , Soneva Resorts  and Get Your Guide . 

16. Dark tourism

There has been a rise in so-called “dark tourism,” when people travel to places or sites associated with disasters and darker historical events. Famous examples include Pearl Harbour, Alcatraz, and Hiroshima. If this is the first you’ve heard of this term, it can sound a bit ghoulish. However, travelers who explore these sites generally do so to pay their respects or learn more about important historical events that hopefully will never be repeated.

17. Sober travel

Sober travel has been around for a while, but it mostly catered to people in recovery. In 2023, sober travel is a subset of wellness travel. Travel companies like Travel Sober and  Sober Outside have pivoted to target anyone who wants a sober vacation.

18. Virtual travel

Forbes Magazine thinks 2023 will be “the year that tourism in the metaverse takes off.” Travel companies can use VR to give potential customers a taste of the experience they can expect from a tour or location. VR can be accessible through web browsers or people can enjoy a much more immersive experience using VR headsets.

19. Nostalgic travel

Booking.com’s 2023 travel predictions found that 88 percent of travelers want to go on a “nostalgic getaway,” whether that’s theme parks we went to as kids, nostalgic movie locations, or other trips down memory lane. 

20. Sleep tourism

Everyone likes a good night’s sleep, especially on vacation, and the travel is waking up to the opportunities offered by a rise in “sleep tourism.” The Park Hyatt New York now offers a stay in their  One Bedroom Sleep Suite by Bryte , while Swedish bed brand Hastens opened a branded Sleep Spa . Good night, sleep well.  

How to take advantage of innovative tourism business ideas

Illustrations of ideas being locked away

The key to taking advantage of these innovative tourism business ideas and other tourism industry trends is to always be thinking of your next profitable business opportunity. Here are a few ways to keep on top of what’s new and interesting in the travel business:

Maintain an ideas file

Include those “out there” trends that seem absurd the first time you hear them. Think about some recent innovations that would have been dismissed with a laugh not that long ago: Self-driving cars, passenger space travel, drone deliveries… Even that Holy Grail of futuristic inventions, the personal jetpack, is getting closer to reality. All but the most outlandish trends are worth tracking in case there’s a germ of an idea for a new business opportunity in there.

Listen to your audienc e

Hang out in online travel discussion forums, on social media, and in other places where travelers gather to swap notes and ideas or express needs and dreams. You might uncover a new business idea no-one else has come across yet.

Follow your competitors

Monitor what your direct competitors and others in the tourism business are up to. Subscribe to every industry newsletter you can, including those of your competitors, to keep up with emerging trends and help with your business idea generation.

Solicit customer feedback

Be proactive in asking your customers for feedback. Don’t just ask them what they liked and didn’t like about their experience with your company; ask them if there’s anything they would like to do that they currently can’t. 

Invest in the right booking system

It goes without saying that every tour operator should offer online booking and take a mobile-first approach. Not doing both of those things makes taking advantage of the above trends very difficult. The customer experience starts the moment they enter your website. Online booking enables them to easily browse, book, and pay for tours anytime and from is anywhere. Learn more about how Rezgo booking software is tailor-made for adventure companies.

At Rezgo, we always have our ear to the ground when it comes to the latest tourism trends and business opportunities. The Rezgo booking system is a comprehensive platform that enables you to become a more profitable business. It can also help you future-proof your business so you can develop and grow as the tourism industry changes.  Book a demo today or  sign up for free and start using Rezgo

Wondering what to read next? Here are our suggestions: The Future of Tourism: 10 Things Tour Companies Need To Prepare For in 2022 A Guide to Branding in the Travel and Tourism Industry Low Season Strategies to Prime Your Tour and Activity Company for Success

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Written By | Rob Mathison

Rob Mathison is a Vancouver-based freelance writer focusing on tech, travel, digital marketing, and education. He is a co-author of The Complete Resident’s Guide to Vancouver.

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  • Master tourism marketing: strategies for a thriving business

Master tourism marketing: strategies for a thriving business

In an age where the tourism industry is constantly evolving, staying ahead of the competition and effectively marketing your tourism business has never been more crucial. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out in the field, this comprehensive guide is your passport to success. We’ll look at innovative marketing strategies tailored specifically for the tourism and hospitality industry , equipping you with the knowledge and tools to thrive in this dynamic and competitive field.

Introduction to tourism marketing strategies

Tourism marketing is aimed at potential customers from all over the world. To stand out in a crowded market, innovative strategies are crucial. Here’s what comprises effective tourism marketing:

  • Understanding your audience : Tailor your approach to a range of demographics, connecting with them personally based on their preferences and interests.
  • Developing a unique brand identity: Create a distinctive visual and narrative identity that encapsulates your organization’s values and essence.
  • Creating engaging content: Go beyond static images, embracing blog posts, real-time social media updates, and vlogs to captivate prospects and entice them to visit.

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Study with professionals at the top of their game who can share their expertise and provide the ideal start for a career that makes an impact in tourism.

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Understanding your target audience

Effective tourism marketing begins with a deep understanding of your target audience. To attract and engage potential visitors, it’s vital to recognize their preferences and interests. Some are attracted to cultural heritage, while others seek vibrant nightlife or culinary experiences.

To understand a range of demographics, conduct thorough consumer research to identify patterns among prospective travelers, using data from customer surveys, travel agents, and online feedback. Build detailed personas to profile typical tourists who visit or may use your travel business. These personas become the foundation for shaping campaigns.

Key considerations:

  • Focus on what tourists find attractive, not what you think they find attractive
  • Rely on market research and verifiable data sources for insights
  • Knowing customers’ wants and needs is vital for effectively tailored campaigns
  • Stay adaptable to evolving visitor behavior and trends for sustainable growth

Understanding your audience and staying attuned to changing preferences are central to destination marketing, ensuring your efforts generate maximum impact.

Developing a unique brand identity

Tourism Body

Oscar Wong/Moment Getty Images

Developing a distinctive brand identity is vital. As you deepen your understanding of what marketing is in tourism, you will realize how important it is for your destination or attraction to have its own niche.

Uniqueness: make your destination stand out

Think about the irresistible attractions your destination offers. Perhaps it’s culturally rich heritage steeped in history or maybe it’s rainforest and its wildlife. When you’re embarking on promoting travel to your location, make sure these distinguishing features are highlighted by using them as hooks in your tourism marketing strategies. The idea is to conjure up an image so potent that travelers instantly recognize it.

Relevance: aligning factors that attract tourists

One area where many falter is not aligning their offerings with market demands. Even if you can offer Northern Lights viewing spots in Norway, this won’t resonate with tourists if it doesn’t address their specific needs and interests. This is where consumer research in tourism comes in handy.

Consistency: keeping the promise

Once you’ve developed your unique brand identity and aligned it with what attracts tourists, make sure all marketing touchpoints — digital or offline — feature consistent messaging. Of course, varying content types necessitate a tweak in style, but the core substance should remain stable across all platforms.

Leveraging local listings

Local listings, like Google My Business and Tripadvisor, are vital for tourism marketing. They provide essential information and reviews to travelers. To maximize their potential:

  • Claim your business listing on popular platforms
  • Ensure consistent data across all platforms
  • Encourage customer reviews and respond promptly
  • Continuously analyze visitor feedback for optimization

Utilizing these platforms builds legitimacy and trust, as online reviews can play a significant role in travelers’ decision-making.

Creating compelling content

Engaging content is a powerful strategy in tourism marketing. It resonates with emotions, tells captivating stories, and showcases your destination creatively. Here are three ways engaging content can enhance your strategies:

  • Storytelling: Share local legends and anecdotes to add depth to your destination’s persona, appealing to tourists’ emotions and curiosity.
  • Visual content: Use high-quality images and enticing descriptions to showcase your destination’s attractions, and stimulate the interest of potential tourists.
  • Interactive content: Offer virtual tours or quizzes to engage audiences at an experiential level, increasing their curiosity and perception of your destination.

Authenticity is essential in content creation, as it builds credibility in tourism marketing.

Engaging with social media platforms

In today’s digital world, social media is essential in tourism marketing. Different platforms cater to various demographics and interests, so you need to carefully tailor your social media posts to your target markets on each channel. Here are some key points to consider:

  • Tailored content: Create content suitable for each platform, such as stunning images on Instagram and engaging travel stories on X (Twitter).
  • Two-way interaction: Respond promptly to reviews and comments on social media, building loyalty among customers. You can also encourage user-generated content about your business, nearby tourist attractions, or about the customer service they experienced.
  • Influencer collaboration: Partner with social media influencers to promote your destination to their followers.
  • Hashtag movements and contests : Participate in trending hashtag movements and initiate contests or games related to destinations to boost visibility and generate positive publicity.

By understanding the unique features and demographics of each social media platform, you can meet travelers where they spend time and enhance your tourism marketing strategies.

Paid social media advertising

Paid social media advertisements are also important for any modern tourism company. They can be targeted to deliver messages to specific demographics. To make the most of social media advertising, here are a few key considerations:

  • Identify your key demographics – know who you want to reach.
  • Set clear objectives – understand what return on investment looks like.
  • Develop engaging ad creatives – images or videos that represent what is being marketed.
  • Monitor results frequently – adjust where necessary.

Sending email newsletters

Among the various tourism marketing strategies, email has emerged as an enduring tactic. Don’t underestimate the efficacy of a well-crafted email newsletter, as it stands at the intersection of providing information and subtle promotion.

Here’s a peek into how you can engage prospective travelers through strategic email newsletters.

  • Schedule regularly : Choose a frequency – weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly – that aligns with your offerings and can be consistent. This gives subscribers something to look forward to while keeping your brand on their minds.
  • Personalize communications : To make each subscriber feel acknowledged, use advanced CRM tools for personalization and tailored offerings based on previous interactions or noted preferences.
  • Showcase compelling stories : Emotionally charged narratives about real guest experiences can stir interest and spark the imagination.
  • Promote upcoming attractions : Give dormant clients reasons to reactivate by featuring must-see events or unbeatable seasonal deals.
  • Incorporate reviews and testimonials : Customer reviews paint a convincing picture of what awaits future tourists. Their first-hand accounts — featuring praise or constructive feedback — can often build trust more effectively than promotional text.

Displaying online banners

An effective strategy in mastering tourism marketing involves harnessing the power of online banners. Banner advertising, a form of digital outreach, helps create awareness about your destination and may catch a potential tourist’s eye.

Here’s how best to take advantage of this potent bit of marketing strategy in tourism:

  • Design with purpose : Creating compelling banner designs requires an understanding of what attracts tourists. Your banners must effectively communicate the unique appeal of the location you’re promoting. Does it offer historical and cultural significance? Is its natural scenery superb, or does it provide high-end luxury experiences?
  • Location, location, location : Destination tourism is all about presenting prospective visitors with an irresistible locale they’d love to explore. Online banners should be strategically displayed on websites that your target audience visits, such as travel blogs or holiday booking sites.
  • Clear call-to-action (CTA) : The most successful online banners have a clear CTA that prompts visitors to learn more or make bookings. This simple yet assertive instruction can enhance user engagement and increase bookings substantially.
  • Mobile-friendly designs : Given our world has become increasingly mobile-centric, ensuring your online banners are optimized for mobile viewing is non-negotiable. This will also help make sure your mobile websites or advertisements are seen in search engines.

Offline promotional activities

Online marketing is powerful, but don’t overlook offline strategies. Traditional tourism marketing methods remain effective for personal connections with your audience.

Explore event sponsorships and collaborations at local events to showcase your brand. Print materials like brochures and flyers provide valuable tourism information and visibility in target areas. Roadshows educate potential customers in various locations, stirring interest. Utilize television and radio ads for wide-reaching awareness.

Tailor these techniques to your unique business needs while maintaining consistency across online and offline platforms.

Contextual advertising and SEO

Contextual advertising leverages relevance to attract tourists effectively. By placing your ads within content that aligns with travelers’ interests, you capture their attention when their tourism curiosity is at its peak. This targeted approach can lead you to your ideal customer base.

Search engine optimization (SEO) helps people find you in a sea of competitors when they go searching for what you offer online. Honing your site’s SEO capabilities can increase the likelihood of appearing in search results, so potential tourists can move toward becoming actual visitors.

Using promotional videos

In the quest to implement effective tourism marketing strategies, don’t overlook promotional videos. This type of content can effectively portray what attracts tourists to a particular location, destination, or service.

The power of promoting travel through video

Visual storytelling is compelling and engaging by nature. It can transport viewers directly into your destination’s most appealing spots. When considering marketing attractions or marketing a destination, creating videos that convey what is unique about your tourist spot can significantly boost your campaign.

How videos enhance tourism marketing strategies

  • Showcase scenic views: Highlight the incredible views from the highest peak or show underwater adventures featuring vibrant marine life. Let viewers feel as if they’re already on an extraordinary journey.
  • Provide local insight: Film a local tour guide telling stories about a historic castle or local attraction that you won’t find easily in travel pamphlets.
  • Highlight experiences: Use this chance to display exhilarating possibilities like zip lining over lush forests, relaxing at a secluded beach, or sampling delicacies at markets

Try and ensure the video depictions will match expectations when tourists arrive.

Make your mark in luxury marketing for tourism

Combining expert tuition and exclusive internships, this Master’s gives you access to leaders at the pinnacle of their profession with opportunities to network and build your career.

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Key considerations

Successful application of promotional videos as part of tourism marketing strategies hinges on factors such as:

  • Solid marketing plans
  • Quality production
  • Meaningful narratives that highlight customer experience
  • Resonating with your ideal customers
  • Optimization for viewing on different devices
  • Keeping up to date with tourism marketing trends

Mastering tourism marketing strategies is instrumental in developing a tourism marketing plan. They are also instrumental for sustaining the growth of a destination tourism business and ensuring success in a tourism or hospitality career .

Social media platforms offer many opportunities for promoting travel adventures and facets of the tourism business, from sharing compelling imagery to sharing delightful experiences, or even connecting personally with potential patrons. Get started on the journey to becoming a tourism marketing professional with a hospitality degree from Glion. Or read more about the tourism and hospitality industry in the new normal .

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Four Ways to Promote Your Tours to an International Audience

Alexander Bechte

Table of Content

1. translate your website and marketing efforts into other languages., 2. keep your audience in mind when considering your content and seo strategies., 3. get on the relevant social media and use the necessary software., 4. make use of targeted advertising opportunities..

After you’ve done the hard work of creating a tourism business that you love and are proud of, welcoming an influx of customers feels like the natural next step. There’s a good chance that you’ve had some success with that already, especially if you’ve been seeing lots of friendly faces and getting great reviews on TripAdvisor . However, you may have noticed one thing missing: your international audience!

If you’re constantly running your tours at max capacity, expanding your global reach probably isn’t a big priority. But if you’ve found that despite your best efforts, you’ve still got some spots left open, it might be time to consider expanding your marketing efforts.

International guests are great because they can act as a massive   opportunity to increase your sales, depending on where you run your tours. Tour operators in the United States, for example, may not be so reliant on visitors from outside the country simply because the population itself is large enough to sustain high tour numbers. For business owners in Mauritius, however, attracting an international audience is an absolute must. Here are a few tips to get you started introducing your tours to a global audience.

Editor’s note: This is a guest contribution by Alison DeGuide. Alison is the Sr. Web Coordinator for  TourismTiger  – the premier web design agency for tour and activity operators.

The easiest way to market your tour business to international guests is by making sure your website, brochures, pamphlets, and any other materials you use are in the language of the country or region you’re after. For example, if you’re seeking tourists from Latin America, your website  should be translated into at least Spanish and Portuguese. As long as you make it clear that the tours themselves aren’t offered in this other language, having a translated site can be useful for your guests.

I am personally much more comfortable browsing a site in my native language, English, and nearly always do so, even if I’m looking at experiences that I know will only be offered in another language like Spanish. There’s something about going through the booking and payment process that is much less anxiety-provoking if I can read it in my native language, and I’m less likely to stop the process simply because I don’t recognize a certain word.

On the tours themselves, however, it’s not as big of an issue if I misunderstand a word or two. Therefore, even if you don’t offer bilingual or multilingual tours, I still recommend translating the site itself.

With Regiondo, you can implement your ticket shop, booking widgets or booking buttons in different languages. That way, you can place offers on your multilingual website in up to 11 languages. Try it for free .

Implementing keywords in your content is great for search engine optimization, but you never want to prioritize it over actual readability. You’re not going to be able to translate your website into every language, so it’s pretty likely that at least one of your visitors will be forced to read in a language they aren’t as familiar with as their own.

Stuffing your content full of irrelevant keywords is not only bad for SEO: it can also make your content difficult to comprehend. At Tourism Tiger, we’re big fans of the Hemingway App , which tells you what reading level your content is at. It’s good practice to aim for 8th grade or below, as it will be understandable to the largest amount of readers possible.

The same care should be taken when deciding what keywords to use. If you’re a tour operator targeting the U.S. audience, you can bet that they’re going to be looking up “customizable tours” with a “z”. On the other hand, a U.S. tour operator may want to keep in mind that their friends across the pond are more likely to look up “bespoke tours” or “customisable tours” with an “s”.

Having a strong presence on Facebook , Google My Business, and Instagram is definitely a recommended practice since those are big sites with lots of users. However, it won’t do you much good to share the posts that you’ve had meticulously translated into Chinese onto these forms of social media since they’re blocked in China. Instead, you need to go to the social media that the people in your targeted international audience are using, like VK in Russia.

The same goes for how you receive inquiries from clients. While it might not be a big deal for your German customers to phone a tour operator in Spain, your Australian guests probably won’t want to pay for long-distance phone fees. Making yourself accessible by Skype or similar video chat software is one way to solve this issue and ensure that guests who prefer to discuss an experience over the phone are still able to do so, despite the distance.

This is also why it’s important to use the popular messaging application WhatsApp . If your customers are from a country where communicating via this platform is a way of life, you won’t be winning them over by not using it. It’s easy enough to make an account for your business and to take calls or messages there. Making yourself available on WhatsApp might even set you apart from your competition if other tour operators in your area don’t allow potential guests to reach them via this software. And who wouldn’t want to take advantage of extra opportunities to make your business shine?

Both Facebook and Google allow businesses to use their advertising services to target specific groups of people, whether that be by age, location, or another demographic. The location targeting option is especially useful if you’re trying to attract guests from a specific country. Just create your ideal ad, have it translated to that country’s language, and let it fly! Not sure where to start? Check out Tourism Tiger’s guides on how to use Google Ads  and Facebook  strategically for your business.

Remember that advertising doesn’t have to be completely online. Putting ads in local newspapers or magazines in the country whose residents you’re trying to attract could get you directly into the hands of your target audience. If that sounds like a lot of work, don’t fret! You can always begin by reaching out to travel agents in said countries and seeing if they would be willing to help sell your tours. Once you develop a relationship with them, they’ll probably be able to tell you the next best place to market your brand.

All in all, expanding your promotion strategies to an international audience doesn’t mean you have to learn a new language or completely revamp your tours. It just requires a little more thought about the needs of potential guests when they’re looking to book with ease. This is something you’ve probably already considered for your domestic audience, so don’t let the process intimidate you! Just start with some of our tips, and get ready to welcome your new international guests.

You might also like:

  • 10 Ideas to Help Differentiate Your Tours in 2021
  • 10 Tourism Marketing Campaigns that Work Despite Difficult Times
  • 5 Ways to Offer an Innovative Tourism Experience to Your Clients

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5 Tips on How to Market a Tourist Destination

Anyone tasked with marketing a tourist destination knows it can be tough to create a winning marketing strategy that drives visitors to your area. It’s even more difficult to know that you’re targeting the right potential visitors.

In this blog post, we’ll share five tips on how to market a tourist destination to increase your visitor traffic.

1. Identify Your Best Prospective Visitors to Optimize Ad Buying

The most important aspect of developing a winning marketing strategy is to truly know who your visitors are and where they’re coming from to visit your tourist destination. Many tourist destinations use mobile GPS data to identify demographic and psychographic insights about their visitors. Beyond demographic variables—like age, income range, and gender—these analytics reveal the lifestyle characteristics (also called psychographics) of your potential visitors. To get this information, researchers typically use credit card transaction or mobile GPS data combined with household-level consumer characteristics.

Once complete, the studies provide insights into how to update your marketing strategies to better target the types of visitors that are more likely to visit your destination and the top origin markets for your destination marketing efforts.

2. Tailor Your Marketing Efforts by Traveler Type

As most marketers know, there are many different types of people who will be interested in your products or services. This is no different in the tourism industry. Millennials and seniors will likely be looking to do vastly different things when they come to your area. Identify your key visitor segments and be creative when coming up with new ideas for deals or offerings that will appeal to each target market.

A one-size-fits-all approach won’t yield the best results, so your marketing efforts will have to be tailored accordingly. As you test tactics and learn what works, you can adjust your strategy to better reach your best potential visitors.

3. Increase Exposure by Partnering with Influencers

Influencer marketing is becoming a huge strategy for brands across the tourism industry. And that’s because it works. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, influencers are people who have established a dedicated following for their own personal brands. These people are usually bloggers, YouTubers, TikTokers, and Instagram personalities. Since influencers have highly engaged audiences, Convention and Visitors Bureaus and Destination Marketing Organizations are turning to them to create content about their hotels, tourist attractions, and other points of interest.

To get started with an influencer marketing strategy, do some research about influencers who already post content about your industry. When you’ve created a list of potential influencers, reach out to set up an exchange. An example of an exchange could be an influencer visiting your area for free, and the influencer will create a YouTube video about their experience. This is a win-win for both parties. The influencer will have the opportunity to create original content for their following and your brand will be exposed to a new audience.

4. Create Destination Videos That Appeal to the Right Tourists

It’s common knowledge that videos are one of the most popular ways people like to receive information. If you’re looking to make splash on social media, begin to create exciting videos not just about a single tourist destination, but about your city as a whole.

Some additional video ideas include locals giving insight into their favorite places to dine, shop and explore; tips about getting around the city; where the best photo opportunities are; and more. These will be a natural fit for sharing on social media and will add a nice mix of photos and videos to your feed.

5. Share What’s New in Your Area

You’re a local to your area, so make sure to stay up to date on new things happening. This allows you to be a resource for helpful visitor information, rather than solely trying to sell your destination.

Try to put yourself in the visitors’ shoes and provide insight into a variety of exciting things that you would want to see if you were a tourist in your area.

Regardless of your current marketing strategy, it’s never too late to gain more insight into your past visitors as well as strengthen your approach to acquiring new visitors. By leveraging visitor analytics and adopting tourism marketing trends, you can strengthen your strategy and move past your competition.

If you’re interested in more information, learn about Buxton’s tourism analysis options.  

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Break the Ice Media

There are a few things you need to know in order to get the most exposure possible. Here are some tips and tricks for getting the most out of your partnership with local and regional tourism offices.

How DMOs Support Tourism

First, let’s talk about how local and state tourism offices are working to support local tourism. There is a lot that goes into promoting a destination – and most of it is behind the scenes.

Every local and regional tourism office has a website. Some are more in-depth than others, but they usually have listings for the same categories: things to do, lodging, food and drink. This is where visitors can find the contact information for specific attractions and businesses, as well as pictures and descriptions. Most websites also have event calendars that showcase festivals, performances, even seminars taking place across the region.

Most tourism offices still distribute thousands of printed brochures via welcome centers, thruway stops and visitor requests. Through gorgeous photos and captivating language, guides or brochures paint an overall picture of what a visitor can expect. Many also offer ad space if you want to stand out in front of an interested audience.

Hear from marketing expert Robert Rose on building an addressable and interested audience in Episode 126 of Destination on the Left.

Press releases

When there is an announcement – such as a new restaurant in town or a state park winning a national award –  the tourism office will send out a press release, which could get picked up by regional or national publications. It may even generate interest from media who want an interview or travel writers who want to experience it for themselves.

Press releases are not limited to local marketing offices. Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council (FLRTC), the official promotion organization for the 14-county Finger Lakes Vacation Region, distributes monthly press releases highlighting regional assets. Examples include activities to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage and new tourism assets that opened in the last six months.

See how we built brand awareness through PR outreach and attracting media attention.

Blog posts are an interesting way to promote multiple assets at once. They provide a roundup of attractions with a common theme, and are usually written more conversationally than other marketing pieces. Blogs can also provide a deeper look into a niche topic as it relates to a destination, than say, a brochure could.  Corning and the Southern Finger Lakes does a great job at this by providing a perfect picnic guide  and  tasty salad spots around Corning’s Gaffer District. 

Social Media

All of the different tactics listed above provide great content for a tourism office. Events, announcements, media placements and blogs can be shared across social media channels.

Large Activations

Tourism offices can reach larger audiences with a presence at popular events and exhibits.

Depending on the event, attendees may be from another city or even another state. A major event is the perfect place to promote its destination to an audience that’s already there, that may be unfamiliar with the area and is most likely looking for other things to do. The TPA can share the best places to go, eat or sleep, and hand out branded materials or collateral.

Governor Cuomo invested in ten new welcome centers across New York State in recent years, with the goal to promote local tourism. Each welcome center highlights that region’s renowned tourism destinations through photos, videos, Taste NY market and artifact wall. I Love NY worked closely with local and regional tourism offices to gather artifacts and iconic symbols from partners that visually explain the history and culture of the region. The Southern Tier welcome center , for example, includes a race car from Watkins Glen International and hanging glass sculpture from the Corning Museum of Glass.

Commercials

Marketing offices with larger budgets – think state tourism offices – run T.V. commercials to promote to both state-wide and out of state audiences. You may have seen commercials from I Love NY, showcasing various assets and attractions across the state – from equal rights history to fun outdoor activities.

How Can you Help?

There are plenty of ways you can help your tourism office promote you. It starts with getting on their radar!

Update them Constantly

First, make sure to tell them when any contact information or website links have changed. Having current contact information for the organization and proper links to social media and website pages are a must in order to get promoted.

Secondly, let your TPA or DMO know whenever you have something new and exciting – such as a new restaurant, new product, new event or new drink. Nothing is too big or too small. Local tourism offices get requests for information about assets that fit a specific topic. For example, a PR agency may have a lead on a writer looking for “top rated resorts in the Finger Lakes Region” or “dishes utilizing fresh and seasonal ingredients.” Make sure you communicate clearly and frequently enough that your tourism office understands what makes you different. Once they’re aware of the awesome things you’re doing, they’ll have what they need to include your attraction in pitches to the media or on FAMs.

Submit Events

As I mentioned above, TPAs have event calendars on their websites. This helps visitors to the website (and the destination) quickly see what is going on while they’re in town. Tourism offices also tend to promote local happenings across their social media channels, giving your event more reach. And if it’s unique enough, the event may be worth pitching to the media for coverage. Make sure your TPA knows about your event so you can get this easy, added exposure.

Do you have a bizarre stat you can boast? A quirky cocktail that uses a unique ingredient? Maybe your museum is haunted by an anti-alcohol advocate. Don’t shy away from the weird! Share these one-of-a-kind characteristics with your tourism office. Journalists and visitors are not looking for the same old, same old. Instead of a traditional fall activity, they’re more interested in seeing something like underwater pumpkin carving .

Respond Quickly and Completely

If your tourism office asks you for information, it is best to respond quickly and with plenty of information. Whenever possible, include photos, videos and quotes from notable staff. These requests usually come with a short turnaround because an agency, organization or journalist contacted them for inclusion in a press release, exhibit, media pitch or article.

Keep your Photography Up-to-Date

When they want to promote your asset or pitch it to the media, they’re going to need good, high-quality photos to show it off. And they’ll need them right away – you won’t have time to call up a professional photographer. So whenever you can, take photos of your asset. That includes in all seasons (show off your winery surrounded by blooming tulips and in front of colorful fall foliage) and during any special event ( capture your display during Pride Month ).

Keep learning with our handy list of travel and tourism terms, acronyms & abbreviations.

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