There was a time when the digital
strategy for Tourism industry started and stopped with price comparisons.
Flights and Hotels largely led this. The lowest common denominator was
identified and ‘booking engines’ emerged to help visitors to websites secure
just that. If some marketers pushed the envelope a bit, they only did so to the
extent of using re-marketing, whether on PPC or on display. That was it.
The emergence of social
media on the scene thankfully changed all that. While a considerable portion of
travelers still look for the cheapest option on their vacation experiences,
growing niches are changing the dynamics of tourism digital marketing. There
are all sorts of tourists out there – and they are demanding all sorts of customized
experiences. From off-the-beaten-track getaways, to solo travelling; from
adventure travel to bespoke luxury travel; from women-only groups to the
resurrection of religious travel! The industry is changing as rapidly as the
needs of the customers are.
The important factor is
the changing behavior of the consumers. Access to smarter devices, the second
screen syndrome and always on accessibility have changed how they consume and
actively seek content. Content hence continues to remain a key criterion for
marketers. The smart ones recognize that irrespective of how occupied people
are with their devices, it is only a means to an end. The actual hook continues
to remain quality content.
However brands and
marketers are also waking up to another dimension. Savvy consumers are now
asking brands questions like, “I have X number of vacation days this year. What
options can you offer me?” (Not in so many words of course, but you get the
idea!) Only brands that are geared to respond with suitable options will be
able to engage with consumers. Irrespective of where and when it happens, this
is the one compelling differentiator that will segregate the survivors from the
also-rans!
In a multi-channel,
multi-device world, this is only getting more difficult. Not only does the
marketer have to deliver the freshest (often predictive) content to consumers,
they have to do so in a coherent manner across touch-points. The customer is
looking for similar information – irrespective of the channel they use to get
it. But trying to replicate content on all channels may not help present it in
the best possible way.
The way out is what has
come to be known as cascading content. A larger piece of useful content for a
channel that attracts more time and attention, to snappier versions for more
quick-interaction channels like mobile and social media. This way customers get
what they want, the brand doesn’t repeat itself across channels and the
industry as a whole matures and evolves. Till the next big disruption arrives
on the horizon!
