Below are what we predict will be the top shifts in travel and tourism market.
1. More Flexible Cancellations & Refunds
With the uncertainty of whether or not there will be another round of COVID-19, coupled with the media’s coverage of businesses not giving refunds or cancellations in a crisis, the consumer is aware and may choose a company based on cancellation and refund policies – something they did not do before.
2. Guests Want to Know How You Will Keep Them Safe
We predict a shift in people wanting to know how you will protect them from being exposed to COVID-19. They will want to know you screen employees, clean your facility and take all measures to protect them.
3. They Will Want to Know About Your Extra Cleaning Measures
Clearly stating how you clean and how it specifically reduces the risk of exposing guests to COVID-19 will be key to revenue and conversion in your travel business.
4. Reviews
Reviews have always been a very important part of the booking process. In fact, over 71% of travelers use reviews to help make a travel decision. We believe reviews will become an even greater percentage of decision-making. They will look to see how you handled refunds, cancellations and rescheduling during the pandemic as an indicator of how they may be handled in the future. Be certain your reviews are positive and cleaned up before the pent-up demand starts to travel again. You will want to make sure negative reviews do not impact your conversions. Also note, if you are on platforms like airbnb review algorithms may be off so be sure and monitor your rankings to be sure showing up on page 1 or 2 in your respective categories.
5. Social Proof
People trust people. If you have good reviews, be sure you have them showing on your assets, such as your website, because people will rely more on social proof to book travel after this shift. If you don’t have good reviews, you need to work on getting some to improve your chances to convert after the market reopens.
6. Group Travel
Group travel for sports, business and motor coach will be slower to return to normal than individual and family travel, so be sure you adjust marketing and budgets accordingly.
At IMEG, we know you want your travel and tourism business to be thriving. In order to do that, you need effective online marketing. The problem is online marketing is complicated, which makes you feel overwhelmed and confused. You deserve a partner who will simplify the process. We understand how challenging it can be to navigate the digital marketing world. For more than a decade, we’ve delivered measurable results to hundreds of businesses generating $295 million in additional annual client revenue and $1.4 billion in economic impact. We would love to talk to you about how we can help you! Contact Us
