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14 Travel Marketing Case Studies to Inspire Your Next Campaign

Travel and tourism companies are relentlessly innovating their marketing strategies to attract global travelers. Engaging travel marketing case studies show just how transformative well-crafted campaigns can be, not just in attracting wanderlust hearts but also in boosting local economies worldwide. For instance, the travel and tourism industry contributed an impressive  $8.9 trillion in 2019 , as per the World Travel & Tourism Council. This number emphasizes how important the industry is to the world’s economies.

Furthermore, with the advent of cutting-edge technologies, destinations using virtual reality experiences witnessed a 190% surge in bookings, highlighting the powerful impact of innovative travel marketing techniques.

Through this article, let’s explore various examples of travel marketing, providing you a wealth of inspiration for your own campaigns in the worlds of tourism marketing case studies.

What is Destination Marketing?

Destination marketing is the art and science of promoting a place to increase its appeal as a travel destination. The goal here is to show the world a location’s unique attributes, culture and experiences to a targeted audience, aiming to convert interest into actual travel bookings. At its core, destination marketing seeks to create a beautiful narrative that speaks to the hearts of potential travelers, enhancing both its visibility and desirability.

Effective destination marketing involves a few key elements; strategic advertising, public relations, and digital engagement. These elements are considered integral to communicate the right message to the right people at the right time. For tourism marketing case studies, this means focusing on specific outcomes like increased visitor numbers, prolonged stays, and improved perceptions of the destination.

The strategies employed in destination marketing can vary widely but often include digital marketing, partnership and collaboration and community involvement. The primary goals are to boost tourism, extend the tourism season, and maximize economic benefits while managing the environmental footprint of increased visitors.

Inspiring Examples of Travel Marketing Case Studies

Each of the following tourism marketing campaigns provides valuable lessons in the use of authenticity, creativity, and strategic planning in travel marketing. We believe marketers can gain insights into developing destination marketing campaigns that are both inspiring and immensely effective by examining these tourism marketing case studies. Let’s get started!

1. New Zealand’s “100% Pure New Zealand” Campaign

This campaign is a great example of using the country’s natural landscapes to attract tourists. Launched in 1999, the ongoing marketing efforts have helped present New Zealand as a top destination for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and cultural enthusiasts. The result? A consistent increase in tourism that contributes significantly to the country’s economy.

2. Visit Sichuan by Crowd

Crowd’s global social media campaign for Visit Sichuan is one of the best destination marketing campaigns, tailored to pique the interest of a diverse international audience. With their vast experience in national and regional campaigns, and a strong presence in China, Crowd was uniquely positioned to deliver a culturally nuanced and engaging campaign for Sichuan. They created a series of ten HTML5 microsites, each offering interactive experiences tailored to specific interests using Chinese technology, such as WeChat and Mini-programs. While making Sichuan more accessible, this campaign also reshaped global perceptions of the region as a welcoming and fascinating part of modern China, proving the importance of working with a destination marketing agency .

3. Iceland’s “Inspired by Iceland” Campaign

Following the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland turned a potential disaster into a tourism boom. Their campaign highlighted the country’s volcanic beauty, inviting the world to explore its unique landscapes. While increasing visitor numbers, the campaign also spread visitor spend across more regions and seasons, stabilizing the economy.

4. The Lookout Sri Lanka Campaign by CEEK

The Lookout Sri Lanka campaign, focused on establishing the newly built luxury private villa as a premier destination in Sri Lanka. With the rise of social media usage domestically, the campaign included website development, SEO, social media marketing, influencer marketing, content creation, and paid targeting to enhance brand visibility. High-quality imagery and engaging content on social media platforms showcased the villa’s luxury and beauty, attracting significant attention and establishing it as a desirable location for influencers and tourists alike. This comprehensive digital approach, handled by CEEK , helped The Lookout become a sought-after spot for luxury stays in the region.

5. Australia’s “There’s Nothing Like Australia”

Australia’s tourism marketing approach highlights the incredible variety of experiences the continent has to offer, from breathtaking natural landscapes to vibrant urban centers. This strategy has effectively appealed to a wide range of demographic groups, resulting in a consistent rise in international visitors.

6. Tourism Victoria by War Room Inc.

The campaign for Destination Greater Victoria is another example for best destination marketing campaigns. Managed by War Room , this strategic endeavor targeted affluent and influential travelers from cities like Vancouver, Calgary, and even as far as San Francisco and Seattle. The campaign was ingeniously divided into three phases, each tailored to draw visitors into the unique allure of Victoria, B.C. with its perfect blend of old-world charm and new-world experiences.

7. Incredible India

In this tourism campaign of India, Incredible India, aims to show the world the country’s rich cultural heritage and historic landmarks to draw in tourists from around the world. With a focus on diversity and the spiritual heritage of the country, this tourism advertising campaign effectively enhances India’s image as an exotic destination.

8. ALPITOUR by GA Agency

This campaign by the GA Agency for Alpitor shows how effective travel agency marketing can be when SEO and content marketing are combined. The goal of the campaign was to improve Alpitour’s visibility for key holiday terms like “package holidays” and “last-minute holidays,” targeting SERPs for destinations such as the Maldives, the Red Sea, and the Canary Islands. GA Agency improved the website by researching keywords, updating existing content, adding new targeted content, and enhancing the site structure for better search engine recognition.

9. Singapore’s “Passion Made Possible”

Singapore’s campaign is designed to showcase the city-state as more than just a stopover destination, but a place where passions are realized. Launched in 2017, the tourism advertising campaign focuses on the diverse passions of its visitors, whether they are foodies, explorers, or culture seekers. By aligning the city’s offerings with the personal interests of travelers, Singapore has effectively strengthened its position as a must-visit global destination.

10. Dubai’s “Dubai, Discover all that’s possible”

“Dubai, Discover all that’s possible” destination marketing campaign helps position Dubai as a luxury and adventure tourism hub. The city uses stunning visuals of its skyscrapers, desert adventures, and cultural sites to attract a wide range of tourists. To capture the attention of a global audience, it is a crucial step to find a digital marketing agency in Dubai to ensure a collaboration that helps Dubai to display itself as a must-visit destination. This marketing campaign’s success is evident in Dubai’s tourism figures, as it continues to be one of the most visited cities in the world. 

11. Canada’s “Keep Exploring”

Canada is famous for its natural beauty and diverse cities. Thus, Canada’s tourism marketing aims to highlight these qualities to attract international tourists.The “Keep Exploring” tagline invites tourists to discover the country’s extensive offerings from coast to coast, including remote natural landscapes and diverse city cultures. This inclusive and inviting message brought in this great destination marketing campaign has helped boost Canada’s tourism industry significantly.

12. South Africa’s “Meet South Africa”

South Africa’s campaign highlights the country’s rich cultural heritage and natural wonders. By promoting experiences like safari adventures, vineyard tours, and vibrant urban life in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa has diversified its appeal and attracted tourists interested in both adventure and cultural enrichment.

13. “Visit Britain” Campaign

From the Scottish Highlands to the streets of London, the “Visit Britain” tourism marketing campaign emphasizes Britain’s iconic landmarks and traditional experiences, such as afternoon tea and the Royal palaces. The use of social media campaigns featuring user-generated content has also played a critical role in engaging potential tourists. As we can see, the UK’s tourism strategy focuses on the rich historical and cultural fabric of the country.

14. “Visit Florida” Campaign by Spark

Florida’s official tourism marketing corporation partnered with Spark, an integrated marketing agency, to attract more domestic and international visitors. The campaign benefited from a mix of search engine marketing, content marketing, and highly targeted social media ads to promote various attractions within the state, from beaches to theme parks.

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Top 10 Travel and Tourism Marketing Case Studies [2024]

We are entering a time where travel is not just a leisure activity but a vital part of our global culture. Industry trends suggest that personalized experiences and digital engagement will drive tourism growth. This blog explores ten innovative travel and tourism campaigns that have set the standard for effective marketing in a rapidly changing world. These case studies showcase how embracing technological advancements, cultural insights, and sustainable practices can create unforgettable experiences and successful marketing outcomes in the tourism sector.

Related: Impact of Augmented Reality on Travel & Tourism

Case Study 1: Expedia’s Travel Yourself Interesting

Company Overview:

Expedia, founded in 1995, revolutionized the travel industry by moving travel booking online, displacing traditional high-street travel agents. However, over time, the market became commoditized, with intense competition and a focus on price and deals, which led to reduced margins and an emphasis on price comparison websites.

The primary objective was to reposition travel from being seen as a cost to be minimized to a valuable investment in personal growth and self-improvement. This shift was intended to differentiate Expedia in a market dominated by price-focused marketing and to drive traffic directly to its website and app.

The essence of the campaign was built on the idea that engaging in travel enriches one’s personality and makes them more fascinating. This concept was created through a multi-channel approach, utilizing television, online films, social media, and the hashtag #TYI on Twitter. The strategy marked a departure from the industry’s standard emphasis on deals and savings, focusing instead on the transformational experiences and psychological benefits of travel.

The campaign’s impact was significant:

• In the UK, the campaign achieved a remarkable return on investment (ROI) of £11 for every £1 spent.
• In France, the campaign yielded an ROI of €6 per €1 spent.
• Gross bookings for Expedia increased by 8% in the UK and by an impressive 33% in France.

Key Lessons:

• Breaking Category Conventions: Moving away from the conventional focus on price and deals in travel marketing can be highly effective.
• Emotional Connection: Creating a campaign that resonates emotionally with consumers, in this case by highlighting the enriching experiences of travel, can lead to significant commercial success.
• Strategic Repositioning: Reframing a product or service as an investment in oneself rather than a cost can help a brand stand out in a commoditized market.
• Insight-Driven Marketing: Building a campaign around a deep, relatable insight (“travel makes you more interesting”) can effectively engage and motivate the target audience.

Case Study 2: Icelandair’s Iceland Academy

Icelandair, the national carrier of Iceland, has played a pivotal role in promoting tourism to Iceland.

The primary objective of the “Iceland Academy” aspect of the campaign was to educate tourists about Icelandic culture, etiquette, and safety, thereby enhancing their travel experience. This initiative was part of a broader strategy to attract more visitors to Iceland and encourage responsible and sustainable tourism.

The campaign was executed through an online platform offering 14 short videos of one and a half minutes each. These tutorials covered diverse aspects of Icelandic culture, such as hot tub etiquette, local food sustainability, and glacier safety. The aim was to provide insider knowledge and tips to tourists for a safer and more enriching visit. The “Iceland Academy” participants could earn badges and even win a trip to Iceland.

• Total Views: 10M
• Increase in consideration of viewers: 30%
• Increase in search compared to non-viewers – 342%
• Educational Marketing: Providing practical, educational content can enhance the appeal of a destination and improve the visitor experience.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Highlighting local customs and etiquette helps promote respectful and responsible tourism.
• Leveraging Local Expertise: Utilizing locals and experts in campaign materials can lend authenticity and credibility.
• Interactive Engagement: Encouraging active participation (earning badges, winning trips) can increase engagement and interest.
• Sustainable Tourism Focus: Positioning a destination focusing on sustainability and respect for nature can appeal to a growing segment of environmentally-conscious travelers.

Case Study 3: Ireland Tourism’s Doors of Thrones

The campaign was led by Tourism Ireland, the organization promoting Ireland as a global travel destination. The organization collaborated with HBO and other partners to create a unique tourism experience highlighting Northern Ireland’s connection to “Game of Thrones.”

The campaign’s primary goal was to promote Northern Ireland as a travel destination by leveraging its association with “Game of Thrones.” This was achieved by transforming a natural disaster (the felling of trees during Storm Gertrude) into a creative opportunity.

The campaign centered around creating ten intricately carved wooden doors, each depicting scenes from the show’s sixth season. These doors, crafted from trees that fell during the storm at the Dark Hedges (a filming location for the show), were placed in pubs across Northern Ireland near key filming locations. The doors served as both an homage to the series and a tourist attraction.

• Generated £17 million in earned media.
• 8% increase in tourism from the previous year.
• Views – 17.5 Mn, 250,000 engagements, and a combined total reach of 126 million people.
• Creative Use of Cultural Phenomena: Leveraging popular culture can significantly boost tourism, especially when linked to globally recognized media.
• Turning Challenges into Opportunities: The campaign creatively used the aftermath of a natural disaster (fallen trees from a storm) to create a unique tourist attraction.
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with HBO and other stakeholders was critical to the campaign’s success.
• Multi-Location Engagement: Placing the doors in different locations encouraged tourists to travel across Northern Ireland, distributing the economic benefits.

Case Study 4: Australia Tourism’s Come and Say G’Day Campaign

Tourism Australia, the organization responsible for promoting Australia as a global travel destination, launched the “Come and Say G’day” campaign. This initiative is part of Tourism Australia’s “There’s Nothing Like Australia” global brand platform.

The campaign’s main objective was to reignite the world’s interest in visiting Australia. It aimed to capture the imagination of potential travelers through creative and uniquely Australian elements, driving demand for travel to Australia.

The multi-channel campaign featured two CGI-animated characters. Ruby, a kangaroo souvenir, enlivened the campaign, brought to life with the voice of renowned Australian actress Rose Byrne. Complementing Ruby was Louie, a toy unicorn symbolizing international tourists, with his voice provided by the talented actor Will Arnett. The campaign included a short film, television commercials, print and high-impact out-of-home creatives, and digital and social media content. It featured a reimagined version of the iconic Australian anthem “Down Under,” performed by King Stingray, sung in both English and Yolŋu Matha. The campaign ran across 15 key international markets.

• By July 2023, international visitation to Australia rebounded to approximately 80% of the pre-COVID figures of July 2019.
• 10% uptick in global flight inquiries for Australia
• Tourism Australia developed 190 strategic partnerships, including prominent airlines and travel agents, contributing to the increase in global interest in Australian holidays.
• Leveraging Cultural Icons: Utilizing recognizable cultural symbols, like the Australian kangaroo, can effectively resonate with international audiences.
• Multi-Channel Strategy: A diverse media approach, including animated films and social media content, can broaden the reach and appeal of the campaign.
• Emotional Connection: Creating relatable and engaging characters can foster an emotional connection with potential tourists.
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations with various stakeholders, including airlines and travel agents, amplify the campaign’s impact.
• Adaptability Across Markets: The campaign’s success in both English and non-English speaking territories highlights the importance of adaptable marketing strategies.

Case Study 5: California’s Am I Dreaming

The main goal was to showcase California’s vast attractions and encourage tourism, particularly after the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign aimed to reinvigorate interest in travel to California by highlighting its unique and diverse destinations.

“Am I Dreaming?” was a visually captivating advertisement highlighting a wide array of California landscapes, providing a glimpse of the diverse scenery and destinations from picturesque beaches to majestic mountains and everything in between.

The campaign extended beyond the Super Bowl ad, running on linear TV, online TV, and digital platforms through the peak spring trip-planning season. It also included a social media presence, with remixed ad versions and behind-the-scenes footage.

• The pregame spot received 60 million viewers, a high percentage in the target 25-54 age demographic.
• The ad was selected as AdForum’s #1 ad worldwide.
• Leveraging Major Events: Premiering the campaign during the Super Bowl capitalized on the event’s massive viewership.
• Celebrity Involvement: Involving well-known celebrities helped increase the campaign’s reach and appeal.
• Cinematic Quality: High production value and engaging visuals can significantly enhance a tourism ad’s effectiveness.
• Multi-Platform Strategy: Extending the campaign beyond TV to digital and social media ensured broader and sustained engagement.

Related: Best AI in Travel & Hospitality Case Studies

Case Study 6: Boosting Travel to San Francisco During Golden Week

San Francisco, renowned for its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, vibrant food scene, and pleasant weather, has long been a favored destination among travelers worldwide. The San Francisco Travel Association, alongside key partners such as United Airlines, SFO Airport, Napa Valley, and Concord, aimed to capitalize on the Golden Week—a significant national holiday in China marked by a surge in international travel.

The primary objectives were threefold:

• Elevate brand awareness for United Airlines and SFO.
• Encourage Chinese tourists to book accommodations in San Francisco.
• Increase visibility for neighboring destinations like Napa and Concord.

These goals were set against evolving economic conditions and digital consumption patterns among Chinese tourists.

In response to the emergence of a new demographic of “free and independent” (FIT) travelers from China, the San Francisco Travel Association devised an innovative campaign. They collaborated with United Airlines, SFO, Napa Valley, and Concord to orchestrate the ultimate Northern California road trip experience.

The campaign’s centerpiece was a partnership with Kiki Fang, China’s top travel social influencer, boasting 6.5 million followers on Douyin. Fang’s travel vlogs, embodying the essence of San Francisco, were disseminated across popular Chinese platforms, including Weibo, Douyin, Toutiao, RED, Mafengwo, and Ctrip. These vlogs featured branded experiences designed to appeal to the target audience. They were supplemented by a performance campaign on Ctrip featuring a custom landing page, travel products, and banner ads.

The campaign yielded impressive outcomes, as highlighted below:

• Video Views: 85 Million
• Video Likes: 5 Million
• Video Comments: 103K
• Room Nights Booked: 6,870+
• Year Over Year Growth: 21%

These statistics underscore the campaign’s success in engaging Chinese FIT travelers and encouraging them to visit San Francisco and its surrounding areas.

From this campaign, several key lessons emerged:

• Influencer Impact: The significant role of a well-chosen influencer in reaching and engaging target demographics cannot be overstated. Kiki Fang’s credibility and relatability were instrumental in the campaign’s success.
• Localized Content: It is critical to tailor content to fit the target audience’s cultural and social media consumption habits. Utilizing platforms popular among Chinese travelers ensured the campaign’s visibility and engagement.
• Collaborative Marketing: The synergy between various tourism stakeholders (airlines, destinations, and influencers) can create a more compelling and holistic campaign, enhancing overall effectiveness.
• Digital Adaptation: Staying abreast of digital trends and consumption patterns is vital for engaging modern travelers, particularly those from rapidly evolving markets like China.

Case Study 7: Etihad Airways’ Single Use Plastic Free Flight

Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) embarked on a pioneering journey to address the pressing global issue of single-use plastic pollution, particularly within the aviation industry. Aligning with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, EAG committed to a significant environmental initiative by implementing a policy to reduce single-use plastics across its operations, setting an ambitious target to achieve an 80% reduction.

The initiative’s primary objective was to confront the environmental impact of single-use plastics in aviation, an industry notably contributing to this global concern. EAG aimed to lead by example, leveraging its policy to substantially cut down on single-use plastic consumption within its various verticals and enhance its brand affinity through demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and improving the overall guest experience.

Strategy and Execution:

EAG conducted a comprehensive audit to identify the key areas of single-use plastic consumption within its operations, discovering the highest usage in in-flight and customer service areas. The strategy focused on these areas, sourcing eco-friendly alternatives for over 95 different single-use plastic items, including cutlery, cups, and toothbrushes. A landmark achievement was the operation of the world’s first single-use-plastic-free flight on Earth Day from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane, symbolizing EAG’s dedication to sustainability. The event was heavily promoted through various communication channels, including social media, in-flight videos, and participation from environmental experts, media, and influencers, to generate widespread awareness and engagement.

• Achieved a 20% reduction in single-use plastics on-board flights by June.
• Aiming to eliminate over 100 tonnes of single-use plastics from onboard services by the end of the year.
• The video celebrating Earth Day captivated a 6 million-person audience and garnered more than 1.2 million views on various social media platforms.
• Generated significant media coverage, with over 60 global outlets reporting on the initiative.
• Launched an ‘eco partnership’ with Boeing to explore sustainable aviation practices further.
• Comprehensive audits are critical in identifying and addressing key areas of impact within operations.
• Forming strategic alliances and working collaboratively enhances the scope and effectiveness of efforts towards sustainability.
• Engaging narratives and the involvement of prominent figures play crucial roles in elevating awareness and motivating transformative actions.
• Achieving significant environmental goals requires a multifaceted approach, combining policy change, customer engagement, and industry collaboration.
• Sustainability initiatives can significantly enhance brand affinity and customer experience, positioning a company as a leader in responsible business practices.

Case Study 8: Swedish tourism board targets myth-seekers

In collaboration with Prime Weber Shandwick, Stockholm, Visit Sweden embarked on an innovative PR campaign designed to elevate Sweden’s profile as a travel destination. By delving into the rich tapestry of Swedish folklore and leveraging the burgeoning interest in mysticism, occult, and dark tourism, they introduced an immersive auditory experience titled “Spellbound by Sweden.” This campaign aimed to showcase the hidden drama of Sweden’s modest forests through the lens of its mythical inhabitants, providing travelers a unique cultural and emotional journey.

The campaign sought to differentiate Sweden from other nature-centric destinations by highlighting its cultural richness and mystical folklore. The objectives were to:

• Increase global awareness of Sweden as a culturally rich destination.
• Attract interest from markets with a demonstrated affinity for folklore, mysticism, and the occult, particularly focusing on the UK and US markets.
• Encourage engagement with Swedish nature through a novel, sensory-driven travel experience.
• Boost intention to travel to Sweden by captivating the imagination of potential visitors with the allure of experiencing folklore first-hand.

To achieve these objectives, Visit Sweden and Prime Weber Shandwick crafted a captivating audio story, “Kiln,” in collaboration with horror writer John Ajvide Lindqvist. This story, accessible exclusively within Sweden’s national parks, like Åsnen and Fulufjället, through Spotify, leveraged geo-locking technology to ensure an immersive on-site experience. Listeners would embark on a mystical journey through the forest, stepping into the main character’s shoes and encountering various mythological beings. This innovative use of audio storytelling was supported by a comprehensive digital strategy, engaging potential travelers on social media and the Visit Sweden website with rich content about Sweden’s mythical forest creatures and recommended visitation sites.

• Achieved a campaign reach of approximately 150 million in the UK and US markets.
• Digital content engagement significantly exceeded benchmarks, with some content experiencing up to 10 minutes of reading time.
• Successfully reached 80% of the targeted audience in the UK and US.
• Achieved a 16% rise in recognition of Sweden as a travel destination, augmented its cultural image by 14%, and increased the desire to visit by 5%.
• Innovative Storytelling: Leveraging local folklore and partnering with a renowned writer can deeply enrich the narrative and appeal of a destination.
• Emotional Engagement: Transitioning from visual to emotional storytelling, particularly through audio, can create a more intimate and immersive experience for the audience.
• Cultural Fluency: Aligning the campaign with current cultural trends and interests (e.g., the rise of #WitchTok, astrology, and dark tourism) can significantly amplify its relevance and reach.
• Media Strategy: Utilizing a geo-lock feature for content delivery not only enhances the experience but also generates PR interest, showcasing an effective use of technology in tourism marketing.
• Broader Implications: Even if a large portion of the audience may not directly experience the campaign (due to its geo-locked nature), the generated media coverage and social buzz contribute to achieving the campaign’s broader objectives.

Case Study 9: 13000 reasons to visit Northern Norway

Visit Norway, the official tourism board of Norway promotes Norway as a premier travel destination for both domestic and international tourists. By leveraging Norway’s rich cultural heritage, breathtaking landscapes, and unique experiences, Visit Norway aims to increase tourism and showcase the country’s diverse attractions.

The “13000 Reasons to Visit Northern Norway” campaign aimed to boost domestic tourism within Norway, with a specific focus on encouraging Norwegians to explore the northern regions of their country. This initiative sought to highlight Northern Norway’s unique appeal through the lens of foreign tourists, who have shared their positive experiences and the region’s captivating allure on various social media platforms.

To bring this campaign to life, Visit Norway embarked on an innovative strategy by compiling 13,000 comments from foreign tourists who had visited Northern Norway. These comments, sourced from social media, served as authentic testimonials to the region’s beauty and unique offerings. The campaign creatively utilized these comments by having them read aloud by a local comedian, effectively creating what was described as the world’s longest travel review. This not only provided a platform for showcasing genuine visitor experiences but also engaged the audience in a novel and entertaining manner.

• 72% reach of target group
• 33% increase in domestic tourism to Northern Norway was recorded.
• The campaign gained international recognition, winning the HSMAI Adrian Award for “Best in Show” and the Webby Award for “Best Use of Social Video.”
• Authentic Testimonials: Leveraging real visitor experiences and testimonials can provide compelling reasons for others to visit, showcasing the destination’s appeal through genuine and relatable content.
• Creative Engagement: Utilizing unique and entertaining methods to present information, such as having a comedian read out visitor comments, can significantly increase engagement and interest.
• Focusing on Lesser-Known Regions: Highlighting the attractions and experiences of lesser-visited areas can stimulate interest and tourism, contributing to a more balanced distribution of visitors across a country.
• Social Media as a Tool for Promotion: The effective use of social media comments and engagement in promotional campaigns can amplify reach and authenticity, connecting with potential visitors on platforms they frequently use.

Case Study 10: Bermuda Pink

Bermuda’s tourism board embarked on a strategic marketing campaign aimed at reversing a decline in visitor numbers, particularly those arriving by plane, which had seen a 6% year-over-year decrease in 2019. Recognizing Bermuda’s proximity to New York City and its stunning pink-sand beaches, the campaign sought to reinvigorate interest in the island as an ideal destination for families, friends, and couples seeking unique travel experiences.

The primary goal was to rejuvenate Bermuda’s tourism sector by showcasing the island’s unique attractions and experiences. By highlighting Bermuda’s accessibility from major cities like New York and underscoring its idyllic landscapes, the campaign aimed to educate potential travelers about the island and inspire them to make travel bookings, thereby targeting key demographic groups including families, friends, and couples.

To achieve these objectives, the campaign introduced “Bermuda Pink,” a dynamic marketing initiative that combined a digital microsite with a traditional print campaign. The strategy capitalized on content developed jointly with travel and fashion influencer Wendy Nguyen, who has a following exceeding 1.1 million on Instagram, and Meredith Andrews, a renowned local photographer and artist. The campaign content was strategically diversified into three core themes—Family, Friendship, and Romance—featuring listicles, articles, and slideshows tailored to each audience segment.

The microsite was hosted on Travel & Leisure’s website, a favorite among the target demographic, supported by sponsored social posts and traffic-driving efforts from DEPARTURES and Food & Wine. Additionally, high-impact advertorials in the print editions of Travel + Leisure and Food & Wine featured translucent acetate overlays and QR codes to direct readers to gotobermuda.com. The campaign’s launch was celebrated with an exclusive event at the distinguished Roxy Hotel in New York, drawing influencers, members of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, and a select group from The Luxury Group at Meredith.

• The microsite attracted nearly 185,000 total combined page views.
• Generated 47.4k clicks to the campaign’s content.
• Achieved an average read time of 72 seconds on the microsite, which is a +6% lift over the Meredith benchmark of 68 seconds.
• Display ads for the campaign delivered a Click-Through Rate (CTR) more than +67% above the industry benchmark.
• Wendy Nguyen’s Instagram posts related to Bermuda received a total of 58,040 likes.
• Her most popular Bermuda campaign post received over 16,000 likes, significantly higher than her general post average of around 10,000 likes per post.
• Influencer Collaboration: Partnering with influencers who have a strong, relevant following can significantly amplify a campaign’s reach and impact.
• Integrated Marketing Approach: Combining digital and print mediums, along with exclusive events, can create a comprehensive and immersive campaign experience.
• Content Tailoring: Developing content that resonates with specific target groups—families, friends, and couples—can more effectively inspire travel intentions.
• Engagement Metrics: High engagement rates, from page views to social media interactions, are crucial indicators of a campaign’s resonance with its intended audience.

Event Marketing: Exclusive events can serve as a powerful tool for generating buzz and fostering direct engagement with key influencers and potential travelers

Related: Top Instagram Marketing Tips for Tourism

The travel and tourism marketing world is as varied and vibrant as the destinations it promotes. These campaigns highlight key lessons in leveraging cultural icons, creating immersive digital experiences, and utilizing major events for promotional advantage. As the industry continues to evolve in a post-pandemic world, these insights are more relevant than ever, offering a roadmap for future marketing efforts. Whether you’re a marketer, a tourism professional, or a travel enthusiast, these case studies offer a glimpse into the art and science of turning destinations into dream vacations.

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Date: February 6, 2024

The Role of Social Media in Travel Marketing: Best Practices and Case Studies

Back in 2016, then Marriott’s chief global marketing officer, Karin Timpone spoke to CNBC about their social media travel marketing service and incorporation of geo-fencing technology. 

If someone posts a photo from one of its properties, her team will reach out and contact the front desk to let them know. The hotel will often then reach out to the customers and offer complimentary upgrades — something to show that Marriott values their presence. 

Earlier, a music video for “I’ll Show You” featuring Justin Bieber at the Fjadrárgljúfur canyon in Iceland. A few years later, tourism to this once-quiet town nearly doubled. The video on YouTube has over 500 million views since 2015. 

Given the general rise in income levels and jobs going remote, people find more time to take frequent travel breaks, showcasing the need for effective digital marketing services to tap into the growing travel market

And social media has only accentuated this trend , 

• By hosting engaging travel content and motivating reviews
• By increasing travel FOMO (Fear-Of-Missing-Out)
• By minimizing unpleasant surprises at the destination

Given the scope of social media in travel marketing services , this blog discusses best practices followed by interesting case studies for inspiration. 

The Power of Social Media in Travel Marketing

• Expedia’s 2023 Traveler Value Index noted almost 35% of travelers turn to social media for holiday inspiration. 
• Furthermore, 75% of respondents chose a specific destination inspired by social media as per Amex’s 2023 Global Travel Trends Report .
• Travel Live Streaming is becoming increasingly popular on social media, with 60% of travelers saying they have watched a live stream of a travel experience. 
• 74% of travelers use social media while traveling, while 92% of consumers trust word of mouth and UGC more than other forms of advertising, thus making UGC on social media crucial for any travel marketing campaign. 

Best Practices for Successful Social Media Travel Marketing

Top 5 things travelers use social media to research – Destinations, Hotels, Activities, Attractions, and Restaurants. Let’s list out travel marketing best practices to get the most attention from social media users. 

Choosing the Right Platforms

Creating engaging content, building a consistent brand presence, utilizing paid advertising, monitoring and analytics.

Identify the social media platforms that align with your target audience. 

Popular Vacation Inspiration Social Platform

Demographics

Millennials, GenZ

Highly visual

Boomers, Millennials

Moderately visual

TripAdvisor

Millennials

User Generated Content

Extremely visual

Boomers, Millennials, GenZ

Detailed & Informative

B2B travel marketing

Take a que from social media strategy of Marriott Hotels . Their Instagram account features stunning photos of their hotels, while their Twitter account is more focused on sharing news and updates.

Invest in high-quality, visually appealing content, including photos and videos. Use storytelling techniques to capture the essence of your travel experiences.

Encourage user-generated content (UGC) by running contests or using branded hashtags. UGC refers to any content that is created and shared by users or consumers of a product, service, or brand rather than by the company or organization itself. 

Travel marketers can leverage UGC in the following way: 

• Display UGC on their social channels to engage other users as it signals authenticity.
• Monitoring UGC can become your informal market research to upgrade your services in-time. 
• UGC also helps build employer brand which results in team retention.

Furthermore, you may leverage the new YouTube app feature that lists video recommendations according to thumbnail color. As a travel marketer, you can explore more such strategies to increase views on YouTube here .  

Highlight safety measures and sustainable practices in your travel marketing, as these have become critical concerns for travelers post-pandemic.

Take inspiration from our previous blog where we have discussed Innovative Travel Marketing Campaigns From Around The World . 

In a bid to blindly replicate brand marketing successes on social media, many end up creating “self-congratulating” content.

Recreating trendy content give a false impression to the marketing team about better reach. The truth beholds, unless original thought is put to market product/service, the social media marketing will lead to poor brand awareness, let alone lead generation. 

Consistency is Key. Develop a content calendar to maintain a consistent posting schedule. Consistency helps keep your audience engaged and informed.

Share travel stories, itineraries, and personal experiences. Storytelling creates a deeper connection with your audience. Use live streaming feature to promote your brand often. Learn more tips on travel live streaming here . 

You can use hashtag strategy to expand your content’s reach. Create a branded hashtag for your campaigns and encourage followers to use it.

However, we feel social media hashtags are overused. Hashtags are annoying and they hijack conversations. Moreover, users may relate social media posts with many hashtags as spam.

Here is an interesting blog by Hannah Macready where she discusses the best use of hashtags for your social media campaigns in 2024 and beyond. 

Partner with social media influencers who align with your brand and target audience. Influencers can provide authentic recommendations and reach new followers. 

Look for long-term association with the right content creator on social media for consistent engagement of new and existing users. Influencer marketing tools like Ylytics , HypeAuditor , and others can help you find the right social media influencers. 

How Travel Marketers Want People to Search on Google?

Enter a search query -> Your brand website ad appears -> Book your services

But How Do People Actually Search?

Enter a search query -> Google analyzes and displays results per keyword -> Visitor clicks -> Interrupted by WhatsApp chat -> Sleeps.

… a week later…

Notices a display ad from your brand -> Visits the landing page -> Bookmarks it -> Checks out the brand profile on Instagram -> Share it with spouse -> Logs out

… 2 days later in the office…

Visits your site -> Confirm their bookings.

Use paid advertising options on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to target specific demographics and promote your travel offerings. Consider retargeting ads to re-engage users who have shown interest in your travel products or services.

Use geo-targeting to reach users in specific locations, especially if you’re promoting local or regional travel experiences.

Also, read>> Facebook Ad formats

Also, read>> YouTube Ad formats

Also, read>> Instagram Ad formats

Use analytics tools provided by social media platforms to track the performance of your posts and campaigns. Adjust your strategies based on data insights, focusing on what works best for your audience.

Continuously monitor social media trends and adapt your strategy to incorporate new features and technologies. Keep an eye on emerging platforms that may provide new opportunities for travel marketing.

It is important to develop a crisis management plan to address any negative incidents or crises that may arise on social media. Swift and appropriate responses are crucial.

Further, experiment with different types of content, posting times, and ad creatives to determine what resonates best with your audience. 

Latest Trends in Social Media Travel Marketing

• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) for immersive advertisements and travel previews.
• Live streaming for real-time travel experience.
• Showcasing eco-friendly destination and promoting responsible tourism.
• AI-powered chatbots and recommendation engines.
• Social commerce and booking directly on social media platforms.

VietJet Air is not afraid to experiment with new formats and strategies. For example, they recently launched an augmented reality (AR) campaign that allowed users to virtually experience their flights.

You can connect with us for more AI-related marketing solutions . 

Case Studies: Success Stories in Social Media Travel Marketing

Let’s explore a few success stories in social media travel marketing through case studies. The selected case studies highlight how effective social media strategies can help travel brands engage their audience, encourage user-generated content, and create memorable and impactful marketing campaigns. 

• Airbnb – #LiveThere Campaign
• Icelolly – Facebook Marketing Automation
• Royal Caribbean International – Targeted Ad Campaigns
• Expedia – #ThrowMeBack Campaign

Each campaign leveraged the power of storytelling, user participation, and visual content to connect with travelers and promote unique travel experiences.

1. Airbnb – #LiveThere Campaign:

Airbnb wanted to differentiate itself from traditional hotels and emphasize the idea of “living like a local” when traveling.

Social Media Strategies Implemented

• Launched a series of visually stunning Instagram and Facebook posts showcasing unique properties and travel experiences.
• Encouraged hosts and guests to share their stories, photos, and videos using the hashtag #LiveThere.
• Collaborated with travel influencers and celebrities to create authentic content.

Results and Outcomes

• The #LiveThere campaign garnered over 3.5 million Instagram mentions.
• Airbnb’s Instagram following grew by over 300% in a year.
• The campaign effectively communicated the brand’s message of unique and authentic travel experiences.

It may have worked for Airbnb back in 2017 but will be work for your travel business in 2024 and beyond? No one can be sure but you can surely take some inspirations out of it and improvize over it.  

2. Icelolly – Facebook Marketing Automation:

Icelolly experienced a temporary decrease in conversion rates across their social media platforms. As a response, they incorporated the Facebook extension into their Engagement Cloud.

• Implemented an omnichannel strategy to unify data from a single social media platform with the website. 
• Delivered tailored ad notifications through social media feeds to individuals who have subscribed to destination price alerts.
• Conversion rate was generated by 17% through Facebook
• Retargeting ads was increased up by 3%
• Open rate was generated by 35%
• CTR was increased by 201%
• Conversion was increased by 45%

3. Royal Caribbean International – Targeted Ad Campaigns: 

Royal Caribbean International, a global cruise line, sought to increase engagement and conversions through its social media marketing efforts.

• The cruise line implemented marketing automation tools to segment its social media audience based on factors like travel preferences and past interactions.
• They used automated chatbots to respond to common inquiries and facilitate booking processes on social platforms. 
• They launched targeted ad campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, retargeting users who had shown interest in specific cruise itineraries.
• Significantly improved response times and engagement on social media platforms.
• Enhanced conversion rates, with more users booking cruises directly through social media channels.
• Increased brand loyalty as travelers received personalized recommendations and timely responses to inquiries.

4. Expedia – #ThrowMeBack Campaign:

Expedia aimed to inspire travelers to relive their favorite travel memories.

• Encouraged users to share their old travel photos with the hashtag #ThrowMeBack, along with a caption explaining the memory.
• Curated and featured some of the best user-submitted photos on Expedia’s social media accounts.
• Over 15,000 users participated in the #ThrowMeBack campaign, sharing their travel memories.
• The campaign generated increased engagement and user interaction on Expedia’s social media platforms.
• It created a sense of nostalgia and encouraged travelers to book new trips to create more memories.

Challenges and Pitfalls in Social Media Travel Marketing

Social media travel marketing offers significant opportunities, but it also comes with various challenges and potential pitfalls that marketers should be aware of, like 

• Platform Algorithm Changes: Social media platforms frequently update their algorithms, affecting organic reach and engagement. Marketers need to adapt strategies to stay visible to their audience.
• Privacy and Data Protection: Stricter privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR) require marketers to handle user data responsibly. Mismanagement can lead to legal issues and reputational damage.
• Ad Saturation: Social media users may become overwhelmed with advertising, leading to ad fatigue. Marketers must strike a balance between promotion and providing value to the audience.
• Language and Cultural Sensitivity: Misinterpretations or insensitivity to local languages and cultures can lead to backlash. Marketers must research and tailor content appropriately for different regions.
• Changing Travel Behavior: Travel behaviors and preferences change over time, influenced by various factors like technology, health concerns, and economic conditions. Marketers need to stay updated and adapt accordingly.
• Over-Tourism Concerns: Social media can contribute to over-tourism by popularizing specific destinations or attractions, leading to overcrowding and environmental issues. Travel marketers must promote responsible tourism.

Hike Up Your Marketing Efforts with ColorWhistle

If your goal is to motivate shoppers, fans, and advocates through genuine content that has a track record of success, we are here to provide assistance. 

ColorWhistle’s expert travel-focused designing and marketing assistance can boost your social media efforts. Further, our experienced digital marketing service team can elevate user experiences on multiple touchpoints. You can write to us or call us at +1 (210) 787 3600 anytime to enquire more. 

Kindly leave your comments down below if you found the information in this blog useful and wish to learn more

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About the Author - Manav Gupta

Manav Gupta is a full-time CopyWriter at ColorWhistle, where he works to benefit both professionals & enthusiasts in the field of Digital Marketing, Branding & Web Development by creating engaging content. Prior to joining ColorWhistle, Manav was responsible for managing & executing content projects ranging from sales collateral to web content, ad copy to letters, business proposals to sales plans, and training manuals. A graduate of a reputed university, Manav holds an honors degree in Engineering. When not hard at work creating meaningful content, he enjoys perfecting his knowledge of music, playing cricket, and volunteering to build a carbon-neutral society.

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Case Studies

Case Study- Growing Awareness and Bookings For a High-End Adventure Tour Operator

Expedition Engineering is a luxury tour operator specializing in skiing, sea kayaking, hiking and surfing adventures to remote destinations around the globe. They had been shut down (due to covid) for nearly two years and were seeking to restart the business, grow the brand and increase new bookings, when we began working with them in late 2021. Building the Foundation We learned from the owners that many people enquiring about their trips assumed they were a travel agency and did not realize that they in fact designed these trips themselves. Our work began by conducting customer research and ideal client interviews with past customers. We discovered that their affluent guests consider themselves ‘adventurers’ and that component is more important to them than traditional luxury. The quality of guiding and unique, one-of-a-kind expeditions were also key differentiators. Based on that we did a website refresh and created new core messaging that emphasized these attributes and spoke directly to their key personas.

Expedition Engineering had very little brand awareness and did not have strong Google rankings (SEO) for their more competitive tours and destinations. We focused our efforts on growing brand awareness through social media and public relations. But with their long customer journey, we did not want our PR efforts to be wasted, when someone searches for the trips they offer, so we had the twin task of also improving their rankings on Google. Growth Tactics We created several story pitches for their key audiences that emphasized Expedition Engineering’s unique adventure tours and destinations. We targeted mainstream, business and luxury media outlets, where we knew their audience was likely to be found, and our hard work began to pay off. We picked up press in Travel + Leisure , Luxury Travel Magazine , USA Today 10Best , National Geographic (UK) and Bloomberg Pursuits and we hosted a writer from Financial Times for a major heli skiing feature.

The Results The press increased awareness for Expedition Engineering’s tours with high-value audiences. It also improved their authority and trust in their niche. Further, the PR has boosted brand awareness (and branded search) and the SEO work we did improved Google rankings, moving them onto page one for many of their most valuable keywords. The combined results from our work have enabled Expedition Engineering to sell out several of their most profitable tours.

Angela Bueckert

Owner, Expedition Engineering

“After three months, we are seeing bookings and inquiries that are at pre-COVID levels. Darryl’s work has put us on the top page of google and in numerous high-profile magazines. His approach is creative, he believes in long-term thinking, and his step-by-step approach is systematic yet allows for the unique elements of our business.”

Case Study- Turning 3% into 100%: A Product Pivot and a New Long Term Marketing Strategy for a Luxury Adventure Tourism Operator

We began working with Northern Escape Heli Skiing (NEH), a Terrace, BC-based adventure tour operator, in late 2020. Northern Escape has been in business since 2004, and provides high-end, small group heli skiing excursions to very affluent clientele from around the world. In 2020, they opened a brand new luxury lodge at a cost of $5 million, to further position NEH as an industry leader in the sport. However, with covid, the 2020 season was cut short and the new lodge received little PR and marketing.

Marketing New Tourism Products for Locals Winter 20/21 would be a very challenging ski season, with borders closed and covid still raging. But NEH adopted new health protocols, and decided to open for private trips, for Canadians only. In normal years, nearly all of Northern Escape’s guests typically come from the US and overseas (Canadians make up about 3% heli skiing clientele), so to operate with a Canadian-only market, would require a major pivot. We worked with their team to create and market new, discounted heli and cat skiing products, specifically designed for Canadians. This involved market and competitor research, website work, SEO and Google and Facebook Ads.

Building a Long Term Foundation Shortly after we began working with them, NEH’s president and GM, John Forrest, shared an email chain from a guest. This guest was considering Northern Escape and another competitor for a 2022 trip (these tours often book 12+ months in advance) and decided to book with the competitor instead of NEH, because they had ‘a more superior heli ski tour.’ This was a large overseas booking, well in excess of $100K, and the loss stung. Worse, the competitor’s heli tour was clearly inferior to NEH’s. This was also a marketing failure. Up to this point, NEH’s ideal client was anyone who wanted to go heli skiing and could afford to pay for it. And their marketing reflected that, being essentially identical to their competitor’s and offering no clear point of differentiation. We had our work cut out for us and began working on a new, long term strategy. Using the Duct Tape Marketing System , our first task was to begin ideal client interviews. We made over a dozen phone interviews with NEH’s top clients, the trip leaders who return year after year, and bring groups with them. We soon began to spot trends and key differentiators and by the end of this exercise, and with additional deep competitor and market research, we developed ‘ideal client personas’ and new core messaging for NEH. Our new personas clearly defined exactly who NEH’s ideal clients were, the ‘benefits’ NEH provided them and a clear picture of their customer journey.

Growth Tactics Armed with a detailed strategy, we began the tactical side of the marketing plan. NEH did not have strong reviews , despite having large numbers of very happy customers. Ratings and Reviews are not only a ‘trust factor’ they’re also a ranking factor, so we created a new reviews workflow that could be easily integrated into their operations, to prompt all happy guests to leave 5-star reviews and to deal with any problem reviews before they’re posted. Core messaging was updated on the website and social channels to reflect those benefits most important to NEH’s ideal clients and we got to work on improving NEH’s Google search rankings (SEO). A PR program was started and NEH’s key points of differentiation were used in Facebook and Google pay-per-click ad campaigns. As NEH was concerned about the impact of their sport on the environment, we helped with a green, carbon-neutral certification and media outreach for this. Further, we began a social media campaign to get votes for a major industry award. 

The Results As NEH began incorporating our ratings and reviews program into their operations, their number of 5-star ratings on Google and Tripadvisor increased over 400%. We achieved several high-value press placements, and their Google search rankings (SEO), for their most important search term ‘heli skiing’ (US) moved from the bottom of Page Two up onto the middle of Page One.

Our SEO work dramatically improved Google rankings for NEH's most valuable and competitive keywords. (ahrefs US SERPs report)  

Further, our Google Ads PPC campaigns began seeing strong results, with more than 5X better performance and CTR than NEH had achieved before working with us, and our social media campaigns helped them win the World Ski Award for ‘Best Heli Ski Operation’, a very prestigious award.

As a result of our work, winter 2020/21 was nearly sold out with 100% bookings coming from Canadians and winter 2022 was NEH’s most successful year on record, with nearly double the bookings and revenue of their best pre-covid season.

Case Study- Marketing a New Tourism Business During COVID

When we began working with At The Water’s Edge Adventures (AWE), a new kayaking tour outfitter on Northern Vancouver Island, in mid-February, our job was to grow bookings in a very competitive market against several well-established operators. Only a few weeks in, COVID hit, and operations were shuttered. But owner Wesley Gibson was committed to staying the course, so we developed a new marketing strategy. In normal years, the majority of bookings would come from US and overseas guests, something not possible as borders were closing. We immediately began aligning the product and messaging to COVID, with a new pivot to the local market, and private-only ‘bring-your-bubble’ tours, should the BC government begin allowing local travel. The majority of the competitors in this space offer ‘glamping’ style products with large mixed groups, base camps, hot tubs and use of covered power boats to shuttle guests around. All of these amenities now became disadvantages to AWE’s self-propelled, private, nature-based trips, so we emphasized this in our messaging, while stressing the importance of spending time in nature for mental health.

Building a Foundation As a brand new business, AWE had no site traffic and virtually no Google rankings. On top of that, there were numerous website issues and suspended Google accounts, left by the previous developer. Our first job was to fix the website and unlock accounts. With no budget for paid ads or PPC, our goal was to increase traffic and bookings with SEO. We created new long-form, highly authoritative blog content and optimized AWE’s online channels for the BC market. We also began outreach to the local and regional DMOs to build relationships with key contacts and to secure valuable online tourism listings. As a result of this outreach, AWE was invited to take part in a social media campaign and contest with Vancouver Island North Tourism and other local businesses, to further boost awareness of the new brand. When BC’s Phase 3 reopening began in early June, AWE was the first operator on the water and was well positioned to take advantage of the BC market. We built a review funnel and further optimized AWE’s Tripadvisor and Google My Business pages. With a focus on storytelling, we created several media-ready pitches and invited a high-calibre group of local journalists on a press trip we designed to further build awareness. The FAM trip yielded articles in The Washington Post , BC Magazine and its email newsletter, Destination Canada’s blog , top outdoor blogs and several more articles and press coverage are slated for the coming months and into next year.

High Domain Authority backlinks from press to boost SEO and awareness.

The Results

The press generated buzz, and increased site traffic and awareness of the AWE brand. Combined with the tourism SEO work we had been doing, AWE’s Google rankings began to improve dramatically, and several of AWE’s most important pages, including their ‘rentals’ and ‘outfitting’ pages are now in the top five Page One search results. Their ‘kayaking tours’ have reached the coveted Google My Business 3-pack.

As a result of our work, AWE is now competing successfully with its far larger and more established competitors, and booked out for the remainder of the summer. All of this was accomplished without any paid ads or PPC.

Lead Guide and Owner, At The Water’s Edge Adventures

"The phone has been ringing off the hook!"

Case Study- A New Adventure Tour and Media Exposure for a European Photo Safari Operator

Waterworld Adventure Tours is a high-end photo safari tour company based in Innsbruck, Austria. The company specializes in unique, off-the-beaten path tours to the far corners of the globe. Trips have included Antarctica expeditions, swimming with humpback whales in the Caribbean, scuba diving in Lake Baikal and Cocos Island shark diving amongst many others. Waterworld’s clientele are typically wealthy, age 40-plus professionals from Germany, Switzerland, Austria and more recently China, where they have opened a new office. The guests are keen photo hobbyists, often traveling with tens of thousands of dollars of professional grade camera equipment and are looking for experiences that cannot be found anywhere else. We were contracted to develop and provide media coverage and support for a new Canadian based photo safari, to photograph spawning salmon in the interior of British Columbia. The project required logistical planning, location scouting, transportation and securing of necessary permits. Additional activities, such as helicopter flights and custom First Nations experiences not available to the general public, were arranged, further adding to the exclusivity of these tours. The project involved considerable PR and media production, by our team and by working with visiting journalists. It was decided early on that all trips would host professional media who would produce magazine, newspaper, online and video content. Media coverage was subsequently used in travel trade shows, social media and on the Waterworld website and made up the bulk of Waterworld’s marketing for these tours. 

The high quality press that was produced generated a buzz amongst Waterworld’s key prospects, who wanted to come and create for themselves the same stunning images our pro team had produced. Growth in bookings for Waterworld’s salmon spawning trips exceeded 450% and are now sold out more than a year in advance .

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Resort marketing, creating successful facebook ads for tourism businesses, does your tourism business need a fractional cmo.

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Travel Marketing Case Studies

Welcome to Our Travel Marketing Success Stories Page

Travel Tractions is a results-driven agency. We’ve worked with some incredible people and websites from around the world, building a wealth of travel-related expertise along the way. And we’ve seen our work bring some amazing results.

Our top priority is generating a positive return on investment for our clients. And we’re great at doing just that.

We’re proud of our successes, and we want to share them with the world. So here are a few case studies, demonstrating just some of the great results that we’ve generated over the years.

We’d be overjoyed to create comparable successes for you and your business. So if you’re interested in working with us, please check out our Marketing Services or contact us via email.

Our Clients Have Featured In:

Travel Tractions' Success Stories

9178% yoy increase in organic users.

Travel & Entertainment Website Growth Hacking Case Study

Travel & Entertainment Website SEO Case Study

401% increase in yoy organic traffic.

Travel and Tours Blog Growth Case Study

Travel and Tours Blog SEO Case Study

450% increase in new leads.

Ski Website Growth and Lead Generation Case Study

Ski Website SEO Case Study

100% yoy increase in traffic and leads.

Generating free-source Honeymoons Traffic Case Study

Honeymoons Website Case Study

1200% increase in organic traffic and users.

Outdoor Gear Website Organic Growth

Outdoor Gear Website Marketing Case Study

685% increase in new organic users and traffic.

Transforming a Travel Blog into an Affiliate Activity Website Case Study 

Tours and Activity Website Marketing Case Study

520% yoy increase in organic leads, travel marketing agency – lead generation, 140% increase in organic traffic and users, flight website link disavow and earning case study, 200% increase in organic traffic.

Travel Blog - One Topical Cluster

Travel Blog – One Topical Cluster

19.038% yoy organic growth, luxury hotel website - organic growth, 398.89% yoy increase in organic traffic, travel blog - organic traffic growth, 5014% yoy organic traffic growth.

Pet Blog - Organic Traffic Growth

Pet Blog - 18k Organic Traffic Growth

234,500% increase in organic traffic, travel blog - web build & organic traffic growth, 120.337% yoy organic traffic increase, accommodation website - organic traffic growth, you can be next.

We’d be over-joyed to create comparable successes for you and your business.

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Travel & Tourism Case Studies

Trusted by the world's most exciting and ambitious travel brands.

Browse digital marketing case studies from our travel and tourism clients. Like the results that you see? Get in touch today to discuss how we can help you achieve your unique business goals.

Integrated digital strategy achieves 600% increase in sales for new Airline

Analytics, CRO, Digital PR, Paid Media, SEO, Strategy

YouTube traffic campaigns achieve 43% reduction in cost-per-session

Paid Media, Strategy

184.9% increase in revenue over 5-year partnership

Analytics, Digital PR, Paid Media, SEO, Strategy

Automotive, Travel

Sequential messaging on YouTube drives 217% increase in brand searches

Optimised landing page design results in 17% increase in bookings

Optimised design drives 106% boost in conversions

236+ links helps travel brand boost visibility in UK market

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Midsummer Agency

Performance advertising powered by the sun

BOOSTING BOAT AND BERTH BOOKINGS: A TRAVEL MARKETPLACE EFFECTIVE MARKETING CASE STUDY

How Strategic Marketing Initiatives Transformed the Boat and Berth Bookings for a Leading Travel Marketplace

Unlocking Growth: A Travel Marketplace Effective Marketing Case Study for Boosting Boat and Berth Bookings

Discover how our strategic marketing initiatives revolutionized the boat and berth bookings for Marinanow, a prominent travel marketplace. By implementing effective marketing strategies, we propelled their sales and witnessed remarkable growth in online bookings. Dive into this case study to explore the power of targeted campaigns, data-driven analytics, and their positive impact on the brand’s global expansion.

ABOUT THE CLIENT : MARINANOW – REDEFINING BOOKING EXPERIENCES IN THE TRAVEL MARKETPLACE

Marinanow offers users a seamless online platform to book from a vast selection of over 10,000 boats and berths across 1,300 breathtaking destinations in the Mediterranean Sea. Their commitment to providing exceptional booking experiences sets them apart in the travel marketplace industry.

CHALLENGE : Global Sales Expansion and Brand Visibility

Marinanow approached us with a clear objective: to expand their sales globally. They sought our expertise to drive business growth, enhance international brand visibility, and generate more bookings in strategic locations. Our challenge was to deliver effective marketing solutions that would attract a wider audience and increase conversions.

SOLUTION : Strategic Marketing Initiatives for Impressive Outcomes

To meet the challenge head-on, we meticulously devised a hyper-granular set of campaigns tailored to promote each of the 300 destinations worldwide across four languages. Leveraging our expertise, we created optimized targeted ads with over 8,000 keywords. To monitor and analyze performance precisely, we seamlessly integrated a custom Google Analytics tracking solution through Google Tag Manager. Additionally, we developed a customized Google Data Studio performance dashboard for real-time insights.

RESULTS : Remarkable Growth and Increased Bookings

The results surpassed expectations. During the peak season, Marinanow experienced an extraordinary 57% growth in overall US traffic compared to the previous year. This surge in website visitors translated into an impressive 58% increase in online bookings from strategic locations. The success of our strategic marketing initiatives propelled the brand to new heights.

PPC MANAGEMENT : Leveraging the power of Google Ads search, display, and retargeting campaigns to maximize reach and generate targeted traffic. WEB ANALYTICS : Crafting a comprehensive business analytics strategy, implementing a robust measurement plan, optimizing Google Tag Manager (GTM) integration, and creating a custom Google Data Studio dashboard for actionable insights.

We are delighted with the results. Again, this year, Midsummer has been a great help for us. The team supported us in reaching our business goals, going far beyond expectations.

Read the full review on Clutch

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World Travel and Tourism Council: Bringing the World #TogetherInTravel

Campaign Summary

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) launched a marketing campaign, #TogetherInTravel, as a rallying call to unite and support the travel community at a time when it was being devastatingly impacted.

Objective and Context:

The concept was simple: to create a travel industry-wide moment of solidarity on social media, allowing those employed in travel to express their gratitude and for the public to respond with their unwavering support for the sector.

Travel supports one in 10 jobs worldwide and as a result of the challenges brought about by COVID-19, more than 50 million jobs were at risk. WTTC's aim was to bolster advocacy for travel and empower a worldwide increase in heartfelt, third-party, travel-related content generated across the globe. The ultimate goal was to inspire future travel planning for when travel restrictions eased and to send a message to global decision-makers about the importance of supporting this indispensable industry.

The challenge posed was how to bring an industry employing millions of people together at a particular time to engage with their social-media channels. WTTC wanted to draw attention to the plight of travel and tourism while encouraging the public to continue sharing positive travel-related content at a time when people could not travel due to lockdowns in effect.

The #TogetherInTravel campaign was born from an urgent reactive need to highlight the positive nature of the travel industry at a time when there was a great deal of negativity in the public eye surrounding holiday cancellations and companies closing. The narrative of the video was built to be sensitive to the current restrictions in place and promote the need to stay indoors and adhere to government guidelines.

Target Audience:

The target audience was not defined to a specific demographic. Rather, the campaign intended to reach the widest possible audience around the world. The plan was to initially engage with WTTC members, including more than 200 CEOs, chairpersons and presidents of the world's leading travel and tourism companies, as well as thought leaders within the travel space and social media influencers. In turn, these influencers would share the campaign across consumer-facing social-media channels, appearing on their own followers' social media feeds which included consumers who love to travel.

Creative Strategy:

For years travelers have regaled one another with stories of their adventures and shared their experiences far and wide. Social media has become a treasure trove of real-time travel inspiration, a never-ending source of wanderlust. What happens when travel stops? In this time of social distancing, #TogetherInTravel set out to create a galvanizing moment: a rallying call to action, encouraging the world to reflect on their most special, inspiring travel memories and to give them the justification and the invitation to share these memories in any form, on social-media profiles. The goal was to keep the stream of travel content ongoing throughout the pandemic, keeping alive wanderlust and the desire to travel for when it is possible to do so again.

A piece of emotionally charged and shareable content was created in lockdown conditions that could be posted simultaneously by WTTC's participating travel brands and ambassadors from all corners of the world to reach the widest possible audience. Versions of the content were optimized both to mobile devices and the various social platforms to maximize organic reach and engagement. The campaign went live on Monday, April 20, with everyone involved posting at the same moment and encouraging travelers to share the hashtag #TogetherInTravel, with the video and their travel stories. This united everyone in solidarity, creating a global moment across social media in support of travel.

A mobile optimized microsite for the campaign was created to house the content and serve as a digital focal point. Outside of the platform-optimized versions of the video, subtitled versions were created in Spanish, French, and Japanese to ensure even more international sharing.

Overall Campaign Execution:

The marketing campaign comprised three key elements: a highly visual and emotive video that conveyed the key messages of travel; a hashtag that aligned with the overall theme of solidarity, #TogetherInTravel, to stimulate the conversation across social platforms; and a microsite, TogetherInTravel.com, to host the video content and serve as a URL to share.

WTTC recognized that each WTTC member would have different tones of voice and brand guidelines, so example social media copy was provided that could be tweaked. The consistency across all members lay with the campaign hashtag and call to action, asking brands to stay mindful of the unbranded, community-driven campaign. As natively posted video content can perform as much as 10 times better than linked content, the video was provided as a file for members to upload directly.

There was no budget for the campaign and all agency time, production, and running costs was donated by those involved to support WTTC, a non-profit organization. As such, there was no budget allocated to mobile, per se.

Mobile Execution:

The whole strategy and success of this campaign were linked to mobile technology and its ability to not only capture content but distribute information through social platforms.

First and foremost, the strategy resulted in a call-to-action for consumers to share their stories and prized memories related to travel, calling out rich media formats such as image and video. The adoption of mobile has seen an astronomical increase in the general population's ability to capture content which has only been helped further by the introduction of ephemeral content as part of the mainstream media ecology. Mobile gives brands the ability to capture content when travelling; without the user-generated content (UGC) from people using their mobile devices' cameras, the overall goal of the campaign (to see social media feeds filled with images and videos of travel content) would not have been possible.

In addition, there was no paid media and the campaign relied on organic sharing to ensure reach and maintain momentum as the campaign appeared in social feeds around the world. Without mobile-optimized and mobile-led social platforms such as Twitter and Instagram and their ability to share posts and rich media with ease, the campaign would not have had the same impact.

Finally, versions of the campaign video content and the microsite were optimized to mobile devices, ensuring all screen real estate was used to maximize the campaign's efficiency. The goal was to give the most seamless possible user experience for those accessing and enjoying the campaign via their mobile phones, encouraging as much engagement as possible.

Results (including context, evaluation, and market impact)

WTTC represents the global travel and tourism private sector and as a result of the pandemic the industry has suffered greatly. Throughout March and April, consumers lost trust in travel companies following holiday cancellations and delays in refunds, coupled with international travel bans which left a huge financial burden on the sector and consumer disappointment.

This downturn in events prompted WTTC to create a reactive campaign which united the industry and boosted morale, while showcasing the importance of travel and shining a positive light on the experiences travel provides.

From the outset, no numerical KPI was set. The goal was to create a buzz across the industry which united the sector, while encouraging consumers to dream about their next holiday and share content that would spark a "wanderlust chain reaction."

Since #TogetherInTravel went viral on April 20, people from more than 160 countries have visited the microsite, TogetherinTravel.com. The campaign received more than 51 million organic impressions within the first few weeks of launch and continues to grow, inspiring more than 15,000 public Instagram in-feed posts to date, with people continuing to share their most treasured travel memories.

The campaign brought the industry together in a show of solidarity. More than 125 private sector companies have supported the campaign and continue to do so, from Ctrip, Brand USA, NYC & Co, LATA, and Expedia Group to Destinations International, Visit Mexico, Virgin Atlantic, Ethiopian Airlines, and more.

More than 100 earned media placements across 30 countries and regions were achieved, with a combined reach (OTS) of more than 500 million. Highlights included CNN International (TV), China Tourism News, and The Express Online (UK).

In addition, influencers with a combined reach of more than 12 million pledged their support for #TogetherInTravel and shared their stories as per the campaign's CTA. The campaign received a fantastic response from the travel industry and consumers alike, as evidenced by the statistical data. The hashtag is still being used on a daily basis, providing a unifying tag for the travel trade.

The campaign achieved its key consumer facing objective. At a time when no new travel content could be created, the campaign was still able to keep social media feeds full of inspiring travel-related content.

The campaign received a 96 percent net positive sentiment.

In a time of need, this campaign helped shift the narrative surrounding travel to something more positive, all while supporting the people who work in the travel sector. The WTTC's hope is that it will have contributed to recovery by keeping travel top of mind for consumers.

Categories: | Industries: | Objectives: Social Good | Awards: X Finalist

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Digital Marketing Case Studies For Travel & Hospitality Industry

by Digichefs | Aug 24, 2022 | Blog , Digital Marketing | 0 comments

The travel and tourism sector is now one of the most impacted by digital advancement. The travel and hospitality sector engages communities and ensures that its customers enjoy the greatest vacations possible. This has been enhanced with the use of digital marketing which has created a strong brand presence and awareness for multiple businesses across the industry.

Let’s take a look at how some of the well-known travel industry brands boosted their brand presence with our digital marketing expertise!

Yatri is the Official Mumbai Locals Information app by Central Railway, Mumbai that provides its users with real-time information about Train live location, Time Table, Passenger Services & Amenities. 

With smart strategies and influencer content that conveyed the app’s use and importance in an emotional and comic way, the #BeReadyWithYatri Influencer Campaign witnessed a skyrocketing success by accounting for the following statistics:

Total impressions -1.2M

Accounts reached- 618K unique accounts.

Total engagement – 7,47,600 

This campaign truly ran its course at full throttle! 

Le Sutra is an art hospitality brand that brings artistic concepts of contemporary time. Their brand presence required a strong artisanal identity that justified their idea of Indian art. What’s better than an aesthetic union of Indian mythology and Indian contemporary art? 

Our idea was to portray Ravana’s point of view of Ramayana to connect with the existence of one of their rooms called “Ravana” 

With royal visuals that captured the pure essence of Indian mythology and aesthetic art, Ravanayana Campaign for Le Sutra gained impeccable organic traction from spiritual enthusiasts and art lovers.

Organic Reach- 25000 in 2 days

Engagement rate- 8X+ engagement 

Total Reach- 90000 

Want to know how your travel and hospitality brand can benefit from our digital marketing expertise? Check out this blog to explore our services and get in touch with us!

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Making Waves: How Shore Excursions Group’s Marketing is Maximizing Post-Pandemic Travel Demand

Today’s marketing landscape is a world of extremes. For every online business struggling to combat inflation and tightening wallets, there are countless others reporting record-breaking profits and unthinkable growth.

Just one example: Our travel provider client, Shore Excursions Group .

Thanks to the post-pandemic travel boom and a history of smart, strategic marketing choices, SEG’s profits have been through the roof since the beginning of 2023 — boasting increased conversion rates, clicks, and revenue to blow the brand’s goals out of the water.

In fact, May 2023 delivered Shore Excursions Group’s highest number of PPC-assisted bookings ever , a marked comparison to a business driving no sales just two years ago during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The video below is hosted on YouTube. If you need assistance with viewing the video, please contact [email protected] .

So, how did they do it — and what can other brands learn from their success?

We recently sat down with Jeff Cohen, Vice President of Marketing at Shore Excursions Group, to find out what’s been driving the brand’s recent success — and where they go from here.

The COVID-19 Effect

Like it did for all travel and tourism businesses , the COVID-19 pandemic hit Shore Excursion Group hard in the spring of 2020. 

“We went from pretty successful growth pre-pandemic to absolute zero for two years, which I challenge you to find another industry that was hit so hard,” Cohen says. “Why? Because no cruises equals no excursions, so we had to refund every piece of business that was on the books, plus pay commission to travel agents.

“We had nothing coming in for two years, but we did spend that time optimizing our site as much as possible — SEO activity and such — to put ourselves in a good position,” he continues. 

In fact, it’s that commitment to sustained digital marketing to which Cohen attributes SEG’s survival over the past few years. 

With Inflow’s help, SEG reinvested quick-return advertising dollars (spent on campaigns such as Google Ads) into longer-term strategies, including search engine optimization . 

Specifically, SEG’s marketing team took advantage of the industry shutdown in 2020 and 2021 to redesign and migrate their site without the fear of lost traffic (since that traffic was nonexistent when cruises were moored). With a refreshed site, SEG could continue to optimize existing content for future cruise vacationers, building a foundation that would return the investment in spades. 

Throughout the pandemic shutdown, Shore Excursions Group retained steady positioning in the #1–4 results in the SERPs and grew their organic keyword footprint in ranking positions #1–10 by 72% year over year — setting the stage for great performance when cruisers started to book again.

Responding to Changing Customer Behavior

But post-pandemic cruisers aren’t the same as they were before. After months of hearing things would “get back to normal,” travelers bring a new sense of wariness and reluctance to book — should pandemic restrictions be enforced once again with little warning.

To avoid the complications of third-party fees and policies (and with newfound digital experience from surfing the web for months of lockdown), today’s customers are much more likely to conduct research — and purchase excursions — without the help of a travel agent.

“You have this kind of shift happening in the marketplace over time. More and more consumers are booking direct,” Cohen says. “There’s so much information available online now…They understand that they could just start Googling, you know, ‘best tours’ or ‘best activities to do in Juneau, Alaska.’ And so that’s where we’re trying to be on the digital side of things.” 

So, while SEG’s primary marketing focus remains partnering with travel agents nationwide to promote shore excursions to their cruising clients, the team is also expanding marketing efforts to new direct-to-consumer channels.

In contrast to the targeted digital marketing the brand traditionally relies on, SEG is now re-engaging audiences through organic social and reputation management. The goal: Build brand awareness and credibility, especially on those platforms that customers are using to ideate and research their next trips.

“Customers are, especially in the travel space, using social media as a validation of credibility,” Cohen says. “So, we’re putting a lot of focus around that — marketing activity that says we care deeply about delivering amazing experiences, but from a customer service standpoint, too.”

Sticking with the Tried-and-True — and Testing the New

At the same time, Shore Excursions Group doubles down on those tactics that traditionally drive significant results for the brand, including paid search marketing campaigns .

While paused during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, SEG’s PPC campaigns were strategically relaunched during the fall of 2022 to take advantage of the rapidly recovering travel industry. 

But the Google Ads landscape had changed dramatically in those few years. The introduction of automated campaign types like Performance Max made previously successful strategies obsolete.

To maintain the level of success the brand was used to, Inflow’s PPC experts had to implement a new approach — updating ad copy and assets, adjusting demographic and custom audience modifiers, and much more.

You can read about the entire strategy shift in this case study — but, long story short, the changes allowed SEG’s campaigns to hit a three-year-high ROAS of 18.73x and a 1,333% increase in profit margin with only a 157% increase in spend, month-over-month.

But, to maximize the opportunity out there, SEG’s team knew they needed to go beyond their reliable PPC campaigns. Finding new audiences (and turning them into bookers) meant expanding to different channels, including YouTube ads , targeted paid social campaigns, and more.

“I wanted to kind of expand and get into some other digital channels, as well as things we’ve tried in the past and haven’t had much success with,” Cohen says. “Our mentality and approach is, ‘Let’s take a reasonable swing at it, without going for the fences’ — but enough of an effort to be worthwhile and give it a good chance for success.”

In our agency’s 15 years of working with brands, it’s that exact willingness to test (and openness to learning from failures) that separates the cream of the crop in the digital marketing world — and is a key reason why SEG continues to grow at a rate unmatched by others.

Full Speed Ahead for SEG

As a highly seasonal business, Shore Excursions Group knows that now is the time to double down on their marketing. There’s no relaxing and enjoying the results; it’s all business to keep pushing and spending as much as they can, while they can still take advantage of the pent-up demand of travelers.

And, while profitability is always at the forefront of their marketing efforts, Cohen makes sure to keep customer joy in mind, as well.

“We’re selling fun. Most of our excursions are awesome bucket lists, really cool stuff,” he says. “It’s a fun product to market. We’re selling aspirational-type things, and we’re trying to inspire people.

“People truly do use all forms of marketing channels now they make travel decisions,” he continues. “It’s amazing the impact some of these channels play.”

Curious about how your brand can take results to the next level? Have the same willingness to experiment and test new channels for your business?

Reach out to our team to start building a results-driven digital marketing strategy today.

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Kate Miller

Kate has loved words since the moment she learned to read. She’s the first to pick up a pen or break out a laptop to write down her next big idea, and she’s thrilled to be the content marketing manager at Inflow.

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Travel Marketing Best Practices: How To Apply The 7P’s To Make Your Travel Business More Successful

Understanding the crux of the 7Ps of marketing is pertinent for you as a tour operator. It can help you analyze your competitive strategies, capitalize on key elements of marketing to attract new customers and ultimately reach your sales targets.

The marketing mix involves various processes, each one focusing on different areas of your marketing strategy. These different processes all need to work together in order for you to successfully attract and generate new customers.

In this guide, we’ll break down the 7s of marketing and cover some of the most important travel marketing best practices to keep in mind with each of these different areas.

The 7Ps of Marketing for Travel Businesses 

The beauty of the marketing mix is that it helps you to set objectives and create a clear roadmap for your business to promote itself in the market. This includes the different marketing channels and tactics that are applied.

In 1960, professor Jerome McCarthy first proposed the idea of the 4Ps of marketing - which refers to the four elements that make up a traditional marketing mix. This applies to any kind of business. The 4Ps are

However, strategies in marketing have changed tremendously since then, and the way different types of businesses reach customers varies. This resulted in the 4Ps evolving. It only made sense to add additional Ps to accommodate all industries. These Ps include

• Physical Evidence

The 7Ps can help you attract your target audience more easily and provide the right kind of marketing messages and value to turn those prospects into paying customers.

Let’s break down the 7Ps of travel marketing.

1. Product 

First, there’s your product. This refers to what you’re selling your customers, and it’s what your entire travel marketing strategy will be centered around.

For many traditional businesses, a product is a physical item that you can place in your basket, or buy online and unwrap at home. However, in the travel industry, your product is not tangible. For travel businesses, product refers to some kind of tour, service, or travel experience.

When it comes to travel marketing best practices, you must understand how your product fits into the market, and what type of demand there is for your product. You’ll also need to know the unique selling proposition (USP) behind your product, and what will motivate a customer to make a purchase (or, book a tour).

There are typically a lot more factors involved in the purchase decision process for travel products. For example, a travel business customer will need to

• Plan their trip around what free time they have available
• Plan their trip around the weather
• Purchase without understanding the direct effect, or benefits, the travel purchase will offer them
• Travel purchase decisions often involve a fairly large investment, without getting a tangible product in return

This means there’s a lot to keep in mind when marketing your travel product to your audience. Understanding the market conditions, the competition, and what makes your product special is essential for attracting and retaining customers.

Of course, you also need to offer a high-quality travel product if you want to make a lot of sales.

Some travel marketing best practices include sharing as many details about your products as possible on your website, sharing videos and images of your travel experiences on social media, and showcasing reviews and testimonials from past customers.

2. Place 

Place is an element of the marketing mix that refers to where and how you make your product available. Because your travel product is intangible, you will likely be selling it online (as opposed to a shelf in a shop). You could also be selling through a booking platform, an OTA , or a travel desk.

Whatever the case, travel marketing best practices here involve making sure that the place you sell your product offers a smooth customer journey. This means providing a booking process that is easy and secure, and that includes all of the information your customers could possibly want to know.

For example, your website should include detailed booking pages for each of its travel experiences, with an easy and secure payment gateway. This is easy to apply with travel booking tools like WeTravel . The right booking platform will reduce friction in the customer journey, helping you sell more tours.

3. Price 

The price of your product, or tour, is arguably the most important factor in your travel marketing mix. You need to price your tours strategically in order to make enough profit, be competitive in the market, and attract enough bookings.

First, you’ll need to understand the market and the competition to understand the costs of other tours in your area.

Second, you’ll need to align your pricing strategy to the USP and value your tour offers. It’s important to relate price to value. This is because customers will be willing to pay more for a travel experience if it is justifiable, and the extra money relates to extra value.

If you offer the same experience as the competition but charge more, then your tours will seem unappealing. If you offer added value to your travel experience, then you can get away with charging more. You’ll also be able to use this added value as your USP.

Of course, you also need to cover your overhead costs and make sure that your pricing strategy makes sense for your travel business.

How much you charge for your travel products determines how your business will fit into the market, so it's important to have a full understanding of your financial situation in order to price appropriately.

4. Promotion 

This element of the marketing mix is all about how you promote your travel business to your target audience. Travel advertising includes a lot of key tactics, so, you should choose ones that best align with your target audience and overall marketing goals.

When it comes to travel marketing best practices, it’s recommended that you utilize a wide range of marketing channels and processes. This could include:

• Email marketing
• Social media marketing
• SEO and content marketing
• Paid advertising
• Physical marketing (flyers, posters, etc)

It is also essential that you have an optimized website , as this is where you will direct all of your marketing efforts to generate bookings.

Whatever tactics you use to promote your travel business, you need to make sure that they align with your customer journey and with the behavior patterns of your target audience/buyer persona.

This means using marketing channels that your target audience routinely uses, and promoting the right messages and content on these channels to appeal to your viewership.

Of course, you’ll need to keep your USP and market positioning in mind when running your travel advertising campaigns. Use your promotional efforts to stand apart from the competition and strategically communicate why customers should book your tours and what kind of value they would get in return.

You can check out our guide to creating a travel business inbound marketing strategy for more tips and tactics.

5. People 

Who represents your business? This is incredibly important for travel marketing, as your products are closely linked and associated with the people who deliver them.

If you sell a product like a toothbrush, customers wouldn’t care much about who is behind the toothbrush. However, if you’re offering a guided tour through the Andes, then the person providing the tour is an essential factor in understanding whether the tour is worth purchasing.

This means that people are a factor in your travel marketing mix that you need to carefully consider and promote.

In terms of travel marketing best practices, anyone who comes into contact with a customer and represents your business must maintain a certain standard of friendliness and professionalism. The people behind your business play a major role in shaping the customer journey and influencing their purchase decision.

It’s also a good idea to display your credentials and experience on your website or booking pages. Use the people in your travel business to offer more value to your customers.

For example, you could highlight the fact that all of your tour guides are trained in first aid safety, or that they are experts on the local flora and fauna. This gives your tours a competitive edge and gives customers more reason to book your tours and helps them develop more trust in your travel business.

6. Processes 

Process is one of the unique “P’s” of marketing for travel businesses. This refers to the journey, or processes, that a customer goes through from when they book your tour to when they complete it. Your goal is to make these processes as enjoyable as possible for the customer.

Make sure that you offer customers all of the information they need at any given stage of their journey. You also want to ensure that your customers can easily communicate with your business when needed.

Some useful tactics involve sending automated consummation messages after a customer makes a booking, and sending the customer a pack of relevant information before the tour. All of their booking information, itinerary, waivers, and anything else, should be easily accessible.

When optimizing the processes in your marketing mix, it's also important to consider efficiency for your business. Your aim should be to plan out a strategy that is reliable, scalable, and efficient.

Using the right travel booking system is essential as it will help to provide a smooth journey for both your customers as well as for your business.

7. Physical Evidence 

This is the final element of the travel marketing mix. Physical evidence can seem tricky because travel experiences are largely intangible. This means it can be difficult for your customers to look into the physical evidence of your travel experiences before making a booking.

However, carefully presenting any physical details about your business or topics will play an important role. Keep your vehicles clean and well maintained, make sure your staff are well-presented, and carefully maintain your storefront if you have one. These elements all help to build trust.

You can also use your website to help you provide physical evidence around your tours. Make sure your website is modern, trustworthy, and functional.

You should also try to incorporate a lot of images and videos of your travel experiences into your booking pages, to help customers gain an idea of what these experiences look like.

Stay Ahead of Travel Marketing Best Practices 

Staying ahead of travel marketing best practices can be tricky because the industry is constantly changing. As technology develops and customer journeys change, so do the marketing tactics and strategies you use to attract new customers.

That is why it's important to stay ahead of industry trends with a reliable and trusted platform.

A key resource in this regard is WeTravel Academy . The sole focus of this resource is to create a valuable “database” (so to speak) to help all the professionals in the travel industry with a wide range of focus areas. This may include group and multi-day travel, international tour operators, other trip leaders, wellness, and retreats.

You can freely access a wide range of e-books, webinars, courses, and articles to help you stay ahead of industry best practices and grow as a professional and tour business.

Conclusion 

Understanding the key elements of a travel industry marketing mix is important for being able to develop a well-rounded marketing strategy.

You need to understand and address all of the different factors involved in the customer journey and decision-making process in order for you to be successful at marketing your travel company.

The travel marketing best practices above should help you lay the foundation. Of course, you’ll also need to be set up with the right travel software and tools to help you seamlessly implement these different areas of the travel marketing mix.

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The Changing Trends of Travel Industry Marketing

Travel Industry Analysis

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Travel industry marketing is changing. And, for better or for worse, travel operators need to adapt. In this blog post we're going to be taking a closer look at how travel marketing is being turned on its head, what challenges these changes pose to operators in the industry, and how Travelshift software can help you overcome those challenges.  

We'll start at the beginning. Why is travel marketing being transformed? And what are these emerging trends in travel industry marketing that operators need to get to grips with?

Changing traveller attitudes toward advertising

Quite fairly, we think, travellers now have much higher expectations of brands and operators when it comes to marketing. Younger tourists (-30) in particular are increasingly tech-savvy and spend more time online than any generation in history.

This has several knock-on effects. The first is that brands now need to work harder to grab travellers' attention. The move away from traditional forms of advertising on TV and in print is well underway.

But it's not as simple as moving marketing efforts online. Many of today's internet users are immune to spam campaigns, neon banners and click bait. They've seen it all before and won't be falling for it anytime soon. They are adept at filtering out irrelevance and heading directly to what they're looking for, fast.

This leaves operators with an obvious challenge: be relevant or get left behind. Be informative and inspiring or be ignored. Be interesting or watch your revenue shrink.

Nowhere is this trend played out more than in the sphere of social media. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are unique places where travellers can create their own bubbles of content that are tailored to their 'likes' and interests. Let's look at this in more detail and think about how travel industry marketing needs to adapt.

The growing importance of social media

Social media is the new travel marketers' battleground. It's where millions of potential customers are active, engaged and there to be influenced and sold to. But the increasing importance of social media platforms is forcing marketers to adapt. In the travel industry, it's not enough to spread links to your products and special offers.

Travel operators need to be more creative than that.

Content is King

Instead, operators are pivoting towards creating long-term relationships with potential customers, through the creation and promotion of inspiring content. It's this element that is seeing a massive rise in terms of budget and focus.

We've previously highlighted the importance of content marketing , and quite rightly, too. This is an area where spending is on the up because it's an easy way for travel brands to connect, engage and grow an audience. According to a Skift report on the state of content marketing, "the aspirational appeal of such content, combined with its increased credibility, helps it succeed with travel customers."

But it's not enough to simply produce content. First travel operators have to define what content even is, and what kinds of content they're going to use to spread their message or philosophy.

And once that has been done, and content has been created there are still plenty of challenges. But first...

What counts as content?

The answer to the above question is largely subjective. For many travel brands, the simple act of posting something on social media might be seen as content marketing. For others, it might be the production of a GIF, eBook or podcast to go alongside a new product release.

All of these possibilities have an element of truth about them. Sure, anything can be content, whether it's 140 characters in a Tweet or a 10-minute promotional video. But to understand what content marketing is really driving at we have to think about its purpose. Only once the aim is clear can travel brands think closely on the message and the medium.

What is the point of content marketing?

Content marketing is not just about putting your stuff in people's faces. It's about become established, a leader, a respected voice in your field.

In many cases, it's entirely separate from the direct-sales marketing we're all familiar with. Instead of pushing a specific product with an in-your-face advert, content marketing aims to build an audience and grow an operator's influence.

It's not supposed to be marketing-y.

Instead, the fundamental principle goes something like this: If you, as a travel provider, produce content that entertains, engages and informs your target market, they will be more inclined to buy your products and trust your brand as a result.

We're a lot more cynical than we used to be when shopping. Our relationship with advertising has changed. Travellers now appreciate honesty and authenticity. They want the truth, and enough information to make informed decisions.

The concept is simple and it's proven to be effective. And there's another reason that travel brands are investing so much in fresh content...

Perpetuating traffic: The by-product of great content

Great content is great for SEO - there's no getting around that fact. On the one hand, travel operators can create extensive written content that will be shared and viewed by thousands of readers. This, in turn, will generate more sales through a higher amount of traffic to the website in question.

But more content also boosts traffic organically by bumping agencies up the search engine rankings. Because of this, a by-product of any content marketing efforts is usually in an increase in relevant traffic and a natural growth in sales.

And it's not only written content that boosts your traffic. Search engines also take into account an operator's popularity on social media platforms and the reach of their brand beyond a simple website. This means that having a strong presence as a content creator on sites such as Youtube is also highly beneficial.

From this, we can clearly see that content marketing is an easy way to perpetuate traffic and sales. This also goes some way to answering one of the questions posed above. Namely, what kind of content should travel operators be using as part of marketing campaigns?

Content marketing in the travel industry: How and where?

So the two main questions here are what types of content should travel operators be using to reach potential customers, and where should they be employing these tactics?

'Content', as we have seen, comes in many different forms. But to be an effective content marketer in the travel industry you need to understand which of those forms pushes the buttons of prospective travellers. More often than not marketing in this industry is about aspiration and inspiration.

For that reason, content often needs to be visual and engaging. Sure, there's room for thought-provoking writeups and detailed travel guides. But pictures still say a thousand words. Videos say even more.

So let's focus on media content for the time being. It's not only that pictures, videos and GIFs have the potential to highlight a product or destination better than words ever can. In an online world where we sift through huge amounts of information in seconds - whether it's on timelines or scrolling through a website - media content offers immediacy. A quick fix, a powerful punch of inspiration.

Because they force an immediate reaction, snippets of visual media stand out on social media and general websites. It's a medium that people can engage within seconds without complication.

If something can be engaged with quickly on social media platforms, it's more likely to be shared and spread. As well as being increasingly good for SEO, this peer to peer sharing can be the foundation of the authenticity a travel brand is trying to develop. Even in the digital world, a share or recommendation is a pretty big compliment. It suggests that a travel operator is doing something right.

Take Facebook, for example. The world's most popular social media platform has seen a huge rise in the use of video content on its pages.

Twitter last year introduced its new GIF search feature, encouraging users to share media content to improve the quality of their tweets. And then you've got Youtube, the video behemoth that's quietly become the second-largest search engine in the world, with countless hours of video content uploaded and watched every day by people all over the world.

Youtube also gives travel operators the ability to create channels, which fans can then subscribe to and watch regularly. That same video content can then be shared across social media platforms. Which leads us to an interesting question:

If we agree that visual media content is 1. the most effective at portraying aspiration and inspiration that travel lovers love and 2. growing rapidly in terms of engagement across the web....

Should every travel operator be a media organisation?

It's difficult to get away from this as a conclusion. But it needn't be an intimidating one for those working in the travel industry. As the traditional need for travel agents has evolved, customers are looking for more than great prices. They want information, insight and inspiration. If a travel operator can offer those things, the need for conventional marketing could disappear completely.

A few of the platforms we've already mentioned are prime for content marketing campaigns dedicated to travel. Facebook and Twitter, in particular, offer easy avenues to viral content if the media is engaging enough.

But other platforms, including Instagram and Youtube, are also proving popular arenas for content marketing - just with a slightly different edge. Although photos and videos can also go viral on these platforms, the focus is more on building a fanbase, a group or subscribers or followers that receive regular updates and believe in the message travel brands are portraying.

But of course, it's not only on social media platforms that content marketing can boost travel brands.

You'll struggle to find travel operators these days who don't provide some kind of insight, information or inspiration to potential customers, free of charge. Most often this will be in the form of blog posts, travel guides and other shareable content.

The post you're reading right now could be deemed a form of content marketing, for example. We're not simply trying to sell you our services (indeed, we haven't even mentioned them yet) - we're addressing the issues of interest to our target market, establishing ourselves as visionaries in our chosen field and generally informing, entertaining and inspiring the next generation of travel startups.

Those same techniques can be found in blog posts, website content, email newsletters and more.

Things to think about

With the move toward content marketing, different challenges are now being faced by operators in the travel industry.

The biggest challenge is obvious: How do we make and measure great content? 

Although we've highlighted the popularity of images and video on the platforms above, that's by no means the end of the line. What type of content depends very much on the audience and product in question.

Another huge challenge for travel brands is finding talented content creators , whether that's writers, video editors or creative thinkers - they don't just grow on trees, after all. Because travel businesses are primarily setup to give their customers memorable experiences, content creation is not usually an area of expertise.

Perhaps for that reason, we've seen an interesting trend develop in travel alongside the popularity of social media: partnering with influencers.

In many ways, these influencers provide a shortcut to exposure. The idea is simple: pay a well-known, influential figure to feature your product or service, and reap the rewards by reaching their audience directly.

Read more:  The Power of Influencers in the Travel Industry

But working with influencers comes with an interesting set of challenges.How do you go about choosing who to work with? And what's the best way to measure their effectiveness and ensure high-quality results?

What if you could create your own 'influencers' and measure their impact on your travel business in real time?

Where Travelshift Comes In...

You might be wondering how all of the above could possibly be related to Travelshift. As you may or may not know, we build travel marketplaces. We're not a content marketing agency. We don't specialise in creating original media, so what do we know about content marketing?

We lied about only building marketplaces. We also build communities. And we've pioneered a whole new type of content marketing off that back of it. We call it community-driven content, and it works like this:

Our proprietary marketplace software allows our clients to build travel platforms with a difference. Built into these platforms are all the tools you need to bring together a community of writers and bloggers. In the first application of our software, our community of Icelandic locals, bloggers and travellers helped (and still helps) drive a huge amount of traffic through our GuidetoIceland marketplace.

You can read more about our GuidetoIceland marketplace in the case study .

With our community-driven framework, the authenticity and insight of locals and genuine travellers do plenty of the content marketing for you.

Interested in finding out more? Get in touch today!

June 1, 2018

Research: Tourists Aren't Ready For Digital Detox

January 13, 2017

Gap in the Market Volume 9 - Gap Year Travel

Case Studies

Here you can find all our case studies covering destination topics from digitalisation, sustainability and research. This content is available exclusively to DTTT Members.

Creating Legacy through Large-Scale Events

Discover how Visit Düsseldorf use data and content to personalise visitor experiences and turn events into catalysts for accessibility improvements.

Conversational Marketing and AI, the Death of the Ambassador?

The travel industry is undergoing a digital revolution. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we plan and experience journeys.

Driving Demand with AI Generated Storytelling

Milan Malpensa Airport's "Nice to MEET you" uses AI art to transform airport walls into a celebration of Milan's literature.

Prioritising Authenticity and Sustainability in Experiential Tours

Tina acknowledged the potential of AI to enhance personalisation but said the human touch of curation and personal recommendations will remain vital.

Reimagine Visitor Engagement & Loyalty

This is where Web 3.0 technologies, can play a crucial role in overcoming barriers and connecting local brands with a much wider partner ecosystem.

Co-Designing Future Places

This panel discussion explored how local communities and visitors can become the architects of a destination's destiny by using co-design processes.

Identifying Gaps in Data: Taking AI to the Next Level

Kevin explores how Artificial Intelligence is transforming the travel industry, making the experience more efficient, personalised and enjoyable.

Using AI Tools to Produce Social Content

AI tools enhance creativity and streamline marketing workflows. Visit Benidorm shared tips to succeed in leveraging this tech for content production.

This is Athens with a Local

Launched in 2011 by the Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau, the programme began with a dedicated volunteer community offering free walking tours.

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Case Based Research in Tourism, Travel, Hospitality and Events

• © 2022
• Marianna Sigala 0 ,
• Anastasia Yeark 1 ,
• Rajka Presbury 2 ,
• Marcela Fang 3 ,
• Karen A. Smith 4

Department of Business Administration, University of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece

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Strategy and Operations Discipline, Kaplan Business School, Brisbane, Australia

Blue mountains international hotel management school, torrens university, sydney, australia, faculty of higher education, william angliss institute, melbourne, australia, wellington school of business and government, victoria university of wellington, wellington, new zealand.

• Consolidate case studies from tourism, hospitality, events that combine theory and practice to untangle real world issue
• Enables students to develop academic mastery by better understanding and applying knowledge beyond the classroom
• Inspires scholars to use case study methods to research as well as implement a research informed teaching approach

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Table of contents (27 chapters)

Front matter, introduction, case study: an underestimated research and pedagogical method.

• Marianna Sigala, Anastasia Yeark, Rajka Presbury, Marcela Fang, Karen A. Smith

Experiences

Designing servicescape and experience with art: learnings from the d’arenberg cube , australia.

Marianna Sigala

A Day in the Life of Guest Experience Stagers: The Saffire Freycinet Experience

• Anita Manfreda, Justin King

Extraordinary (Memorable) Experiences in Events: The Case of Skylighter Fireworx, Australia

• Anastasia Yeark, John Powers

Boom Then Bust at the George Hotel

• Eileen Aitken-Fox

High-End Restaurants During COVID-19: The Beginning of a New Fine-Dining Era?

• Sandra Cherro Osorio, Ana Delevska, Peter Matheis

The Power of Words: A Case Study of Service Language in an Australian Five-Star Hotel

• Madalyn Scerri, Rajka Presbury

Hidden Factors: Operations Management Implications for the Hayman Island Resort

• Zdenka Gabrielova, Marcela Fang

Hotel Revenue Management Strategy – Impacts and Consequences of Changes in Management

• Antoine J. Bisson

The Expansion of MexHospitality: Exploring the Ethical Implications of Hospitality Outsourcing

• Blanca A. Camargo

Exploring the Relationship Between Hotel Classification System and Service Quality: A Case Study of the Indian Hotel Industry

Technologies, how to design a smart tourism destination: the case of granada.

• Luis-Alberto Casado-Aranda, Juan Sánchez-Fernández, Ana-Belén Bastidas-Manzano

Marketing Suburban Tourism Destinations on Social Media: The Case of the City of Joondalup, Western Australia

• Oscar Vorobjovas-Pinta, Violetta Wilk

Mandatory System Usage Behaviour: A Case Study in Australian Resorts

• Leo Y. L. Kwong, Susan Foster, Victoria Peel

EHS Hotels: Neuroimaging or Self-Reports When Evaluating Tourism Advertising and Websites?

• Hospitality
• Tourism case studies
• Tourism management
• International Tourism
• Marketing communications

About this book

This book consolidates international, contemporary and topical case study based research in tourism, travel, hospitality and events. Case studies can make learning more attractive and interesting as well as enable students to understand the theory better and develop their analytical and problem-solving skills. Using industry as an open living lab, case study based research infuses scholars into real-world industry challenges and inspires them to theorise and advance our knowledge frontiers.

The book includes international case studies that can help tourism scholars build and advance (new) theories and enrich their educational practices. Case studies are accompanied with a teaching note guiding scholars to integrate case studies into instruction.

Dr Kirsten Holmes, Chair, Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE) 

There is a vital need for contemporary and well-structured case studies for use in tourism teaching. By including case studies from Australasia and key destination regions in Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean, the book is helpful for tertiary teachers globally. 

The book inspires educators and students. The cases provide context to students’ learning and demonstrate the richness and variation of the industry. The book also clearly demonstrates how research can inform our teaching. 

Professor Brian King, Chair, THE-ICE Assessment Panel   

The book includes cases under five themes: experiences, operations, technologies, strategy and marketing, and destinations. The book provides subject lecturers with a structure to guide students of applying theory into practice. 

Dr Paul Whitelaw, Academic Director, Southern Cross University

This book marks a significant contribution to hospitality, tourism and events pedagogy at undergraduate and postgraduate level.  At a time when the industry is demanding that our graduates have a strong grasp of “real world issues”, the case study approach provides an accessible, meaningful and relatable means by which students can engage in real world issues.

Editors and Affiliations

Anastasia Yeark

Rajka Presbury

Marcela Fang

Karen A. Smith

About the editors

Prof Marianna Sigala   

Dr Rajka Presbury   

Dr Rajka Presbury coordinates the scholarship activities at Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS) at Torrens University. Before joining academia, Dr Presbury gained extensive professional experience in the hotel sector and had held several management positions in Banqueting Services, Restaurant, and Event Sales and Conventions. Rajka is an auditor for the International Centre for Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education (THE ICE): www.the-ice.org.   

Dr Marcela Fang   

Dr Marcela Fang is a management lecturer in the Faculty of Higher Education at William Angliss Institute, where she teaches strategic management, leadership and innovation. Her experience includes lecturing, design and development of curriculum for higher education and industry settings. Marcela’s research focuses on leadership, leadership development, evaluation of higher education and training programs, strategy and innovation.  

Prof Karen A. Smith

Prof Karen A. Smith is an Associate Dean in the Wellington School of Business and Government, Victoria University of Wellington, where she is also a Professor of Tourism Management and teaches tourism and event management. She has co-edited four books and journal articles on a range of tourism and volunteer management areas. She makes extensive use of case studies in teaching and curriculum design. 

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : Case Based Research in Tourism, Travel, Hospitality and Events

Editors : Marianna Sigala, Anastasia Yeark, Rajka Presbury, Marcela Fang, Karen A. Smith

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4671-3

Publisher : Springer Singapore

eBook Packages : Business and Management , Business and Management (R0)

Copyright Information : Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022

Hardcover ISBN : 978-981-16-4670-6 Published: 06 January 2022

Softcover ISBN : 978-981-16-4673-7 Published: 07 January 2023

eBook ISBN : 978-981-16-4671-3 Published: 05 January 2022

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XVIII, 505

Number of Illustrations : 1 b/w illustrations

Topics : Tourism Management , Marketing , Management , Operations Management , Artificial Intelligence

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Home » Articles » Case Study: Travel and Tourism

Case Study: Travel and Tourism

Written by PortMA

• Market Research Case Studies

The Brand Challenge How do you convince consumers to spend significant money on something that exists only as an experience? This was the challenge of a tourist destination with a dusty reputation. The client needed to get consumers to rethink what they thought they knew about the destination and open their eyes to a whole new set of experiential possibilities. What better marketing to meet this challenge than an experiential marketing campaign?

The Campaign The campaign team brought the destination to the consumer. With a number of haulers, the team transplanted their large footprint to state fairs, local festivals, and other major events across the country to share the vacation experience firsthand. With interactive games, virtual reality rides, immersive multi-walled video displays, and multiple branded take-aways the agency set out to dismiss past stereotypes stop consumers in their tracks, and get them to reconsider their next vacation destination. And it worked. Really well. Consistently.

The Measurement Strategy Insights for this campaign couldn’t focus just on the immediate impact on consumer travel intention; we needed to have a plan that would clearly demonstrate if consumers actually visited. But how do you do this when a family may wait as long as 6 months before they actually book a trip? We asked them.

• Exit Surveys. As patrons exited the event, we surveyed them on their past experiences, past points of view, and a new view of the tourist destination.
• Post-Event Survey. Any patron to the event registered with the tour team and provided his email address. We used these email addresses to follow-up three weeks later to ask what they remember, what actions they’d taken, and what actions they planned to take.
• Follow-Up Survey. Using the same email addresses, we reached back out to patrons after six months and asked again what they remember, what they’ve done, and what they plan to do.

The results were consistently remarkable. (Hint: You can double your response rate with a survey to patrons after the event if you offer a $50 drawing. No more, no less. We tested a number of amounts and a $50 gift card was the optimal level for a gift card.)

The Results We delivered a report after each event to the agency. The agency forwarded these on to their client. The data from the exit survey showed that for most event locations, the impact was strong, with as much as 25% of event patrons experiencing a significant shift in their attitudes about the destination as a great vacation option. The post-event surveys showed that this positive shift continued with the majority (90%) of patrons three weeks and six months later. After three weeks, 10 to 15% of patrons reported they had planned a trip and 20 to 30% said they intended to take a trip. Six months after the experience 11% (consistently across events) reported that they had booked a trip to the destination for a vacation.

With an average spend of $1,100 or more per visit, it was easy to see the ROI. The typical event engaged 3,934 consumers over a week with the full immersive experience. With 11% visiting the destination at a value of $1,100 each (a client provided figure), each stop was generating upwards of $476,000 in incremental value. It was easy for everyone involved to see the value and importance of the program.

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• According to our Build for the Future survey, a small group of forward-thinking travel businesses have cultivated key attributes that help them thrive.
• Travel leaders have 45% more capabilities in differentiated people advantage than laggards because they upskill existing personnel and attract and retain new talent, which allows them to offer customers a better experience.
• Leaders have 68% more AI capabilities than laggards because they deploy advanced analytics throughout the travel value chain to offer hyper-personalization.

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Travel and Tourism

/ slideshow, building the travel company of the future, key takeaways.

The following insights are part of BCG’s Build for the Future series, based on three years of research conducted on digital transformations at major organizations around the globe.

Planning a trip once meant consulting a guidebook or working with a travel agent. Today, people may plan a getaway based on a TikTok influencer’s recommendation, an online review, or a personalized ad fed to them by an algorithm.

These and other evolving consumer behaviors, coupled with cost pressures, are redefining competition in the travel business and the capabilities needed to succeed. As a result, the travel industry is facing challenges in all sectors, including airlines, hotels, theme parks, and cruise lines. The challenges are especially acute for long-time incumbents playing catch-up with digital natives.

Against this background of change, a handful of travel companies are thriving. According to our Build for the Future survey, the most forward-thinking travel businesses share a number of common attributes. These traits allow them to excel regardless of customer or market pressures and produce financial and nonfinancial outcomes that outshine those of their peers. (See “Build for the Future.”)

Build for the Future

• Five areas that are fundamental to success
• The emphasis of transformation efforts
• How successful transformation efforts have been
• The degree to which each of more than 50 potential influencing capabilities were in place

At a Glance

Our Build for the Future survey identified a small cadre of companies we refer to as “future-built,” with attributes that make them more ready than their peers for what’s on the horizon. These traits include: aligned leadership and purpose, differentiated people advantage, agile operating model, innovation-driven culture, modern technology platforms, and AI .

Future-built travel companies use these attributes as a springboard to improve their performance in four specific areas:

• Customer Experience. They elevate travel experiences by designing seamless, digital-first customer journeys, enhancing touchpoints, and reimagining loyalty to foster lasting connections.
• Commercial Excellence. They sharpen their competitive edge by using dynamic pricing and revenue management strategies, crafting tailored marketing narratives, and accelerating growth through digital sales channels.
• Operational Innovation. They infuse operations with digital agility, they forecast and preempt maintenance needs, and they execute capital projects with precision to redefine operational excellence.
• Cost and Resilience. They employ a holistic view of managing costs, embed zero-based budgeting principles, and streamline procurement to lift efficiency and instill resilience.

Among the 24 industries analyzed in our Build for the Future research, travel is one of the more advanced when it comes to being ready for the future. That’s primarily because of the advanced practices used by digital newcomers. Long-time travel players, however, trail the majority of incumbents in comparable consumer-facing industries when it comes to future readiness. In particular, travel incumbents lag in adopting innovation-driven cultures and cultivating a differentiated people advantage.

Read the slideshow to learn more about the survey findings.

Focusing on People and AI

The difference between travel industry leaders and laggards is particularly acute in two areas:

Differentiated People Advantage. Travel industry leaders have an edge in upskilling existing personnel and attracting and retaining new talent, which allows them to offer customers a better experience booking travel or taking a trip. Leaders in the hospitality sector of the travel business, for example, improve hiring and retention through continuous benchmarking to ensure that compensation is equal to or above that for comparable jobs in other industries, and by offering flexible schedules. Hospitality leaders also support diversity and inclusion. They also target messaging, outreach programs, and other actions to appeal to specific groups of current, past, and prospective employees.

AI. Travel industry leaders deploy advanced analytics and AI throughout the travel value chain. By optimizing their supply chain and offering hyper-personalization, these bionic companies successfully combine human and advanced technology capabilities, gaining a competitive advantage that can take a variety of forms. During severe weather, airlines use these capabilities to minimize customer travel disruptions by selecting the next best flight schedules. Cruise lines use their combined people and advanced technology capabilities to fine-tune pricing during cruise booking periods to maximize occupancy and revenue.

How Travel Industry Incumbents Can Catch Up

To become future-built travel businesses, companies might consider the following moves to foster the six winning attributes we’ve identified:

Aligned Leadership and Purpose. Leadership is central to becoming future-built. Companies in industries of all types with a systematic and well-supported approach to activate leaders see transformation success rates that are three times higher than those of their competitors. Leaders at these companies reimagine and reinvent the business to serve all stakeholders, inspire and enrich the human experience, and execute and innovate through supercharged teams.

Differentiated People Advantage. Combine people and machines for a new model of customer service excellence. Use generative AI’s (GenAI) emerging power to equip frontline staff with behavioral nudges and as support for personalized customer interactions.

Agile Operating Model. Build a minimum viable operating model to support innovation and establish an innovation flywheel . Such a learning loop increases a company’s chances of building the next game-changing product or service and decreases the time needed to bring digital products to market.

Innovation-Driven Culture. Create an innovation-focused culture that embraces risk, fosters collaboration, and grants autonomy to internal teams. Then, use that culture to put customer experience at the heart of everything you do.

Modern Technology Platforms. Ensure that efforts to establish data platforms and modernize core systems start at the top, in the executive suite. Guide modernization initiatives with a rigorous focus on business outcomes. Work backward from the outcome you want to achieve, analyzing the data that has to be liberated and the systems that have to change to accomplish your goals.

AI. Use the excitement generated by GenAI to invigorate AI transformation programs, especially for managing revenue, managing operations, and personalizing customer interactions.

Call it the Instagram effect. People influenced by what they see on social media have higher expectations for travel and the services they get from the travel companies they work with. By cultivating superior people practices and an innovation-based culture, travel laggards can catch up with industry leaders and provide the services that customers want.

ABOUT BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.

Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

© Boston Consulting Group 2024. All rights reserved.

For information or permission to reprint, please contact BCG at [email protected] . To find the latest BCG content and register to receive e-alerts on this topic or others, please visit bcg.com . Follow Boston Consulting Group on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) .

Contact Our Experts

Michael Fraser

Managing Director & Partner

Los Angeles

Alberto Guerrini

Managing Director & Senior Partner

Andy Levine

Lara Koslow

Jason Guggenheim

Managing Director & Senior Partner, Travel & Tourism Global Leader

Ryan Trocinski

Karan Jagitani

San Francisco - Bay Area

Michael Fraser is a Partner in the Los Angeles office. He joined the Los Angeles office of BCG in 2012 as a consultant. He holds a JD and a Bachelor of Commerce (majors actuarial studies and finance) from the University of New South Wales, Australia. Since joining BCG Michael has focused on Industrial Goods and Financial Services, with casework across a range of functional areas, including Marketing and Sales, People and Organization as well as Transformation. He has recently returned from casework in Brazil - a country he thoroughly enjoyed experiencing. Prior to joining BCG Michael worked for an Australian investment bank in Sydney and in New York where he spent time in equity and credit research, infrastructure a strong area of concentration. In his time away from the office, Michael enjoys the sights and sounds that Los Angeles has to offer, with his knowledge of the town happily increasing with each passing weekend!

Alberto Guerrini joined Boston Consulting Group in 2005. He is a core member of the firm’s Consumer practice; leader of the firm’s travel and tourism sector in IGT (Italy, Greece, and Turkey); and leader of the firm’s People and Organization practice in IGT. Alberto is also a leading member of BCG’s global initiative for pricing and revenue management in travel and tourism.

Lara Koslow is global leader of Boston Consulting Group’s Center for Customer Insight and part of the firm’s global Marketing, Sales & Pricing leadership team. She is the former global co-leader and North American leader of BCG’s marketing topic.

Julia Dhar joined Boston Consulting Group in 2009 and is a core member of the People & Organization , Industrial Goods, Public Sector, and Social Impact practices. She founded and leads BCG’s Behavioral Science Lab and the firm’s behavioral science network BeSmart, and is a member of BCG’s global Change Management leadership team. Trained as a behavioral economist, Julia champions the use of behavioral insights to improve product and service design and delivery to make countries and organizations more inclusive, sustainable, and productive. She is deeply involved in the firm's IP development on the Future of Work and co-leads BCG’s work on deskless workers.

Jason Guggenheim joined Boston Consulting Group in 2001 as a consultant after practicing as an attorney for 3 years in Johannesburg, South Africa. Jason studied at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and received an undergraduate degree in finance and economics and a graduate degree in law from Oliver Schreiner School of Law at the University of the Witwatersrand. After leaving BCG in 2002, Jason took a strategy/corporate development role in the Ventures group at Delta Air Lines. In 2004, Jason joined a 4 person team, led by the then-CFO of Delta Air Lines, who took on the restructuring of the bankrupt independent energy provider Mirant Corporation. Following the emergence from bankruptcy of Mirant Corporation, Jason returned to BCG in 2007 to further his interest in strategy, travel and tourism, and turnaround work. Over the past few years, Jason has focused on cruiseline and airline work, serving clients in both the US and Europe.

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