The travel industry is becoming increasingly competitive, as more people try to take advantage of the influx of outbound travelers from around the world. For tour and activity operators, this trend highlights the need to remain relevant not only in their destination but also in the industry as a whole.

Looking to boost your relevancy? Here’s how:

Identify your target market and establish a consistent purpose for your brand.

It’s only natural that certain types of tours and activities will appeal to specific groups of travelers. For example, your adventure activity company that specializes in zip-lining through the jungle will likely attract young Millennials more often than retirees seeking luxury in their golden years. When identifying a target market segment for your tour and activity company, consider promoting your products to powerful outbound markets such as Chinese travelers.

Collect valuable data.

To understand your customers, you must know who they are. By collecting demographic data about your audience, you will be able to target your tours and activities to these specific groups. Your brand messages must be timely, which means that data collection efforts should be ongoing. These messages also need to be accurate. Without accurate data, you will be targeting the wrong groups of people at the wrong moments in their online booking journey. You also need to be able to use your data in order to be flexible. If you become too set in your ways and too rigid in your promotions, you will quickly become irrelevant.

Personalize the tour experience for individual customers.

Real-time data collection efforts allow you to personalize the options available to individual customers. This is a powerful way to convert site visitors, but nearly 26 percent of travel brands do not utilize this technology. Potential travelers who see tours available geared toward their specific interests or that include extras that incorporate their passions are more likely to book with your brand.

Welcome new technology into your brand.

Mobile-friendly technology is absolutely critical in today’s travel environment. The most motivated market segments are increasing their mobile searches as well as their mobile bookings. You need a responsive web design and mobile booking capability to remain relevant.

Take advantage of social media.

Establishing a personal relationship with your customers should always be a top priority, and social media is an easy way to do just that. Through social networking sites, such as Facebook and Instagram, you are able to enjoy two-way engagement with people who are interested in your brand. This is an easy and effective way to build brand loyalty and increase your recognition on a global scale.

Developing a brand identity and implementing it into every aspect of your business plan is critical to your success as a tour and activity operator. To further promote your brand and raise awareness about your tour products, you must create an effective online marketing strategy. For more on the best practices in online marketing, download the Rezdy online marketing ebook now.

Tour Operator eBook

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