2014 Tourism Business & Marketing Forecast & Tips to Increase Sales & Arrivals
Here Are 4 Profit-Producing Forecasts to Help Your Tourism Business Succeed in 2014
Plus a preview of the 6 of the most important travel marketing areas to focus your energy for maximum sales, profits, arrivals and lower marketing costs and time
With all the changes happening at Google, social media, and technology, it’s hard to know what you should be working on to grow your tourism business, Isn’t it? That’s why I’m giving you four of the most important trends and strategies to help you start, grow or even sell your tourism business in 2014.
Watch this important video today and get more in-depth insights, and focus in your tourism business planning for 2014… and beyond.
Here’s a brief overview in writing.
1. Demand continues to increase in all tourism sectors and regions
- High and low end, off the beaten path, adventure, ecotourism, nature, experiential, volunteer tourism and cruise sectors; most businesses are experiencing higher sales, some are not… Read below or watch video to find out why.
- Travel review sites like tripadvisor and others continue to influence heavily the buying decisions of travel shoppers. More and more travelers are both reading and sharing in these influential travel social media communities.
2. Sales are up for operators, lodging and destinations and travel agents that continue to market, especially online, before, during and after the sale/ trip/visit
- It is 7 times easier to convert an existing customer for a referral or repeat business, than a new client. So continue your relationship building AFTER the trip or visit to lower your tourism marketing costs.
- Getting your clients to recommend, review and share about your cool destination, lodge, tours or service has never been easier – or more important! But you have to learn how to do it right.
3. Technology, social media/Review sites and Google will continue to evolve, grow and dominate.
- 3 things you can count on in life: death, taxes and ongoing change in technology. Tourism marketing will never be the same. Everything continues to evolve faster and has a bigger impact.
- Tourism stakeholders that do not also learn, evolve and grow in Internet and social media tourism marketing, will lose ranking, leads, sales, arrivals and profits.
The 3 Biggest New Travel Marketing Technologies You Cannot Overlook:
1: MOBILE: with almost 50% of all travel shoppers using a smart phone or tablet computer, if your
travel website is not mobile friendly, you are losing business, and fast. Google has actually stated that websites that do not have a mobile option ( Responsive or dedicated mobile version) : will lose ranking. PERIOD!
2: Social integration and it’s impact on Search engine results: In 2013 Google stated that websites that had social sharing buttons that allows visitors to” like”, comment, and share, would be indexed higher in the search engines. Not only does this help your ranking, it gets your customers and visitors staying longer on your website, and recommending your business or destination to their social media circles. So you get search engine ranking, higher quality web visits, and you get your clients selling for you. What could be better?
3: Travel Review Sites: You know by now that when travel shoppers have more trust in your business, destination or service from reading reviews, comments and ratings, they are more likely to buy from you, don’t you? Word-of-mouth and reviews always has been, and always will be the number one form of advertising and establishing trust. Like it or not travel review sites like tripadvisor are here to stay. Learn how to actively use this to your advantage, or fall behind and lose business. Your choice.
4. Biggest myth in online tourism marketing:
- Have you ever thought this or said this statement?
- “if I just had more traffic to my website, I know I would get more leads and sales…”
- Lead generation without prospect acquisition and sales conversion over time, is a total waste of time and money!
- Make sure that all your marketing efforts, especially online lead to earning a new qualified lead, e-mail or phone call. Otherwise you are missing up to 90% of potential customers or visitors. This is about creating a “travel website that sells”.
Tourism Tim Warren: Travel Business & Marketing Consultant
I know this is a lot of stuff to learn…
Don’t worry you are not alone. Over the next few months I will be providing more detailed trainings, coaching, blog posts, videos and interviews with leading tourism business and Internet marketing experts to help you learn, grow and succeed step by step. But I need your help.
Please let me know what you think of this video and tips? What else do you specifically want to learn about? What do you need help on? The more I know what you want and need, the better I can be in service to you. Thanks for taking a moment today and writing a comment, question or suggestion below. Also thanks so much for sharing in this with all your tourism, travel and hospitality peers. Everybody wins!
Next Episode of Tourism Marketing TV
6 Most Important Areas to Focus Your 2014 Tourism Marketing for Maximum Sales and Profits, and to Lower Marketing Costs and Time
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