5 TRAVEL MARKETING TRENDS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN 2019

Travel Industry Marketing Trend 1. Adopt New Technologies

Booking.com conducted a study among its users and identified simplicity and innovation as major trends in 2018 that apply to all tourism fields, from tour bookings to access to accommodations.

It is worth noting that tourists, including Russians, are more interested in accessible apps for a comfortable travel experience than in robot-butlers and complex digital features. The most popular features include real-time baggage tracking via a mobile app (57%) and having one app for planning, booking, and all other aspects of travel (57%). Interestingly, 31% of respondents worldwide expressed a desire for a “digital travel agent” to answer questions about their trips, and AR technologies are in demand for a closer look at specific destinations.

Travel Industry Marketing Trend 2. Customize Your Offer

It is not surprising that personalized travel experiences are a top trend in travel marketing, with 34% of respondents showing interest in receiving tailored travel recommendations. Interestingly, 41% of respondents are open to using artificial intelligence to plan their trips based on analysis of their past travels. Since a majority of Russian tourists prefer organized tours, personalized offers are likely to appeal to a large portion of the market.

In addition, 52% of respondents expressed interest in digital guides and any technological advancements that can enhance their travel experiences and make them more unique.

Travel Industry Marketing Trend 3. Maintain Your Reputation

Based on Yandex WordStat, there is a monthly interest of nearly 400,000 Russians in “travel feedback”. In addition, the most popular feedback queries are related to travelling with children, seaside trips, and, unsurprisingly, trips to Turkey (which is the most popular tourist destination among Russians).

However, simply relying on feedback from travelers is not sufficient. In 2016, Google conducted a study revealing that 69% of users had doubts about the decisions they made when booking travel:

• Did I purchase an overly expensive ticket?
• Did I choose the right tourist destination?
• Did I select the right hotel?

As a tour operator, it is important to address these concerns at the booking stage by providing a clear and comprehensive offer that assures the buyer that their decision is the correct one. Ideally, all information about the flight, tourist destination, and hotels should be presented on your website in an expanded form, complete with numbers, facts, live pictures, or, even better, video.

Encourage your customers to explore the destinations you offer by sharing links to the official websites of countries showcasing their landmarks. By providing comprehensive information about the places they are visiting, you will establish trust with your customers and eliminate their need to search for additional information elsewhere online.

Travel Industry Marketing Trend 4. The key is to be fast

One noteworthy trend in online searches by Russian users is the increased frequency of searching for air tickets on the day of departure. The number of searches for “air tickets today” has almost doubled, with 84% more users searching for “air plane tickets today” in 2018 compared to 2017. Over the last six months, the number of related queries has remained consistently high, with at least 5,000 monthly searches on Yandex alone for “air tickets today” and “air tickets today price”.

To leverage this trend in travel industry marketing, it is essential to ensure that your services are available around the clock. Whether you provide air tickets or accommodation (since many people look for a place to stay immediately after finding air tickets), make sure that your services are easily accessible and bookable at any time.

In addition, consider adding specific targeting options to your PPC campaigns to capture these “air tickets today” and related search queries. If you haven’t already, it’s recommended to include these key queries in your ad targeting.

Travel Industry Marketing Trend 5. Understand the Traveller’s Experience

An ideal scenario would be if a user searches for “buy voucher” and is immediately shown your hot offer for a Bali tour through context ads, prompting them to make the purchase then and there.

However, modern search behavior is more complex, and understanding the needs of Russian tourists requires a comprehensive understanding of their journey. To determine the most effective advertising channels and timing, you need to have a CJM (Customer Journey Map) at your disposal. The Quarter Billion Agency Travel team has developed two CJMs (one for solo travelers and one for couples) that provide insights into the following:

• How do Russian tourists make travel decisions?
• What factors influence their choices?
• At which stage and through which channels can you influence their decision in favor of your offer?
• How can you turn a typical Russian tourist into a loyal customer of your brand?

Download the CJM for Russian tourists now by simply entering your email address and receiving it for free.

If you require any assistance regarding marketing your business in the Russian market, feel free to contact Quarter Billion Agency Travel experts. They will be happy to address any queries you may have.