3 No-Cost Marketing Tips for Tourism Businesses
Attract Travelers Looking for Value Vacations During the Recession
Feb 27, 2009
People are still traveling during the economic slowdown, which is good news for tourism businesses. However, consumers are traveling differently and reducing what they are spending making bargain and value vacations popular. (Source: USA Today).
When business slows it’s tempting for hotels, attractions, restaurants, and other tourism related businesses to reduce and sometimes eliminate marketing budgets. A recession is the time to beef up marketing efforts or at least maintain the status quo, look at the advertising efforts from big corporations such as Wal-Mart and McDonald’s. But if the marketing budget line has been trimmed, the following no-cost marketing tips can help tourism-related businesses maintain a presence in the highly competitive vacation market.
No-Cost Marketing Tip #1 for Tourism Businesses: Create a Value Vacation
Travelers are looking for value when booking a vacation, not necessarily a cheap package. When visiting a destination for the first time, a vacation package makes it easier for travelers to make a decision on where to stay and what to do.
Help visitors make the most of their vacation by creating an attractive package while offering something unique. A memorable experience such as a behind the scenes tour of an aquarium or a meet-and-greet with celebrities during a festival will leave them with a positive impression which they will share with others and could result in future business.
No-Cost Marketing Tip #2 for Tourism Businesses: Play in the Social Networking Game
Every tourism-related business needs to jump into the 21st century and invest and maintain a Website, even if it’s just one page. A site is a 24-hour brochure. The article, “How to Create a Free Website with Big Features” highlights the benefits of using Webs.com to create a free site.
There are several free social networking opportunities on the Web to interact and create relationships with visitors and potential visitors. Create a weblog (blog) utilizing a free blogging platform through companies such as Blogger.com and Wordpress.com. Facebook is a hot social networking site and is explained in the article “Using Facebook as a Business Tool.”. Twitter is a popular microblogging site, and the article “6 Twitter Tips for Tourism Offices” can be applied towards most tourism businesses.
Post vacation packages, specials, discounts, events, and news items on these sites. The key is to be interactive, consistent, interesting, and respond timely.
Don’t have time to blog or figure out social networking? Chances are there’s someone on staff with a passion and knack for it. Utilize staff to create posts and reply to inquiries.
No-Cost Marketing Tip #3 for Tourism Businesses: Tap Traditional Media
Have something exceptional or new at your tourism business? Invite qualified members of the local media for a visit. “Qualified” means they are the right fit for the business and have the potential to write positively about it. These can include journalists from area print, online, radio, and television outlets. Don’t forget the bloggers!
Provide complimentary accommodations, meals, and activities when appropriate. At the very minimum, make sure the journalists leave with a positive experience and something tangible, such as a brochure and/or media kit. It doesn’t hurt to give them a gift from your business. Is the area known for its honey? Give them a jar. Follow up with the journalists soon after their visit.
If the tourism business cannot host media, craft newsworthy media releases at least once a month and distribute to local media and post on free press release distribution sites such as PRlog.com.
The recession isn’t stopping travelers from vacationing just changing how they do it. Continue marketing efforts to gain their attention and business.
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