Content marketing – a ‘must-have’ strategy for the next tourist season

Travelers are becoming more demanding – they carefully choose what they read and whom or what they trust. That’s why a content strategy is a must-have for this, last, and future seasons. Make use of the possibilities that technology offers you and captivate potential travelers from the start.

Modern travelers, the web, and content

First, travelers use the web. And they use it often. Why? Because it is easy to use, provides a wide range of choices and comparisons, and information is available 24/7. Moreover, they don’t need an agent to plan their dream trip – it can be completely customized according to their own desires and needs. Modern travelers have several characteristics that you should consider when creating content:

• They don’t travel on a daily basis. Although they may not actively think about traveling 365 days a year, make sure you are present throughout the year so that when it comes time to plan their annual vacation or trip, you are the first one that comes to their mind.
• They go through many steps in trip planning. This means there is a need for different types of content. From finding the destination and booking the trip to knowing where to go, what to do, and what to see once they arrive. If you want to help potential travelers, ensure that you provide them with the right information at the right time.
• They are often under stress. Traveling can be stressful for travelers, whether it’s a once-a-year vacation, an annual trip, or a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Every trip involves a certain level of planning, financial burden, and organization. Your job is to keep them calm, organized, and, as much as possible, create a stress-free environment – and that’s where content comes in, helping them at every step.

Modern travel professionals, the web, and content

Your website is your point of sale in the online world, so you need to approach it both visually and content-wise. In this case, you have complete control over the content and information on your website.

In addition to being the gateway to your business, it brings you several advantages:

• You can operate 24/7.
• You are available to potential tourists from all around the world.
• And best of all, you can measure everything – every visit, every click, duration, where visitors stay the longest, and more.

Content is as important as visuals on your website. Create great, useful, and engaging content, make sure to place it in the right location at the right time, and organize it in a way that works to your advantage. Here are some tips for creating content:

• Be helpful. Assist potential travelers in finding answers to their questions. In tourism, local knowledge is a great advantage. Even if your domain is exclusively accommodation, provide them with additional information. For example, young families will appreciate information related to parking – where it is, whether it’s paid or not, whether a parking permit is required, or if there is public transportation available. And if they have young children who easily get bored staying in one place, information about nearby amusement parks, pastry shops, zoos, or suggestions for seasonal attractions will be highly valuable.
• On the other hand, business travelers have different content needs. One of their first questions might be whether you have Wi-Fi and if it’s free, and if not, where is the nearest place to access it. They might also be interested in where they can print documents or find the nearest café or restaurant to take clients for lunch.
• There are also travelers who never separate from their pets even while on the road. Information such as whether the hotel/apartment/restaurant allows pets, if there’s an additional fee, where they can take their pets for a walk, and how far it is from the accommodation can be very useful. Clearly define your target audience and create content based on their needs.

Overall, provide as much information as possible that might interest your target travelers. The more information they find on your website, the fewer reasons they will have to search elsewhere.

Make sure your content “works for you.” Nowadays, you can generate leads through many channels that were not available a few years ago – leverage social media, track the performance of shared content, utilize platforms like Tripadvisor or Lonely Planet to engage with travelers.

Lastly, but not less important, don’t stop. Creating content that users recognize as useful and credible positions your company as a recognized expert in the industry, but that doesn’t happen overnight. If potential and existing clients perceive you as an expert in the field, they will have more trust in you, which means they will be more willing to purchase the services or products you offer.