Josh Perlstein
June 25, 2020 4 years ago
(1)2019 was a banner year for the travel and tourism industry. 2020 showed no signs of slowing down until the novel coronavirus effectively shut down… well, everything.
Following months of uncertainty, and likely months more, people have reacted in various ways to shelter-at-home orders. Many of us face an overwhelming sense of being “shut-in,” which is counter to our innate desire to socialize and explore. Put simply, travel broadens our world, and many will seek this out with whatever caveats come with it.
“Travel and tourism will grow,” Royal Caribbean Cruises CEO Richard Fain said. “Not by reverting to what it was, but by adjusting to a world where all activities, everything we do in the world will have changed.”
Marketing Safety in the Tourism Industry
Safety has always been relevant to the tourism industry. But in the wake of an invisible killer, travelers are interested in how destinations and travel providers will promote and enforce safety protocols. Like never before, marketing safety in the tourism industry is critical to recovery.
However, marketing safety is not as easy as it may seem. It’s more than just reporting the steps taken to come back online.
Follow the Basics and Beyond
As a baseline, the tourism industry must follow all local and national regulations regarding health and safety. However, going beyond the minimum legal requirements will be expected by most travelers. Mitigation and response are simply table stakes in terms of action and communication. Clearly marketing steps taken to keep people safe will help ease uncertainty and offer reassurance.
Make Safety Info Easy to Find and Digest
The theme of reassurance is an important one that should be reinforced throughout the path to purchase. While it’s not likely most people will read your company’s safety plans and procedures, it’s essential to make them available prominently. Add safety messaging in bite-size chunks on social, in email, and other easily accessible formats from the brand website. If visitors to your site have doubts or questions about safety, they will not likely spend too much time searching. You must ensure the info is at their fingertips.
Practice What You Preach
Potential travelers should be able to see how serious your travel brand is taking the pandemic. Social media, email, and website hero graphics are the perfect place to show this visually. Incorporate photography and videos of your staff and the new measures in place that aim to combat the spread of the virus. As some travelers are preparing for upcoming domestic travel, the thought of COVID-19 is still heavy on their minds. Positioning these examples in places they consult while researching upcoming travel should ease their minds.
If there is one silver lining for the tourism industry, it is relationship marketing. Hotels, airlines, cruise ships, and destinations are all adept at CRM and loyalty programs and have significant databases. Despite these trying times, tourism marketers must use these tools to stay in touch with their core audiences and communicate the above messages. Just make sure to remain relevant and timely.