As Covid infection levels decrease, there is hope that the pandemic is ending. But no one knows what will happen in the future and Covid will continue to remain part of the world we live in – whether as a perceived risk or an actual risk. Travel and tourism was one of the hardest hit sectors but it is also proving to be one of the most resilient: in a truly global community, the need and desire to travel has prevailed. You may already know that we work extensively with the travel and hospitality sectors. Here’s our round-up of trends and best practices for the travel sector in a post-Covid world.
The travel industry’s best kept secret…
We have a long history of working with the travel sector, from our direct work with hospitality brands such as Good Hotel and Westmead Hotel, tourism attractions and our third party work, supporting creative agencies that specialise in travel marketing.
Check-in
While there may be a temptation to reduce marketing in order to save money, it is more important than ever that you keep in touch with customers so that you can reassure them and show how you are managing their experiences post-Covid. Things are changing rapidly and now is also the time to keep a close eye on data and intelligence so that you can ensure you stay ahead of your competitors. In fact, as this article suggests, your competitive landscape may have changed significantly since Covid began.
The five Rs
This article has helpfully broken-down destination marketing best practices into a ‘Five Rs’ format:
- Reassess offerings and value proposition in light of evolving traveller preferences, needs, and concerns
- Reassure travellers on the safety of travel to their chosen destination by addressing their health concerns
- Raise awareness of the destination, including added safety measures and local government regulations, to inspire consumers
- Remove barriers in converting consumers to travellers by making the case for traveling with conscientious health and safety measures in place
- Revive spend in the local economy by supporting tourism
Destination anywhere
But it isn’t just commercial brands that are responsible for helping the travel industry to recover. Public sector tourist boards are also reviewing how they attract consumers post-Covid. Our background is in public sector communications including working with national tourist boards. We understand that there are many factors involved in tourist board marketing, such as multi-agency concerns and representation, stakeholder consultation and engagement, clear goals and transparent effective evaluation. Visit Scotland has produced a robust plan for post-Covid marketing, for example.
Home and Away
Over the last couple of years, many people holidayed in the UK for the first time in a long time. And for many, it would have been the highlight in an otherwise difficult year. UK travel, tourism and hospitality brands have an opportunity this year to market to their loyal customers, international customers wanting to visit the UK and customers based in the UK who have rediscovered the joys of holidaying at home.
Whether you are a hospitality brand, a destination marketing agency or even a national tourist board, we’d love to support your post-Covid recovery with competitive and expert design, print and web promotion. Call 0208 590 0922 or email info@marcomedia.co.uk