Within tourism marketing we find the subcategory of marketing for tourist destinations, which is included in the first category but is much more specific and has its own particularities. Who has not been inspired to travel after being impacted by a well-executed marketing campaign? We find many examples both online and in traditional media: Andalusia , Galicia , Valencian Community …
Tourism marketing for the most demanding consumer
Since travelling for pleasure became popular back in the 1960s, the concept of tourism was born, and with it, tourism marketing . And what was initially a luxury available to a few that forced companies to work to offer exclusivity and satisfy the exotic desires of tourists, was democratized until it became a sector with the weight we know today .
With the arrival of the Internet , tourism companies architect phone number list were among the first to experience a hurricane of changes in which the biological maxim par excellence took center stage: adapt or die . From airlines and travel agencies to the smallest hotels and restaurants, they were forced to make the leap to the online medium, and the sooner the better.
In recent years, consumers have become very demanding due to the wide range of products available to them and the volume of information they can access on the Internet. The world of tourism, once again, is one of the first to notice the consequences of this super-informed consumer : not having a sufficient online presence or not adapting to the latest technology can be fatal mistakes. And who among you hasn't already booked a flight on Skyscanner, a hotel on Booking or selected where to eat on Tripadvisor? Digital tourism marketing is more necessary than ever.
The Valencian Community, as a tourist destination of great importance at national and international level, is well aware of this situation and this is the strategy they have created for 2017 and 2018:
Keys to digital tourism marketing in 2017
As we can see, tourism marketing in 2017 is totally focused on customer experience and has the Internet as its undisputed medium . The most coveted target audience is, as in many other sectors, the well-known millennials : the first demographic group in history that already lives more through the Internet than in the physical world.
Based on the demands of the new consumer and those to which the sector itself has been subjected for some years, we can conclude that the keys to digital tourism marketing in 2017 are 5:
Think smartphone : mobile marketing is im-pres-cin-di-ble in a digital tourism marketing strategy.
Choose your social networks wisely and let them be your loudspeaker to the world . (Instagram is the 'hyper mega preferred' medium for millennial travelers).
Move forward with technology : being open to new changes and investments will guarantee success.
Experiential marketing and storytelling : you are not selling products, but experiences. If you make your experience the most engaging, you will have half the work done.
Monitor your online reputation daily : your tourism business will receive criticism daily, especially in the summer season, make sure it works in your favor and not against you.
