Our list of 8 tourism marketing trends to watch for 2016 and beyond are:
- Value over Volume in Social Media – Snapchat, Instagram and messaging platform WhatsApp have all developed monetisation strategies to entice brands but marketers must not be dazzled by the allure of these new social platforms without determining what value they can actually add.
- Video and interactive web technology – the new Costa del Sol website is a showcase involving story telling, video, and amazing immersive imagery.
- Experiential travel will continue to grow. In particular people seeking culinary experiences have been identified as a trend.
- Message marketing – brands will increasingly interact with consumers via messaging apps for customer service enquiries, managing bookings and making purchases reducing the need for human interaction. Dutch airline, KLM has already confirmed that booking confirmations and boarding passes will be supplied via Facebook Messenger by the end of the year. Adventure Engine offers sale confirmation and automated document delivery by email as a standard feature for tours, activities and events.
- Data, privacy, security and the rise in ad blocking. 2016 will be the year for consumers asserting ownership of their personal data. New legislation, nick-named the ‘snoopers charter’ is already being discussed which will allow internet service providers to make browsing data available to the security services and further legislation is on its way in the EU. It will spread. This may push consumers towards more encrypted services. Adventure Engine has been a leader in preserving customer data helping reduce friction in repeat bookings and personal information updates.
- SoLoMo, social, local, mobile in Google search results. Use of location recognition by Google has honed searches to favour local results, which feeds Google’s listing service and promotes Google 360. In 2015 Tweets were showing up in Google search results. Google search results also favour mobile responsive websites, so designs must be updated to take all three areas of social, local and mobile.
- Rise of moment marketing When someone has a want or need, they turn to their smartphone for help—whether it’s a karate newbie watching an expert or a trade show attendee interested in a company, or a tourist coming into town. We call these intent-filled moments, micro-moments. And they’re the best opportunity marketers have to connect with people at the exact moment they are looking for something. Put your product on offer and try to close the sale.
- Continued importance of content marketing allows you to rise out of clutter and to provide the most accurate information when someone searches. Content is more than text and shares vary according to type. Content from Adventure Engine is dynamically displayed and easy to change. By using Adventure Engine to show your tours, photos and dates, you create and change data that not only updates your website, but your internal operating system.