The following post is from Greer Kimsey, Web Marketing Analyst.
With summer just around the corner, there’s no time like the present to develop a strategy for reeling in summer vacation travelers. In general, there are two types of vacation planners – those who plan in advance and thoroughly research their options, and those who plan last-minute when the opportunity arises. Now is the time to begin targeting those diligent users who are actively planning their summer vacations now.
Determining Your Audience:
Generally, we plan a trip more in advance when we’re going somewhere fairly far from home (as airfare is typically much more expensive when booked close to the departure date) – so your early bird travel bookers will most-likely be your fly-market as opposed to your drive market. Family travel is also generally planned in advance because it requires more research and there are multiple schedules and moving parts to take into consideration.
Capturing the Consumer:
- Advanced Purchased Rates: Encourage visitors to book now for their summer vacations by offering a discount for a longer booking window. A great way to differentiate yourself in this respect is to offer a varying discount depending on how far in advance a person books – i.e. 20% off when booking 20 days in advance, 15% off when booking 15 days in advance, etc.
- Longer-Stay Incentive: Travelers often incur longer stays when traveling far distances. Encourage this behavior with a discount or enticing value-add (such as a room upgrade or complimentary meals).
- Activities-Based Packages: Summer vacations often center around fun activities you wouldn’t otherwise be doing (especially when considering family vacations). Consider teaming up with local attractions and events to create pre-planned experience for potential guests. Museums, amusement parks, concerts, aquariums, zoos, nature preserves, and city tours are all great examples that are typically found all over the country. If you are located on a beach, your primary activity is naturally built in to a person’s stay, but this can be optimized with chairs/umbrellas, camps for kids, and water activities. Creating activity-focused packages simplifies the travel process, making planning easier on your potential guests – and that is always appreciated.
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