subject: Travel Industry Forced to Try New Marketing Strategies [print this page] It hasn't been a good year for the travel industry, the recession is still taking its toll and there many are still reluctant to part with their cash on expensive holidays and even those that have been willing have found themselves unable to.
The holiday year started with a small disaster, Iceland's volcanic cloud pouring black ash in to the sky, blocking flight paths the world over. Many were left stranded throughout Europe, or taking the long route home.
Then there has been a long summer of air strikes, with disgruntled staff holding walk outs at British Airways, and the French air traffic controllers have also been taking civil action, leaving customers irritated and stranded.
Yet as an industry which is whim to trends and economy fuelled fluctuation, the travel industry must be adept at coping with change. In spite of the tough financial times there is still a strong desire for travel and vacation, therefore the industry must be able to anticipate and interpret that desire.
"In the end our customers will drive change. We have to adapt and respond to what they want and expect." Willie Walsh commented, the chief executive of The Travel Convention which took place earlier this year in Malta.
Marketers in the travel industry are being encouraged to be flexible in an industry that has generally favoured short term strategy due to the uncertainty of the market. Yet long term strategies are now being considered as technology changes the marketing landscape, with mobile technology and social networking.
Over the past year it has become much easier to monitor customer desires, with the internet acting as an extended market research centre with all the information available for those who know how to find it.
Social networking has changed the field almost completely, first in garnering feedback through sites such as Tripadvisor, and then in analysing the market, and the people that are being sold to.
Facebook of course has been inestimable, allowing marketers direct contact with their audience, furthermore the opportunity to interact, in an environment which is engaged with its constantly changing news feed.
Some of the Facebook findings have been surprising. In fact one of the fastest growing demographics on Facebook is women in their fifties who have taken to social networking much quicker than expected.
This is allowing access to a very strong market, those bordering retirement age, who like to get away for the summer having worked for the majority of their lives.
Other companies have been using Facebook to get around Google, cutting down the marketing charges entailed in pay per click adverts, which can take up 75% of agent's fee.
One such scheme is Google Bypass, which is now changing its name after threats of legal action from Google due to an alleged misappropriation of the Google brand.
Now operating under G-Bypass the service encourages its users and clients to market amongst their friends, advertising flights and vacation rentals, and giving them a finder's fee for every successful transaction.
Though it is yet to truly take off, this is an example of how the travel industry can utilise social networking to optimise their strategic capability, which should in turn bolster their performance.
Travel Industry Forced to Try New Marketing Strategies
