Solving the 5 biggest online marketing challenges for tourism operators

Most tourism operators will be online in some aspect by now, because operating without an online presence could mean missing out on bundles of bookings. However, within this industry there are a few common challenges (and solutions) for marketing in a digital era. Whether you’re running a skydiving business in Australia or a kayaking company in Florida, check out these five key online obstacles and how to go about tackling them.

 

  • Avoiding double bookings

When you’re using multiple sales channels or resellers, maintaining a real-time record of who’s booked what can be tricky. It’s one of the key problems in tourism marketing planning – yet so easily avoided with the right online reservation system! Rezdy’s online booking system can handle the bookings on your own website but also connect you with a world of resellers through our unique Marketplace, so you can take online reservations and provide live availability. Double bookings quickly become a problem of the past. 

 

  • Knowing how you compare with competitors

It’s fair to say there’s been a lot of change over the past 12+ months, and now’s the time to reassess and see where you sit in the market. While conducting market research online has often been a challenge within internet marketing for tourism, customer reviews can offer invaluable insights into why people book with your business. You can also access the analytics in your tour reservation system to see who’s booking what and when with you. Not only does this help you to better understand your customers, but it can also highlight new digital marketing opportunities and implications for your business.

 

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  • Finding and engaging with existing customers online

You know your customers are probably online (because who isn’t!), but how do you engage with them without spending a small fortune? Social media remains one of the most effective ways to engage with customers, so set aside time each day to share some experience highlights and interact with your follower base. It’s well worth asking to connect with guests after their trip through email marketing and social media, encouraging them to rebook with friends and family. You could also integrate Rezdy with Fotaflo for an effective yet almost-effortless mobile marketing option for tour companies. Fotaflo makes it easy to send guests photos of their experience, so they can share them on their social profiles and spread the word.

 

  • Growing your customer base

We know growth is incredibly important for any tourism operator, and fortunately there’s a number of ways you can boost your online bookings. If you’ve gained insights into niche customer markets, these can be effectively reached with targeted Instagram or Facebook advertising. You could sell tours passively via thousands of resellers through Rezdy Marketplace, or start a TikTok account documenting your unique guest experiences for younger markets. Consider where your customers tend to hang out online, and then plan appropriately.

 

 

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  • Keeping your website fresh 

Even in 2021 and beyond your website is still where people will go to check the quality of the experience they can expect with you – yet keeping this content fresh can be one of the common challenges of using internet marketing! Step one is to maintain a sleek and professional website presence with 24/7 online booking. Step two is to ensure you’re displaying recent and glowing customer reviews on your website, either through a widget or manual updates. Step three is to regularly update your website with fresh photos and content so guests always have something new to see with every visit. 

Rezdy has been developed to solve many of the internet marketing problems and solutions listed above and more. If you’re curious about online reservation systems and want to find out more about their applications, check out our article on what is an online reservation system. If you’d like to see what modern, connected online booking can do for your tourism business, you can begin a 21-day free trial with Rezdy or book a quick product demo today.

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