5 ways tour and activity operators can make the most of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will take place across Australia and New Zealand from 20 July to 20 August. With events spanning across 10 different stadiums in nine different cities, World Cup tourism is sure to take over this year, and tour operators need to be ready for an influx of travellers who want to experience the sport while immersing themselves in local culture. 

This year’s Women’s World Cup is a historic moment for a variety of reasons, including: 

• It’s the first FIFA Women’s World Cup to have more than one host nation 
• It’s the first World Cup to be held across multiple confederations – Australia is part of the Asia Confederation, while New Zealand is included in the Oceania Confederation 
• It’s the first time the FIFA Women’s World Cup has been hosted in the Southern Hemisphere 
• It’s the first time the Women’s World Cup tournament has replicated the format of the Men’s World Cup tournament; the tournament will begin with 32 teams, having expanded from just 24 starting teams 

Understanding the economic impact of the FIFA Women’s World Cup

The last FIFA Women’s World Cup was held just four years ago – but in many ways, it was a lifetime ago. The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France was one of the last large-scale, pre-pandemic sporting events, and it generated more than $300 million for the French economy. This number included the amount tourists spent on accommodations, food, and transportation, showcasing the true power of World Cup tourism. 

In the post-pandemic era, travellers from around the globe are craving these events like never before. With pent-up demand for travel combined with an intense desire to witness live sporting events, economic insiders anticipate that the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup could generate as much as $460 million and $60 million for Australia and New Zealand respectively. 

The Women’s World Cup is one of those events that can reshape the identity of a country and put it back on the map as a coveted travel destination. After years of lockdowns and a stunted tourism industry, this is the exact type of event that both Australia and New Zealand need to kick-start their economies. 

How World Cup tourism could affect the Australia and New Zealand travel industry 

The pandemic all but halted travel, not only internationally but also domestically. The tour and activity sector was easily one of the hardest hit industries of the pandemic, but in the wake of COVID-era restrictions, consumers are ready and willing to travel once more. As a result, the tour and activities market will soon outgrow its 2019 size, and insiders expect that it will be valued at $306 billion by 2024 with an annual growth rate of 7%. 

This exponential increase in demand for travel and experiences coupled with a worldwide event is sure to set the stage for an incredible comeback of the Australia and New Zealand travel industries. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will bring millions of visitors to the two host countries, including many who never anticipated they would visit these destinations. Anticipating this crush of travellers, local governments are investing in infrastructure throughout Australia and New Zealand to improve facilities and make a good impression on these valued visitors. 

While the government is gearing up for this crush of travellers, your tour and activity company should be too. Now is the best time to prepare for what is sure to be an exciting season of sports, patriotism, camaraderie, and indulgence. 

5 ways Australia and New Zealand tour operators can take advantage of World Cup tourism 

While many visitors coming to Australia and New Zealand want to experience the events and activities of the Women’s World Cup, they are also going to be taking time to explore what their destination has to offer. If you invest in the right technology, enhance your offerings, and prepare for an influx of bookings, you can enjoy a record-setting season that includes increased profits and a surge of global brand exposure. 

Harness the power of targeted advertising 

Through a strategic and targeted advertising campaign, you can increase your visibility among travellers interested in attending 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup events and activities in your area. You can increase your bookings by: 

• Investing in paid advertising campaigns that target online searches for World Cup tourism.
• Creating a strategic marketing campaign based on the Women’s World Cup event – purchase ads that appear on social media, Google, and even OTA websites to capture your target market segment.
• Designing advertisements aimed at capturing travellers who have already arrived at your destination. Recently revealed Google data shows travel-related searches that include keywords such as “tonight” or “today” have increased by more than 519% in the last five years alone. By capitalising on this trend, you can secure last-minute bookings that significantly increase your profit margins. 
• Leveraging the power of social media – Influencers have taken over the travel scene, and most prospective tourists do their daydreaming about future trips on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. By creating a targeted social media campaign that includes advertising as well as social booking capability, you can position yourself for increased bookings during the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Develop Women’s World Cup products

World Cup fever is about to take over and travellers, as well as local residents, are going to be more interested than ever in events, activities, and tours that incorporate the World Cup into the overall experience. Now is the best time to begin designing new World Cup-themed tour products. Depending on your niche within the tour and activity sector, you may have the ability to design tours of the stadiums or a pub crawl that takes people to hidden gems in the community to watch the games. By appealing to football fans who are going to be inundating the area, you will be able to grow your business and increase the reach of your brand. 

Take advantage of mobile booking and online reservations 

Over the course of the last decade, online sources have grown from a supplemental revenue stream to the primary booking preference among nearly all types of travellers. At this time, almost 70% of travellers book exclusively online with the vast majority preferring mobile booking and secure digital payment processing. 

With the right technology, you can attract the most motivated travellers in the market, particularly those who are researching their options for when they travel to Australia and New Zealand for the Women’s World Cup. Recent research shows that more than 80% of travellers research the experiences available online before they book a trip to a specific destination, and subsequently, almost 61% book their preferred experiences online via a website or app. This requires you to have an online booking system like Rezdy in place that will easily accept bookings, securely process payments, and automatically send confirmations to travellers.

Rezdy is able to securely process online payments, thanks to the innovative RezdyPay gateway. As the premier payment gateway made by tour and activity operators for tour and activity operators, it offers a seamless option for processing secure payments while simultaneously integrating with the online booking system. The reality of the matter is that more than 33% of adults travelling in 2022 preferred to rely exclusively on digital payments, so a secure payment gateway is no longer a nice accessory – it’s a must-have feature at your tour and activity company. 

Become a local expert 

Many travellers who are taking advantage of the World Cup tourism trend are heading to a destination they have never considered before – which means they will be relying on local experts to guide them through the experience. By partnering with other local businesses in the travel and hospitality industry, you can become a trusted source of information among those looking for information in advance online. 

Setting up strategic local partnerships with complimenting businesses in your area, not only will you be able to broaden your reach to more potential customers, you’ll also be able to further boost the energetic ambience of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Allowing your business to better target World Cup fans.

Tap into new markets through global distribution 

OTAs will dominate the World Cup tourism market, so you should ensure you are connected to these powerful agents. When you have access to a distribution platform such as Rezdy Channel Manager, you can make your products available to OTAs across the world. It’s the easiest way to access international travel markets you may not otherwise be able to tap into, and it will allow you to generate year-round interest in your brand, regardless of current events and activities taking place at your destination. 

Conclusion

As you prepare your business for the onslaught of travellers planning to visit your destination for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, keep in mind that Rezdy offers all the tools you need. From an advanced online booking system, to a distribution platform that connects you with various types of resellers in the industry.

Not only will Rezdy allow you to be ready for the fevered frenzy of World Cup tourism, but it will also usher your business into the ever-changing climate of the 21st-century experiences industry.

Curious to see how Rezdy can fit within your business? Start your FREE 21-day trial or book a demo with our team today.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to sign up to the Rezdy newsletter to stay on top of the latest trends in the tour and activity sector.