Although having competitive pricing helps when selling travel online, shoppers are moving away from finding the bargain basement prices in favor of choosing an experience that’s right for their situation.  Before spending a ton of money on a trip, travel shoppers are looking for online reviews and recommendations from others like themselves.  Comparing airfares, hotel prices, rental car rates, etc are still important steps to an online travel shopper - but finding an added value could convince them it’s worth spending the extra money to stay in your location vs. the Motel 6 down the street.

An article at Forbes.com today by Wendy Tanaka outlines WebTravel 2.0.  She quotes Douglas Quinby of PhoCusWright -

“The influence of social networking and community services is growing significantly for online travel.  Seeking information and looking for perspective–like-minded experience and judgements — are currently trumping the straightforward hunt for the best price.”

My recent visit to SES New York strengthened this position.  In the SEM Small Business Blitz session Stoney deGeyeter of PolePositionMarketing.comtalked about having “Unique, Valuable Resource.”  What is the value-added proposition you add to the travel market that your competitors do not?  Are you ranked #1 for your area on Tripadvisor or Yahoo!Travel?  Do you have premium mattresses that are so phenomenal they deserve their own page on your website?  Maybe guests can take cooking classes with your in-house chef or a local chef.  Think about the little things that add to your value proposition and capitalize on those things in your online marketing and social media marketing strategies.

Not only are you selling an on-site experience - you’re selling and ONLINE experience and your website and marketing should reflect this experience.  Think about how the big brands tackle this and consider fashioning your online presence in a smaller scale.  Hilton is one of my favorites - they came up with some “travel-isms” that really work for me -

“Travel is more than just A to B”

“Travel should tempt you with the exotic”

“Travel should refresh your spirit”

I’m sure they paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for this campaign - but with a little creativity and thought - you can do the same on a budget.  Host a wine party and put your guests to work - ask them questions and brainstorm some fun ideas.  Have them tell you what they think about as they walk around your property.  Have some professional photos taken that really embody the image you’re selling. 

Spending a bit of time and money on the online experience can enhance and increase ROI through the offline experience!

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Categories: Travel Marketing.
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