Reconsider Marketing Campaigns

These quick tips are designed to help you get through these hard times. If you have any tips that you want to share, send them to marketing@tourismtiger.com(opens in a new tab)

As numerous tour operators are impacted by the hard-hitting effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, a question that keeps coming up is how should we proceed with marketing campaigns? There are many different answers to this question, but some definite dos and don’ts.

Marketing is one of the areas where we often spend a high proportion of our budget. Given the circumstances, consider pausing expensive marketing campaigns on Google and other platforms, so that you can save precious revenue or possibly invest it elsewhere. At times like these, the key is to be flexible.< Although it’s a challenge, try to make small changes to adapt to the current situation.

>But don’t give up on marketing all together–it still matters! Focus on marketing through your own social media pages, and reconsider your strategy while you’re at it. People are sensitive at the moment, and seeing a page that reads “Join this Tour” may start you off on the wrong foot. Instead, be honest and tell people that it’s not a good idea to travel right now– it’s ok to say that! The hard sell is not your best option in the current global climate, and it doesn’t make sense. So try soft-sell techniques, keep posting tempting photos of your location because you can bet people will be looking for travel destination inspiration when countries open up again. 

Think about your audience and how the situation may be affecting them. Although people cannot currently travel, they still want to daydream. Encourage the daydreamers because, if you gain their trust by familiarising them with your company via social media, they could be your next customers. Take a leaf from Secret Paradise Maldives, their idyllic beach scenes have got holed up travelers drooling over Instagram and poised to book flights as soon as restrictions are lifted.

Remember to keep your finger on the pulse so you don’t miss out on getting back into the marketing game when the time comes. Skift(opens in a new tab) talk about the importance of timing in marketing and using social media to gauge traveler sentiment. You’re not alone, so don’t hesitate to lean on the travel industry community to help you get the timing right. After all, there’s nothing worse than spending time on a marketing campaign that falls on deaf ears.