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)
COVID-19 has reshaped the global landscape into something almost unrecognizable. My grandmother is using Zoom, and my mom is now on Instagram, it’s a whole new world. One thing to keep in mind about this new world is that people are spending money right now, just not necessarily in the ways that they were before.
The tourism industry has been especially impacted by the pandemic. While unfortunate, it has led to our partners in the tourism industry coming up with inspirational and innovative ideas to remarket their products. Where are most people these days? At home. So tour operators are meeting them there by sending delivery boxes of home-prep lunches and wine tastings. Other tour operators are reaching out online, with real-time, interactive experiences like virtual tours or live-streaming video.
We have been encouraging our readers(opens in a new tab) to consider moving their tours into the virtual space for weeks now. But it can be a daunting task! Before you even begin there is the hurdle of thinking of a marketable product that is unique enough for people to spend money on. Then you have to create it. And then, when you think you’re done, there are the technological challenges of getting up and running. That is where our friends at Online Tourism Academy(opens in a new tab) come in They have a long history of providing tour and activities operators with online learning resources – you might recognize Josh Oakes and Kelsey Tonner from The Sunshine Tribe (Josh), Be a Better Guide (Kelsey) or their 7-Figure Tour Business co-enterprise. Now, they find themselves in a uniquely qualified position to share what they have learned from years of marketing virtual products with you.
They are offering a new online class; Virtual Tour Business: A Complete Guide to Rapidly Launch and Sell Online Tours and Experiences.(opens in a new tab) In this class, they will walk you through every step of the process, demystifying the online tourism game. From getting to know your virtual audience and providing ready-to-use product templates to extensive technological support, they have got you covered. What’s more, they connect you with a community of tour operators who are working together to modernize the tourism industry. Once it’s ready, you can contact us(opens in a new tab) if you have questions about where to put your virtual tour on your website, or if you want to use this downtime for a larger overhaul of your existing website.
We encourage you to check out the class(opens in a new tab) and break into this market while it is still brand new. Use this time to build contemporary products and generate a new revenue stream for your business. You might reach people and audiences who you never would have otherwise. These could be new leads and guests for your real-life tours when this is all over or you could find that your virtual tours bring in passive income in addition to those in-person guests!
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