Where should travel marketers spend their budget

As the travel industry comes to rely increasingly on digital technology in all fields, one, marketing communication, remains a niggling challenge. The main issue is deciding if, how and to what extent digital communication should be implemented. But many—to their detriment—skip directly to the sweeping and polarizing question, ‘Traditional or digital travel media?’

[More insights on travel marketing will be covered at Marketing magazine's Marketing to Travellers conference on 12 November at the Four Seasons Singapore. Note the details mentioned below.]

I argue that this is a false dilemma. For example, if someone were to ask me whether to go on a city trip or a beach holiday, I would need to know more about the person, their tastes and desires before answering. It’s not much different with traditional and digital media; one is not better than the other and each achieves different objectives.

‘Digital only’ supporters point to the (perceived) ability of the medium to fully track response. Obviously, lower cost is often an important driver as well. Therefore, when it comes to the ROI that all marketers crave, it seems very appealing to opt for as much digital as possible.

Yet it’s not a good idea to base a communication strategy on these criteria alone. Sure, conversion from digital communication is measurable, but you’re only measuring the very last step in the communication process. Why only look at the last A—“Action”—in the classic AIDA model? In doing so, you ignore the AID (what an appropriate acronym) that happens before the action takes place.

Travelers can and must be reached in many different ways through many different media. Discarding certain channels before objectives are set is never a good idea. Let’s think of the travel purchase process as a funnel—consumers start with initial inspiration and an abundance of options, they then narrow down their choices with the end result being a final firm booking.

Traditional media and digital media are used at different stages in this travel planning process; traditional media play a strong part in the earlier awareness stages, helping to inspire and motivate, and provide tools for research and planning. Digital media are more essential for comparing options and booking, and later sharing/reliving one’s experiences—usually via social media. Choosing to be absent during any stage of the travel purchase funnel is a rather risky game.

A solid and effective travel marketing communication strategy requires comprehensive knowledge of the different stages in the travel purchase funnel and commitment to each and every single stage through the appropriate channels. Building a good foundation early on in the process will yield better response when you work your magic in the later conversion stage. A good communication strategy often will incorporate various media, traditional and digital, with the content optimized for each particular channel and stage.

Of course, certain KPI’s need to be set and you should be able to measure certain activity. While I agree that spreadsheets can help you with decision-making, it is very important to also recognize and acknowledge the soft factors that cannot always be numerically measured. After all, effective communication remains a psychological and largely intangible process which is exactly what makes it such an interesting and challenging field to work in.

The writer is Robert Jan Fernhout, publisher, Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia. More insights on travel marketing will be covered at Marketing magazine's Marketing to Travellers conference on 12 November at the Four Seasons Singapore.

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