If you own a tourism-related business, you may wonder how to attract more millennial and Gen Z travelers, don’t you? They are the largest and most influential traveler demographics nowadays. Still, they also have different expectations and preferences than earlier generations. How, then, can you properly promote your travel company to them?
Here are some pointers to assist you:
Be authentic and transparent
Millennials and Gen Z place high importance on authenticity and transparency in the brands they pick. They are interested in your company’s background, its effects on the environment and the neighborhood, and your advantages to clients. Show your individuality and ideals without fear. You may engage with your audience and share your narrative via social media, blogs, videos, and podcasts.
What can you do? You can make videos highlighting your staff, facilities, vendors, clients, and regional partners. Share behind-the-scenes tales, difficulties, business-related accomplishments, and disappointments. Encourage your clients to provide reviews, comments, and testimonials on your website or social media pages.
Offer personalized and flexible experiences.
The Millennial and Gen Z generations are interested in something other than packaged or mass-produced vacations. They want custom-designed, one-of-a-kind experiences that meet their choices, needs, and budget. They also want the independence and flexibility to change their plans or venture out independently. Use internet platforms, apps, chatbots, and AI to give your customers tailored recommendations, original itineraries, and on-demand assistance.
You could use a chatbot or AI assistant that inquires about your clientele’s preferences, goals, spending power, and availability. Based on their comments, you may provide them with a well-chosen range of options that satisfy their needs. Additionally, you may make it straightforward for clients to modify or cancel their appointments without being charged or penalized. Travelers may also get maps, directions, suggestions, reviews, promotions, and customer service by developing a mobile app.
Download this infographic here.
Leverage user-generated content and influencer marketing.
Utilize user-generated content and influencer marketing. Compared to traditional advertising, Gen Z and Millennials are more prone to trust personal recommendations. They base their decisions on internet traveler blogs, pictures, videos, reviews, ratings, and testimonials. They also follow social media influencers who post travel-related stories, suggestions, and observations. Encourage your clients to create and share user-generated content about your business, work with influencers to obtain access to their fan networks, and encourage your customers to do the same.
For instance, you may create a hashtag campaign to encourage clients to post images or videos of their encounters with your business on Instagram or TikTok. You may also provide rewards like discounts, freebies, or loyalty points to customers who post positive reviews or ratings on TripAdvisor or Google My Business. You might also contact well-known and well-liked influencers in your region or market. You may offer them free or significantly reduced services in exchange for honest reviews or promotions on other networks.
Embrace sustainability and social responsibility.
More than any previous generation, millennials and members of Gen Z are concerned about the environment and social concerns. They want to have responsible vacations and support organizations that benefit society. They are prepared to pay extra for environmentally friendly goods and services and anticipate that you will uphold moral principles. By implementing green practices, supporting regional causes, making charitable contributions, or developing social impact initiatives, you may demonstrate your dedication to sustainability and social responsibility.
Green practices include things like using renewable energy, cutting back on waste and emissions, recycling, using biodegradable items or decreasing your carbon footprint. Additionally, you may aid regional causes like hiring regional workers, buying regional goods, maintaining local culture, or safeguarding animals. You may also build social impact initiatives that strengthen local communities or solve global concerns, or you can contribute a percentage of your income to a charity that shares your beliefs.
Create fun and engaging content.
Millennials and members of Generation Z are young individuals looking for content to consume that is inspiring, amusing, engaging, and instructional. That’s due to their limited attention spans and high expectations for entertainment. They also want to interact with your content and participate in online forums. Use comedy, story, questions, polls, games, challenges, contests, live streaming, podcasts, webinars, or VR/AR to create content that captures and holds their interest.
You may create a short video showcasing the greatest aspects of your offers or write a humorous blog post giving the top ten reasons why your location is the ideal one to visit. You may also create a test or poll to see how well your audience members know about your area of expertise or to get their opinions. You may also create a challenge or game that rewards your customers for engaging in particular actions or adopting specific attitudes linked with your business or location. You may also create a podcast or live stream that features interviews with experts, guests, or customers who share their insights or experiences about your company. In addition, you may create a webinar or VR/AR experience that informs your customers or transports them to a virtual representation of your business or vacation destination.
The suggestions in this article can help you market your travel business to millennials and Generation Z more successfully. Remember that these generations are not a cohesive group but diverse people with various preferences and behavioral styles. Understanding your target market, offering value-added solutions, and building their trust and loyalty are the keys to success.