With the summer starting just a few weeks from now, consumers across the country are making travel plans for their vacation. The summer vacation season is a boon to most business owners. Local residents and travelers alike are looking for things to do, and with the right marketing plan, business owners can attract more customers than ever. A recent survey showed what tactics work best for influencing summer travelers.
According to a recent, international study by Experian Media Solutions, just under half (47 percent) of the people surveyed said they were influenced to take a trip by deals or promotions. The study’s results suggest that deals and specials become even more effective tools the older the age of the target audience. Among those surveyed who were more than 55 years old, that figure rises to 55 percent.
Just about everyone loves to save money, and that can be seen by how well deals and promotions outperform other forms of travel marketing. According to the data from Experian, deals and promotions have a slightly larger influence on vacation choice than images or videos from friends and experts. For Gen Z and Millennials, such social media pictures inspired 43 percent and among Boomers 42 percent. Videos did a little worse and inspired 31 percent of potential travelers across all age groups.
In explaining the results seen by Millennials, the survey authors gave this analysis, “Millennials travel more frequently than other generations and while nearly 90 percent say they look for the best deals, they have a broad range of interests, focusing on exploring the outdoors, cultural experiences, family play trips and romantic getaways.”
Even as consumers grow older and have greater resources, the need to save money is still there. In their analysis of the Gen X consumers, the Experian researchers explained, “Gen X are family-oriented and more likely than other generations to use reviews and informative content from brands while researching and booking a trip. While less Gen X travelers say that budget is a primary factor than younger generations, they still prioritize deals and look for value.”
And among the group of older Baby Boomers, savings and deals are important for planning vacation travel, but not nearly as important as it is for younger generations. This means that business owners and marketers will need to try a slightly different track. According to Experian, “Given that fewer Boomers said budget was a primary factor when planning their last trip, marketers looking to inspire and engage Boomers should focus on informative content like reviews and local activities in advertising, with less emphasis on deals.”
Summer will be here before you know it, and that means people are looking for deals and specials for their next vacation now. The research from Experian is helpful because it shows that regardless of the medium used to send the message, the content is the most important part. So social media, online banner ads, videos and more are all acceptable ways to reach potential travelers. But if you want to keep their attention and move them to action, using deals and specials is a necessity.
For more recent news to help business owners and marketers create more effective campaigns, read this article on how personalization and recommendations can increase sales on a retail website.