The travel industry has been transformed as a result of digitization and now the whole industry has coped with the changes. The industry that has affected digital development is travel and tourism. We can see and experience that travel as well as the lodging or accommodation industry is the one that uses digital marketing techniques to engage communities and make sure their clients have the possible breakout.
To perform well and to gain competitive benefits travel industry is eagerly looking for unique ways to reach the audience. Nowadays we use computers, laptops, mobiles, etc to acquire information regarding the tourist industry that includes travel, food, and related activities.
We can see the top-notch industries in the top results of SERP. Thus, keep in mind that digital marketing is the way to reach a large audience in a quick way at a lower cost. Digital marketing channels help customers online. Digital marketing for travel creates a large boom for the audience that can be through an article, audio, email, and video. Let us see some tips on how to conduct digital marketing for the travel industry
Impact of SEO on Users decision
We know that, if we search for a particular keyword we will click on the top result of SERP. Thus we know that page rank at the top of SERP is very important. However, Google algorithms decide which website will rank on the SERP thus it is necessary to optimize the website continuously. Keywords on your website need to be used to increase the importance of your website.
The relevance of Social Media
Traditional communication has been replaced by the involvement of social media. Let us see an example when we travel we look for reviews, posts, pictures, etc. Thus it is very clear that travel industries take advantage of social media networking tools to enhance business at a very low cost that helps to generate public interest.
Increased number of mobile users
We can see that most business travelers use smartphones during the trip planning process. they do online research before making any decision relating to travel. This indicates that a lot of people access the internet through phones. it is very important and necessary to have a responsive website. So in order to make the traveling process easy for the audience, travel professionals, hotel owners have turned to digital marketing agencies. Most companies adopt digital marketing strategies to quickly reach their target audience.
Statistics Of Digital Marketing For Travel Industry
The travel and tourism industry is changing very fastly. Let us keep an eye on the upcoming trends of digital marketing for the travel industry in India.
To maximize revenue go for Online Bookings
Still, many tour companies work with traditional methods for daily management so the users who are using the digital medium are not able to come across the services they are searching for in the online channel.
There are travelers who want to book tours and activities connected to it online and most of the tour and travel operators are not ready to provide the service.
Enhance the online Reputation
95 % people read reviews prior to booking
Most users usually refer reviews before making a decision.
The majority prefer for summarized review but about 60% prefer reading full-text reviews
Therefore it is very important to build up the online presence of your company and to build positive reviews.
Businesses who have mobile-optimized sites are the real winners
Mobile bookings on travel and tourism have grown drastically. 50% of users visit the site through phone or tablet. About 45% of travelers use mobile devices to book pre-trip activities. Since the number of users who use the internet and mobiles is increasing it is very important to use a responsive booking system and website builder. Make sure you have a mobile-optimized template with great UX with great UI design with good loading speed.
Social Media Statistics Of Travel Industry
Entry of Social media in the travel industry
Most people post pictures while traveling on social media like WhatsApp, Facebook. Twitter users create positive vibes for the mentioned brands by sharing travel experiences. It is advisable not to try out hands-on every social media channel. Find where your target users are active. If there does not exist your target audience don’t jump to a social network
Best toolbox for marketing is visuals and videos
Photos have a great influence on travelers. We need to think out of the box to stand out in the tourism industry. For a travel agency, it is very important to place compelling visuals. Videos account for two-thirds of the consumer internet. It is best to try out videos. If the first video doesn’t gain transactions even then stick to the videos and you will surely receive the feedback.
Travel Industry Trends
The travel industry has transformed into a digital sector since business and leisure travelers are making travel arrangements using the internet. Trends that are rocking in the travel industry are listed below, understand and capitalize on them:
Social media has a great influence on the travel industry. Most of the travelers say that social media changes their travel plans and the majority of travelers suggested that they like to book a trip from the company liked by their friend rather than a conventional Facebook ad.
Recommendations from friends have a great influence
The majority spent 30 minutes in reviews before booking. This implies that bad reviews need to be dealt with carefully and the complaints need to be addressed patiently and politely. If you are ready to go the extra mile with the customers it could lead to more leads than a promotional campaign.
Data that makes you unique
Unique data helps to achieve offerings and to track the preferences. Most people prefer that customized itineraries are more appealing. Artificial Intelligence along with the unique data helps you with virtual travel assistants.
This is mostly looked upon in online travel marketing. Virtual reality helps you to try before you purchase. The development of virtual reality will make you look at the resort, room, etc.
Strategies To Be Adopted While Doing Digital Marketing For Travel Industry
There is a need for strategies to conduct digital marketing for the travel industry. Here some of the strategies are listed. Have a look at these plans.
Reach the visitors before you arrive
Travel and accommodation marketing organizations need to build relationships with the visitors before they search and reach beside you. Campaigns could be conducted by the traveler and the questions like where to stay, how to use transportation systems will be answered.
For example, you can surprise your guests at airports or stations. Most probably travelers will post an update on Twitter or Instagram and this will become an opportunity for the tourism marketers to connect with them.
How to handle the negative travelers?
Plan a strategy when things are out of hand. It is better to develop more training and to plan on how to deal with negative clients. If you respond early you can mute negative experiences and can minimize the impact.
Social media data to enhance and understand the visitors
Social media users update their profiles where ever they go. Thus social media helps them to understand the market visitors destination. Deep understanding helps you to develop effective advertising campaigns.
You can find visually appealing pictures, videos in the traveling industry. 
When these two meets you can see high engagement, huge return on investment, etc. Thus it is very true that Instagram creates high engagement for travel brands. Hope you got an idea of how digitization is important in the travel industry and the role played by the digital marketing trends in the industry. Keep these in mind and do digital marketing for the travel industry.
