The travel industry has evolved considerably over the past decade, driven principally by the digitalization of travel services and a growing worldwide travel trend. The sector is becoming ever more ingrained in the digital space and the social media landscape, with the proliferation of mobile devices further supplementing this evolution. In the world of modern travel, people are regularly – almost religiously – tapping into a maze of online media: they use their smartphones to research and book hotels; they provide daily updates on their latest adventures via Instagram, and then, when they return, they turn to review sites to give a commentary on their experiences. As these technologies unfold and new ones emerge, the rate of change will accelerate faster than at any other time in history, and travel brands will need to assess what strategies will empower them to engage with consumers at every step of their journey.
The market today is undoubtedly undergoing a period of consolidation as leading OTAs quickly snap up any burgeoning start-ups and small players disrupting the space. The result of these monopolies is tough competition; a field of extremely thin margins. The core challenge arising for those in the travel industry is gaining the attention and loyalty of consumers of all languages across the globe. The solution is multi-dimensional and lies in the implementation of frictionless technology, leveraging socio-demographic targeting, and designing highly optimized booking experiences. Together these trends are shaping how consumers expect to connect with brands in 2020 and beyond. In this article, we take a look at the ways travel marketers can get ahead by thinking user-first and delivering more relevant interactions at scale.
The Evolution of Micro-Moments
New societal behavioral patterns have contributed to the emergence of a more complex customer journey in the present era, and this is none more prevalent than in the travel industry. As smartphones increasingly permeate our everyday lives, buying cycles have become progressively comprised of collective on-the-go micro-moments. Long gone are the days when one would simply walk into a brick and mortar travel agency and plan a high-flying getaway or exclusive weekend break from start to finish in a single sitting. Travel planning is now all based around short, relevant research sessions over an extended period of time that typically cover all the stages of planning a trip – right from reading up on dream destinations all the way to booking tours and activities. As a result, people are becoming more demanding with brands – they want all the insights they need at each specific phase of their journey right at their fingertips.
The market today is undoubtedly undergoing a period of consolidation as leading OTAs quickly snap up any burgeoning start-ups and small players disrupting the space. The result of these monopolies is tough competition; a field of extremely thin margins. The core challenge arising for those in the travel industry is gaining the attention and loyalty of consumers of all languages across the globe. The solution is multi-dimensional and lies in the implementation of frictionless technology, leveraging socio-demographic targeting, and designing highly optimized booking experiences. Together these trends are shaping how consumers expect to connect with brands in 2020 and beyond. In this article, we take a look at the ways travel marketers can get ahead by thinking user-first and delivering more relevant interactions at scale.
The Evolution of Micro-Moments
New societal behavioral patterns have contributed to the emergence of a more complex customer journey in the present era, and this is none more prevalent than in the travel industry. As smartphones increasingly permeate our everyday lives, buying cycles have become progressively comprised of collective on-the-go micro-moments. Long gone are the days when one would simply walk into a brick and mortar travel agency and plan a high-flying getaway or exclusive weekend break from start to finish in a single sitting. Travel planning is now all based around short, relevant research sessions over an extended period of time that typically cover all the stages of planning a trip – right from reading up on dream destinations all the way to booking tours and activities. As a result, people are becoming more demanding with brands – they want all the insights they need at each specific phase of their journey right at their fingertips.
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