7 Best Methods to Advertise a Travel Destination
If you manage a hotel or a tourist industry job, like whitewater rafting or guided tours, marketing the city of your business is a great way to bring in new customers. Here are our 7 methods on how to advertise a travel destination:
1. Show people what they want to see, not what you want to show
This is the best practice for any type of marketing. Do research to determine what people want to see in your destination. What naturally interests your potential visitors? When many people from other countries think of America, they get starry-eyed over New York and its iconic bustling streets.
2. Design your ads to plant a long-term image
Advertisements compound and tell a story over time, cultivating intrinsic value in the destination. Use your destination's unique attractions to solidify it as an icon - the way many think of the Eiffel Tower when Paris is mentioned. Embrace the charm of your city to give a warm feeling to these icons, while avoiding the stigma of a tourist trap.
3. If necessary, reinvent the image of the place
If your destination has an acrid perception in the public mind, it will be more difficult to market.
While most advertising seeks to impel a long-term image, in this situation you can also use a short-term campaign to fix temporary problems and decrease potential visitor anxiety. For example, if common perception is that your destination is too expensive, advertise your hotel with the actual prices of lodging and accommodations.
4. Highlight unique subjects based on your audience
Avoid advertising your beaches to Floridians. Instead, market attractions unique to only your destination: Hollywood in California, the Louvre in Paris.
Visitors are interested in seeing something unique ONLY to your destination.
Interested enough to travel for it. For example, while locals in Asheville might anticipate events like synchronous fireflies, tourists will want to see the city's large collection of Art Deco architecture and the Biltmore. It may be hard to get perspective on that when you are a local - research is key in understanding what the outside world wants to see.
5. Use high-quality, image-driven content
High-resolution photographs are singularly the best method to enrapture your tourists. Choose intense images of scenery, architecture, food, or culture combined with the details of how to visit. For example, use a photo of the monolithic Biltmore Estate or the sprawling gardens with how much it costs to visit, and seasonal events.
The More information the better
If your city is not well-known, share more information - what the weather is like, what to wear, the local cuisine, and upcoming events.
6. Use a clear call to action
After captivating your audience, make sure to include a call-to-action in your advertisement to give the reader a next step.
Book a hotel; make your reservation; register for this event; embark on your adventure today! Whatever your choice, make sure you clearly list the information needed for the smoothest conversion.
7. Your biggest obstacles are cost and fear
Dissuade your audience's fears about leaving the comforts of home: capture scenes of happy citizens, colorful food, and historic attractions. Share how easy it is to visit. This is critical in bringing in anyone from another language or culture - make sure to provide information on customs, clothing, and language to anyone in a different demographic.
