5 Tips for Travel Agencies to Grow Their Businesses in 2022

The travel and tourism industry is constantly evolving. It is a malleable industry that must change over time with adaptability to not only the changes in the world (physically) but changes in human behavior and buying habits.?

What was once deemed necessary to travel previously isn’t necessarily important or influential on their traveling decisions today. For instance, previously, we wrote about the “New Norm of Tourism: To Think Before You Travel” in the Jordan Times.

In this article, we created the argument that the traveler today is quite more interested in consciousness over convenience. Meaning that the efforts of companies should shift to highlighting the least minimal traveling impact as part of their considerations.?

We have also discussed many more topics, such as Experiential Tourism in which the traveler gets to decide on how they want to travel and experience the local culture.?

It is therefore important…."not necessary" that travel agencies make these changes in order to grow in 2022.

We all know that the travel and tourism industry is making a huge comeback and impact on the world, especially post-pandemic, so let’s get into it.?

1. The Customer Nowadays Values Information and Does Their Own Research

Don’t be surprised when a customer comes to you and already does their own research beforehand.?

Statistically speaking, from a study in 2021 by the Travel Association or ABTA, almost 81% of customers internationally are booking their traveling adventures online.?

This leads us to believe that travel agencies must have a good online presence when it comes to their brand. An easy-to-read website, informative charts on destinations and exclusive information that makes the customer feel like they are in control when it comes to their purchasing decision.?

For instance, say you’re an inbound operator, working with one destination in mind. As a local traveling agency, highlight unique information about the destination that only customers will find if they log into your website.?

Don’t be afraid to share knowledge and information. Even if it may not lead to sales, at first, this can create a huge trust between the consumer and the agency.?

Think of cultural information you can provide to your customer, resources about the destination and your target audience. What do they need to know before stepping foot into a country??

Try to be their one-stop shop before needing to open multiple tabs.?

2. High Visits → Low Booking Numbers: But Why?

Research begins way more than you think and this can be backed up by numbers.

Did you know that travelers start their research almost 4 weeks before? This means that the research process begins almost a month and sometimes even more. During this time, customers look for the following information:

2.1 Why are you different from other travel agencies?

Are you easy, accessible, and provide safety? Moreover, are you able to guarantee your services in a clear and communicative way?

2.2 Prices

Prices are some of the most important parts of bookings. People want to be able to compare your services and prices to other websites. Be sure to point out the difference between your itineraries and prices versus others. For instance, some websites offer low prices but are exclusive of meals or airline tickets, or when you get to booking, they have huge commission rates on top of the prices. Be sure to point out your prices quick for the customer and be able to provide that value to them in the 30 seconds that they will glance at the site

2.3 Inaccessibility?

It is one of the most frustrating parts of any consumer journey when the information online isn’t clickable, slow and confusing to go through. Consider the importance of organizing your website to highlight the most important aspects of your destinations and packages. Then, think about how far you want the consumer to go to make their decision. If it isn’t easy and accessible for them to look through, then you almost immediately lose a customer.

2.4 Not offering incentives

Highlight incentivized travel packages, show the value of those packages and lead your consumer to think of something new to try. We are not talking about cheap packages, we are talking about incentives and unique aspects to the trip that truly will make the consumer go: wow, I definitely need to be a part of this.?

3. Steer Away from The Standard: Mix It Up

As we mentioned previously, the consumer nowadays is smarter, has accessibility to fast technology and values consciousness over convenience. Therefore, the standard packages of the past where you can just sightsee and take a look at a destination, all well-known sites are just not going to cut it anymore.?

While we are not saying that your itineraries need to be super unique or go out of the box too much, think about adding and mixing up some different aspects and styles to your packages.?

Here are some ideas for mixing up your packages

4. Gastronomy:?

Experiences are in and convenience is out. Consider adding gastronomy pieces to your itineraries in which people can visit local farms and families or even try out cooking classes themselves. Being a part of the experience rather than an observer of the experience gives you the best addition to the services you will provide.?

4.1 Activities:

?Most activity service providers and travel agencies in the past have either included way too much relaxation or way too much adventure. Consider finding a balance between both. For instance, if you include two days of sightseeing and relaxation, then maybe add an adventurous day with some exciting activities. Don’t be afraid to mix both and for more niche audiences, you can still justify and modify with the straightforward itineraries as you once provided.?

4.2 Culture:?

Culture, unfortunately, is a term that gets overused and sometimes even misunderstood. Sometimes, when visiting certain destinations, who is to say that these are cultural experiences as they are or have been commodified to the traveler? That being said, if you are a local inbound partner, try to provide some cultural activities or tours that are not commodified. In Jordan, for instance, Global Tribes offers you a chance to learn the art of weaving, a traditional and cultural craft that has been preserved for centuries. Our other destinations as well, we try to include local people and stories.?

4.3 Sightseeing in a Different Way:?

Include unique ways to sightsee. For instance, in Kyrgyzstan, sightseeing can be done on foot or by horse. In Jordan, sightseeing can be done on foot and through a 4x4. There are so many ways to include unique aspects of sightseeing that are not just being driven to take pictures. You can also include routes for sightseeing that take you through the back way and then take you to some of the more well-known sites.?

4. Millennials are Key?

Millennials are the new market of travel. Millennials make up a huge percentage of the travel market and include a high expenditure of travel per pax. On average, in 2019, the numbers for U.S. millennials, as according to Expedia, were found to travel way more on average per day and included a budget of at least 4,000 dollars and more.?

While that number may have changed now, due to the pandemic as well as many global changes, it is with no doubt that millennials are still key in marketing your traveling itineraries.?

Willing more to try new things, take up new experiences and do something out of the ordinary, millennials are more willing to stray away from the pack. It could be the attitude of being under multiple crises and realizing that you truly “only live once,” but millennials are also part of the business and leisure group that tend to extend for work and are able to keep up with more activities.?

However, this means that the following three things should be included while marketing to millennials.?

1. Social Media: It is without a doubt your best friend. Include social media micro-influencers as part of your marketing strategy and plan. Give beautiful visuals, and exclusive content and be part of the informative crew. Fun hashtags, easy information, good stories and keep it light, but also don’t be afraid to dig in deep.
2. Transparency: Millennials grew up with technology and social media, meaning that they can easily and will easily search for information. Anything that you provide when it comes to pricing, accommodation, inclusions, and exclusions, needs to be clear and transparent.?
3. Micro-Influencers: Be part of the trust with other community members.
4. In the past, only influencers with big numbers, huge influence and an aesthetically pleasing social media presence were part of the marketing strategy. However, now micro-influencers are just as important. Micro-influencers may have more engagement with their followers, are able to reach them more easily and provide good feedback without coming off as too commercial.?

5. Customer Service?

Travelers prefer consciousness over convenience, but that doesn’t mean that your communication with customers should value convenience. Many online traveling agencies and platforms reverted to the convenience of customer service and engagement. They have opted for bots to answer or for easier ways to outsource. This is wrong. Customer service and information are one of the most important parts of traveling. If the customer begins research 4 weeks before their travels or even before thinking to book, be a part of their support network and don’t let the bots or convenience of communication take over.?

It is indeed a hard decision for people to make and traveling is either an experience that will be carried positively for years or remembered and imprinted as a bad experience.

Be a part of the good part of traveling agencies and give the human touch.?

While we can sit here and write some more tips that we believe will make traveling businesses grow in 2022, we are curious, what are some of the tips that we provided that you didn’t think about previously?