Public Relations Strategies for Travel Companies

The travel industry is a very crowded space with plenty of companies trying to compete for the attention of their target audiences and convert customers.

To grow a travel agency, it’s important to utilize a great public relations plan, and choose the right strategies.

Content Marketing

Companies in the travel industry need to create attention-grabbing and valuable content to generate more website traffic and convert customers.

That’s because these types of businesses need to have a digital presence and the best way to do that is through effective content.

Businesses can create their own content, as well as work with people in the media and influencers to create recommendations for their customers that can influence the purchasing decisions regarding products or services, as well as trips that they can take.

Companies can also create a press kit that has information on every detail that the media might need to make it a lot easier to answer any incoming media queries, opportunities to comment on current industry trends or use topics, as well as interviews.

Website

The companies in the travel industry need to ensure that they have a website in the first place and that they’re updating their website continuously so that any potential customer that’s interested in learning more about the business will have a place they can refer to.

Additionally, the business website needs to be optimized for search engines and mobile devices to increase the ranking of the company on the search engine results pages.

To take it a step further, companies can also provide all their information in the native languages of the market that they’re trying to target.

Social Media

Given the explosive growth of social media platforms over the last decade, the Internet in general, and social media platforms specifically have become one of the most utilized channels by people trying to plan and book their trips.

According to research, over 50% of customers have stated that they would consider a travel destination if they see a piece of content about that destination being shared by the people they follow on social media platforms.

That piece of content can be anything from a photo or a short video clip of the destination, more information about it, or even an article.

That means many customers tend to be influenced by the content that has been shared on social media platforms, which means companies in the travel industry need to have a social media presence and create content specifically for each social media platform they’re utilizing as a communication platform to raise brand awareness and attract more customers.

Additionally, companies that want to reach more potential travelers and get them to book their trips through them can work with social media influencers in creating content for those platforms as, according to surveys, over 30% of customers would consider a destination when making travel decisions if they see content about that destination being shared by the influencers they already follow.

PR Strategy for Travel Companies

The travel industry is one of the largest economic sectors around the globe, and it’s an industry that’s constantly growing. That means companies in the travel industry that want to reach target audiences and create a favorable image for their brands need to utilize public relations strategies.

Through public relations businesses can communicate their key messages to the right people, on the right platforms, and at the right time.

Additionally, compared to marketing and advertising campaigns, public relations efforts are a lot more cost-effective. Given the size of the market of the travel industry and the number of other businesses available to customers, it’s a very competitive space, which means public relations agencies that haven’t started utilizing PR efforts should start doing so as soon as possible.

Partnerships

These days, travelers all over the world are a lot more independent in terms of personalizing and planning the trips they want to take.

However, businesses in the travel industry still remain a very important element in helping them plan and organize those trips better.

To promote their products, services, experiences, and destinations, companies in the travel industry should include additional promotional materials in their PR campaigns to help their customers understand the benefits they can get from making purchases from them.

Additionally, companies can also partner with other businesses in the industry to create special packages and bundles with a variety of services and cross-promote them to generate more attention and purchases from consumers.

Events

Achieving the goals of a public relations campaign these days also means organizing and attending industry events or fairs, which have recently been turned into a promotional and collaboration tool for businesses in the travel industry.

Companies can participate in events that are held by third parties and directly engage with their target audiences while promoting all of their products or services.

On the other hand, hosting various events is also a great option for bigger travel companies that can afford to utilize this promotional effort and network with other businesses while promoting their solutions and brands to the consumers.

Media coverage

Another way that businesses in the travel industry can utilize public relations efforts more effectively is by generating positive media coverage about what they do and the solutions they provide to the target audiences.

One of the best ways to do that is by inviting industry influencers and journalists on press trips, where after the events, these influential people can talk about their experience with the company, the destinations themselves, the products or services they got, and the attractions they visited.

This way, not only will travel companies promote their brands and solutions, but they’ll also give the customers a first-hand report of what they can expect from the companies when they make a purchase.

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Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently-owned PR firms in the United States.

With over 20 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America’s most prolific and well-respected Public Relations professionals.

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