Tourism is constantly evolving and companies in the sector have more channels than ever to attract all types of travellers. However, what appears to be an opportunity can turn into a waste of time and money if the potential customer is not analysed in depth, and once the data has been analysed, it is acted upon. There are many companies in the tourism and other sectors that have huge amounts of data that they do not apply to their sales and marketing strategy and do not manage for the benefit of their business. Audiences must be segmented and their intrinsic characteristics must be known, so that tailor-made products and services can be offered. It is advisable to have an updated database, and in this case a CRM is the best option. This tool will allow us to build complex profiles, which will serve to improve relations with the public and respond to their expectations. From BRAINTRUST we are going to explain why it is useful to have updated and accurate information, taking as a reference the data of our Next Gen Barometer, which analyses and puts the zoom on the new travellers, the Millenials and the Z's.
1. To understand your travel objectives:
Many people choose tourism for intangible rewards, such as fun, cultural immersion and other emotional experiences. Understanding and internalising travellers' expectations and goals will help tourism companies sell more and better. The massive analysis offered by technologies such as Big Data and Machine Learning is allowing industry professionals to better target their customers than ever before. In this way, deep and lasting relationships can be built and the promiscuity of young people to brands can be avoided. For example, the "culturetastic" traveller segment is motivated by discovering aspects such as heritage (51% vs. 9% of the market average), attending concerts (12% vs. 2%) or tasting the typical gastronomy of the places they visit.
2. To find out how they organise their trips:
Knowing the customers allows us to know how they organise their trips: the time they spend, the physical agencies they visit or the online agencies they visit, the websites they use, etc. With this information, it will be possible to select the appropriate formats to reach each of them. In this way, tourism companies will achieve greater transparency and trust, as they will be able to adapt to the channels most used by their users, creating totally personalised services. For example, the segment of "young adults" prefers offline shopping and mainly informs themselves through face-to-face travel agencies (18% vs. 15% overall). They are also the group that spends the most time booking travel.
3. To see the tools and devices they use:
Today, several generations converge and make differential use of technology. Some are permanently connected, while others use certain devices for specific actions. A 20-year-old will be constantly uploading content to Instagram, consulting Google Maps and taking into account the opinion of influencers. A 55-year-old adult, on the other hand, will not be as present in these areas, opting for physical shots and preferring face-to-face interaction. For example, "hyper-connected" young people maintain an extremely digital profile and are always up to date with the latest trends in technology. This is a group that structures their lives with the help of electronic devices, and is tremendously active and social .
4. To identify preferred destinations and position the brand image:
While it is important to understand the use of technology and how trips are planned, it is also vital to research preferred destinations, and the perception they have of them, so that the destination places the right messages in its communication strategy and brand image. It is true that much depends on the season and the economic context in which we find ourselves, but certain groups perceive destinations differently depending on their vision and intensity of life and therefore what they are looking for in their trips. For example, young trekkers are travellers who choose destinations within Spain (70%) which they reach in their own car (57% vs. 51% of the global average) and who stay in mountain hotels (4% vs. 2% of the market).
5. To define the product, its services and its price:
Educational level, purchasing power and lifestyle determine the type of travel chosen by the user. This is something that every company needs to be aware of if it wants to develop tailor-made products and services and define their prices in an optimal way. For example, the young "enjoyers" are mostly women, with a high level of education and who prefer to keep their free time very busy with plans rather than staying at home. They like to choose their trips through individual services and inform themselves through specialised blogs that help them decide on their next destinations.
For Ángel García Butragueño, Co-Director of the BRAINTRUST Tourism Barometer: "Active listening must be fundamental. When customers' needs change, we must be attentive to offer products and services to match. This must be the first step to be taken by all suppliers in the tourism sector, gathering and interpreting data in an optimal way. We see this in all our clients' projects.
According to José Manuel Brell, Co-Director of the BRAINTRUST Tourism Barometer: "Travellers are increasingly demanding and express their opinions on social networks. In other words, they provide us with information that we must analyse and process to generate value. Taking advantage of the data to benefit our clients' business is something that characterises us and sets us apart at BRAINTRUST".
At BRAINTRUST we can help you create the strategy that best suits your needs. We have the best means to advise you in the configuration of value propositions that will increase your sales.
Do you want to get detailed information? Contact us and ask for our Tourism Barometer, the methodological support that determines the market's willingness to travel, as well as the trends that allow all travel industry suppliers to identify business opportunities and adjust their offer to consumer preferences.