Have you ever heard the term “ Stick to your knitting?” It means ‘to continue to do something that you are experienced at and not try to do something which you know very little about’ according to Collins Dictionary.
I think that sums up this trend. We should all focus on the basics this year and get a strong foundation under our business as we make our way towards Travel’s Next Great Chapter.
Basics in where our customers come from
Just a few short years ago, Tourism was one of the top growth sectors of most economies. Tourism offices and businesses had marketing managers and sales professionals dedicated to reaching potential customers around the world. That was done through social media, tradeshows ( who also misses WTM and IPW?!), and sales missions to key tour operators.
While all those elements will be important and necessary again, the short-term trend is to market to a smaller set of customers. For most of us, that is the drive market. The drive market is the area from which potential guests will drive. Think of your business as the center of a bulls-eye. Each ring represents an hour drive. Reaching out to those within a 3-5 hour drive is smart right now. The benefits are many – it will be less expensive, you most likely know the best ways to reach them and for those in your state, there is no need for quarantine or testing.
Our international and long-distance friends will return, no doubt. But the trend this year is to market closer to home.
Basics in training and education
Another area I see the need to get back to basics is employee training. Many senior-level staff have been let go unfortunately, and those taking their place have little to no understanding of the markets, sales tactics, and the need for a strong network.
I have provided sales training for DMO’s that realized most of their new hotel sales partners have no sales experience. Through no fault of their own, these salespeople didn’t realize that they actively need to work for additional sales. More than one attendee told me they thought all they had to do was answer the phone and take the bookings. They didn’t realize all the work that used to happen before the call came in.
In order to be competitive, many tourism organizations are providing virtual training opportunities. Businesses that have replaced senior staff should be supporting new staff by giving them training and education. And for you small businesses that say you can’t afford it? Reach out to your DMO or Associations you belong to. They want to support you and they can do that by offering training and education.
(P.S- Do you belong to SYTA- the Student Youth Tour Association? Or are you interested in attracting student tours in the future? SYTA is offering Essentials of Student Travel- A Foundation Course in Student and Youth Travel. I developed this program for them and it is part of their CSTP designation. Click here for more information!)
Basics in consumer demand- outdoors, rural locations
As much as everyone wants to travel, many are still looking for ways to minimize interaction with others outside their bubble. For rural destinations, campgrounds and outdoor venues, this is your time to shine. I’m sure you have all seen data that shows RV sales and campground bookings are up double digits. How can you support those guests?
Are your brochures stocked at local campgrounds? And don’t despair if you are an indoor venue- bad weather forces campers to look for indoor activities. Helping guests find outdoor trails and activities is key in 2021.
And while we don’t all have magnificent National Parks to promote, we all have State Parks. While I was researching, I found My Nature Book Adventures, a small family-run company that sells ‘Adventure Planning Journals’ for most State Park systems. These seem like a great tool to get visitors moving around your state, and providing some love to the less-visited parks in your system. If anyone is partnering with them already, let me know and I will feature you in an upcoming post!
Links to previous 2021 Trends
Have you missed reading the previous trends I posted about? Here they are:
Tourism Trends 2021- Does Anyone Really Know?
Tourism Trends 2021- QR Codes (Again)😀
Tourism Trends 2021- Time to Increase D.E.I
What Tourism Trends are you seeing?
I would love to know. Share your thoughts by clicking on this short survey– I will be sharing the results in March!
As the saying goes, none of us are as smart as all of us!
How Can I help you in 2021?
DMOs/Tourism Organizations:
Are you looking for a way to provide value to your partners during this challenging time? Check out the Online Tourism Training Program with this link. I can help you provide monthly virtual training for you to offer to your partners/members.
Here’s a recent testimonial from Sarah Anne Rhodes of the Georgia Department of Economic Development: Sally was wonderful to work with to support our Georgia Tourism partners. We were able to have two education group sales webinars with Sally as our presenter. We received fantastic survey results mentioning her approach and the action items they were ready to get working towards.
We found Sally to be a great trainer and speaker to work with on our educational sessions. During discussions of content, she was always aiming to make content actionable, accessible, and inclusive for all tourism partners. She spoke about the reality of the markets and helped prepare our partners whether brand new to group sales or having focused on it a long time. Many thanks and kudos are in order for Sally Davis Berry.
My team will take care of registration, reminders, and even a post-webinar survey! Let me know what topics your partners need help with and we will develop impactful training. I am booked through the end of March but am booking new clients starting in April 2021. Prices start at just $995 for each training. Click here to email me and we can set up a time to talk!
Looking to increase your Tourism knowledge and skills?
Then check out Tourism Pro Academy. I created this platform in 2019 as a one-stop-shop for Tourism Professionals like you! You can check out free resources, courses, and other ways to work with me. I am adding new offerings this month. Click here to see what’s available.