If you haven’t had a chance to read the first half of my Tourism Trends for 2018 article which I posted a few weeks ago, here is the link. In this post, I will continue with some additional trends that I think will impact attractions and DMO’s ( Destination Marketing Organizations) in the next year.
Attractions and Activities are the new ‘it’ thing
Companies like TripAdvisor/Viator and Expedia have gotten all the big players in the attraction arena onboard. They are now switching their strategy to adding smaller attractions, seasonal venues, and activities such as wine and beer tasting tours. Think of Viator as an additional ticket booth for your attraction. It is also a good place to promote some unique upscale experiences. Check out what the Baseball Hall of Fame is offering for their VIP Experience.
Earlier this summer I had been hearing whispers of Viator releasing a platform for travel agents to use and sure enough, it was just launched in September. This means that travel agents can now book your product, and small tour operators overseas can purchase your tickets for their customers without your attraction having to go through a FIT contract process.
Action Step:
Sign up for Viator to sell tickets to your attraction. They do ask for a discount off your regular ticket price. Think of this as a marketing investment, not a cost.
Consider developing a high end offering at your attraction that is only offered via Viator.
Airbnb enters the activity and attractions space
I debated whether to name this trend ” The sharing economy grows and evolves” or ” Airbnb become everything” because just as Airbnb disrupted the lodging sector, it is going to disrupt the attractions and restaurant sectors in the next year or so. Airbnb has added bookable experiences like ‘learning to surf and eat like a local’ for $149. So the Experience Economy just took another leap forward. Anyone with an Airbnb account ( if you don’t have one, use my link and get a $40 credit for your first trip) can create an experience.
It seems like foodie experiences, cultural tours and outdoor experiences like guided hikes and yoga on the beach are popular. This feels like a double-edged sword for a DMO. On one hand, you have residents creating curated experiences that highlight what is unique about your area. But on the other hand, you have individuals you don’t know providing experiences and possibly taking away business from existing attractions. And as an attraction, you now have new competition for visitor’s time and wallets.
Action Step
Check out community listings on Airbnb. If you are DMO, reach out to a few of the popular ones and see if you can help or partner with them. If you are an attraction, can you create an Experience at your facility that is unique and fun? Or could you encourage others to develop experiences that include your attraction as an element? Either way, don’t ignore this trend.
Low-Cost airfare will bring more visitors international visitors to your door.
For many years, international flights came into large cities and international visitors tended to stay nearby. Changes in airline competition are changing that landscape. Case in point is Norwegian Air which is now flying into Stewart Airport in Upstate NY. International tourists from the UK and Scandinavian countries can rent a car and head out to places they have never been before. Smaller destinations with unique offerings will get an influx of international guests. Smaller destinations worry that they won’t be able to handle the language, currency, and culture issues that international visitors bring.
Attractions worry that they don’t have multilingual staff. The good news is that by the time international guests arrive in small towns, they have been to the states 3-4 times and are comfortable speaking English, driving on the right side of the road and using US currency.
Action Step
Do you track where your customers are coming from? Start tracking the country of origin of your guests. Share the information with your DMO. Teach your frontline staff some basic words like hello, thank you, goodbye, and bathroom in the languages of your guests. Try downloading some of these helpful apps:
- Microsoft Translator
- Google Translate
- TextGrabber.
( Thanks to Beth Ziesenis- Your Nerdy Best Friend. Beth is a great speaker and wrote a recent article on translation tools for NTA’s Courier magazine)
Climate Change and its impact
I am writing this in the last half of 2017 and the U.S. has experienced 3 tornadoes, two states with forest fires and power outages due to flooding and high winds. My international readers are dealing with earthquakes and droughts. How does climate change impact tourism? Besides the physical damage that these events cause, there are other elements to consider.
- Impact on staff. Most frontline staff work for lower wages and have fewer options if their housing is damaged. Your facility might be able to open, but if you have no staff, what should you do?
- Traveler’s concerns- once your destination has made headlines, do people think twice before considering a visit?
Action Step
Make sure you have a clear communication process for staff in case of weather emergencies. There are texting apps that will send out messages to staff.
Marijuana Tourism
Recreational marijuana is now legal in eight states: Maine, Massachusetts, Colorado, California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. The Colorado based Marijuana Policy Group report shows that legal marijuana activities generated $2.39 billion in state output, and created 18,005 new FullTime-Equivalent (FTE) positions in 2015. So with economic impact and demand for the product growing, the ‘Bud & Breakfast’ industry is taking off. Case in point: Maine Greenyards B&B as profiled in the Boston Globe.
Action Step
Head to a state where it is legal to see how this industry can transform an economy. I will be doing my research in California and Colorado in 2018 and I will report back!
Summary
The tourism industry is not immune to changes in the economy, culture and the environment. I am hopeful that the action steps I have attached to the trends will give you a clear plan for success. Let me know if you are seeing any other trends. I have already started my list for 2019!