Let’s face it, these last two years have been tough on everyone. They’ve been especially difficult for the hospitality industry. Now that we finally seem to be emerging from the shadow of the pandemic, though, it’s time to start looking forward.
Indeed, the recovery phase seems to be well and truly underway at last, and you are probably eager for new ideas on how to leverage this new day to the fullest for your business. So if you’re looking to improve your marketing strategy for the months and years ahead, offering excursion packages for your guests may be just the ticket (pun intended). We’ll show you why.
Travelers Want Experiences
Once upon a time, what most travelers wanted from hoteliers and restaurateurs was just for them to stay in their lane. They expected hotels to provide safe and comfortable lodgings. They wanted restaurants to offer good food, a nice ambiance, and affordability. Beyond that, though, guests mostly wanted to be left alone to chart their courses and make their fun during their stays.
That’s not necessarily true anymore. Rather, today’s guests are looking for a vacation spot that doesn’t just provide relaxation. They also want something that gives them a memorable experience that they might otherwise never have had. They want, in other words, adventures that give them photos and stories they can take home with them — and post on social media.
Offering excursion packages means that you can offer these experiences to your guests while freeing them of all the legwork required to plan and execute such an adventure. They’ll get to enjoy all the fun, in other words, without any of the efforts.
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Excursions as Brand Differentiators
Another way that offering excursions can improve your marketing strategy is by helping you to differentiate yourself from your competitors. A particularly effective approach is to offer a variety of options, each tailored to the unique interests of your diverse clientele.
For example, some guests just want luxury and pampering, so why not offer them a fine wine and dining tour? Others want culture and intellectual stimulation, so build an excursion package where they can learn about the area, its environment, history, and culture. Still, others may want an adventure in which they can challenge themselves, so build an excursion package that includes location-specific activities, such as rock climbing, whitewater rafting, or snorkeling.
When you do this, you’re not only going to stand out amid a sea of rivals, you’ll also be expanding and diversifying your target market.
Protecting Guests
Another important but often overlooked benefit of offering excursion packages like these is that you can not only promote the convenience to guests of planning the excursion for them, but you can also underscore the safety aspects as well.
As any trauma nurse working in a vacation city will tell you, the risk of injury to travelers can be very high. Often, such accidents are related to alcohol use, but not always. Many occur through sheer recklessness or because travelers are unfamiliar with the area or inexperienced in the forms of recreation available there.
By offering an excursion package, you are also offering the opportunity for your guests to enjoy a fun adventure in controlled conditions and under the supervision of trained professionals. Integrating these safety attributes into your promotions can be an especially effective way to attract both novice travelers and families with children and teens.
Upping Your Video Marketing Game
Excursion packages aren’t just a terrific way to attract guests, they can also be ready-made marketing content producers. Now more than ever, travelers want to know a lot about a destination before booking, and they’re turning to the internet to do their research.
More specifically, they’re looking to online video platforms, such as YouTube and Instagram, to get a feel for what a vacation city, a hotel, or a resort has to offer. When your guest services include excursion packages, then you have ample material for producing attention-grabbing, client-winning video marketing content.
This rich content makes it far easier for guests to envision themselves at your hotel. They can better put themselves in the position of the guests they see on-screen eating, laughing, adventuring in safety and style.
The Takeaway
There’s a lot of pent-up demand in the hospitality industry today. Travel-hungry guests, stuck for far too long under lockdown, and more than eager to get out and let loose. Tapping into this market, though, means shaking things up a bit from the pre-pandemic ordinary. One of the best ways to do this is by offering your guests excursion packages.
In this way, you’re able to offer your guests the experiences they crave while also promoting safety and convenience. In the process, offering excursion packages will also enable you to better differentiate your brand while expanding and diversifying your target market.
Credit
Jori Hamilton is an experienced writer residing in the Northwestern U.S. She covers a wide range of topics but takes a particular interest in covering topics related to the hospitality industry, business productivity, and marketing strategies. To learn more about Jori, you can follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Over to you
The hotel industry is always changing, especially during a time of crisis. Make sure to future-proof your business and continue attracting new guests by investing in these solutions.
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Related article: 5 Surprising Changes to the Hospitality Industry We Think Are Here to Stay
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I need to let you all know that we are in on this together. If you need to vent, talk, cry, or just have someone to talk with, I am here listening. Since I am working part-time at the local Kroger, I will best work it out around my schedule to the best of my ability.
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NOTE
The hotel industry still is facing some uphill challenges. Make sure you follow their guidelines and say THANK YOU to those that now show a unique spirit to serve, and help us all get through this!! #hotelstrong #hospitalitystrong
About Are Morch
Hi, I am Are Morch. Your Digital Transformation Coach helps hotels create unique and unexpected experiences by freeing up resources to focus on new ideas through value innovation and a growth mindset.
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“Disclaimer: This blog is supported by its community. We sometimes earn commissions from relevant affiliate and sponsor links. When you click through these links I might receive commissions from these actions.”
