Opportunity is knocking at your door again | Travel Research Online

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Opportunity is knocking at your door again

What if I told you that right now there are 91,933,084 people in the United States right now just frothing at the mouth to take a vacation? With an estimated 2019 population of 329,064, 917 and 255,369,678 of them being adults, I’d say that is an opportunity for us all!

According to Allianz Global Assistance’s Vacation Confidence Index, 36% of our adult population has not vacationed in two years!
Do you think America is ready for a vacation? Are you reaching out? Are you working your email lists? Is your marketing in target?

Another takeaway from the survey was that the reason most people are not traveling is financial with 44% citing that they do not have the money to spend on a vacation. And 60% would like to take one.

So to summarize. 36% has not vacationed in two years. 60% wants to vacation, and 44% feel they don’t have the money to vacation. How do you reconcile that?

Easy!

Use your CRM program to target these people. Run a query on past clients who have not purchased in two years and reach out. If people have not traveled in years, they are not likely to be up to speed on the new products and destinations and pricing!

Remember, 60% of the population WANTS to travel. But 44% says they CAN’T AFFORD to travel.

Put together a travel package that is affordable—city stays are hot right now and perhaps your market is a drive market to a large city. Look to destinations like Orlando and Las Vegas who historically have low-cost airfare. And remember, Vegas is not just for adults and Orlando is not just for kids!

When you reach out to them, point out the mental benefits to travel, include some links, like this one from Jetsetter, or this one from Psychology Today, or this one from Psych Central.

Clients who are watching their money are likely not looking to splurge, but they will buy if they see a value. Mental health, exploring a new destination, and meeting new people all have positive influences. Pricing can run from inexpensive to obscene for sure, but start low—whitewater rafting will eliminate the full cost of a hotel. Vegas and Orlando tend to have more opulent and luxurious rooms for fewer dollars. Non-major destinations can offer bargains—Solvang, CA; Annapolis, MD; Bucks County, PA; St. Augustine, FL; Niagra Falls or the Finger Lakes in NY; and even Red Cloud, NE (Population: 925)* has a lot to offer!

Seek those experiences out and present them to your clients. Get them thinking. Remind them that they may have some credit card points that might be able to be converted to an airline ticket. My bet is that with some prodding and some introspect, your clients will begin to book.

* I was there a few weeks ago. Nearest motel is 20 miles, nearest hotel is probably 40, but quite a cool little town and home of the Willa Cather Museum and several of her homes and a real insight to farm and prairie life! Here’s a few pics:

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