Travel dreams are perishable

Most Americans start the year with a plan. No, not the New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, read more, exercise etc…We start with a calendar in hand and begin to think about the year’s travel options. The holidays are when we get the ‘can’t-change commitments’, such as weddings, graduations and anniversaries. These are the first dates we fill in—with ink. They can’t change. Then with any funds left over from taxes, and time left from the must-do’s, we look at filling some of our travel dreams. That’s why the key travel selling time is so short and perishable. Read the rest of this entry »

With the US credit rating downgraded, and the stock market dropping with uncertainty, and European governments fighting to control their debt, citizens in the US have a lot to ponder. The least of which is “Where will I take my next vacation”

For decades the American travel marketplace was a huge, growing and somewhat predictable market. New destinations were discovered; new experiences were created (cruising), and new generations happily traveled the world in search of the wonders of travel. Has that all changed now? Will the current economic malaise seriously suppress the demand for travel in the US?

I’m afraid that, for some, the answer is yes. But it is not a universal or unqualified yes. First, let’s look at what has changed. Read the rest of this entry »

It seems like only yesterday that the American summer holiday started in the driveway, the family car fully packed with kids, toys, bikes, luggage and some rather hassled parents. Off they would go to the mountains or the beach, maybe grandma’s and perhaps a stop in a motel with a TV and a pool!

Ah yes, a summer ritual that rivaled the great Serengeti migrations! For diehards addicted to these events, two choices remain. One, recreate it if you can, or two, search the cavernous storage facilities at the Smithsonian. I’m sure they have captured a mid-twentyish century vacation in there somewhere. Read the rest of this entry »

That memorable and off repeated quote of Robert De Niro, from the movie Taxi Driver should also serve as a mantra for communicators who are trying to reach today’s potential travelers. I’m sometimes at a loss trying to figure out what message they are sending, and to whom.

The tremendous advantage technology brings to today’s communications is allowing us to tailor our conversations directly at a targeted segment. No longer are we faced with a one size fits all mentality. No longer are we bound by such real world factors such as printing time, shelf life of an offer, or a brochure. Today’s marketers can target, communicate, measure and move on to the next segment. Here are some suggestions which may help crystallize your next marketing campaign. Read the rest of this entry »