There’s no shortage of tourism hotspots coaxing us to part with our money, so how can attractions possibly stand out?
Since the pandemic, there has been a rise in demand for holidays within the UK, and that’s led to a boom in glamping sites, short-term holiday lets, outdoor adventures, kiosks and eateries. People now have more options on where to go, what to do and where to stay, but if you run one of these businesses, it’s harder to get your destination noticed, let alone chosen.
Here’s how tourism businesses can stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
Understand how travellers pick their next holiday
An abundance of choice has changed where and how people book. In fact, it’s fundamentally reshaped how they make basic decisions.
Few people will book a room or buy a ticket without thoroughly researching it first. They expect to see photos, videos and virtual tours to help them make a decision. They also want to read reviews and overviews to see exactly what they can expect and how it measures up to the alternatives.
Most people now find travel destinations through their social media feeds and through the recommendations of online creators, rather than through travel agents or brochures. Online advertising can help, but inspiration and insights are more likely to come from TikTok, Instagram or YouTube and then the real research continues online.
This should inform your approach, so it is critical that you get your own social media and website up to scratch.
Make your website useful and attractive to tourists
As well as wanting to see everything, holiday shoppers often also want to see everything listed so there are no unpleasant surprises (what, no towels??).
This is especially true of families with young children, who often need to plan everything to the minute degree well in advance.
Do you have a bath or shower? How many HDMI ports are on the TV? How big is the fridge? What’s on the menu? What are the dietary options you cover? Is there a high chair available? Do you have accessible toilets?
Not everyone needs to know everything, but listing it all on your website means that you’re not missing out on those who do. You’ll also be improving your chances of appearing on people’s searches or AI requests for a holiday that’s exactly what they’re after.
Of course, while the details matter, you also need to appeal to the heart by showing people what your holiday business really feels like.
Paint a picture of what visitors stand to gain and how they will feel when they visit. After all, when you cast your mind back to some of your happiest, more cherished memories, it’s how you felt that you remember – not what was on your itinerary.
Price point still matters, of course, but travellers are increasingly weighing up experiences as a whole and the feeling that somewhere offers them, rather than something tangible. It’s less about having a nice day out and more about chasing the much loftier question “what will make me feel good?” If you can pin that down, upselling your offering becomes that much easier.
Don’t make booking a journey in itself
If your website is ugly, hard to use, slow or confusing, you’ll be losing potential customers.
48% of people will only wait 10 seconds for a web page to load before they leave and go elsewhere. 84% say the design of a website influences whether they make a purchase and one in five say it determines whether a website is trustworthy and credible.
The quality of your website also affects how easily your business can be discovered. By using SEO to optimising your website to appear highly on relevant searches, you can literally get ahead of your rivals and win new clients.
Of course, website content also affects people’s views of your business in a more traditional sense because the look and feel and the way you describe what you have to offer can also make a difference, but while this begins on your website, it certainly doesn’t end there.
For many travellers, planning unfolds gradually across search engines, review platforms, maps, social media and, increasingly, AI-powered recommendations. Rarely does a single interaction seal the decision. Instead, confidence accumulates through repeated encounters with a business that appears credible, consistent and easy to find, so you need to make sure your business looks good across all of your digital media.
A well-optimised website, accurate business listings and genuinely useful content all contribute to that process. None is especially glamorous in isolation, but, ogether, they ensure that when somebody is ready to choose, your business is already familiar.
Build trust in tourism with public relations
With AI-generated content making everyone second-guess what’s real and what isn’t, trust and authenticity are among the most important markers for a successful business.
Information on websites is unsubstantiated, reviews can be bought and photos can be faked – so the more ways you can affirm that you are a real business people can trust, the better.
Public relations (PR) can be your secret weapon in this regard. A well-written article published by a reputable news website or travel blog can give you the credibility and authority that prospective customers are looking for. Third party media content also helps you reach bigger audiences, communicate key messages and help your website to perform better in search results, so its impact can be utterly game-changing.
Carrington excels in securing media coverage that people can trust, securing news articles, reviews and exposure in national, trade and regional press – ensuring that your audience is aware of your offering and that they see you on channels they trust.
For example, before we started working with historic house, Harlaxton Manor, the awe-inspiring architectural marvel was something of a hidden gem that even people in the local area didn’t know about. Now, we secure more than a hundred items of coverage for the manor each year, promoting its events and open days in outlets ranging from regional lifestyle publications such as Lincolnshire in Focus to local news outlets such as the Leicester Mercury and HITS Radio.
Other events and seasonal staples you’ll have heard of, including The Lincolnshire Show, The Drill, Doddington Hall and Revesby Country Fair, have all invested in PR to sell tickets and fill seats. What’s stopping you?
Marketing support for tourist destinations and attractions
Whether your social media, website, PR or advertising needs a helping hand, we can help you. We work with you to understand your audience, communicate with confidence and make you impossible to overlook. Get in touch with our expert team today to increase interest in your tourism business with persuasive marketing that really resonates.
