As the Easter holiday draws closer, many travelers are looking forward to spending some quality time away from their normal schedules. Other than those who are running away from the hustle and bustle in the city, there are other travelers who are looking for something new, an exquisite experience.
Everyone has something to look forward to when Easter is around the corner. We also have the lovers, those who have planned to exchange vows, those who intend to propose to their
significant others on a romantic getaway, or those who have an annual Easter trip planned for family or friends.
For businesses within the travel industry, the four days of Easter can be hectic, especially if you do not plan accordingly. Easter holiday planning is not confined to the days off between Thursday and Tuesday. You have an entire calendar month to plan for, and a few days after.
Granted, some people will be unable to take a break from their schedules and will have to take their Easter break after the official holiday is up.
What this means for your business is the need to segment your planning accordingly. If your plan starts on Good Friday and ends on Easter Monday, you are missing out on so much and will keep losing to your competitors. First, you must understand what your target audience is after.
To do this, you need to know the type of tourism you are catering to. Here is I Like Local’s customer success story on how we used analytics to optimize their tourism business.
Role of data analytics in tourism
With all this in mind, let’s look at the role of analytics and data in making your tourism business a success.
“You learn important things about them to help you answer questions like who, what, where, why, and when. Eventually, answers to these questions align with your marketing objectives, and the bottom line – your financial returns.”
One of the perks of data analysis is that you learn more about your guests. You learn important things about them to help you answer questions like who, what, where, why, and when. Eventually, answers to these questions align with your marketing objectives, and the bottom line – your financial returns.
Understand your visitors
Data analytics over and above the Easter period will help you know who your visitors are. Do not work with a blanket assumption that people will visit. Know who they are, where they are from, what thrills they seek, and how to meet their demands. This is what makes the difference between a successful venture and the others.
Case in point, a lot of people, currently prefer homestays over hotel stays during their holidays. Among other reasons, these homestay options offer a homely feeling. A traveling family will probably love this option over a hotel stay. The family feels more comfortable in a home of their own. Homestay owners who have understood this have gone ahead to provide other services to appeal to their clientele, including a resident chef if necessary.
What analytics brings to the table is an improvement of the traditional demographics that all tourism players have, like age, gender, and income range. Through analytics, you know some of the suitable platforms where you can market your holiday package to your audience, their lifestyle, and the best marketing approach that they appreciate.
Guest markets
Tourism analysis also gives you a peek into the guest markets. When you know the key source of your audience, it is easier to plan accordingly. You will know the best media sources to purchase advertising space, the right influencers to push your agenda, and so forth. The idea here is to help you find the right channels to concentrate your marketing efforts and look forward to amazing yields.
Packaging your deals
Things are not the same anymore. Some of the things people used to enjoy about your destination ten years ago are not as alluring anymore. Most traditional agencies still insist on using the exhausted packages blindly.
With the right data at your behest, you can create new experiences for your guests. Of course, most people would love to visit the beach and while the time away. However, that and game drives are not all there is to tourism.
Some knowledge about your audience might tell you they would welcome the idea of a night out in some of the finest restaurants or nightclubs in your city. You can include a tour of some of the infrastructural marvels within your city and so forth. Big data allows you to think outside the box, and widen the scope of your holiday packages.
Reliable intel
One of the reasons why most players in the tourism industry struggle are because they rely on surveys. Over the years, surveys have become unreliable. Some businesses pay users to write untrue reviews. Some people fill in survey forms and provide misleading information. A lot of surveys are filled by people who have never had a real-life experience with what they are writing about.
Data analytics, however, is based on real actions, tangible evidence that has a paper trail. These are actions that have been examined, and there is proof that they exist. You use real statistics to identify and examine trends and make plans for your business. The tourism industry is one that thrives on information.
You come across interesting statistics about the number of visitors who come to a given country over a specific period of time, but nothing more after that. You should not rely on such information stubs. Go the extra mile. Work with a capable data analytics team to help you get professional insight into such information.
Clients in the tourism industry leave a lot of digital footprints wherever they visit, and this information can tell you so much about your business, and how to position your venture for the Easter holidays and beyond.