When Hays Travel announced it planned to reopen all 555 Thomas Cook stores, it is fair to say many were bemused by the decision. Why in this digital age, and with the continued uncertainty of Brexit, would a travel agent choose to go back into the high street, rather than investing in digital or social media marketing, especially when trying to attract business from young people?
The recently published Holiday Habits report from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) may have the answer. Azalea’s digital media manager, James Robbins, discusses some of the key findings from the report:
Destinations are continually looking at new routes to market to ensure they remain an enticing proposition for tourists – using digital and traditional methods in tandem to reach new and existing travellers.
The general assumption about younger generations booking holidays is that, after deciding on the destination, it is a case of independently searching through comparison sites, such as Skyscanner or Booking.com, to find a hotel and flight that is right for the cheapest price.
The assumption is preceded by the initial route to market being a sponsored advert or post from an influencer or content creator.
To support this, modern marketing experts Econsultancy found that 40 per cent of people under the age of 33 prioritise the aesthetic and photographic value on Instagram, rather than looking at the price of food and drink, or what else there is to do in the area.
What is now being dubbed as ‘The Insta Effect’ is the clearest indication yet of the changing needs of consumers, and puts more emphasis on destinations having a strong digital presence.
However, you would be mistaken for thinking that would make the role of a travel agent obsolete within the next decade.
ABTA’s Holiday Habits stats show that those aged between 18 and 24 are the most likely to book a holiday in store, with 22 per cent having done so within the first seven months of 2019.
And 28 per cent of people within that age demographic, who booked a holiday online, sought additional assistance from an online chat.
It appears that some of those aren’t using Skyscanner to take to the skies at all. The fastest growing market in the cruise industry was the 18 to34 demographic – 33 per cent would be interested in a three to five-day sailing holiday.
This surprises me, as I can’t think of a time where I have been the recipient of targeted social media advertising, although that could be about to change with this report.
Interestingly, the report indicates the lack of activity could be why the cruise market has seen an increase in popularity. The ABTA report concluded that consumers are relying less on social media for inspiration and instead sought advice from friends, family and brands.
While, through work conducted with Azalea, I don’t believe that statement to be entirely accurate, there is a debate about whether brands have been too dismissive of the traditional methods, of which the cruise industry is now reaping the benefits.