The pandemic has affected the tourism sector and will have an impact on travel in the coming years. International tourism, for example, will still take a while to arrive, and local or national tourism will be encouraged first. Also, the confidence of a traveller who still feels fear or respect to travel in closed means of transport and with many people, such as airplanes, must be restored. People feel safer in large, open spaces, a trend that will be key in tourism. Escaping the crowds and finding outdoor spaces will be an experience that people will pay for. There is a tendency to move away from mass tourism and opt for more natural or rural tourism experiences.

All these changes in traveller behaviour and trends in the tourism and travel sector make a good marketing and communication strategy more important than ever for companies in this industry, to regain the confidence of tourists and convince them that they can travel safely.

These are the 5 marketing trends for 2021:

  • Going back to the basics of SEO: At a time when travellers search for information on the Internet and buy online, finding us when they browse the internet through keywords in your area, industry or type of business is more important than ever.
  • Empathy beats promotion: We are in a difficult time for everyone. Many people may have been affected by the pandemic, either healthily or financially. And deciding what message to launch through social networks or e-mail marketing is increasingly delicate. Most importantly, brands must show empathy in their communications and focus less on sales and promotion. You have to connect with the potential customer and tell stories that come to them through good storytelling.
  • Safety comes first: Recovering trust is essential, and to achieve this we must convey that our destination, hotel or restaurant is a safe place. That is why it is necessary to show and explain well all the hygiene and safety measures adopted, either through written or visual content. Besides, all this information must be easy to find on our website, social networks, newsletters, etc.
  • Flexible conditions in reservations: If in 2020 many tourists already suffered from the fear of losing their reservations made before the pandemic, now in 2021 the situation will not change. Because we are still in a moment of uncertainty and health restrictions can make it possible to travel at the time of buying a flight ticket, for example, and two days later it is already prohibited. That is why providing the reservation conditions would make it easier for the client to not think so much before buying because he knows that if in the end, he cannot make his trip, he will be able to recover his money without problems.
  • Instagram is a “must”: For the tourism sector, Instagram is its social network par excellence, with great potential to tell stories and convey messages to and interact with customers. In addition to the visibility it offers for a destination, hotel or restaurant.

These are just some of the trends that can be seen in the face of this new year, in which little by little we are going to reactivate tourism. A year in which companies in the sector need tools more than ever to regain the confidence of the traveller. Discover all these trends, strategies and more from November 10 to 12 at TIS2021.