OTA Vs Direct Bookings: How To Find The Right Balance
The debate around focusing on OTA vs direct booking channels is not a new one. There are advantages...
Sometimes, it is not about how life-changing your religious tour is (because we already know how great it is!). Rather, how you are marketing it?
Even with all of the right elements in place to give attendees the religious or spiritual experience they are looking for, there will be empty spaces on your tour if you don’t market it properly.
That is why we have put together some travel marketing ideas that will help you to promote your trips as well as your tour operator business. Putting them to action will soon see you filling up trip places and sending your clients on the journey of a lifetime.
Download FREE eBook
The Ultimate Guide To Scaling Your Tour Operator Business
A 150-page guide that covers everything from establishing a winning travel brand to delivering a market-leading service
Travel Marketing Ideas For Religious Tour Operators
It is always a smart idea to put together a plan before you dive in. Set your goals, outline a strategy to follow, and figure out some of the finer details before you go to market. For example, if you aren’t sure about who you ideally want to take on your religious tour, how can you reach them in your marketing and encourage them to sign up for your trip?
The other benefit of having a travel marketing plan is that you will have a record of the channels you are using. Should you fail to fill your tour spaces, you can take a look to see what produced results and what didn’t. Equipped with this knowledge, you can decide on what to try next to get better results.
Start With An Amazing Website
Your website is the window to your tour operator business. Clients looking in should be able to see what your business values are, and understand why it is the best company to take them on a transformative journey they won’t forget.
Beautiful imagery should be on display, and detailed tour descriptions should be available. Make sure that everyone knows exactly what sets you apart from your competitors. This is your space, and your time to shine. Use it to really showcase your faith-based tours or pilgrimages, and convince travelers who are seeking inspiration to join you.
In addition to being visually appealing and descriptive, your website should also provide a simple user experience. This includes easy site or booking page navigation, a convenient way to accept online payments, and online booking capabilities.
Be Social On Your Social Media Platforms
Nearly all of your clients and potential clients are going to be on social media. They use it for discovery, connection, communication, and in the case of businesses, to validate reputation among other things.
That is why you need to be active on the platforms your target audience is on; to build relationships with the people you want to attract to your religious tours.
There are many ways to use your social media accounts for travel marketing, and you can capture people at all stages of the sales funnel on them.
With the right strategy and content, you can draw in the interest of people who do not yet know about your tours, share valuable and insightful content with those who have already booked their spot, as well as keep past customers engaged and interested.
List On An OTA
Working with an Online Travel Agency (OTA) is a great way to get your religious tour in front of a large audience. They are recognized throughout the travel industry, and travelers know exactly where to find them online. Essentially, they are a global platform that has a far larger audience than most other travel marketing channels.
Because many OTA’s now focus on travel styles and experiences, not only destinations, there is sure to be one to fit your specific niche.
Partner With A DMO or Local Tourism Board
See if the local tourism board, or a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), that operates in the destination where you lead your religious tours is interested in listing your business on their website or directory. This way, any travelers who contact them for information on religious tours in the area will get access to your information.
Create A Blog On Your Website
Having a blog on your website provides several benefits when it comes to travel marketing.
As a religious tour operator and organizer, you know all there is to know about the destinations, people, and experiences that travelers will encounter on their journey with you.
Take this opportunity to write blog posts that share a bit of this valuable knowledge. Not only will this help to establish you as an authority on the subject matter, but you can use it to improve the SEO on your website by targeting the right keywords which your potential clients search.
Your clients and potential clients will see the value in this too. They will get to know more about what you do and gain deeper insights into the tour or pilgrimage they are interested in taking.
Use Effective Opt-In Email Marketing
Once you have a blog setup, you can create what is known as a lead magnet. This is an authoritative piece of content that your website visitors will find useful and want to get access to.
In exchange for access, you ask them to sign up with their email address. Be sure to outline what you will do with the address, for example, send one article per week or promotional emails for your upcoming tours.
The key is to be upfront about what you will be using their email address for (no one likes spam). From there, you can enjoy the benefits of email travel marketing. It is a highly effective method of getting your content and promotions in front of the right people, as most of us check our email daily, if not more frequently.
Provide Clients With An Unbeatable Experience
In general, travel is an incredibly personal and life-changing experience. Factor in faith-based tours and you know that your clients are looking for something that will change their perceptions, deepen their spirituality, and move them as a person.
When you provide this sort of travel experience, your clients will talk about this to their friends, family, and like-minded community. After that, your next tour could be filled with the people who have heard all about you from a source they trust.
Word of mouth marketing is one of the most valuable travel marketing methods you can use. It costs you nothing, and you know that you have done what you set out to do; provide people with a life-changing experience.
Using these travel marketing tips should have you filling up your religious tour spaces in no time. Keep checking back for more tips to organize your tours and manage your religious tour operator business successfully.
About the author
