Cooped up, fed up, and ready to get out into the world. That’s the mindset of many revenge travelers as they make plans for their long-awaited next adventures. Here’s how the travel industry can make the most of this new phenomenon.
What is Revenge Travel?
Stifled wanderlust mixed with a cautious optimism about the prospect of traveling has led to a new mindset among travelers. Many are calling this mindset “revenge travel” – and well, they’re not wrong. Revenge travel refers to the idea that after a year of travel alterations and cancelations, many people are extremely eager to travel and more determined than usual to make and keep their plans. As waves of hopeful travelers eagerly head to their search engines, the travel industry is presented with a golden opportunity to increase online travel bookings.
Making the Most of Revenge Travel
Travel bookings are soaring (pun intended) despite ongoing uncertainty. In fact, Labor Day 2021 alone saw nearly double the amount of 2020 travelers – increasing from 13% to 24%.
The revenge being sought by so many travelers is revenge against the limitations that have been put on their desire to vacation and visit loved ones. Their frustration over missed beach vacations and canceled holiday visits with family is fostering a desire to go all-in on their travel plans this time around. This means that the willingness is there – particularly among leisure travelers – to travel, and even book upgrades, extended stays, and multiple trips. With the right marketing campaigns and strategies, the travel sector can use this demand to their advantage.
How to Increase Online Bookings
Create Urgency
When shoppers are checking out a new pair of shoes online and see that several other people have been eyeing the same pair, they’re more likely to convert. The same goes for prospective travelers. Give vacation planners a virtual travel agent experience by dynamically showing them how many people are looking at the same booking.
Use Scarcity
After dealing with travel restrictions, nothing pushes revenge travelers to convert quite like the idea that their plans may slip through their fingers yet again. After a year of living vicariously through old vacation posts on social media, they’re eager to experience the real thing. Show them when there’s only a few reservations left at a certain hotel or within a certain price point. That gentle nudge could be just what they need to hit ‘Book Now’ and make it official.
Cross-sell
Remember when we mentioned revenge travelers’ willingness to go all-in on their vacation plans? Well, that’s where cross-selling comes in. This is a great time to create packages that allow prospective travelers to seamlessly combine hotel bookings, flights, cars, and experiences.
Highlight Existing Offers and Low Rates
Now is the time to front-load the best offers available. Reiterating existing offers and low rates inspires hopeful travelers to convert, without affecting the bottom line. Even beyond savings, use this time to highlight other value propositions that set you apart from competitors like a money-back guarantee, loyalty program, and other enticing features.
Catering to Uncertain Travelers
While revenge travel is all the rage right now, some travelers are still hesitant to set their plans in motion. Many American travelers are particularly cautious about international travel, opting instead for domestic travel destinations where they can be more certain about social distance rules. When it comes to more cautious planners, a little email personalization can go a long way.
A great strategy is to capture emails to stay top of mind. Offer to save prospective travelers’ trip details before they abandon the booking page. This gives them a clear path to pick up right where they left off when they’re ready commit. When remarketing to captured leads, be sure to personalize the messages with each user’s name, trip details, and other information.
A First Class Ticket to Increased Bookings
People are ready to get out there. Out of their homes, out of their local areas, and potentially even out of the United States. Now is the time for the travel industry to leverage that pent up demand from missed travels in 2020. These strategies are tailored to increase online bookings as revenge travel rages on.
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