email-marketing-for-the-travel-and-tourism-industry
26 February

Email marketing for the travel and tourism industry

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Table of contents
  1. Tips for crafting effective email marketing campaigns in the travel industry
  2. Types of marketing emails a travel industry needs today
  3. Wrapping up
1.
Tips for crafting effective email marketing campaigns in the travel industry

In recent years, the tourism industry has faced many challenges. Because of this, the way we use email marketing in travel and tourism has changed. It's not just about promoting destinations; it's about gaining customers’ trust, assuring them of safety measures, and showcasing the viability of travel in this new reality. Marketers need to adapt to these changes.

Tips for crafting effective email marketing campaigns in the travel industry

1. Guiding your email list subscribers every step of the way:

Think of your emails as a friendly tour guide who’s with your email list subscribers every step of the way. Make sure your emails provide them with the information and reassurance they need at each phase to prevent prebooking jitters to post-trip blues. Your emails should cover everything, including transfer flights and the best and easiest ways to get from terminal X to terminal Y so that your subscribers will not miss their flights. This continuous line of communication with them will make their journeys smoother and more enjoyable.

2. Adding the human touch:

It’s crucial for people to know there’s someone real behind the emails, someone they can count on.

Galina Panasyuk

Galina Panasyuk

customer relationship management specialist at Voyagu.
  • authenticity is key: Remember, nothing beats the warmth of human communication. So ditch the robotic tone and make your emails feel like they’re coming from a friend;
  • personalize your signature: Include a photo and your direct contact information in your emails. This small but powerful gesture shows that you’re a real person ready to assist, making the interaction feel more personal and trustworthy.

3. Staying updated:

The most important thing in tourism is to always be up-to-date with all the news and react to events in a timely manner.

Iryna Havryuchenko

Iryna Havryuchenko,

owner of a travel company.
  • timely communication: If a destination is going through a rough patch, such as an earthquake, pause any promotions and focus on providing updates to travelers who have already booked their trips;
  • flexible policies: Assure your clients that their safety and satisfaction are your top priorities. Highlight flexible cancellation policies or refunds in case of force majeure, offering your clients peace of mind alongside dream vacations.

4. Writing thoughtful follow-up emails:

  • post-booking etiquette: Bombarding recently booked travelers with new deals can be overwhelming. Instead, enrich their upcoming travel experiences with cultural insights, dos and don’ts, and practical tips tailored to their destination;
  • gentle reminders: A series of countdown emails can significantly enhance your clients’ pre-trip excitement. Include checklists and FAQs to ensure that they’re fully prepared for their adventures.

5. Offering seasonal promotions:

The first mentions of Christmas tours start in the summer, just as we advertise and start selling summer tours in October.

Iryna Havryuchenko,

Iryna Havryuchenko

owner of a travel company.
  • plan ahead: Start announcing your Christmas deals in summer, and lay the groundwork for summer vacations in October. This gradual buildup will keep the excitement alive and ensure that your offers are at the forefront when decision time comes.

6. Exploring new horizons:

  • diversify destinations: With the world constantly changing, some places may lose their appeal, while others gain popularity. Highlight emerging destinations, such as European river cruises or scenic train journeys through Switzerland, catering to travelers’ quests for novelty and safety.

7. Using personalization and segmentation:

  • know your audience: Avoid suggesting the same destination to someone who’s just been there. Use email list segmentation to tailor your offers based on your subscribers’ travel histories and preferences;
  • engage and discover: Periodically engage your subscribers with surveys to discover their current interests. This not only personalizes the experience but also makes them feel valued and understood.

Types of marketing emails a travel industry needs today

In an ever-evolving global landscape, agility and responsiveness are paramount for the travel industry’s email marketing efforts. Swiftly adapting your email campaigns to reflect real-time developments ensures that your messaging stays pertinent and considerate of the global situation.

1. Optimized subscription forms for travel agency email lists

Of course, this is a popup, not an email. But how will people receive promo emails if they don’t sign up for your newsletter?

Email Marketing for the Travel and Tourism Industry Subscription form

(Source: Travel Design USA, Inc.)

You can also offer bonuses for signing up for your travel marketing emails. For example, you can state something like “Provide your location’s climate information in the form below and get a short list of today’s most available travel directions” or “Subscribe and receive a ‘How to travel five countries for $XXX in five days’ checklist. This ensures that you won’t end up spending your sun-soaked holiday indoors due to unforeseen rains and bad weather.” This thoughtful approach not only personalizes the experience but also demonstrates your commitment to ensuring that your clients’ holidays are as perfect as they want them to be.

Email Marketing Strategy Subscription Form for Travel and Hospitality industry

(Source: Gap 360)

 I guess you get what I mean. Motivate your clients with things that they need.

Note:

After your email recipients connect with you via a filled-out subscription form, be sure to ask for their consent to receive promo emails from you, which they can indicate by verifying their email addresses and indicating their willingness to receive such emails (“double opt-in”). This is a very important thing to do.

You might also like

Subscription confirmation email: Best practices & examplessubscription-confirmation-email

2. Welcome emails for new subscribers in the tourism sector

Not mentioning this type of why email marketing matters in the travel business because email marketing is hard. In a welcome email, it’s nice to share information on the benefits a person will get from subscribing to your email list.

Example of a Welcome Email for Travel and Tourism companies

(Source: Email from Hipmunk)

In the travel agency welcome email, you can ask the subscribers about their preferences. Would they like to travel by train or by plane? What type of vacation do they prefer? What are their price limits? This information will allow you to segment your contact list to make travel emails more personalized and to smooth communication.

Or you can do it in a promo email.

Example of how to Ask Customers to Share Preferences _ Email Strategy for Travel and tourism companies

(Source: Hilton Honors)

3. Promo emails for exclusive travel deals and offers

Promo emails are the drivers of a travel agency’s email marketing strategy.

Let me show you some of the best travel email marketing strategies you can use to make your promo emails competitive.

Tip 1. Emphasize seasonal email marketing for travel destinations

Send travel emails related to dates, national holidays, cultural events, etc., and add a promo code for loyal customers. This tip has become a tool for travel email marketing because people like to travel even for a few days to celebrate Valentine’s Day, New Year, Christmas, Independence Day, or other important days.

Seasonal Emails as Part of Email Marketing Strategy _ The Travel and tourism Industry

(Source: Email from Universal Orlando Resort)

Tip 2. Enhance travel email campaigns with video content

Videos can be worth a thousand words. Be sure to actively use them in your own travel and tourism email marketing campaigns.

Tip 3. Ensure clarity and focus in the design of emails for travel promotions

The visual allure of your email design can captivate your audience at first glance. A well-crafted design featuring vibrant imagery and an inviting layout is instrumental in piquing the recipient’s interest and drawing their attention. While the textual content is undoubtedly crucial, it’s the aesthetics of the email that first engages the email recipient.

  • visual first: Begin with striking images that transport the email recipient to desirable destinations, stirring their emotions and sparking their wanderlust. These images are your first line of engagement, making them essential to the email’s overall impact;
  • concise content: Follow up with concise, compelling text that complements the visual narrative. A brief description alongside the price provides just enough information to intrigue, without overwhelming. This balance encourages further exploration;
  • design elements: Utilize fonts and backgrounds that enhance readability and aesthetic appeal, ensuring that the email is as enjoyable to read as it is to look at. The goal is to craft an email that’s not only informative but also a visual delight, encouraging clicks and fostering a deeper interest in the offerings.

By prioritizing design and pairing it with succinct, meaningful text, your travel promotion emails can effectively capture the essence of your destinations and entice recipients to embark on their next adventure with you.

(Source: Really Good Emails)

Key insight:

You can easily build interactive banners or AMP image carousels with Stripo. 

Tip 4. Offer special deals and discounts for loyal customers

Be sure to greet your customers on their birthdays. Then, tell them how many places they have visited with your travel agency and how many miles they have acquired from their trips, and congratulate them for these. Or celebrate their anniversary with your agency, such as a year from their first travel with you.

Also, offer them a discount for their next trip.

Tip 5. Send early campaigns for maximum engagement in email marketing for the travel and tourism industry

Of course, offering last-minute travel deals also works, but many people like planning vacations in advance. You may help them do this. For example, if you want to sell a trip for May, it’s better to begin the email campaign in winter, when people are thinking about how nice it would be to go somewhere as soon as the warm days come. When the hot summer ends, you can start Christmas email campaigns.

Email Marketing for Travel Business _ Early Birds Customers

(Source: Email from Universal Orlando Resort, sent on Jun 18)

Remember a simple rule:

Delegate any task that can be delegated. Instead of spending time creating the same email elements repeatedly, use Stripo’s Smart Elements.

4. Clear and informative booking confirmation emails

Always notify customers that you’ve processed their orders and saved their rooms/tickets/trips. Don’t make them nervous; send such emails immediately.

Also, a few follow-up emails and backup emails, such as those reminding customers of their future trips, will help.

Example of Follow-Up Emails for a Travel Company

(Source: Really Good Emails)

5. Dealing with abandoned carts through personalized emails

These emails are highly important for travel email marketing. Remind people about their wishes and choices. They may have simply forgotten to complete the checkout process, or they may have been interrupted and then lost the booking page link. They can be caught by your competitors, so you have to remind them of your offer’s advantages.

Of course, clients can doubt, so you have to assure them that your offer is the best choice, with the best price and quality.

Example of Abandoned Cart Emails for Travel Business

(Source: Really Good Emails)

6. Loyal-customer bonuses and special offers in membership emails

Everyone likes bonuses, especially significant ones. Here’s an example of how you can give rewards and benefits.

Example of Membership Emails _ Travel Industry

(Source: Hilton Honors)

This is a good way to make it possible for people to get something like a card that collects vouchers, discounts, bonuses, and so on. Many airlines have a bonus system where miles are accumulated, and customers can use this system in the future. You can come up with something similar using your imagination!

7. Effective post-purchase emails 

Communication with customers does not end with a purchase. What does this mean from an email marketing and writing content marketing perspective? It means building post-purchase digital marketing campaigns.

What to include in such emails:

  • weather conditions and weather forecasts for the towns/cities/countries your clients are visiting; 
  • local traditions that will help your clients not get into trouble there;
  • what clothes will be suitable for that place;
  • local events;
  • geolocation of the hotel where your clients are staying so they can easily find it;
  • sights in the towns/cities/countries your clients are visiting

Example of Follow-Up Emails Travel and Tourism Agencies can use

(Source: Really Good Emails)

8. Survey invitation emails for valuable feedback

Always ask your clients if they liked traveling with your company or enjoyed their business trip. You need to know if your clients are satisfied with your services. It will also help you pick more suitable tours for them. 

Note:

If you allow your clients to leave comments directly in emails, you will get 520% more reviews. Proven!

Wrapping up

The strategic insights provided in this article offer a roadmap for travel businesses to enhance their connections with their customers through adept email marketing. We’ve underscored the significance of well-crafted welcome emails and thoughtful post-trip communication, transcending conventional customer interactions.

Key takeaways include the importance of personal branding and authentic engagement to foster trust, the necessity of adapting to global events for timely and empathetic marketing, and the benefits of personalizing content to mirror each traveler’s unique preferences. These strategies are not merely tactics for promotion but are fundamental in forging genuine, enduring relationships with your audience, enriching their travel experience from inception to reflection.

As the travel industry continues to evolve, remember that the core of every effective email campaign is a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience, encouraging exploration and creating memorable experiences. At Stripo, we’re dedicated to helping you craft these narratives, transforming every email into a portal to new adventures.

Let’s design email campaigns that not only highlight travel offers but also captivate and transport your audience, setting the stage for increased sales and shared stories in the journeys ahead.

We’re always at your service. We’ll help you and your fellow email marketers implement your email strategy ideas.

I wish you many sales!

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