Email marketing for the travel and tourism industry

The past couple of years have been quite challenging for tourism because of Covid restrictions. Now when people are willing to make up for the missed travel opportunities, it is important not to miss your chance as a business to gain new customers and return old ones.

Travel email marketing is a nice way to notify your customers about open borders, interesting package deals, and new options for traveling inside your country.

What is the role of email marketing in the Tourism and Travel industry?

To provide your clients with the best service at all stages of cooperation, from the subscription form to the thank you email. Communication via different channels is the only way to sell such a high-priced product as a vacation package in 2022 and 2023.

To see photos with smiles on your client’s faces when they are making it near Times Square in NY or Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona, you have to hold their hands from the first email till the time they make it to the airport and even further.

(Source: Email from Gap 360)

What exactly you can do with the right email marketing strategy:

• start relations with appropriate and well-designed welcome emails to show benefits;

• interest potential customers who subscribed to your news and updates and keep loyal ones who already purchased your service;

• share valuable information on the upcoming trip, such as contact for emergencies, interesting sights to see, seasonal events, etc., to be a good assistant and retain customers;

• give clients exclusive deals and flash sales by designing creative campaigns to help your tourism business;

• share with potential customers feedback and user-generated content from your audience to show that they can trust you;

• give an opportunity to easily find details on deal packages by adding links to relevant information in emails;

• offer personalized emails based on email segmentation to encourage customer journey and boost sales.

Use other marketing moments you can think of to raise a number of new customers and transform them into returning customers.

So, travel email marketing is a must today. And this is what we will talk about in this article — all the best practices and examples of email marketing campaigns. 

Tips on how to create powerful email campaigns for the travel and tourism industry

1. Stay brand consistent

Work with a neat and distinguishable brand identity. Use your brand colors, logo, fonts, and visual elements so your new customers will get accustomed to you faster and your old ones will remember all perks of your services.

Use this template

2. Create a compelling subject line

One more crucial element of email marketing is a correct subject line. We've prepared a few examples of such lines:

• The ultimate Africa adventure guide — FlipBoard;

• Travel essentials—pack less, do more — Patagonia;

• Your last chance to book summer in California ☀️ — Outsite;

• Your early-access invitation to Napa Valley is here — Aero;

• Don't waste a moment this summer — Aero;

• Labor Day staycay ⛱️ — HotelTonight;

• Introducing Our Brand New Savings Pass! — Fort Myers;

• 🏜 4 reasons to take the scenic route — Vacasa.

3. Use different channels

Connect email marketing with social media channels by placing links to your profiles in the email's footer, like in the example below.

Use this template

Word of advice

Remember a simple rule — delegate any possible job. Instead of wasting time on creating the same email elements repeatedly, use Stripo's Smart Elements; use prebuilt email templates; set up automated emails with a suitable email marketing software.

Types of marketing emails a travel industry needs today

1. Subscription from

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

(Source: Travel Design USA, Inc.)

You can also offer bonuses for signing up for your emails. For example, you can provide something like “Fill in the forms below and get a short-list of the most available travel directions for now” or “Subscribe and receive a check-list “How to travel 5 countries for $XXX in 5 days”.

(Source: Gap 360)

I guess you got what I mean. Motivate them with things they need. 

2. Welcome email

Not mentioning this type of email in travel email marketing is hard. After greeting your subscribers, it is nice to share some information on the benefits a person would get from being subscribed to you.

(Source: Email from Hipmunk)

In Travel agency welcome emails, you can ask them about their preferences. Would they like to travel only by train or plane is preferable? What type of rest do they prefer? Or what are their price limits? This information will allow you to segment your contact list to make travel emails more personalized and soothe communication. 

Or you can do it in a promo email.

(Source: Hilton Honors)

Important:

After users connect with you via a subscription form and share their email address with you, be sure to ask for their consent, meaning they need to verify their email address and willingness to receive promo emails from you. This is a very important thing to do, called Double Opt-in.

For more information on how to build subscription confirmation emails, please refer to our “Subscription confirmation emails” blog post.

3. Promo emails

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

Use this template

“Make a Customer, Not a Sale,” said Katherine Barchetti, retail business specialist. Understanding this quote is how to get successful sales and increase your clients' LTV (Lifetime Value).

Let me show you a few of the best practices you can use to make your promo emails competitive.

Tip 1. Share several offers and many photos at a time

You never know what the customers need right at the moment. Even if clients tell you about their preferences, you must add a few other offers below the one they prefer. In case they change their plans and wishes. 

(Source: Email template from Stripo)

Use as many pictures as possible when you display one place from one offer. Show the best of this location.

Tip 2. Remember about Seasonal email marketing

Send the emails related to dates, national holidays, cultural events, etc.; add a promo code for loyal customers. This tip became a tool in the email marketing travel industry. 

People like to travel even for a few days to celebrate Valentine’s Day, New Year, Christmas, Independence Day (or other important days in other countries), and it is a nice time to use it for your advance. 

(Source: Email from Universal Orlando Resort)

Tip 3. Use video in travel emails

Videos can be worth a thousand words.

Be sure to actively use them in your travel email marketing.

Tip 4. Stick to Clarity

Try to keep it short when it comes to using words. 

Picture — short description — price. Briefly written information with good font and background + juicy pictures that cause emotions is everything you need. 

(Source: Really Good Emails)

Important:

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

Tip 5. Offer discounts on special occasions

Be sure to congratulate your customers on their birthdays. Tell them how many places they have visited with your company and how many miles they have passed with you. Or celebrate your anniversary, like a year from their first travel with you.

And offer a discount for the next trip.

Tip 6. Start sending your promo campaigns early

Of course, we remember about Last Minute Deals, but many people like planning vacations in advance. You may help them out.

For example, if you want to sell the trip for May, it is better to begin the campaign in Winter when people are thinking about how nice it would be to go somewhere as soon as the warm days come. 

At the same time, when the hot Summer ends, you can start on the Christmas campaigns. 

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

4. Booking confirmation email

Always notify customers that you have processed their orders and that their rooms/ tickets/ trips are saved.

Don’t make them nervous — send such emails immediately.

(Source: Really Good Emails)

Also, success lies in a follow-up email, like a reminder email with valuable content for customers to refresh details.

5. Abandoned cart email

Such emails are highly important for the email marketing travel industry. Remind people about their wishes and choices. 

People have different reasons or circumstances. They might have simply forgotten to complete the checkout because of being interrupted and then lost the booking page link.

They also can be caught by the competitors, and you have to remind them of the advantages of your offer. 

(Source: Really Good Emails)

Clients can doubt. Of course, it happens. In this way, you have to ensure that your offer is the best choice with the best price and quality. 

6. Emails with bonuses for trips or Membership emails

Everyone likes bonuses, especially significant ones. Here are a few examples of how you can give rewards and get benefits.

(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 that in the future. You can come up with something similar using your imagination!

7. Post-purchase emails 

Communication with customers does not end with a purchase. Remember I wrote that you must always hold your client's hand?

What does it mean from an email marketing perspective? Building post-purchase campaigns.

What to include in such emails:

• weather conditions and weather forecast for the town/country your clients are going to; 

• local traditions that will help the clients not get into trouble there;

• tell them what clothes will be suitable for that place; 

• local events;

• geolocation of the hotel your clients are staying in so they can easily find it;

• sights of the country/city.

(Source: Really Good Emails)

8. Survey invitation email

Always ask customers if they liked traveling with your company or enjoyed their trip.

You need to know if your clients are satisfied with your services. It will also help you pick more suitable tours for them. 

Important:

If you allow your clients to leave comments directly in emails without leaving them, you will get 520% more reviews. Proven!

Final thoughts 

Any marketing channel should be used to achieve your goals. Use the required email marketing software, work on the subscription form on landing pages and special deals, and create clear subject lines and appealing targeted emails, — the limit is your imagination.

And we are always here at your service. We'll help you or your fellow email marketers to implement their ideas.

I wish you many sales!