The global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has resulted in international tourist arrivals going down by as much as 90% in several countries, significantly impacting international trade and travel. The United Nations’ World Tourism Organization forecasts a drop in travel demands over 80% by the end of the year. Small and medium-sized businesses in the tourism industry are one of the most affected by this crisis.
If you’re one of them, here are tips to help you prepare for the travel and tourism industry’s future recovery and revive your business after the pandemic with ease.
Promote Domestic Tourism
Promoting domestic tourism is one of the most effective ways to ensure your business gets back on track. When the tourism market surges even after the pandemic, it’s likely many would still fear getting infected, meaning this will redirect tourists who usually travel abroad to domestic destinations. However, since you’re working with locals, you’ll need to create a package that they haven’t seen before.
Here’s how you can make the most out of domestic tourism:
- Include at least three different components to your packages for one reasonable price. Think of unique elements such as using ATVs for excursions, affordable and quality accommodation, and comfortable transport.
- Determine how you’re going to market the package by looking at people with shared interests and include elements that fulfill that, like cooking classes with locals or cultural experiences.
Although domestic tourism can’t fully replace foreign tourists, it’s a great and cost-effective start that you can dive into, helping you get your business back on track in no time.
Regional Tourism
After reviving your business domestic-wise, the next will be promoting your services to a regional level. Expanding to this gives you faster and significant returns than international travel because travelers will feel more comfortable with their neighbors. However, regional airlines might still be scarce after the pandemic, so make sure you investigate ahead to see what your best options are.
Take Advantage of Technology
Communicating through video conferences and webinars will drastically increase even after the lockdown since individuals have gotten used to these ways of staying in contact with their peers during the pandemic. That’s why it’s best if you take advantage of this and have calls or video meetings with potential clients, or make YouTube videos or host webinars to bring more traffic to your business.
It’s also wise to make virtual tours, but this will depend on your facilities for making these virtual tours. You can start with Google Tour Creator and expand from there. Additionally, you can also use virtual tours that your local tourism organization uses and promote your destination. Publishing these on your business’s website or social networks while adding a sub-brand will serve as high-converting promotional tools.
Work with Others
Although staying ahead of the competition is excellent for any business, it may not be ideal with the situation everyone’s going through. That’s why instead of competing against other SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), consider working with them. These can include accommodation suppliers, domestic and regional tour operators in other parts of your destination.
When you work together, you can be up to par with national tourism players and dive into new markets with unique and exciting ideas and packages.
Before the pandemic, the tourism industry was one of the world’s largest and dynamic sectors. Although it experienced some setbacks due to the situation, you can expect it to come back stronger than ever. Following the tips mentioned can help you revive your business alongside it.
