Staycation: tips and ideas for travel advisors
The staycation trend might be the perfect fit to address the growing demand for national travel, helping travel advisors to mitigate the effects of this crisis. Deep dive into the definition of this trend, and find out why it is relevant today, for every travel advisor worldwide.
The definition of staycation has changed recently. In the early 2000s, it referred to a vacation spent in one’s home, with holiday activities experienced in the surrounding area.
Recently the meaning of staycation has widened and it currently refers to a holiday spent within the same hometown, area, or region of residence.
While international travel bans will be in place, traveling nationally will be the only option for travelers, forcing travel advisors to offer a limited range of destinations. To overcome this challenge, it is important to work on strengthening your domestic travel portfolio, making sure to profit on this growing demand. Including a wider set of offers for staycation activities though, it’s not just a solution for the short term but can offer you the chance to differentiate your portfolio and have access to a bigger audience in the long run.
When it comes to staycations, package offers are the best option available. From activities + accommodation to all-inclusive ones, every travel advisor should start planning and assembling some interesting offers aimed at local travelers. Here are our best tips to help your agency promoting staycations:
Most of your customers opting to travel locally usually prefer short-time escapes over long holidays. Focus on widening your range of offers for trips and holidays lasting a few days only, like weekend getaways, that even if are not as remunerative as long-trips, might incentivize your customer to return.
With no language barriers, communication is easier. As a travel professional who lives in a community, you have knowledge about local habits, to tailor your offerings to your customer’s preferences. Knowing well the characteristics of your town, area, or region will be a key advantage in choosing the types of experiences you’ll be able to offer, exploring all the possible alternatives your surroundings can offer.
One of the biggest incentives for local travel is the lower price of the holiday. Short-trips and overnight stays packages can be quite affordable, which makes them an interesting gift idea that might provide you with some useful cash flow aid.
It is a wise idea to work on establishing a network of partnerships with local companies and associations. This will provide support to your community while helping you expand your connections. Don’t be hesitant to reach out to them and discuss offers they might be willing to promote through your agency!
Activities and events lasting a single day, can be much more appealing as part of a package that includes an overnight stay in a luxurious facility. Extra comforts and premium services can be the biggest incentive for customers traveling locally.
The characteristics of every area can make a big difference in the number of ideas for a staycation that travel advisors can use to promote domestic travel offers. Check out the list below to get inspired by some of the best ideas:
Exploring a museum and visiting local monuments is something that usually almost only a tourist would do! Creating packages that will include these activities and cultural events can help your agency to sell staycation offers to locals, and make them feel tourists in their own town or region.
Food, wine, and brewery experiences are on the rise, and experiencing local cuisines is one of the biggest drives for travelers worldwide. Offering a staycation package that includes local product’s tasting can be extremely intriguing for travelers, and it could be a chance to experience their surroundings in a new way.
Relief from stress and relaxation are still some of the most important reasons why people want to travel. With facilities that can provide wellness treatments there’s no need to travel far away! You can offer your customers a relaxing getaway near home! With the right booking engine, you can have your customer’s ideal destination at your fingertips.
Targeting couples with tailored made offers for short getaways can be helpful! Travelers searching for romance are one of the best target audiences for staycation offers, and if their escape is positive there are high chances they might be willing to replicate the experience.
Hiking tours for rural and countryside areas and city walking tours are a trend on the rise. Packages including these types of activities can be a great opportunity for your customer for sightseeing and looking at the surrounding area with a different perspective from the daily routine.
Attracting local travelers might be the winning card for every travel agent worldwide, and it is in every travel professional’s best interest to be aware of every trend, in order to maximize the chances of achieving this. Find out all you need to know about getting ready for the upcoming growth of the domestic travel demand by downloading our latest ebook.
In our domestic travel eBook you’ll find out:
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