How many adverts have you seen today so far? Probably quite a few. If you’re a Millennial or member of the Gen Z age group, then you’ve probably seen even more. The two youngest generations of traveler today are by far the most advertised-to age groups. Spending much of their time online, whether in apps on a smartphone or browsing the web on a desktop, they’re bombarded with marketing messages from all manner of companies in all sorts of industries.

In the travel industry, it’s no different. But to really capture their attention, traditional marketing methods are no longer suitable. Special offers and promises of discounts won’t necessarily be enough to get these two generations booking with your travel agency, so follow these marketing tips for successful:

 1. Be authentic

As explored in our ebook – a guide to the travelers of 2020 for travel advisors – Gen Z and Millennials respond best to authenticity. This means going beyond the banner ads and emails, and creating content that communicates your company’s personality and ethos, and that will resonate on a deeper level with consumers. Forget salesy language – just be genuine. 

"One of the best ways to be authentic or genuine through your marketing content is with UGC – user-generated content. "

If you’ve sent someone on a once-in-a-lifetime trip recently, ask if they’ll let you share a photo or two, or even take over your Instagram account with their holiday snaps. If you’re traveling a lot for work, keep clients up to date with trip reports and photos on your social channels. Real people and real stories are the key to engaging younger travelers. 

 2. Create meaningful moments

The Havas Meaningful Brands survey states that people wouldn’t care if 77% of brands disappeared and that 58% of branded content isn’t meaningful. In order to become ‘meaningful’ to consumers, experts say your brand or company needs to have a higher level of importance in a person’s life than just the service or product it provides. “It's not the specific product but the actual mission and purpose behind it, and the experience I derive from engaging with that brand,” James Trezona, MD of storytelling agency Rooster Punk, told our writer. 

 
So for travel advisors and agencies, this means going beyond the “here’s a nice place to vacation” messaging and exploring the driving factors that make people want to travel.

"Use messaging that will convey the importance of travel and exploration for personal growth and education, as well as relaxation and fun."

DOWNLOAD NOW: Generational travel trends 2020: a guide to the travelers of tomorrow for travel advisors

3. Be visual and mobile

As our ebook guide to the travelers of 2020 states, Gen Z are obsessed with their smartphones. Millennials aren’t far behind in their smartphone use, either, and so it’s essential to be mobile with your marketing. This doesn’t just mean creating mobile-friendly websites, but also thinking about the visual aspect of your marketing messages on such devices. 

Vertical photographs on the likes of Instagram and Facebook are likely to catch more attention (as they’ll take up more of a smartphone screen as users scroll past), and using chatbots like Facebook Messenger, or having a WhatsApp number potential clients can contact you through, will make it easier for younger travelers to engage with you online.

Video is another important part of the marketing bundle when targeting younger generations – the huge success of networks like YouTube and Tiktok proves that video is important to these consumers, so consider building short, shareable videos into your strategy too. 

For more actionable insights and tips, download our ebook now.