Destination Marketing Strategies: Tips to Increase Online Bookings for Unique Travel Experiences

As marketing director and co-owner of a remote area surfing and fishing lodge (www.theblackbasslodge.com) in Baja California, I've spent some time researching and testing various approaches to build awareness, attract new bookings, and encourage repeat business among our past guests. Our lodge is unlike your typical hotel or touristy location. In fact, we don’t even have a “real” address, so listing it on sites like Booking.com proved difficult. Marketing our unique property involves a lot of visual storytelling on social media in order to wind up in the discovery path of our very targeted audience - adventure travelers with a passion for fishing and surfing.  

Below are some observations and tips to get your unique travel destination in the research path of your target audience. 

Social Media as The New Search Platform 

In the past, travelers relied heavily on guidebooks and Google searches to discover new destinations. However, today, visual social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have emerged as the go-to sources for travel inspiration and planning, particularly among the Gen Z demographic. Numerous studies have shown that 40% of young individuals now prefer Instagram and TikTok over Google for destination exploration. This shift underscores the importance of leveraging these platforms to showcase the allure of your destination through real customer photos, influencer endorsements, and compelling stories, thereby instilling confidence in potential visitors via “social proof”.

Post Videos that Inspire
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Video content has emerged as a powerful tool for inspiring and informing travelers about new destinations. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Tik Tok provide an ideal canvas for destination marketers to showcase the highlights, activities, and experiences awaiting visitors - and quick 30 second videos are ideal. Post content that encourages curiosity, excitement and follow up questions. 

Encourage Repeat Customers

​Right now, our repeat customers (guests who return at least once a year) make up about 40% of our business. And each year, that number continues to grow. Social media is a great way to stay connected to them, but I find that email newsletters with special offers are also effective. Making guests feel extra special with discounts, invitations to special “owner's trips”, legacy rates, and “welcome back” gifts (something as simple as wine or case of beer when they arrive) are also great ways to encourage returning customers - and positive reviews. 

Reach out to Influencers 

​Collaborating with influencers, bloggers, podcasters and content creators further helps to reach niche audiences and tap into their engaged communities. And micro-influencers (those with a smaller but often more targeted following) tends to be more effective than the larger influencers.

Everyone is looking for fresh content to share. Reaching out to these recognized industry professionals by offering story ideas of interest to their target audience (and yours) is a great way to get in the right discovery path. 

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Experiment with Organic and Paid Social Media Strategies

In the realm of social media marketing, businesses have two main avenues: organic and paid strategies. Organic social media entails the creation of non-paid content to foster brand awareness and community engagement, while paid ads offer a targeted approach to expanding reach and driving conversions. Both avenues are essential components of a comprehensive marketing strategy, each serving distinct objectives and catering to different stages of the customer journey. Test both approaches by using both social media and google analytics to track which campaigns offer the best ROI for your time and budget. 

Search Engine Marketing still Plays a Role 
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Although social media is a top resource for discovering new destinations, search engines still play a role. Making sure your profiles are accurate and up-to-date on third-party platforms like TripAdvisor and Google My Business, will further help with overall exposure. And finally, making sure your own website is optimized for search engines and usability will help your guests make that final booking decision. 

Do you have additional insight and ideas for marketing unique destinations? I’d love to hear about it!

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Holly Berkley is a professional Online Marketing Consultant and author of eight Internet Marketing books. She focuses on helping all size businesses increase online sales and dramatically boost web site traffic through proven online marketing concepts. Berkley’s most recent book is “The Social Media Advantage – An Essential Handbook for Small Business” Learn about her latest books and marketing services at www.BerkWeb.com

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