Tourism Marketing Strategies for Multiple Generations
The tourism industry has enjoyed a steady increase in travel-related revenue over the year. Many travel destinations and hospitality-related organizations have resumed operational activities after the unexpected events that slowed industry growth in 2020. Developing and implementing effective tourism marketing campaigns has been critical to the success of tourism-connected organizations. The tourism industry often serves a broad target market - one that can be best engaged through market segmentation. Successful tourism marketing will engage multiple generations of travelers.
While the tourism industry has seen growth, it’s also encountered numerous challenges related to marketing, especially as it relates to multigenerational marketing. How do destinations communicate to adults aged 20 to 70 that their venue has re-opened and offers a worthwhile, memorable experience? Many potential tourists spent most of 2020 and part of 2021 social distancing and daydreaming about their travel bucket lists. Now that 2023 is here, these travelers are ready to explore!
The modern tourism market includes four primary consumer generations - Gen Zers, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers. All four of these generations engage with tourism brands and organizations in a unique way, thus, necessitating travel-related organizations to develop and implement an effective multigenerational marketing strategy to compete for and capture their attention.
Here are a few generation-specific strategies for modern tourism marketing:
Tourism Marketing Strategies for Baby Boomers
Born between 1946 and 1964, Baby Boomers are approximately 59 to 77 years old. This generation may have higher disposable income and more leisure time than younger generations. Depending on their involvement in the workforce, Baby Boomers may be more interested in leisure travel vs. business travel. Additionally, as this generation ages, the needs for accessibility both in person and online of travel venues and attractions are likely to become more important. From an organizational perspective, disability-inclusive options, such as ADA-accessible room access and Section 508-compliant digital communications, should be prioritized.
Here are a few key insights to marketing to Baby Boomers:
Prioritize video content in marketing campaign development. Baby Boomers' two favorite social media apps - Facebook and YouTube - are optimized for video content.
Evaluate the accessibility of marketing content and utilize Section 508 design practices.
Consider how aging is portrayed in marketing materials. Think about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) practices as they relate to senior citizen representation when developing content.
While most people think of Millennials and Gen Zers when discussing digital marketing, it's important to note that Baby Boomers are also very active online. Recent studies have shown that Baby Boomers average five hours a day on their smartphones. Thus, all marketing should be optimized for mobile display and delivery.
Baby Boomers may be traveling with their children and grandchildren, and be looking for destinations that offer fun experiences for travelers of all ages. Consider including multi-generational groups in your campaign content.
Tourism Marketing Strategies for Gen Xers
Born between 1965 and 1979, Generation X (Gen Xers) are currently between the ages of 44 and 58. Gen Xers live busy lives and are reaching the peak of their career, and may make up a sustainable portion of business travelers. Many Gen Xers are parents to children and caregivers to their aging parents. These overlapping responsibilities may present a “sandwiched” dynamic, as Gen Xers juggle responsibilities between a busy family life and demanding career. Consequently, Gen X travelers may have less free time than other generational cohorts of tourists.
A few key insights to marketing to Gen X travelers:
Email marketing can be very effective with Gen Xers - a demographic that tends to routinely check and maintain personal email addresses.
Integrated marketing strategies incorporating traditional and digital media can be effective when reaching this demographic of travelers.
Gen Xers often have higher disposable income than Gen Zers or Millennials, and are willing to invest in high-quality experiences. Travel destinations seeking Gen X tourists should clearly communicate luxury and value options.
Discounts appeal to Gen Xers, who are noted as being rather price conscious and skilled at scouting the Internet for a good deal.
Gen Xers tend to have a longer attention span than Millennials and Gen Zers, which can provide travel organizations an opportunity to engage with this demographic through long-form marketing content, such as blog posts and informative videos. This demographic responds well to authentic stories - stories that capture the full experience being offered. Incorporating storytelling techniques into marketing content can be an excellent way to capture the attention of Gen Xers.
Tourism Marketing Strategies for Millennials
Born between 1980 and 1996, Millennials are approximately 27 to 43 years of age. This generation is very active online, and tends to prioritize travel. Millennials nwere the first generation to adopt social media and have maintained high usage of social media as they progress through many adult life stages. Many Millennials document their lives online sharing personal and professional aspects of their day on a variety of social media platforms. Depending on the current life stage, Millennials may be single travelers, or parents traveling as a family - oftentimes with young children in tow. Millennials have not experienced the same financial rebound the Gen Xers have, in terms of personal wealth, so budget-friendly travel destinations are important.
Here are a few key insights to marketing to Millennials travelers:
Instagram is a vital component of Millennial marketing practices, so be sure to prioritize high-quality photos and imagery.
Millennials are very responsive to influencer marketing, especially when the influencers are reflective of the Millennial’s lifestyle and interests. The utilization of micro-influencers can help tourism organizations connect with diverse Millennial audiences.
Sustainable tourism practices are a high priority for many Millennial travelers. If your organization offers eco-friendly services, be sure to include this in your marketing!
Millennials tend to favor short-form digital content, and are likely to engage with content that can be consumed within a matter of a few seconds or minutes vs. a lengthy report or long video that requires a higher degree of attention.
Tourism Marketing Strategies for Gen Zers
Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z (Gen Z) is approximately 11 to 26 years old. Gen Zers are true digital natives - online users that may not recall the world before the emergence of the Internet, smartphones, and social media. This demographic relies heavily on social media and user-generated content to research travel destinations. They tend to be relatively immune to traditional advertising; thus, an online recommendation from a friend or influencer can carry a lot of weight in terms of Gen Z purchasing decisions.
A few key insights to marketing to Gen Z travelers:
Prioritize social media apps that Gen Zers are active on, including: Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram. While Tik Tok is very popular among Gen Zers, many governments have banned use of Tik Tok on government-issued devices. These updated regulations would affect government tourism organizations.
Gen Zers are seeking out experiences. Clearly communicate the unique experiences offered at the travel destination. Additionally, integrated digital marketing strategies that encourage Gen Zers to create user-generated content about the destinations and share this with their online networks can be very effective.
Demonstrate a commitment to effective customer service by responding in a timely manner to online communications from Gen Z travelers. This can include responding to comments and direct messages online.
While Millennials are noted as favoring short-form content, Gen Zers take short-form content to the next level as they opt for social media stories that communicate the message in just a few seconds.
Collaborate with Gen Z content creators and influencers to promote travel experiences, personalized itineraries, and unique destinations.
What does the future hold for tourism marketing?
Technology will continue to drive advancement in the tourist industry, and is very likely to directly impact marketing capabilities and consumer expectations. Artificial intelligence, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) are forecasted to drastically change the way people interact with brands and destinations. Immersive digital experiences are likely to become the norm vs. the exception. Adoption of these technologies is likely to appeal to all generations of consumers - not just Millennials and Gen Zers. Is your organization ready to engage prospective tourists online? Do you have the capabilities to deliver a high-quality, personalized experience in both the digital and physical realms? The future of travel will likely require seamless integration of these two worlds, both to capture customers and for tourists to share experiences.
Generational Marketing Strategies - Next Steps:
Becker Digital specializes in generational marketing campaigns and digital strategies. We help mission-driven organizations connect with Generation Z on and offline. Our team of experienced consultants specializes in bridging digital divides and engaging diverse audiences. Contact us today to discuss your organization’s mission and goals.
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