Influencers v. advertisers - why travel marketing is transforming

Forget the glossy brochures with their stock images of paradise – today’s travelers want a glimpse of the real deal to inspire their next trip. That’s why they so often turn to the forum that can truly offer the authenticity they seek – social media. 

When seeking inspiration, most travelers (52%) tend to default to their friends and family. After all, it’s hard not to be enchanted by the pictures in a friend’s slideshow when they are accompanied by stories of travel adventures, success and mysteries. 

Afterwards, many of these snapshots get posted to social media with the hope that they elicit similar feelings among others in their network. It makes sense then that social media is the next best source of travel inspiration (35%), already overtaking traditional channels including travel agents (29%), travel media publications (26%) and TV and film entertainment (25%). And who spends the most time on social media? Gen Z. Roughly 90% of Gen Z adults spend at least one hour on social media platforms every day, and close to half spend more than three – far more than older generations. 

With purchasing demographics getting progressively younger, marketers within the travel sector will need to switch up their tactics to meet younger classes of travel enthusiasts on their digital turf. 

Organic content 

A travel ad on a pamphlet or a billboard can never offer the same interpersonal, trustworthy insight that a friend, or even a well-liked influencer can. Indeed, the value of user generated content (UGC) – text-based posts, pictures and videos – lies in its ability to convey experiences that feel truthful and authentic to the target audience.

A recent marketing analytics study found that browsing through travel-related UGC significantly influences potential tourists’ desire to visit those same destinations. The results align with advertising research from 2018 that revealed 84% of Gen Z travelers find someone else’s vacation photos and video posts to be particularly influential. 

UGC, unlike traditional marketing campaigns, can portray the lesser-known areas and hidden gems of any destination through a perspective that resonates with viewers – one that enables them to envision what visiting these places would really feel like. And as the data suggests, travel-related UGC is increasingly a deciding factor. Accordingly, marketers would do well to invest in pushing organic, user-generated promotional materials when possible.

For travel marketers to expand their customer base – particularly into younger demographics – they should consider fostering UGC on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, the latter of which has become the most used platform among Gen Z. Securing their attention can be accomplished, for example, by forging partnerships with influencers so they can generate additional value for businesses as brand ambassadors. 

Value matchup 

Not only does travel-based content need to hit that sweet spot between authenticity and eye candy, it also needs to cater to the progressive values younger generations overwhelmingly embrace. In part due to Gen Z’s general tendency to support businesses that fall into the category of ethical and sustainable tourism – those that openly support equality, diversity, or climate-friendly causes, among others – the sustainable tourism market is projected to grow by $335 billion throughout the next four years. 

It’s a marketing gold mine – in order to make their trips even more impactful and fulfilling, today’s consumers increasingly want to make educated purchasing decisions with businesses they feel share their values. 

As such, companies in tourism areas should provide information beyond basic perks and amenities and strive to include details marketers can highlight in their digital content to appeal to specific traveler sensibilities. For instance, a bus or rail company could emphasize their lines’ safety rating for solo female travelers. In that same vein, businesses could divulge any charitable efforts or disclose any initiatives they may support for struggling local communities, to name a few. 

Creating UGC that highlights these various ethical values will not only ensure steady satisfaction among consumers, but marketers will also likely see greater returns over time – especially as Gen Z and subsequent tech-savvy generations dominate more and more of the consumer market. 

What’s your story? 

Organic UGC that spotlights lesser-known areas and humanizes various cultural activities paints a picture of international and domestic travel in a way that younger viewers find more relatable and accessible than standard ads.

Investing in value-oriented influencers who back sustainable-minded brands will go a long way towards reaching this demographic. Ultimately, marketers who leverage major social media platforms will be able to tell these compelling stories so that travelers will want to be a part of them. Riding a chicken bus instead of a taxi or taking up accommodations in a tricked out treehouse rather than a five-star hotel may not be the “standard” option when planning a trip, but it can make for an even more thrilling story.