Innovation in Australia

While moderating the Tourism Australia Summit recently, I noted key themes emerging included digital technology and an extraordinary bounty of culinary adventures driving tourism to Australia. Tourism Australia has a reputation for innovation and thinking outside the box with an approach to marketing its destination that others in the tourism industry may want to watch and emulate.  

Technology is the preferred method of providing content to the travel industry and potential long-haul travelers, feeding them an abundance of information on experiences unique to Australia. Bloggers, digital writers and new technology leaders addressed the online/mobile approach to attracting customers. 

An innovative use of new media demonstrated how integral technology is in motivating tourists to dream — and book. Newly developed billboard capabilities recognize when a certain international flight passes overhead. The digital signage generates video of a child jumping up and seemingly pointing at the plane while the billboard displays the destination of that plane. That brand of frontline thinking highlights a new direction and elevated methods converging in travel marketing. 

And the gastronomic news from Australia is undeniable — a result of the incredibly diverse settings and expansive resources that create every experience from sophisticated dining to “bush tucker,” or Australian native bush food. Foodies seeking adventure benefit from rich seafood supplies, a natural bounty of produce by region and climate, a lush wine country and a broad spectrum of choices to suit myriad appetites. Tourism Australia responds to the nation’s obsession with food and wine with Restaurant Australia, a campaign that recognizes food tourism’s global appeal. 

One unexpected way Australia will surely attract American travelers in 2014 is the historic arrival of Major League Baseball at the legendary Sydney Cricket Ground for the first regular season games ever played in Australia, this month between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

Attendees at the Tourism Summit were in agreement: the long haul is worth it for the rich uniqueness of Australia, and purveyors of other destinations can and should benefit as tourism is taken to new heights. 

Innovative marketing and successful creative campaigns are encouraging signs that long-haul travel to a destination like Australia is not out of reach in this recovering economy. What do you think? 

Reimagine, Resonate and Reboot

As we approach the last quarter of the year, three words come to my mind with respect to luxury travel marketing today – “reimagine,” “resonate” and “reboot.”  Why? 

• Savvy marketers should be brave enough to know when it’s time to reimagine their brands in order to sustain the life of that brand.
•  To be effective marketers, our efforts must resonate with our target audience. They can’t just resonate with us – they have to be meaningful and impactful to our customers
• If we embrace the ideas of reimagining and resonating – along with new technology – we will likely enjoy a successful reboot, which is often a necessity in the lifecycle of a brand. Think of it as “revival of the fittest.” 

Reimagine & Reinvent

As luxury travel executives, we intimately know our brands – their essence, their defining aspects – but that doesn’t mean our brands are as distinct in the marketplace for affluent consumers and valued travel advisors. That’s why clarity of brands is crucial – showcasing an identity that is distinctive and rich in personality is the difference between being remembered and getting lost in the clutter.

For clarity, you need to understand your brand – and not be fearful of reassessing how consumers and travel partners perceive your brand. Keep your messaging fresh and on-point.  In the luxury space, we shouldn’t try to be all things to all people – it is about being the right thing to the right people.  This principle of “reimagine and reinvent,” as I like to call it, is driving luxury travel brands to create stronger corporate identities and strengthen their messaging.

Today’s emphasis is on exhibiting a razor sharp focus to target the right people.  Luxury travel companies are spending more money on new print advertising campaigns as well as putting money into digital and video/film because of their impact. Who is doing this? Look at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts (they just launched a new “Sense of Place” brand campaign), Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts (they are conceiving new television ads), Peninsula Hotels (the company is working on new creative and a focus on video) and Taj Hotels (they will shortly unveil a new campaign). Full disclosure – Rosewood and Shangri-La are clients.

What's Happening With Today's Traveler? - Fees & Social Media

Last time I wrote, I shared insights about popular/less popular destinations and travel trends of today’s affluent consumer based on a survey Strategic Vision conducted with approximately 50 travel advisors at the owner or manager level. We learned that Italy was one of the most popular destinations for bookings in the last six months, Southeast Asia and the U.S. are trending up destinations, Hawaii and villa rentals in Italy and France continue to grow in popularity for family travel (a burgeoning trend in itself), and much more. We also heard from numerous agencies that are experiencing different trends than those surveyed, so I’d like to thank those who shared their feedback.

Keeping the dialogue going, here I review survey results on the subjects of ancillary fees and social media. 

EXPLAINING FEES

We’ve been concerned about fees and wanted to follow the conversation.  Respondents overwhelmingly believed in clearly outlining all fees to their clients – whether ancillary fees from hotels and airlines or service charges from travel agencies – so there are no surprises.  One respondent said their agency has a spreadsheet with all ancillary expenses clearly defined, and that travel counselors “are trained to explain each fee along the way.”  Respondents noted that fees are a “sign of the times” and “part of today’s landscape,” and one commented that “it is a way of life but there are ways around it.”

While the fees are not necessarily a “major issue questioned by luxury clients” because most are “used to them” and not “price-sensitive,” clients do demand more transparency so as to understand exactly what they are paying. This desire for transparency goes beyond fees – clients are continuing to require a cost breakdown for all the elements of their trip.

In terms of agency fees, they cover “time, research and expertise” for “customized services beyond the travel components,” and clients tend to be “amiable” if they understand what the charges are for.

Are We in Social Media and Technology Overload?

iPad, Kindle Fire, Samsung Galaxy – these names, among others, dominate our daily lives, whether we’re reading about these devices or utilizing them ourselves. And, today’s marketers are tasked with determining how best to take advantage of consumers’ obsessions with these latest and greatest technology ‘toys’ as well as how to effectively incorporate social media (Twitter, Facebook and more) into their strategies. It seems that every recent conversation I have had with marketing executives includes these topics to some extent as the hospitality and tourism industries try to figure out the best way to embrace new technology and communications channels.

In our effort to be innovative and strategic, it is crucial not to get carried away. For example, on a recent trip to London I dined at a well-known restaurant that recently opened following an extensive renovation. As always the food was excellent, but I was disturbed when the professional and efficient sommelier presented the wine list on an iPad. Was this really necessary? Leafing through the pages of a wine list is part of the enjoyment of selecting a good wine. I grew more concerned when that same sommelier had to spend several minutes at a nearby table explaining to the guest how to use the iPad. What was the restaurant trying to prove? Surely, a wine list on an iPad is no more than a gimmick. Is there any added value in the experience or was something authentic stripped from my lunch?

Planning for the Rest of 2010

According to conversations I’ve had with my friends in the travel agent community, 2010 is shaping up to be a much better year than 2009, but many challenges still lie ahead as agencies look to climb the ladder of profitability. Doing better than last year is a huge plus, but the barometer you should measure yourself against is that of more profitable years from the recent past. We must keep reality in check.

Now that the first quarter of 2010 is over, I’ve outlined out what I perceive to be the five biggest challenges that remain for the year with some suggestions on how best to address them.

Challenge 1: Maintaining and Growing Your Client Base
Winning new clients and retaining current ones must remain a top priority. We all know very well that a healthy customer base is the foundation of a healthy business.

Stay connected via phone, e-mail and/or social media with your valued clients. Maintain ‘top of mind’ presence by keeping the lines of communication open. Impress your clients with how well you know them by presenting vacation suggestions sure to fit their individual tastes and preferences.

Encourage ‘word of mouth’ praise because the payoff to you is invaluable. Consider incentivizing your current clients to bring you new potential customers. That investment (in terms of an upgrade or special extra to enhance the luxury vacation experience) can yield huge rewards for you and your business.

Tap into local community events to build awareness of your depth of knowledge and the customized travel experiences you can deftly craft.