How travel and tourism operators can drive loyalty through better entertainment and services

So many industries have had to adapt to the internet, and given that the technology was both new and disruptive when it was first introduced, there are plenty of examples of companies who had to think outside the box. For some companies, the leap was too big.

For some, the seismic shift to online, mobile, and digital interfaces created too big a gap, ultimately resulting in new companies with a digital first model gaining ground and eventually taking up the market share.

This is a natural lifecycle for any business, and those businesses that cannot move with the times face the stiffest challenges in any modern market. While the changes ushered in by the internet have been some of the most profound over the last century, that’s not to say the journey from traditional methods of operation to something more contemporary was impossible.

Many companies within the travel and tourism industry have proven this. They have adapted to the new global paradigm in which many businesses now operate digitally by thinking outside the box and leveraging services, entertainment, collective rewards, and creative ideas.

Implementing Ideas from Other Industries

While moving a business from a local operation to an online global enterprise is a daunting task, especially for those who do not consider themselves digitally adept, plenty of companies within the travel and tourism sector sought inspiration from other industries. Although companies like Amazon or Google are considered pioneers of the early internet age, one area that is often overlooked in this conversation is the online casino sector.  

The first online casino launched over 30 years ago, during the earliest stages of the internet. While it took nearly a decade for many of these providers to truly get off the ground, this showed just how much potential there was in harnessing digital technology.

The Early Days of the Online Economy

Despite a few teething problems, the online casino sector started to show immense promise in the late 1990s, and this trend was not unnoticed by many other industries looking to shift some of their operations online.

In the modern market, Dunder Casino NZ showcases just how far these platforms have come; if anything, online casinos are now the industry standard. Of course, there’s still an appetite for traditional gambling, but with each passing year, online casinos continue to show that they are the future of the industry.

By abiding by the latest regulations, including stringent site security and a range of responsible gambling tools, the online casino world is now very different from what it was in 1994. Brands like Dunder have ensured they adhere to strict responsible gambling protocol, such as self-exclusion tools and time and deposit limits—to ensure bettors stay within the confines of suitable gambling behaviors.

The casino industry underwent many changes, but its commitment to creating a better overall service, channeling into mobile connectivity, and tailoring its bonuses and promotions to cultivate ongoing customer loyalty are all ideas that have proven to be a significant success.

So, while they are the most prominent example in the entertainment world, travel and tourism companies can cherry-pick the best of these marketing ideas and apply them to their online ideas as and when they see fit.

Exploring the Whole Package

Travel and tourism companies have had to adapt and become companies with a digital and, therefore, global presence. Obviously, this differs depending on the company's size and how many countries it operates in. But at the very least, many of these companies are now aiming at a national market rather than a local one.

As more customers started to book things themselves, and the rise of companies such as Airbnb started to suffocate traditional points of accommodation, such as hotels and the idea of package holidays, it was up to tourism companies to offer genuine alternatives and still showcase to their customers that they were able to provide value in a growing world of competition.

Rewards, or point systems, were among the first ideas to show promise. They meant customers who consistently booked their holidays with the same travel and tourism companies could accumulate points and receive discounts, airport taxis, and hotels at cheaper rates.

From the perspective of entertainment, travel, and tourism, companies have looked to tailor their brands to their market. Many began offering bespoke sports packages, such as Liverpool FC tourism, which offers overseas fans a ticket to the game, transport, and a hotel.

Travel companies that can package all this as a one-stop-shop are brands that have managed to shoulder the harshest changes we’ve seen in travel and tourism. As technology continues to permeate the football market, such as avatars of football superstars like Trent Alexander-Arnold, those travel companies that can fuse the growing demand for football tourism and technology have positioned themselves at the market's zenith. By providing an unforgettable travel experience, brand loyalty is cultivated.

Tailoring Services to Suit the Customer

Unlike customers having to walk into a travel agency in the 1990s and select from a few options, travel companies are now battling against a range of other online elements and have to go above and beyond for their customers.

We touched on this in our last section, with the rise of football tourism, but loyalty is one of the factors that brands can’t buy or force into the market. It takes time, effort, investment, and several years of a proven track record. It includes sports entertainment, concerts overseas from some of the world’s most recognizable artists, a safari, a trip to the Antarctic, or a helicopter ride over unexplored terrains.

Ultimately, it depends on what the customer wants. Still, as long as the tourism company can meet or surpass the customer demand, the customer will come away from the experience with a positive image of the company. If they keep returning and booking holidays, they will continue to reinforce this positive image, and it is within this setting that brand loyalty is forged.

It’s like anything in life; if you are loyal to a special person, sports team, or figure, it is because this loyalty has been built over many years and dozens of individual moments or experiences. Driving loyalty, and wanting people to be loyal to your brand, is the most crucial goal for any business, and those tourism companies that can offer something genuinely different are the ones who stand the best chance of generating this loyal consumer base.

Conclusion

Over the last 20 years, many industries have had to incorporate ideas and strategies from other digital companies, and the travel industry has been no different. Innovations have emerged from companies during this period, and the “old guard” and ways of booking holidays that emerged in the late 20th century are extremely antiquated ways of doing things now, but the premise has remained the same.

It’s all about the brands that can capture the current consumer attitude and exceed expectations. This sounds much easier in writing than in practice but cultivating loyalty by offering a collective experience that includes entertainment and services not traditionally associated with travel and tourism is just one of the many ways the industry has been able to adjust.

Those companies that can then blend this approach with other tech innovations, such as mobile apps, AI, or whatever else may spring up over the next few years, will be able to survive as technology continues to transform the tourism industry.