Niki Pembroke, Head of Travel solutions at Inspire, reflects on recent travel incentives trends used in sales promotion.
Travel inspires sales
Whether for Marketing, Business Development or Product Management, it is important to choose the right incentive for your campaign. Travel can be used as an incentive for new product launches, re-brands and re-launches, driving brand loyalty, increasing social media followers or even highlighting a cause for corporate social responsibility.
Travel has always been a tempting incentive; the lure of a refreshing holiday is irresistible. Due to the range of travel options, and audiences sharing and documenting their lives on social media, travel has enjoyed a surge in popularity as a sales promotion incentive.
So how do you know what is the right travel product to offer in your marketing campaign? Here at Inspire we have seen some recent travel trends emerging, which you can consider for your next sales promotion campaign.
We’re ditching the beaches
One of the biggest trends is experiential travel. Yes, the beach is still popular and always will be, but travellers are now seeking out experiences. It is important to choose the right travel experience for your target audience and campaign objectives. Here are five of the on-trend travel options for sales promotion which Inspire suggest:
Glamping in the UK
Getting back to nature and enjoying a few days of serenity under the stars now means spacious yurts with log burning stoves, cosy wooden pods and even lodges with hot tubs. The UK offers an amazing array of destinations with no need to step on a plane, from forests to beaches, mountains to pretty chocolate box villages.
Ideal for – the young or the young at heart who are interested in their carbon footprint. A great incentive for campaigns promoting environmental causes or for corporate social responsibility.
Family get togethers
Theme parks are fantastic destinations for family time or adrenaline seeking and the UK has some world-renowned roller coasters to test the most ardent thrill seeker. Make an event of it and add in a stay too. Some of the larger theme parks have hotels with spa facilities and even water parks.
Ideal for – families, cash savvy parents, pester power through children; for promoting household products and children’s products.
Instagram worthy city breaks
Instagram has had a huge impact on the travel industry. Some of the most photogenic cities are in Europe and happen to be served regularly by budget airlines: Paris, Venice, Paris, Rome. This can therefore be a cost-effective campaign with high perceived value.
Ideal for – Millennials, particularly for consumer goods and fashion they want to show off on their travel photos.
Fitness retreats
Wellbeing is a huge trend now. Gym memberships are booming and activities such as yoga, mindfulness and meditation have become popular ways of relaxing and disconnecting from the frenetic pace of modern life. A fitness break can be anything from a boot camp to a yoga retreat, in the UK or further afield. There truly is a fitness break for all wellbeing goals.
Ideal for – Singles and single travellers, couples and those interested in health and wellbeing. Sports, fitness and wellbeing products and services are a fantastic fit.
River cruising and iconic rail tours
Whiling away time watching the scenery pass on a river cruise or rail tour is a wonderful experience for those who prefer to relax in style. Iconic rail journeys such as the Orient Express for old school glamour, to an intimate Rhine river cruise, help you visit a lot of destinations effortlessly. These experiences are certainly on a lot of people’s bucket lists!
Ideal for – older couples, empty nesters and retirees with high disposable income, for higher value product purchases.
Travel incentives deliver results
Inspire worked with Wuntu, the rewards app for Three, to drive more traffic to their rewards app. App visitors were offered £50 off a holiday booked through Inspire and this led to 30,000 app visits.
It is important to choose the right travel experience for your target audience and campaign objectives as Wuntu did. Have a chat with Niki Pembroke on 0161 440 6600 or niki.pembroke@inspireemail.co.uk today about the best travel incentive option for your strategic business objectives.
