I ran across this article in the Canadian Tourism magazine written by Jean B. Chretian (not Canada's former Prime Minuister) . These branding and advertising principles are universal. They are true of every buying situation.
Clients have taken control of the buying process, for travel and tourism products as well as many
others, and if destinations and businesses are to succeed they must embrace this new reality. Every
potential traveller has expectations of what is wanted from a travel experience; with the boundless
array of information and options available through the Internet, customers can get exactly what
they want. Travel distribution channels have undergone big changes in the last decade...
Of course, the steps of the buying process remain the same: a client has vacation intentions,
envisions a destination, views the current offerings, makes a choice and books a trip. While these
steps unfold as before, they do so from the living room, the workplace or the kitchen instead of
from the travel agent’s office.
It is important to understand the psychology of the purchasing process. There are three steps -
passive, active and decision - in the process and a successful brand has a role to play in each step.
Potential travellers in the passive stage may have many destinations in mind. They are open to
travel information but are not undertaking a serious search. They absorb brand information, and
general comments. Those in the active stage plan on a trip with in the next two years. They have
already rationalized their trip, and now make loose arrangements. They may surf websites, pay
close attention to travel ads, and collect brochures. During the decision stage, the itinerary is
planned; clients have committed to a destination, and will book dependent on cost and availability.
A brand must be at the top of the mind when a client is in the passive stage. The brand will serve
as a motivator, generating thoughts and incentives to take a trip. During the active stage of the
purchasing process, a brand must dominate - standing out from the competition - and it does this
through meeting the needs and wants of a client. With successful branding a destination will
become the reason to travel, not merely a vehicle for meeting a traveller’s demands.
Technology has put the client in the driver’s seat. It allows potential travellers to quickly and
easily compare various destinations to see what best meets their demands. To differentiate Canada
from our competitors we have to create a brand that speaks very clearly to the client, placing us at
the top of mind. For this to happen, knowledge is crucial. We must know our clients in depth:
buying habits, current travel demands and future needs and desires. This takes research, open
communication with the target; we cannot simply assume our product meets consumer demand.
Jean B. Chretian is Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Sales, at the Canadian Tourism
Commission.
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