travel agency email marketing

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Travel Agency Email Marketing: How To Do It Right

Why email marketing for travel agencies is so important

The key aspects of a successful travel agent email to a client, most popular travel agency email types, how to set up a campaign, best travel agency email examples, final thoughts.

Now that the pandemic restrictions are lifted, more people start traveling. If you work for a travel agency, it’s time to start an email marketing campaign to boost the recovery of your business and engage new customers. Read this article and learn about tips and best practices and create effective travel agency emails.

Tourism was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic — people traveled less due to restrictions and infection threat. According to UNWTO , in 2020 international tourism receipts dropped by 62% compared to 2019. International arrivals followed this trend — the decrease reached 72%.

And lockdowns were not the only factor. Measures were less strict in 2021 but people still were not ready to travel. For example, according to Statista, 42% of Spanish citizens planned to decrease their travel budgets for 2021.

But what about 2022? Consider this graph.

As you can see, people started traveling more often than in 2020 or even last year. And that’s why email marketing for travel agencies is important — it’s an easy way to re-engage your former clients and boost the recovery of your business.

Now that you know the importance of email marketing for travel agencies, let’s take a look at the recipe for a good email campaign in this industry. 

Personalization

71% of customers expect personalized communication from brands. When it comes to personalization in email marketing , it’s more than including your customer’s name in the greeting or the subject. One of the ways to make your marketing emails more personal is giving relevant recommendations.

For example, Airbnb implemented location-based personalization. Right after the customer arrives somewhere, they suggest what to do and where to go.

Subject lines

A good email subject line can vastly improve your open rates. Here’s how you can create catchy subject lines specifically for travel agency emails:

Appeal to the value of traveling. People travel for different reasons — depending on the niche of your agency, you can use different buzzwords in your subject lines. Possible options include:

• Discovery, Enlightenment, Experience
• Relaxation, Vacation, Getaway, Weekend
• Adventure, Bucket list, Road trip

These word groups appeal to different audiences — know your customers and use what triggers them.

Use urgency markers. Word combinations like “Last chance”, “Starts now”, “Don’t miss it”, and other similar subject lines will trigger FOMO. But don’t overdo this — some words might get you a one-way ticket to the spam folder.

Use jokes and puns. A funny email subject is a great way to stand out in your customer’s inbox. Examples include “Czech this out: 10 places to see in Prague” or “Been to South America? I don’t Bolivia”. Opportunities are endless — use your sense of humor to increase sales.

Get down to business. For sales emails, the best tactic is to describe your offer in the subject line. Examples include “Get 30% off our July package holidays” or “Save money on your next dream vacation”.

Use of visual aids

There are many ways to use visual aids. You can use photos, GIFs, videos, and illustrations — or come up with a minimalist email design that only highlights the important elements. Typefaces and layouts also count — they make customers pay attention to important parts of email content like CTAs.

This World Food Day email from Contiki Travel Tours uses vibrant pictures and warm colors to create a certain mood. But aside from photos, they accentuated the part with CTA with an all-caps header and a bold yellow frame. These simple tricks instantly draw attention to the button.

Sense of urgency

The usage of FOMO in email marketing is not limited to travel agencies. For example, it’s often used in retail during Black Friday or holiday-related promotion campaigns.

This email from Friendly Planet is a great example of how urgency works in campaigns for travel agents. Its subject line is “Our newest trips + Last chance to save!” and we see a big “Deals expire tonight!” header in the email body. Urgency is created via verbal cues — use them in email subjects and content copies.

Shared opportunities

Even the most aesthetically pleasing email with the funniest subject line wouldn’t work without a valuable offer. Here are some ideas for what you can suggest to your customers via email:

• Promo codes and discounts
• Last-minute tours that are cheaper than regular tours
• Convenience — for example, a fully-planned vacation plan
• Helpful content related to traveling — for example, guides on packaging or what to see in a certain city
• Unique experiences — these offers work best for niche travel agencies

Another promo code is not the only reason to send emails. Let’s take a look at the most popular travel agency email types. Most of these email types are not specific to the industry — but they work well for travel agencies too.

Welcome emails

Sending a welcome email to a new customer is like giving a house tour to a first-time guest. If you show your guest where the bathroom is and offer them tea, they will be more comfortable staying at your place and might come over again. 

It works the same with email marketing. According to GetResponse , welcome emails have a 50% open rate, which is 86% better compared to newsletters.

This email from AllTrails is a great example of onboarding — they give the guide on using the service right away.

Newsletters

A newsletter is an email you send regularly to share updates. They can be used for introducing new offers, giving them something fun or useful to read, or inviting them to take part in a contest. Newsletters are great because:

• It’s a good source of traffic for your website.
• It increases brand recognition — the tone of voice and the choice of content add more details to your brand personality and make it more charismatic.
• It increases customer loyalty — by regular communication, you build stronger relationships between customers and your business.
• It gives room for personalization — by tailoring suggested website content, you can increase customer satisfaction. 

And speaking of personalization, here’s a great example from Airbnb.

They came up with a newsletter specifically for hosts — and included lifehacks and policy updates.

Confirmation emails

Customers need confirmation emails so they know that the transaction was successful. They also need these emails to get important information like delivery details or the hotel’s address. Confirmation emails also give further directions for the next step in the customer flow — that’s why they are so important.

A good example of a confirmation email is this one from Vacasa. It contains all the necessary information for checking in — the lockbox code, the address and driving directions, and even the weather forecast for easier packing. 

Thank you messages

Thank you messages are sent after a customer completes the target action — like buying something or subscribing to an email list. They might not be as important for the customer journey as confirmation emails. But thank you notes express appreciation and help you build warmer relationships with your customers.

This email from HotelTonight is a great example of a thank you note for a traveling business. They don’t just show appreciation with words — they suggest what to do next, including taking part in a loyalty program. 

Informational emails

There is a difference between newsletters and informational emails. Newsletters are sent weekly or monthly and they give an overview of the latest updates. And informational emails are sent in case of emergency.

For example, this Airbnb informational email is about current policies and how the company handles the situation. 

Re-engagement emails

Imagine that your best friend hasn’t reached you in three months and has been ignoring your text messages where you suggested hanging out or watching a movie they liked. If you forget them and move on, you will lose a friend. But a wellness check message will increase the chance to win your friend back. 

Email marketing works the same. You will lose customers — just like you will grow apart from friends. But you can decrease these losses if you send re-engagement emails .

This is a great example of a personalized re-engagement email from TripAdvisor. They saw that a customer was browsing Boston-related pages — and based on the hypothesis that this customer was too confused to make a decision, they provided extra information on this region.

Seasonal offers

Many industries have seasonal offers to give. But traveling is probably the most season-driven industry. According to Eurostat , one-third of the nights Europeans spent in tourist facilities were in July and August. And it’s reasonable — people plan long trips for summer and short trips for holidays. That’s why travel agencies should send emails with seasonal offers.

This email by Sonder is a great example of how to do a seasonal offer message right. They don’t just give an offer — they also give useful information on planning a summer trip, which adds more value to the email.

Upsell emails

Upsell emails suggest a more expensive version of the same product or service after your customer completed the transaction. Not only does this type of email increase sales — it also raises brand awareness and increases your customers’ lifetime value.

This email from Scott’s Cheap Flights is a perfect example of upselling. After a new customer used their app, they suggested a premium membership and explained its value. They also offered a free trial period so customers won’t feel pressured to spend money right now and try it out instead.

Keep in mind that these are not all the possible types of emails that can be used for promoting travel-related businesses — we’ve listed the most popular types. And these types can be mixed together. For example, you can include a thank you note in a confirmation email or add a seasonal offer to a monthly newsletter — it depends on the goal of your campaign.

Setting up a campaign for a travel agency is not different from other industries. Here’s a short recap of the whole process.

Define the goals

Every campaign starts with an email marketing strategy . You need to understand why you’re running a campaign in the first place — for example, to increase sales.

The next step is defining success criteria using the SMART framework:

For example, if your goal was to increase your website blog’s readership, your success criteria would look like “Increase the number of daily unique visitors by 30% by the end of this month”.

Build your mailing list

A mailing list is a list of users who will receive your marketing emails. Keep in mind that buying readymade email lists online and using them for marketing campaigns is illegal. Build your list using opt-in forms and pop-ups. To learn more, read our article about building an email list . 

Segment the list

Segmenting your email list is important for sending relevant emails. There are many segmentation criteria — age, location, website activity, and so on. The choice of criteria depends on your campaign and your market niche. To learn more about segmentation with Selzy, visit this page .

Decide on the type of content

The type of content you chose will affect the subject line, the copy, the CTA, and the email layout. Choose the content type depending on your marketing campaign goal.

One of the types of emails often used for travel agencies is last chance emails. Use these emails for promoting seasonal offers — and use our guide on last chance emails with writing tips and best practices.

Design your email

Good email design draws attention to CTAs, improves email readability and helps you express the charisma of your brand. And a trendy look will keep your subscribers engaged.

To learn more, read our guide on email design with tips and best practices.

Test and analyze the results

Once you’re done with your email content and design, test your emails before sending:

• QA testing — to make sure that your email campaign is set correctly, all the hyperlinks work as intended and customers won’t receive an email with a “Hello <undefined>” greeting.
• Split testing — to validate your ideas and hypotheses and make smarter marketing decisions. 

And this is how you set up a campaign for a travel agency. And if you’re afraid to miss something, use our email marketing checklist .

Now that you know how to set up an email campaign for a travel agency, let’s take a look at some examples of great campaigns in the industry. We’ve picked 4 good travel agency emails for your inspiration. 

Vacasa: Wanderlust-worthy road trips

Vacasa is a rental management company that operates in North and Central America. And although their business is focused on destinations, they ran a campaign that’s all about the journey.

Domestic and rural tourism were a big traveling trend in 2021 — and it’s predicted to continue in 2022 . Vacasa caught up on this trend and made a guide on interesting road trip destinations within the US. We love how visually appealing this campaign is — and the lovely “Life is a Highway” CTA button. Another good thing about this email is that you can look through rentals right away if you like a certain destination — it’s convenient for customers.

Intrepid: Celebrating BIPOC culture

Intrepid is a US-based company that specializes in small group tours and adventure trips. Since the questions of oppression and justice in the postcolonial world have been around for a long time, they rolled out a series of educational tours and ran an email campaign.

It’s hard to run a campaign like this without being offensive. Educational tours are great but they shouldn’t look like a trip to a zoo where the privileged group looks down on the culture of those who survived genocide and occupation. Intrepid handled the subject matter gracefully — they give the word to local experts and aim at educating, not just entertaining. And the campaign itself is great — it’s well-written, and beautiful pictures and minimalist email design create a stylish look.

Oliver’s Travels: God Save The Queen!

Oliver’s Travels is an agency that specializes in luxury vacations and high-end real estate rental in Europe. And they’ve prepared something special for The Queen’s Jubilee.

First of all, just because you’re a luxury brand doesn’t mean you can’t throw a pun in an email. And they didn’t stop here. Apart from the invitation, they added topic-related blog articles and links to luxury castles in the UK. Maybe they overdid it with CTAs. But overall, this email makes you feel like a queen. Or a king.

Tripaneer: Yoga in the USA

Tripaneer is a travel agency that specializes in wellness holidays like retreats for mindfulness, weight loss, spiritual growth, and so on.

This email about US-based yoga retreats doesn’t have a lot of text — but it’s incredibly well-written. And we appreciate creative CTAs — like the one about rolling down mats. We also like that Tripaneer added a link to a guide on their website instead of writing the whole article for the email.

Running an email campaign for a travel agency is a good way to re-engage your customers who stopped traveling due to lockdowns and increase sales. Some common types of emails for campaigns in this industry include:

• Welcome emails — use them to introduce customers to your service and explain how it works.
• Newsletters — it’s a great way to draw more traffic to your website and stay in touch with your customers.
• Confirmation emails — use them to share valuable information and notify that the transaction was successful.
• Thank you messages — this type of email increases customer loyalty and helps you build stronger relationships.
• Informational emails — unlike newsletters, these emails are not sent regularly and are used to share important information, for example, about emergencies.
• Seasonal offers — since tourism is a season-driven industry, emails with summer vacation or holiday offers will help both you and your customers.
• Upsell emails — suggesting a more expensive version of what your customers already bought will increase your revenue.

To run a successful campaign for a travel agency, don’t forget about:

• Personalizing your campaign to give more relevant offers
• Catchy subject lines — use humor, add a personal greeting, or appeal to the value of traveling depending on your niche
• Visual aids — they will gently coax your customer into clicking on the CTA button
• Sense of urgency — verbal urgency cues will trigger FOMO
• Shared opportunities — offer your customers something valuable.

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Travel email marketing: Selling sunsets, not plane tickets

The travel industry has had a bumpy ride over the last two years. But luckily there was one marketing channel that helped businesses to stay connected with customers: email marketing.

From virtual experiences to local getaways, many travel agencies adapted to the challenges of the pandemic and used email to stay close to their audiences through thick and thin. And now, travel bookings are starting to climb again.

Travel email newsletters can inspire with alluring footage, convince people with captivating travel stories, and offer ideas to ease into traveling again. It can help you go beyond selling tickets and make it all about the experience you’re selling. 

Fasten your seatbelts, and let’s springboard into how travel businesses can use email marketing to build airtight customer relationships.

Why email marketing matters for travel

Our 2022 benchmarks show that the tourism industry’s open rates are slowly starting to climb back up, from 25.88% in 2020 to 28.76% in 2021. 

Meanwhile, travel bookings are rising again. For example, Carnival Corp has announced that cruise bookings for the second half of 2022 are ahead of pre-pandemic levels. 

Things are starting to look up for travel companies—which makes this the perfect time to get your travel email marketing campaigns in shape.

With email marketing, you can create a direct line of communication, allowing you to connect with your customers at any time. It also offers a high ROI ( $42 for every dollar spent ). With the right email strategy, you can build an audience of engaged subscribers so that your travel promotions, loyalty programs and deals get the attention they deserve.

How to build relationships and travel far with your subscribers

When it comes to email marketing success, the content of your newsletters is key. As a travel agency, you’re competing with big shots like Google and Kayak, so it’s important to build meaningful customer relationships. This way, you’ll capture their hearts and diversify yourself from the crowd.

It all starts with relevant, engaging and helpful travel content. Don’t just send out sales pitches for good travel deals, but offer valuable information.

You'll want content ideas like:

Travel e-book (one of our customers offers a free cookbook with recipes that they collected whilst traveling Asia, Africa and Central America)

Downloadable lists

City guides and other useful information

Travel tips

Personal travel stories

Calendar with the best times to book

Live tracking of which countries are on the ‘green list’ to travel

Before we continue...

Why not open a free MailerLite account and build your email campaign as you're reading?

Tip: Read how to create engaging email content in the guide below.

7 types of travel email content to send for mile-high results

1. say welcome aboard with a welcome email.

A warm welcome sets the tone for the entire experience. Virtually, you need to do the same with a welcome email .

Welcome emails have a 42% higher read rate than standard email marketing campaigns (which spells good news for your conversion rates)! With email automation , you can magically make them arrive in your subscribers’ inboxes the very moment they sign up.

Pro tip: Here’s how to set up a welcome email series with MailerLite, our straightforward email marketing software. 🤓 Or, check out our introduction to automation below.

Your welcome email should greet your new pen pal and tell them more about you. A lot of travel sites tell subscribers what to expect. Some will also include a special deal or promotion to get the ball rolling. 

Here’s how Sonder greets its new subscribers, with a stunning apartment photo to catch attention, plus a stand-out call to action (CTA).

Pro tip: A CTA button should work together with all the other elements of the email newsletter to influence subscribers to take a course of action. Learn more about creating highly-effective CTAs.

2. Send a personalized greeting

Imagine walking into your hotel room and seeing a bottle of champagne and a personalized welcome card with your name on it. That would definitely put a smile on your face!

82% of travelers believe that personalization is one of the most luxurious travel customer experiences—so why not extend that to your email marketing campaigns?

Readers want tailored travel newsletters with content that they can actually use. Sure, you can send American readers newsletters about how great it is Down Under, but how many of your subscribers can quickly hop on a plane to Australia? Probably not many. It makes a lot more sense to talk about travel destinations your reader can actually plan and book. 

Segmentation lets you group your subscribers based on shared traits so that you can send them tailored messages that resonate. For example, use information on the places your subscribers have visited or whether or not they have children. Check the available data and see how you can use this to create groups.

For example, Booking.com sends this personalized message to a subscriber who is just finishing their stay in a London hotel. There’s even information about booking a ride from their hotel to the airport!

Pro tip: If you don’t know certain information, ask! Gather data through subscriber preferences, embedded surveys or contests.

3. Catch attention with the right imagery

Many of us have no idea what other places in the world look like. That’s why we search for images and create Pinterest boards with all the dreamy destinations we want to visit.

Traveling is about experiences and emotions. Using the right images in your email design can motivate readers to put your offer on top of their bucket list.

For example, Vacasa tells its subscribers to ‘Reach their dream destination’, and then lets this stunning tropical paradise photo do the rest of the talking…

Pro tip: Want to design professional-looking travel email newsletters on your own? We break down the process into two design elements in our guide on designing emails that people will read.

4. YOLO! Express urgency in your travel newsletter

Traveling costs money, but you also only have one life to explore the world. Play with this sense of urgency to get people to act.

Use offers and special occasions to create limited promotions. In January, you can promote last-minute offers to sunny paradises. For Easter, you can highlight discounted family-friendly packages.

Combining your promotions with email personalization makes sure your offer is a perfect fit for each of your subscribers.

The Hoxton promotes their limited-time 20% discount and includes “What to tell your boss” excuses that surely gave their readers a good laugh.

Pro tip: Did you know that you can create email coupons with MailerLite? Use them to boost your sale and ramp up engagement with your travel agency.

5. Share educational content

Think about why your subscribers should sign up for YOUR travel newsletter. Do you have insights about certain locations? Travel hacks or hidden gems? Can you tell readers never-heard-before stories about a culture? Or debunk stereotypes and myths about places?

Informative content from destinations or travel brands can influence the decision-making process and make people go places!

When you spread your knowledge using travel email marketing, your content stays within the newsletter. Just for you and your tribe to know. Use this exclusiveness as a USP to attract more subscribers.

In this travel newsletter, National Geographic teaches readers about Morocco.

Pro tip : If you can package your content in the form of videos, even better, as people can remember 95% of a message in video form , compared to 10% when they read it.

6. Start a conversation

Have you ever searched on Facebook for traveling groups? Spoiler alert: There are LOADS. People love to get together and talk about their experiences in foreign countries. Use this community feeling in your travel email marketing campaigns.

According to Bright Local, 77% of people will ‘always’ or ‘regularly’ check local business reviews before buying. People want to hear other people’s opinions before making up their minds.

To gain trust and add a personal touch, add customer reviews to your travel email campaigns. Or collect them first using your travel agency newsletter!

In this personalized email, a hotel in Barcelona makes it super easy for readers to leave reviews. In-email NPS surveys work well to find out how satisfied your customers are.

7. Let’s get social

It’s been found that 86% of people have researched a travel destination after seeing a social media post about it!

Yep, email marketing and social media go together like a good glass of wine and a beautiful sunset. Spread your exposure and encourage people to get social with you. You can add social media posts directly to your travel email campaign, or add social media buttons—just like Tropicfeel did below.

Pro tip: 85% of travelers use their phones to manage different aspects of their trips. That’s why you need to make all your travel email templates responsive, so users don’t need to pinch and zoom to see your content on mobile.

How to grow your travel email list

Your email list is the driving force behind your travel email marketing campaigns. Building one is easy! All you need is a way to collect email addresses—offline and/or online.

We'll quickly cover how you can gather emails here. If you want to learn how to grow a high-quality email list, we've got a guide for that too!

Collecting email addresses in person

Ask people to sign up for your emails when you talk to them face to face. The simplest way is to use an offline email collection app that works on mobile devices and smartphones. This method is GDPR-compliant and hassle-free, as it automatically syncs your new subscribers to your travel email list.

Collecting email addresses through your website

To get people to opt-in to your email list via your website, you can use pop-ups and embedded forms .

Pop-ups work well because they literally pop up in your face. Integrating pop-ups is easy when you use an email tool. Set the frequency to a level where it’s not annoying for your visitors.

This is how Luxury Travel Magazine uses pop-ups. They provide a clear reason for signing up for their travel newsletter and only ask for an email address. The sea background adds vacation vibes.

Embedded forms

You’ll often find embedded forms in the website footer and blog sidebar. This is the signup form Iconic Luxury Hotel uses for people to sign up for their travel agency newsletter.

(Bonus) Incentives: Something to brighten people’s moods

You’re asking for their email, so why not give subscribers something in return? Here are some email incentive ideas for travel agencies:

One-time discount

The first chapter of an e-book

Exclusive information, like receiving deals first

Free tickets to your travel event, conference or fair

Not only do these ideas make great incentives, but they can also be used as content ideas for your next newsletter.

You can also create a travel landing page to promote a contest or giveaway. In order to participate, people need to sign up. The winner is then announced via email.

This page from Harrison Beach Hotel shows how website visitors have a chance to win a free 1-night stay (up to a $300 value) by simply subscribing.

Travel blogger Tara Cannon of Pint Size Pilot also uses lead magnets as a smart way to collect new subscribers.

Travel email marketing examples

So who in the travel agency industry is doing their email marketing right? 

Let’s get inspired.

This newsletter does a great job of selling a more local travel experience, with a large aesthetically-pleasing image and spot-on email copy (e.g. ‘Adventure is just around the corner’).

This travel newsletter is bound to make people smile, with the fun header and tantalizing glimpses of different travel locations. Plus, the travel company even helps people to schedule their pre-departure tests, if needed.

Can we just take a minute to appreciate the gorgeous illustrations in this travel email? It celebrates the travelers who were able to ‘get back out there’ in 2021. The complementary colors instantly catch the eye and make the reader want to scroll down to see the most-loved homes that people visited.

Travel emails aren’t just pretty scenery, it’s also about appreciating your readers.

This email from Southwest Airlines does exactly that. The personalization is top-notch—from the customer’s name to their travel history and loyalty program points earned. The smiling faces of the diverse employees reflect Southwest’s image as one of the friendliest airlines in the sky.

Travel Triangle

This Hong Kong guide from Travel Triangle offers a stunning selection of travel ideas, complete with eye-catching photos to help the readers visualize themselves there! With clear headings and bold CTAs, you can grab your subscribers’ attention and get them to take action.

P.S. You can find more travel email campaigns in our travel newsletter example gallery .

Travel email subject lines

Here are some ideas from actual email subject lines that will inspire you. Like writing content that your subscribers will care about, remember to craft subject lines that stand out in your subscriber's inbox to ramp up your click-through rate.

Give them a compelling reason to click open your email and read on!

Katie & Ben - Two Wandering Soles - Here is your Ultimate Japan Packing List

Azamara Club Cruises - Here’s one destination we can’t stop thinking about.

Jack @ Jack's Flight Club - How cheap flights work

Tours4fun - You've got over $10 worth of points!

Priceline.com - ❤️️ Treat Yourself, Jonas! Ridiculously good Rental car deals from ridiculously low prices!

Vueling Air - Allergic to the cold? Soak up Spring at one of our destinations

Jessie on a Journey - Notes on maintaining relationships while traveling ❤ ✈

Delta Air Lines - It's Time To Check-In

Expedia.com - ✈ Paging passenger Jonas Fischer: You’re getting the flight deal of a lifetime

Nomads With A Purpose - Reset your life in 30 days + Summer is just around the corner 😲

Momondo - Prices going down for your flight from AMS to DPS.

Dipaways - Do women solo travel more than men?

Booking.com - A reminder about your trip

Jetsetter - 10 Pro Tips for Packing Lighter Every Time

Captivating Compass - How to save on transportation during family travel & more!

Wanderlust - Gift a year of travel inspo - perfect for Father's Day

To learn more, we cover how to write subject lines that boost open rates in another Ultimate guide.

Email marketing strategy for travel agents: It’s time to fly high!

To end this trip on a high note: Travel email marketing can definitely help you acquire new customers! Well-curated emails also help you to retain and encourage your readers to keep following your journey.

Sending engaging, personalized and valuable content is your answer to turning subscribers with wanderlust into loyal customers that trust your travel expertise and happily book your offers.

As a travel agency, you’ll want to take your readers on many trips, but let’s not forget the journey that leads to the purchase. Butter them up with travel inspo and insider knowledge, and be a genuine help to make sure each individual subscriber finds their dream destination.

Now go out there and find some new travel followers, and don’t forget to enjoy the ride!

Create your first travel email campaign in minutes!

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Email Marketing for Travel Agencies: The Complete Guide

Rida Ali Khan

Table of contents.

“Travel brings power and love back to one’s life.” - Rumi

Indeed it does. 

People love to travel. In fact, even saying this seems like an understatement. However, in 2020, the travel industry had to face some serious challenges due to the unfortunate pandemic. 

Statistics say that the decline in travel spending due to Covid-19 resulted in a $500 billion loss. But hey! The rough patch is over, and it’s high time that you and all other travel marketers start inviting people to resume their jet-set lifestyles. 

And with 80% of businesses using email to acquire and sustain their customers, it’s safe to say that email marketing is the best way to build and nurture relationships with new and old customers. 

Doubtful? Well, then the following reasons will convince you why travel email marketing is advantageous. 

How Beneficial Is Travel Email Marketing Exactly?

If the animal kingdom represented marketing, then email marketing will be the lion, for sure. 

Email marketing earns this title because of its consistent record of informing subscribers well, effectively boosting sales, and promoting brands. 

According to research, 58% of people say checking emails is the first thing they do in the morning. Plus, email marketing allows you to send segmented and personalized messages to your customers. Segmented campaigns alone result in a 760% increase in revenue. 

Additionally, the success of email marketing can be proven by the fact that 87% of B2B marketers use it for the successful distribution of content. Also, the travel industry has a pretty high average email open rate, i.e., 20.44% . The competition is crazy.

So, if you want to win over your subscribers, you must go the extra mile to be the best. Keep on reading to know all the tips and techniques to run a successful travel email marketing campaign.  

We’ll start by telling you the types of emails that you can send as a travel agency.

Types of Travel Emails You Can Send to Your Subscribers

Contemplating on what exactly to send? Well, you can send different types of emails to your subscribers depending on where they are on their customer journey. These types are mentioned below;

Welcome emails

Welcome emails are the first impression you give to your subscribers; make sure it’s a solid one. ​​Welcome emails are reported to have an open rate of 91.43% . 

You can add more charm to your welcome email by giving your subscribers a special discount offer, introducing your brand, or by giving them instructions for the future. 

Here’s a welcome email template that you’d love to use or take inspiration from. 

Exclusive offer emails

Want to secure your customers for another trip with you?

Then send emails that have a loyal customer, birthday, or a basic discount offer. You can do this by giving a special discount offer for their next trip or creating a campaign where you give them reward points for each trip they take. 

It’s a clever tactic to keep your customers hooked on traveling with your company. Here’s a sample template that you can use or refer to;

Newsletter emails 

Newsletters are great for nurturing relationships with your subscribers. You can give valuable information about your services, feature the best locations to visit, or add useful details about some tourist destinations. 

The following newsletter template will allow you to add the information mentioned above perfectly and its eye-catching design will stand out in your reader’s inbox.

Thank you emails

Thank you emails make your customers feel that they are appreciated. Also, it provides you with a chance to get valuable feedback about your services. 

You can send these right after your subscribers book your service or after they have traveled with you. Add a vibrant call-to-action button if you wish to take their feedback through survey or review forms.

Take a look at this attractive-looking thank you email template below;

Notification/Confirmation emails 

If your customer books a holiday or tour with your company, then send them transactional or confirmation emails . 

These emails have an open rate of 65% . You can give them trip details, an order summary, or a general heads up about the trip they are going to take with you in these confirmation emails. 

Take a look at this template below and you would understand better; 

Promotional emails 

If you want your subscribers to make decisions in your favor, then send them promotional emails. You can tell them about special places to visit, introduce them to new services you’re offering, or help them select the best package. 

Here’s a promotional email template below that can grab your customer’s attention instantly. 

10 Tips to Create High-Performing Travel Emails 

Convincing people to travel with you is not that easy. People are super picky (read: sensitive) about their travel experiences.

But we’re here as your knight in shining armor; because below, we have mentioned the 10 necessary tips to create a travel email marketing campaign that is highly likely to convince your subscribers. 

1. Think of campaign ideas that customers will love

First things first, select a campaign idea. 

If your mind feels like a blank slate, look at the campaign ideas mentioned below. These can help you create high-performing travel emails. 

• Add testimonials to woo your subscribers

Want to know the power of testimonials? 

According to research, 93% of consumers say that online reviews influence their purchase decisions. So, create and send emails that have testimonials from happy clients. These can be in the form of videos, pictures, and/or written reviews. 

By doing so, you increase your reader’s confidence in your brand, which further motivates them to travel with you. 

• Suggest them travel destinations

Your suggestion should vary according to the time of the year. Give them suggestions to visit places during the high, low, and shoulder season. 

Something that goes like; Hey! Guess what? Paris - the city of love, has its arms open for you with a 20% discount on return tickets. 

You can also suggest which place is more economical or safe to visit during specific times of the year. 

• Give them an incentive 

One of the greatest attractions for a tourist to travel with agencies is their incentives or discounts on travel destinations.

You can offer free or discounted adventure park tickets, or free food at a particular restaurant. 

It’s almost impossible for someone to turn down such an opportunity. 

• Understand their interests through questionnaires 

You won’t be able to entertain your subscribers or send them personalized emails until you understand their interests, would you?

So, here’s what you can do; send your subscribers questionnaires or review forms to collect information from them. This will skyrocket the engagement rate of your emails and help you nurture relationships with them.

• Suggest limited time offers 

They say, “Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.” So, let’s cash on people’s desire to avail limited time offers. 

Send them emails with limited-time offers and see how impulsively they rush to travel with you. We’ll discuss the importance of such email designs later in this article but for now, just shortlist this idea for your travel email marketing campaign. 

2. Be cautious about your subscriber list

Creating a subscriber list is similar to making friends; make sure you shortlist the most reliable ones. 

You can create your subscriber list by placing a sign-up option at a visible and prominent place on your website. You can also use social media posts to collect subscribers’ email addresses. 

Apart from this, you can also collect email addresses in person from people who make reservations at the resort that your company collaborates with. 

Lastly, you can use double opt-in forms for careful screening of your subscriber list. 

3. Segment and personalize your emails 

We can't emphasize enough the significance of both of these practices.

Segment your subscriber list based on criteria like age, customer’s interests, or your subscriber’s travel history. This allows you to send personalized emails conveniently. 

Speaking of which, you can personalize your emails in different ways, such as through email subject lines, by adding names with the help of merge tags, or by sending emails that are specially designed for a specific segment of subscribers. 

Research says segmented emails are responsible for a 14.31% higher open rate than non-segmented campaigns. Besides this, both segmentation and personalization are responsible for creating a better user experience. 

4. Convince them with written content

Your email copy is the voice of your brand. Not to add pressure on you, but it has the tendency to make or break your deal. 

Keep it as personal and conversational as possible. It makes your reader feel that you are talking to them exclusively, which keeps them interested in your message. 

Moreover, using industry jargon is a big no-no because how will people respond to your message if they don’t even understand it? So, use comprehensive and personalized language in your travel emails to connect with your audience. 

5. Create visually appealing travel email designs 

Did you know that 90% of the information received by the brain is visual? 

Yep, that’s right. So if you want your brand’s identity imprinted in your subscriber’s brain or wish to deliver your message more effectively, then you need to give some serious attention to your email design . 

You can do this in many ways; 

• Wisely add images

As a travel company, the easiest way to lure your subscribers to travel with you is by embedding breathtaking images of travel destinations. But if overdone, it can backfire. 

There are 2 important things to be careful about when you're embedding images in emails . First, use only high-quality images, and second, always add text along with the image. 

Also, be wise in the image selection. It’s your embedded image that is most likely to turn your subscriber’s response positive. 

• Cleverly select a color scheme

Go for a color scheme that will complement your brand, your message, and the interactive elements embedded in your emails. It’s preferable to use color contrasts as it can attract your customers’ attention.

• Necessarily opt for responsiveness 

There’s one element or design feature that you must never compromise on, and that’s your email design’s responsiveness. 

Research says, 51% of emails are opened on mobile. So, ensure that the designs you select are responsive on all kinds of devices.

• Carefully insert countdown timers

Well, it’s the holiday season, and everyone’s planning to travel. It’s the ideal time to use the FOMO element in your emails. 

To gear up the urgency factor in your emails, add countdown timers. If you find yourself puzzled about doing so, here’s a glimpse of Unlayer allowing you to embed countdown timers in your emails with great ease. 

• Sensibly create and place CTA buttons

What if your subscriber agreed to travel with you but kept scratching their head about what action to take next? Yep, let’s avoid that. 

Add prominent, well-designed, nicely labeled, and properly placed call-to-action buttons in emails . This allows the readers to take further action more easily and increases the clicks up to 371% and conversions up to 1617%.

6. Give them reasons to choose you

​​The bitter truth is that you’re not the only one who wants your subscribers to travel with them. 

So you’ve got to earn those stripes by showing them what you have is the best. For instance, create a humorous email. Something like, “We heard you settled for less. So we’re here to help you reconsider and choose the best.” 

You can also mention how your travel package is better than anyone else in the market. It could be either because of the lower prices or better travel destinations and accommodations, etc. 

7. Send trigger emails 

Research says trigger emails result in 24 times more revenue per send as compared to other emails. 

Well, this statistic alone should be enough to convince you. You can send trigger emails based on your subscriber’s actions or behaviors. This will increase their interest in your email and also boost click and conversion rates. 

For instance, send your user a welcome email after they sign up. This can include special deals and discounts (as mentioned earlier). 

If they buy your service, then send them a transactional or confirmation email. If they complete a trip with you, send them a thank you or feedback email. 

Take a look at the automation flow chart below to understand this better. 

8. Use software that can boost your email’s performance 

You must have heard people say, “Work smart, not hard”. Well, that’s exactly what email marketing software offers you. 

Here are the 3 most useful and reliable email marketing software that can help you create the best travel emails. 

Unlayer is a user-friendly drag and drop editor that helps you to create and modify professional-looking emails. The best part is that you don’t need coding skills to design top-notch emails with Unlayer. 

They provide a range of attractive travel email templates that can be modified according to your choice, and yes, all these templates are responsive on all devices. 

Using it can save your time, effort, and cost of designing captivating travel emails.

Travel Email Templates That Convert Crazy Good

This is the best and most economical tool for email automation. 

Some of the best-selling features of Moosend are its behavior tracking, lead generation, A/B testing, and email segmentation features. Besides this, it also provides excellent workflows.

Optinmonster

It is the most powerful lead generation software. 

It allows you to create multiple quality lead forms such as lightbox popups, floating bars, scroll boxes, gamified wheels, etc.

Some major plus points are that it doesn’t require any coding skills and has a very powerful segmentation engine that reaches out to the right people at the best time.  

9. Ensure your email is friends with the law

If you skip this step, there's a major loophole in your travel email marketing campaign. Always comply with the legalities to save your email from landing in the spam box or facing any penalties. 

Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing or CAN-SPAM act is a set of rules for commercial email marketing. 

According to CAN-SPAM, you must;

• Avoid the use of fake or wrong headers. 
• Give recipients an option to opt out whenever they want. 
• Give a valid postal or physical address.
• Monitor what people are doing on your behalf. 
• Avoid misleading subject lines. 
• Not send messages that identify as an advertisement.

This act is specially designed to eliminate false identities and ensure authenticity. Make sure you abide by it.  

10. Encourage travel email marketing in the holiday season

Can’t emphasize enough the importance of email marketing during the holiday season. 

It’s the textbook definition of doing the right things at the right time. People are in the holiday mood and ready to travel around with their loved ones.  

So try to create holiday-centric email designs, give them special holiday or limited-time offers, or tell them which destination is ideal to visit during a specific holiday season. People are more vulnerable to the discount offers and promotions that you are going to offer. So, don’t miss out on this chance.  

Well, that’s about it. 

You’re all set to create the best travel email marketing campaign. Just follow the tips and guidelines mentioned above, and you’re golden. 

Good luck and safe travels.

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Email Marketing for Travel Agencies: Success Strategies

Email marketing for travel agencies has become an essential tool in today’s digital age. With the right strategy , it can help you reach potential customers, boost engagement and ultimately increase bookings. In this blog post, we will delve into the fundamentals of email marketing for travel agencies and how to use Unlayer’s drag-and-drop functionality to create visually appealing emails that can be tailored with incentives to specific interests or locations.

From building a robust subscriber list and segmenting your audience based on their preferences to designing visually appealing emails using Unlayer’s drag-and-drop functionality, our guide covers all the bases. We’ll also discuss incentivizing leads through special offers tailored to specific interests or locations.

As privacy legislation becomes increasingly important worldwide, we’ll touch upon compliance with local laws and utilizing Bitrix24 CRM software for effective marketing automation . Moreover, we’ll delve into mobile optimization strategies that ensure your campaigns cater to users across devices.

Finally, learn how integrating customer reviews and social media into your newsletters can create a powerful impact on readers while re-engaging dormant subscribers post-pandemic. This comprehensive guide aims to provide you with actionable insights that elevate your travel agency’s email marketing game plan.

Table of Contents:

Strategies for growing an email subscriber list, utilizing customer testimonials to increase credibility, criteria for effective segmentation of subscribers, tips for creating personalized and visually appealing emails, incentivize leads with targeted promotions, key aspects of gdpr and other privacy regulations affecting email marketing, best practices for maintaining compliance, mobile optimization & responsiveness, crafting engaging travel newsletters that inspire wanderlust, utilizing nps surveys and customer feedback for continuous improvement, strategies for successful event marketing, examples of effective visual aids, re-engaging dormant subscribers post-pandemic, best practices for sending transactional emails:, leveraging crm software like bitrix24 for efficient email management, how to use email marketing for travel agencies, what is the best marketing strategy for travel agencies, why is email marketing important in tourism, how do i create a marketing plan for a travel agency.

Building a Subscriber List for Travel Agencies

Creating a subscriber list is the first step in leveraging email marketing to promote travel services.

• Offer exclusive content or discounts to incentivize sign-ups.
• Include sign-up boxes on your site, blog posts, and social media platforms.
• Create engaging lead magnets like eBooks or guides related to popular travel destinations.
• Host webinars or events that require registration with an email address.

Incorporate positive feedback from satisfied clients into your promotional emails to enhance their appeal.

For instance, include quotes from travelers who have enjoyed memorable experiences thanks to your agency’s expertise in planning customized itineraries.

Be sure to link these testimonials back to relevant pages on your website where readers can learn more about specific packages and offers.

Segmenting and Personalization in Email Marketing

Segment your subscriber list based on demographics, past travel history, and email engagement to ensure relevant content reaches the right audience .

Personalization plays a significant role in connecting with audiences through engaging text, humor, and high-quality images.

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, income level.
• Past travel history: Destinations visited or types of trips taken (e.g., adventure vs. relaxation).
• Email engagement: Open rates and click-through rates to determine which customers are most responsive to your emails.
• Add the recipient’s name to the subject line or greeting using email marketing software that supports dynamic content insertion.
• Create eye-catching visuals by incorporating high-resolution photos from popular travel destinations or custom illustrations related to your agency’s services.
• Use an email marketing platform that offers email templates specifically designed for travel agencies.
• Send personalized messages based on the customer’s interests and preferences.
• Include travel advice and information about popular travel destinations to increase customer satisfaction.
• Send confirmation emails and automated emails to keep customers informed about their travel package and itinerary.
• Collect email addresses from potential customers by offering email marketing offers and incentives.
• Increase customer engagement by sending informational emails about the tourism industry and travel experiences.
• Use social media and online reviews to influence customers to book with your travel agency.

Boost conversions and loyalty by offering special deals based on location or interests, tailored to smaller demographics within your customer database.

Examples of Targeted Promotions for Different Traveler Types:

• Family Travel Deals: Discounts on family-friendly accommodations and attractions, such as theme parks or museums.
• Solo Traveler Discounts: Reduced rates for single travelers looking to join group tours or explore new destinations independently.
• Senior Citizen Specials: Exclusive savings on transportation, lodging, and activities tailored towards older travelers with flexible schedules and budgets.

Measuring Success Rates of Incentivized Campaigns

Track KPIs like open rate , CTR, and conversions to gauge the effectiveness of your email marketing offers. Use an email marketing platform with robust analytics capabilities to optimize future campaigns based on subscriber behavior trends.

Privacy Legislation Compliance in Email Marketing

Respect subscribers’ data privacy rights and protect your business by adhering to local privacy legislation.

• GDPR : Governs the collection, processing, and storage of personal data from EU citizens.
• CAN-SPAM Act : Sets rules for commercial email messages and gives recipients the right to opt-out of receiving them.
• PECR: UK-specific regulations governing electronic communications, including email marketing practices.
• Obtain explicit consent from subscribers before sending promotional emails.
• Maintain an up-to-date record of subscriber consents as proof in case of audits or disputes.
• Incorporate easy unsubscribe options within each email sent to allow users to manage their communication preferences effortlessly.

By following these best practices, you can ensure compliance with privacy legislation and build trust with your subscribers.

Mobile devices are increasingly used worldwide, making it vital to optimize emails for compatibility across different platforms to maintain engagement levels.

• Use a single-column layout for easy scrolling.
• Select large, legible fonts to improve readability.
• Incorporate clear call-to-action (CTA) buttons that stand out from the rest of the content.
• Avoid overcrowding your email with too many images or links.

Email marketing software like DirectIQ offers pre-built responsive templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor to create visually appealing travel agency emails optimized for various screen sizes.

Using services such as Litmus, you can test your designs across multiple devices and browsers before sending them out to ensure optimal user experience regardless of how customers access their inbox.

Travel Email Newsletters and Community Building

Inspire potential customers with captivating imagery and stories that showcase the unique experiences your agency offers.

Incorporate customer reviews, Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys, and social media integration into these communications to foster a sense of community around your brand.

Create visually appealing newsletters filled with high-quality images of stunning travel destinations.

Combine this with compelling narratives about the adventures awaiting clients when they book through your agency.

This could excite their curiosity and increase the likelihood of them sharing it with others.

• Gather valuable insights from customers by incorporating NPS surveys in follow-up emails after they’ve completed a trip booked through your agency.
• Use this data to identify areas where you can improve services or better cater to specific customer preferences.
• Integrate social media channels into email campaigns, encouraging subscribers to engage with you online while sharing their own travel experiences as part of a larger community centered around exploring new places together.
• For more information on NPS surveys, check out Qualtrics .

Make Personal Connections with Event Marketing

Interact with possible patrons in person and establish transient campaigns to induce them to subscribe for your journey agency’s mailing list.

• Partner with local businesses and tourism boards to co-host events.
• Promote events on social media with targeted ads.
• Create interactive experiences, like virtual reality tours or cultural workshops.
• High-quality photographs that showcase beautiful travel destinations.
• Videos that highlight unique aspects of different locations.

By utilizing creative content and leveraging event marketing strategies, travel agencies can engage potential customers both online and offline.

By incorporating visually appealing content into your campaigns and leveraging event marketing strategies, you can boost engagement rates and build lasting relationships with clients who are eager to explore new horizons.

Reactivate your travel agency emails by crafting compelling subject lines that create a sense of urgency, incorporate humor, use personalization , and showcase exclusive offers.

• Use buzzwords and urgency markers: “Last chance. Book your dream vacation now.”
• Add humor or puns: “Escape the daily grind – literally.”
• Personalize your message: “Discover your next adventure in Bali, John.”
• Showcase exclusive offers: “Unlock our secret travel deals just for you.”

Track key performance indicators (KPIs) like open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and revenue generated from email campaigns to measure their effectiveness in reactivating dormant subscribers. Utilize an email marketing platform like DirectIQ that provides detailed analytics on these metrics.

Transactional Emails & Customer Relationship Management

Confirmation and thank-you emails are crucial in building positive relationships with customers in the travel industry, potentially leading to repeat transactions.

• Timeliness: Send emails promptly after a customer books a trip or service.
• Detailed information: Include all relevant details about the booking to avoid confusion.
• Contact information: Provide clear contact details for any questions or concerns.

Integrating Bitrix24 into your travel agency’s operations can streamline processes related to sending transactional emails and tracking customer interactions more efficiently, ultimately increasing customer satisfaction by providing personalized messages tailored to each individual’s interests.

FAQs in Relation to Email Marketing for Travel Agencies

To use email marketing for a travel agency, start by building a subscriber list through website sign-ups and face-to-face interactions. Segment your list based on criteria like age and interests, then design visually appealing emails using tools like Unlayer . Offer incentives, comply with privacy legislation, utilize CRM software like Bitrix24 , optimize for mobile devices, integrate reviews and social media in newsletters, re-engage dormant subscribers post-pandemic, and send transactional emails throughout the customer journey.

The best marketing strategy for a travel agency includes a combination of online presence optimization (SEO), content creation (blogs/articles), social media engagement ( Facebook , Twitter , Instagram), paid advertising (Google Ads or Facebook Ads), partnerships with influencers or local businesses, referral programs to encourage word-of-mouth promotion from satisfied customers and targeted email campaigns that cater to specific audience segments.

Email marketing is important in tourism because it allows agencies to maintain direct communication with their clients. It helps build trust through personalized messages tailored to individual preferences. Email campaigns can increase brand awareness while promoting special offers or new destinations. Additionally, they provide valuable insights into customer behavior patterns which help improve future targeting strategies.

• Analyze your target market: Identify demographics & psychographics of potential clients.
• Determine objectives: Set measurable goals related to revenue, customer acquisition & retention.
• Conduct a SWOT analysis: Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats.
• Select marketing channels: Choose platforms like SEO, social media or email campaigns to reach your audience effectively.
• Create content strategy: Develop engaging and informative content tailored for each channel.
• Allocate budget: Determine costs associated with chosen marketing tactics and allocate resources accordingly.
• Monitor performance: Track key metrics regularly to measure success and adjust strategies as needed. Use tools like Google Analytics .

Effective email marketing for travel agencies involves building a targeted subscriber list, segmenting your audience, and designing visually appealing emails with Unlayer.

It’s also important to comply with local privacy legislation, optimize for mobile, and integrate customer reviews and NPS surveys into newsletters to engage subscribers throughout their journey.

Incentivizing leads with special offers and utilizing Bitrix24 CRM software can also boost success, while re-engaging dormant subscribers post-pandemic and using transactional emails can enhance the overall customer experience.

Adrian is a specialist in researching and implementing email marketing for businesses of all sizes. He’s particularly knowledgeable and focused on the niches and nuances of eCommerce email marketing, and he chose to work with DirectIQ as he knows that segmentation can make or break a successful email marketing campaign.

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11 Email Marketing Tips for Travel Agents to 3x Their Business

by  Ron Stefanski

Updated: December 21, 2023

Disclosure: OneHourProfessor is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Email marketing remains one of the most effective channels for travel agents to nurture leads, drive sales, and boost repeat business. Yet many struggle to create campaigns that engage and convert subscribers. 

This article reveals 11 powerful email marketing tips to help travel agents triple the impact of their email efforts. Follow these proven best practices to dramatically grow your travel agency business through email and with the help of email marketing platforms .


Let’s dive in.

Importance of Email Marketing for Travel Agents

Email marketing is critically important for travel agents looking to boost revenue and build lasting client relationships. 

Studies show that travel companies using email marketing earn on average 50% more repeat bookings compared to those that don’t. 

Beyond increased sales, effective email campaigns allow agents to stay top of mind during travel planning, cross-sell additional services, upsell upgrades, re-engage old clients, and automate lead nurturing workflows. 

With email delivering $40 in revenue for every $1 spent , the channel provides one of the highest returns available in digital marketing. For travel agents, prioritizing email presents a huge yet underutilized opportunity to profitably grow your business.

1. Offer Exclusive Deals for Subscribers 

One of the most effective ways to grow your subscriber list is by providing exclusive deals and insider access to discounts only available to your email followers. 

Send flash sales on all-inclusive resort packages, last-minute flight bargains, 50% off cruise fares, bonus loyalty points for hotel bookings, and other tempting offers reserved solely for your mailing list. 

Make subscribers feel special by giving them early access to time-sensitive promotions that drive urgency and conversions. 

Just make sure the discounts provide enough incentive to sign up while still being profitable on your end. Exclusive savings reserved for email followers can rapidly expand your list.

2. Promote New Destinations and Properties 

Travelers look to agents as trusted advisors on the latest and greatest destinations. Leverage this by using email updates to provide insider intel on recently opened travel hotspots gaining buzz and upcoming locations on the verge of major popularity. 

Share details on the newest beachfront resorts, adventure eco-lodges, luxury retreats, and other vacation rentals perfect for their unique interests.

For example, if you start working with a new eco-resort in Costa Rica catering to adventure travelers, let your subscriber list know in an email. Include tantalizing descriptions of the ziplining, volcano hikes, and jungle safaris offered. 

Provide links to breathtaking pictures of the bungalows and pristine beach access. Make it exciting and build urgency by reminding them of the limited number of vacancies still available.

Position yourself as an in-the-know travel curator by periodically highlighting ideal vacation spots tailored to each subscriber. They’ll eagerly anticipate your next vacation find. Email enables you to instantly notify clients when exotic locales they’ve wanted to visit become bookable through your agency.

3. Spotlight Limited-Time Offers

Nothing motivates rapid travel bookings like time-sensitive specials promising huge yet fleeting savings. Use email to prominently showcase promotions featuring expiration dates that create impulse and urgency. 

These may include 72-hour flash sales on vacation packages, free cabin upgrades on last-minute unsold cruises departing soon, bonus loyalty points for hotel stays booked by a certain date, and other deals only available for a strictly limited window.

For example, if you secure a batch of unsold rooms from a resort partner in Cancun that must be filled in the next 4 days before release, notify your email list immediately with an exclusive super-discounted rate to incentivize rapid booking. 

Remind subscribers this rate will vanish as soon as the room block sells out. You might say “For the next 96 hours, take advantage of the steal of the season with all-inclusive Cancun resort stays at an unheard of 45% off our already lowest prices! But you must act fast – these rooms will sell out extremely quickly at this rate and the offer disappears Thursday at midnight.”

Make sure to prominently display the end date for any limited-time offer and strongly reinforce the first-come, first-served nature of these discounts. 

Travelers will stop procrastinating and book quickly once they know exactly when they’ll lose out on big savings for indecision. Time-bound deals drive conversions.

4. Share Partner Perks and Recommendations 

Enhance the trip planning experience by using email to share exclusive perks, discounts, and recommendations from your contractual partners. 

These may include coupon codes for 10% off rental cars, complimentary show tickets, vouchers for a free dessert at popular restaurants, walking tours, museum entries, and other valuable offers.

For example, if you have a relationship with a certain Italian restaurant in Rome that provides your clients with a free bottle of wine, let travelers headed there know in an email. 

Or if your agency has an agreement with a reputable New York tour provider offering $20 off Central Park bike rentals, share that partner promotion via email with clients vacationing in the city who enjoy cycling.

You might also provide personalized suggestions of can’t-miss attractions, best local hangouts, top-rated shows, and affordable tours to book based on the traveler’s selected destination. This adds and showcases the true value you bring as an agent. 

Partners allow you to deliver perks that wow clients. Recommendations tailored to the locale remind subscribers that you understand their interests better than any general travel site.

5. Give Custom Trip Planning Checklists 

Streamline travel prep for your audience by sending free, downloadable trip-planning checklists tailored to popular locales. These may feature efficiently organized packing lists so travelers don’t forget common essentials needed for their destination like power adapters or proper seasonal clothing.

You can also share country and region-specific visa guidelines, transportation options for getting into the city from airports, and electrical adapter requirements. This helps ensure travelers arrive prepared with the proper documentation and gear.

Additionally, provide general recommendations showcasing your expertise on the top attractions, hidden gems, restaurants, and tour companies based on interests like outdoor adventures, family activities, luxury pampering, arts and culture, nightlife, and more.

Trip planning checklists customized down to the destination reduce client stress while positioning you as a specialist in the region who understands how to experience it properly. They’ll appreciate the hand-holding.

6. Cultivate Group Travel Organizers 

One of the most efficient ways to book large volumes of travelers at once is by actively cultivating relationships with volunteer trip organizers from schools, churches, social clubs, alumni associations, companies, and other entities that coordinate group getaways annually. 

Build loyalty with these influencers by providing free planning kits with sample itineraries, proposed activities, and special rates for group travel.

For a church youth group coordinator, you might provide a sample agenda for a mission trip to Costa Rica including lodging options, transportation logistics, impact volunteering opportunities like building schools or sustainable farming, and budget-friendly dining recommendations. Have your best agent available to answer any questions and customize proposals.

Share beautiful collateral featuring potential destinations tailored to their group’s interests. Give perks like complimentary upgrades, dining certificates, welcome receptions, discounted tickets to attractions, and custom-branded gifts as a token of appreciation for choosing your agency. 

Make their job easier and they’ll re-use you annually for hassle-free group travel bookings driving major revenue.

7. Promote Travel Insurance 

Don’t leave money on the table. Proactively educate travelers on the benefits of comprehensive travel insurance via email – then make quoting and purchasing a breeze. 

Explain how policies protect vacation investments with trip cancellation coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, emergency medical transportation, 24/7 travel assistance services, and more.

For example, remind clients that trip cancellation coverage allows recouping non-refundable payments if unforeseeable events prevent traveling as planned. This provides peace of mind in case of illness, injury, layoffs, and other incidents. 

Lost luggage insurance can reimburse essential replacement items like clothing and toiletries so lost bags don’t ruin a long-awaited vacation. Emergency transportation provides access to urgent care while limiting out-of-pocket costs.

For extra incentive, offer exclusive discounts or free secondary coverage for flights booked through your agency. Making insurance easy to understand and buy provides tremendous peace of mind that converts more lookers into bookers. 

Promote how protection plans eliminate travel risk at a reasonable price. As a valuable add-on service, commissions from policies also contribute significantly to your bottom line.

8. Curate Customized Getaways 

A key travel agent skill is curating tailored adventures for loyal globe-trotting clients that align with their interests, lifestyle, and past trips. Save an opportunity to surprise and wow repeat wanderlusters with unexpected destination insider deals you source just for them.

Email marketing costs are low compared to other marketing channels. This means you can market to a broad audience of interested travelers at an affordable price. 

Start by reviewing the travel history and trip preferences previously shared with your agency. 

Then scan for new and unique opportunities that speak to destinations not yet explored, bucket list activities, and exotic sights they’ve dreamed of. 

You might propose a hiking trip to Patagonia catering to their love of the outdoors and passion for culture in one special journey. Or a safari weekend at a new luxury eco lodge could tempt the couple that adores privacy, proximity to wildlife, and fine dining.

Leverage your industry relationships to identify limited-time offers matching their temperament or unlock VIP extras that jive with their personalities. Sending unsolicited yet skillfully matched vacation ideas provides tremendous value that breeds life-long brand advocates. 

The key is demonstrating you truly know who they are as travelers by proactively curating trips they’ll cherish. 

Your knowledge and ability to fast-track research helps craft memories not available just by searching alone. The extra mile builds indelible client connections and drives more tailored travel referrals.

9. Reward Loyalty

Show appreciation and reinforce loyalty with surprise value-added perks for your repeat and referral clients. 

These special upgrades hand-selected by you might include a complimentary room category bump at their preferred all-inclusive resort, daily breakfast credits to order in bed, fast track passes letting them skip attraction admission lines, or late 4 pm check-out allowing extra time to lounge poolside between flights.

For example, a family who has booked their annual Orlando theme park vacation through you for the past three years would treasure being upgraded to a kids’ suite complete with bunk beds, video games, and free dessert coupons for their stay. 

Or surprising a wine connoisseur who refers everyone in their firm to you with a free winery tour and tasting in Napa would make their day.

Small yet heartfelt tokens of gratitude go a long way when provided unexpectedly during a trip. The hotel concierge slipping them a bottle of champagne at check-in on your request also wows. 

Explicitly call out linking the amenity to their loyalty in an accompanying note. When you express gratitude and consistently delight brand devotees, they’ll eagerly return and refer friends more often.

10. Share Relevant Reviews and Blogs 

Strengthen your reputation as a premier travel advisor by periodically highlighting client testimonials, expert reviews, and articles spotlighting your superior service and expertise. 

For example, when a major travel publication features one of the niche excursions you hand-craft for adventure seekers, share it across digital channels and on your next email campaign.

Quote rave reviews from a prominent luxury travel blogger that read: “Sandals Resorts just doesn’t disappoint, but working with [Your Agency] to book our anniversary trip took the entire experience over the top. Thanks to their amazing agent, we scored a 2-category suite upgrade, $150 in dining credits, and a sunset catamaran cruise that made our getaway extra special from the very start.”

If an influencer blog documents raving about the unexpected upgrade you scored at a boutique Paris hotel, make sure followers see that glowing praise. 

Prominently display press mentions accrediting your status as a Virtuoso agency or articles showcasing you as a top producer. Social proof from credible third parties significantly reinforces your greatest differentiator – a high-touch approach delivering once-in-a-lifetime dream trips.

11. Continuously Test and Optimize 

Don’t settle for stagnant email performance. Consistently fine-tune and enhance results through A/B split testing different email variables. 

For example, send one version with the subject “Last Chance for 50% off Costa Rica” and a control version saying “Big Discounts Expiring on Costa Rica Trips” to see which gets a higher open rate . Test moving call-to-actions higher in the email body to determine if it lifts click-throughs.

You might also experiment with different types of featured content to see what converts best. Send one email leading with limited-time flight deals on the top. Send another highlighting of new resort openings in the first section instead. Monitor which email receives more clicks and bookings from each content type featured first.

Experiment with sending a promotion on Tuesday vs Thursday while keeping other elements equal. Try emphasizing different selling points like luxury or affordability to see what resonates more. 

Incrementally over time, compile learnings on optimal wording, placement, segmentation, timing, and more to continually optimize engagements, click activity, and bookings. Ongoing testing allows continually improving email strategies so performance never plateaus.

Implementing even a few of these 11 email marketing best practices can significantly impact travel agent sales, leads, and client loyalty. 

With consistent testing and refinement, an optimized email approach delivers some of the highest ROIs across channels for dramatically growing your agency. Prioritize building your list and sending value-driven campaigns, then watch bookings take flight.

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6 Email Marketing Strategies for Travel Agencies

In 2022, online sales channels accounted for two-thirds of the revenue in the global travel and tourism market. Holiday packages are now booked online in 80% of all cases. This only means one thing: a strong digital marketing game is a must if you want to get a spot in the sun in the overcrowded tourism industry .

It's becoming less and less common for travelers seeking a trip planner to walk into a brick-and-mortar travel agency, while most travelers are booking online or using an online travel agent in their research. It’s time to embrace digital marketing and explore the variety of channels that can bring you customers.

Email is among the best ways to stay in touch with prospective clients, and with the help of email marketing you won't have to wait for your prospects to visit your pages or contemplate going to a specific destination. With powerful email copy, you can contact your clients and point them directly to the trips you've been planning most recently or inspire them to plan trips they may not have even considered. 

Throughout this article, we will provide some marketing strategies to help travel agencies in today's digital landscape. Using some of these top tips, you can build an email list and capitalize on these powerful leads to grow your business online. 

Why Email Marketing Matters for the Travel Industry

Travel bookings have increased since the pandemic. Cruises returned to pre-pandemic levels for the second half of 2022. Many other travel companies are experiencing  similar trends, and now the time has come to ramp up your email marketing campaigns so that you can open up a direct line of communication with your customers. 

With the right email strategy you will:

•  keep the audience engaged with new travel promotions,
•  inform your clients about new loyalty programs, 
• ensure that when a hot deal is available.

Your clients will thank you for the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.

Let alone the cost of gaining new customers is reported to be 4-5 times higher than retaining the existing ones. With great service in such an emotion-fueled industry like travel, you will make your clients want to return for more. Why go anywhere else, if they already trust you and know what to expect from booking trips from your company?

Stats show that most internet users prefer to receive their brand communication through email, so an extra effort into email marketing is  your win-win.

How to Nurture Relationships and Travel Far With Subscribers

The content in your email newsletter and marketing campaigns is about building relationships with your subscribers. As a travel agency, stand out from large competitors like Expedia or Kayak by speaking personally to your customers and offering more value with relevant and engaging travel information. 

The best email marketing for travel agencies are more than a consistent sales pitch. We’re all tired of decluttering our inboxes from countless promotions that have nothing to do with our needs and wishes. If you don’t want your letters to end up in the trash box and make your potential clients press the “unsubscribe” button, take your email strategy seriously. 

In the travel agency realms, personalization and value in email marketing are the tickets to unforgettable journeys and lasting customer relationships.

Imagine receiving an email that not only mentions your name but also suggests places you've always dreamt of visiting at an affordable price. It's like having a thoughtful travel buddy who knows your every wish and hunts down the last-minute deals to surprise you. 

Let's see a winning travel agency email to a client example. This email isn't a generic one-size-fits-all brochure. It says 

"Hi Sarah, we noticed you're a fan of active vacation. How about a special deal for Portugal's best surfing destinations?" 

Sarah feels like the agency really understands her and figured out the best possible travel choice for her. A personal touch like this coupled with value-packed offers is what makes customers want to open your emails.

The Best Travel Email Marketing Strategies 

Building your list.

One of the most significant tools you can start with in email marketing for travel agents is growing a substantial customer list. As you accumulate  more subscribers, you’ll get more reliable leads for prospective trips and have a dedicated list of future followers and subscribers interested in traveling and booking with your agency. 

As you continue building your list, make sure you're placing subscription forms along your social media pages and your main website. Focus your digital business effort on creating a funnel to get new subscribers for your list. 

With that, make sure that your email collecting forms aren’t too pushy and won’t discourage visitors from leaving your website. Read our article to learn more . 

As your lists grow, make sure you focus on making subscribers stay subscribed. Benefit your subscribers with promo codes or engaging  information about the latest travel destinations. 

You'll also need tools to stay organized, and email marketing tools like MailChimp are an excellent way to set up autoresponders and provide more personalized responses through travel agency newsletter samples. 

By aligning these tools and providing valuable content, your list will grow organically. 

While building an email  list and segmenting it is the most complicated and time-consuming part of email marketing for travel, consider asking for email services . Save  your time and budget, and avoid rabbit holes.

Creating a branded newsletter

As your list keeps growing and you work on more valuable content to attract a wider audience to your list, you'll need to focus on branding. To draw maximum engagement to your email list, you'll need to create a brand voice newsletter that sets you apart. Send out generic messages regularly, and make sure your newsletter has a perceived value and is uniquely yours . Giving it a name like "Friday Travel Newsletter," and adding your branded character will make it far more appealing than automated emails. 

Visuals that match your company's color scheme and logo will pack a punch. Team up with a graphic designer, analyze your competitor’s branding and create a recognisable visual language. Many travel agents are swamped and lack time to craft top-notch newsletters. A neat template in your corporate style will show you care about your clients a bit more.

Sharing useful information

Make your email list goal-oriented and give value with every email you send. Your email campaigns will focus on promoting your company, growing your list, and converting new sales for your travel agency. Send offers to your email list and create strong sales funnels from the valuable content that you create. The funnel will lead people to the booking pages or contact forms to reach out to you. 

To create these strong funnels, you should improve the open rates for your emails. Start by including email offers like destination guides, time-sensitive deals, and valuable links to apply for visas, or find new accommodation deals. It is essential to add these helpful tips to your email lists and convert this information into a new subscriber, a contact for your list, or a sales inquiry. 

“The content should be interesting, it should add life hacks, real-life stories of how a company's service help customers out. Use good storytelling and wrap it around a given service. I would recommend adding a feedback block to such campaigns, where you can ask customers if they like such content and whether they would like to receive the letters like this in the future.” ‍ Svitlana Fursa Head of Retention, Promodo

Try to balance the amount of information you provide  in your email lists. You don’t want to be too valuable to the point that your customers no longer need you, but share information on the best apps you use about  the minor aspects of your business to tell your customers more about the time and effort you put in and show them your industry expertise. 

Consider reaching out to your subscribers as they are traveling with information on their destination and travel and entertainment tips across  the area they are staying.

Segment your Email list

Emailing a mass newsletter to your customer list can be an excellent first step as you work with a small list. However, do not overestimate the power of segmentation. Send personalized messages to subscribers interested in specific promotions or the ones potentially interested in re-booking a vacation a year after traveling. Setting up campaigns and reminders with your list will help you send highly focused content to your subscribers at the right time they need it. 

Make your emails mobile-friendly

Most of your subscribers will be accessing your email on a mobile device, so make your content mobile-friendly. If you are creating content that only looks good on desktop, you will miss out on conversions. 

Make sure your emails are  scaled to a mobile device screen. This is about keeping copy your concise and using short subject lines and pictures throughout your content. Try to scale images and use faster loading designs to improve a mobile-friendly experience.  

Write strong headlines 

Headlines that make people act and open your emails will boost conversions. Creating a solid sales copy like special sales events or promotional offers will mark a good starting point. Titling emails at Easter for family-friendly destinations customers should book quickly is a good example. Limited-time discounts and promotions will grow your open rate if you don’t overuse it.

As you experiment with headlines that express urgency for your emails, learn the types of language that will help you get more engagement on your email lists. Incorporating humor or a catchy hook to interest the reader can be a powerful way to improve these open rates and strengthen your headlines. Our retention experts recommend testing your emails on small audiences first to see what works best.

The Bottom Line

Email marketing for tourism is a powerful tool. Your email campaigns may guide travelers on unforgettable journeys. When your emails serve tourists like a well-informed travel buddy, your subscribers will eagerly anticipate your messages.

As you continue to nurture relationships with your subscribers, the benefits of email marketing for travel agencies are multifold by:

• Building a substantial list 
• Creating a branded newsletter 
• Sharing valuable insights 
• Segmenting your email list 
• Making your emails mobile-friendly 
• Crafting compelling headlines.

That’s how you help people create lifetime experiences. Isn’t that what keeps you going?

Content Marketing Manager at Promodo

Immersing myself fully in any topic I explore and my appreciation for simplicity are the driving forces behind my work.

Head of Retention Marketing

I've been working in email marketing since 2016. I passed the way from a junior specialist with the thoughts "email is spam in the mailbox?" to the real jedi of retention marketing. I worked with the largest Ukrainian eCommerce projects. I'm keen of the latest technologies and non-standard technical implementations.

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How to Succeed at Email Marketing in the Competitive Travel Space

The travel industry is fiercely competitive. Learn how to craft email marketing campaigns that get noticed and win conversions for your travel business.

The travel industry is a fiercely competitive place and inboxes are jam-packed these days. When it comes to email marketing, you really need to stand out.

All of the best travel companies in the business are using email marketing to keep in touch with existing customers, interact with high-quality leads and build a stronger and more meaningful relationship with their audience.

It’s fast, cost-effective, and has one of the best return-on-investment (ROI) rates of any marketing channel — $38 in ROI for every $1 spent, according to CampaignMonitor.

But with so much email content already on the market for travelers, how do you ensure that yours isn’t sent to Trash unread?

Understanding the best ways to engage and inspire your target audience with email content is a simple process — that is, once you’ve got your head around how to segment your mailing lists and craft engaging emails.

In this column, you’ll find tips and advice for travel businesses who want to take their email marketing to the next level.

Let’s get started.

Some email marketing experts will tell you to collect as many contact details as possible on your site to ensure that your mailing list is wide-reaching.

The problem with this approach is that the majority of readers just aren’t going to be interested in what you have to say.

You’ll be much more successful if you use carefully crafted lead magnets to capitalize on people who are already interested in what you have to offer, rather than using a basic “opt-in” box.

Say you have an article on your website’s blog that features unique advice for travelers planning on visiting Italy with children, for example.

You’ve studied your site analytics and know that this post gets a high volume of visitors every month.

You also know that a significant proportion of your customer base is parents who travel with their children.

It’s the perfect opportunity to use a lead magnet .

At the bottom of this post, you could include a call to action that tells the reader that they can receive more specialist travel advice from your email newsletter if they enter their email address.

Even better, have an eye-pleasing pop-up that tempts users with a valuable free download of a child-friendly travel guide to Italy or access to a list of the best family restaurants in Rome.

This will entice users to opt-in to your list and give them value.

They sign up, and you gain a potential customer who is already engaging with the content you produce and therefore is already more likely to respond well to other marketing material.

Boom! A warm lead straight into your customer database or email marketing platform.

You can use this process to create lead magnets across your site that target different members of your audience with different intents and interests.

A good starting point is to analyze which pages are receiving the most amount of traffic, identify who is visiting and engaging with the content on there, and create a lead magnet that adds value to them.

The simplest way to operate your email marketing strategy is by using software that automates the process.

We favor GetResponse, but there are plenty of different providers out there.

Automation software allows you to create specialized email pathways for customers who opt-in, tailoring the content they receive based on what brought them to your site in the first place and what they interact with after that.

This not only makes your job a lot easier but allows you to accurately monitor the success of each email pathway and identify where your readers are engaging and where they might be dropping out.

A standard example of an automated email pathway begins with a potential customer entering their email somewhere on your site, prompted by a lead magnet.

They will then receive a welcome email from your travel company, explaining a little bit about who you are and what you do.

This welcome email will also feature several links to other relevant pieces of content or pages on your website, which the reader might then click on.

The content that is featured in this welcome email can be tailored depending on what encouraged the reader to first give you their email address.

So, if they came to your mailing list through an article about visiting Italy with children, you’ll want to link them to more articles about family holidays, visiting Italy, or family-friendly activities in Italy.

A series of specific branch emails will set up within your software will send regularly based on data such as whether the reader clicks on a specific link within the email or visits your site and starts browsing.

You get a clear idea of what your customer base is looking at and engaging with, and the automation does the hard work.

The delivery of these automated emails can also be tailored to the location and time zone of their recipients, to increase the likelihood of them being read.

Many pieces of email marketing software also let you take this one step further and gather data on what time of day your recipients usually open your emails.

You can then choose to send further emails at this time, which again will increase the number of people who open and engage with the content you have shared.

Not bad for a simple bit of automation, right?

When it comes to adding value through your email marketing, segmentation is key.

While some huge travel businesses can get away with sending generic emails to their entire customer base, this simply won’t reap the same results for the vast majority.

Splitting your recipients into different groups based on their interests and what content they engage with the most is the best way to ensure you are only delivering valuable content to your audience.

As you gather more data on which emails and content are the most successful with each group, you can further personalize the content you send out. This can increase engagement and improve conversion rates.

Including links to other pages, posts and pieces of content on your company’s website allows you to collect data on what each recipient clicks on.

The next emails that the users receive will be based on what kind of content they engaged with and enjoyed most.

Using the automation process outlined above, you can personalize the email pathways for each of these groups, building out the options as you go, based on how the user interacts with your communications.

Including follow-up emails in your automated process that ask whether your reader enjoyed the recommended content is a great way to engage your audience and gain valuable feedback.

Create a simple link click-based voting system that will allow you to gather further valuable insight. The data you gather from this allows you to intelligently usher your customer down your marketing/sales funnel and drive more conversions.

By continuing this process, you gain a detailed understanding of what your mailing list is looking for and can continue to personalize their emails to keep delivering valuable and engaging information.

You also become a trusted source of information and a thought leader in your space.

But don’t just take my word for it.

A recent study done by Google and Phocuswright revealed that 36% of travelers are more likely to pay more for the services of a travel business if the information and trip ideas they were given were personalized based on their past behavior and preferences.

You can’t argue with that!

If “sell, sell, sell” is at the forefront of every piece of email marketing you send out, your audience is quickly going to lose interest.

Instead, a key way to set yourself apart from the competition is to tell stories with your emails, integrating your products or services within these when they are relevant to the insight you are giving.

The best way to get through to people is to paint a picture they can’t help but imagine themselves in. Use sensory description and personal stories to immediately get them hooked.

Storytelling with your emails not only makes them more memorable but also establishes your business as a more credible source of travel advice.

Writing content that is personal, descriptive, genuinely interesting, and engaging means your readers are far more likely to hang around, trust the information you give them, and think of you when they start planning a holiday.

Many of us daydream about travel, and your emails should make the most of this.

Imagine you’ve got two different emails in your inbox. Both are from travel businesses that focus on holidays in Italy, and both contain content designed to inspire you to book your next trip with them.

The first email opens with a banner outlining the company’s current deals on visiting Italy’s major cities. There’s a greeting, some appealing photos of places like the Colosseum and Rialto Bridge, and a well-written (if a little bland) short article offering five tips for getting the most out of visiting Rome, Venice, and Florence. The email closes with a message informing you that the exclusive deals won’t last long and that you should book your next trip today.

The second email opens with a greeting from Francesca, an Italian travel expert who is currently living in Tuscany. She describes what it is that made her fall in love with Italy in the first place, the different towns and cities that she has stayed in, and even the view of the Tuscan hills surrounding her as she writes.

Francesca goes on to give unique, thoughtful recommendations on some of the best places to visit in Italy in the coming months, drawing on her own experiences. A couple of links to the holiday packages her company offers are integrated into the text, but nothing too ‘in-your-face’.

At the end of the email, there are a few more links to other pieces of content Francesca has written. Because you have previously engaged with content that focuses on family travel and locations suitable for young children, the recommendations are personalized to suit these interests.

Which one of these emails would you most likely read, enjoy and engage with?

You don’t have to be the next great novelist to write compelling emails that tell a story. In fact, one of the easiest ways to produce email content like the piece described above is to use your staff or partners as the narrators in your email, describing their experiences and putting faces to the name of your company.

An easy formula to follow is this. Set the scene, show credibility, offer advice, and then slide in a very subtle sell if it feels relevant.

Focus on adding value to the reader’s inbox and gaining their attention and trust, instead of trying to sell your product or service every time.

The more emails you write and the more customer data you gather, the better idea you’ll get of what kind of storytelling is the most effective. As time goes on, you can hone your approach and produce outstanding content every single time.

It’s as simple as that.

Data for a study by Econsultancy suggests that 66% of travelers watch videos of a destination while researching where to travel.

Research on the effect of video marketing also suggests that businesses who use video marketing get up to 66% more leads than their competitors who go without.

With this in mind, including videos within your email marketing is a fantastic way to improve reader engagement and ignite a sense of wanderlust in your audience.

Whilst well-crafted text that tells a story is essential in successful emails, video is the ultimate way to paint a picture for your reader and capture their attention and imagination in a new way. It’s an easy method of splitting up chunks of text, is more effective than just using photographs, and can help to explain detailed topics in a fast and simple format.

Video is one of the most versatile forms of content out there and is a fantastic way to maximize what you get out of the content you create. A single, 2-3 minute video can be split up into multiple different sections to use in a variety of different emails, as well as acting as a trailer for a long video available somewhere on your website.

Not only that, but it’s a great way to “humanize” your content.

I talked above about storytelling by using real people to narrate your emails, and adding videos only furthers the effect of this. Your audience is much more likely to trust you if they’ve seen clips of people in your business describing experiences, giving advice, and offering valuable insights.

Video content is a huge part of effective marketing. Implement it in your email strategy and the results will speak for themselves.

The final piece of advice for effective email marketing is to nurture your audience. Above everything else, what is going to increase customer satisfaction, drive repeat business and establish a positive brand image is through producing content that is relevant, valuable, and unique.

Segmentation has been mentioned a lot in this article, but it’s the key to delivering email content that leads to success.

If you’re not giving your readers exactly what they want, they’re going to unsubscribe to your mailing list. The best way to establish what they want is by creating groups with different interests and goals, targeting each of these with personalized content.

Each of your customer groups can be individually nurtured through your email content, building their trust and establishing yourself as someone whose content they really want to read. This relationship requires time and investment, but when your audience decides to book a holiday, you’ll be the company they think of first.

At the end of the day, your emails are only as good as the data you collect around them. It doesn’t matter how incredible your writing is or how valuable your videos are if you’re not analyzing their success and targeting the areas where your customers are engaging.

However, once you’ve established this process, you’ll find that email marketing is one of the most rewarding and effective methods of marketing. It’s cost-effective, yields immediate effects, and has a huge reach that can really help to grow your customer base.

It’s also somewhere that you are in control and not reliant on third-party platforms. Algorithm changes in Google or updates to Facebook’s newsfeed can change your visibility overnight, but harnessing those channels into an email list gives you a resource that you’re in charge of and which can’t disappear overnight.

As a travel company, your job is transporting your readers to new places, both with your trips and with your content. Email marketing offers the perfect format for inspiration, advice, and building brand affinity, and the best news is, anyone can do it.

More Email Marketing Resources:

• 4 Ideas to Combine Email Marketing & SEO for Stellar Results
• 5 Ways Email Marketing Can Help Your SEO Efforts
• New Report Reveals the 3 Trends Shaping Email Marketing in 2020

Image Credits

Screenshots and Featured Image: Created and taken by author, March 2021

Tom Mcloughlin is the founder of SEO Travel, a specialist travel marketing company. A passionate marketer and travel blogger, he ...

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How to Use Travel Email Marketing to Boost Travel Bookings

Email marketing is an incredibly powerful tool for travel agencies. It allows you to connect with your customers in a personal way, and build relationships that will encourage them to book travel with you.

In this blog post, we will discuss the email marketing tips that every travel agency should know. We'll cover everything from creating a welcome email to growing your email list. By following these tips, you can create an email marketing campaign that will help you achieve your business goals!

Let's get started!

Why email marketing matters for travel

Email marketing is a must-have tool that travel businesses can no longer ignore. It's an effective way to keep customers engaged with travel brands and build relationships with travel fans who might become loyal customers.

With email marketing, travel companies can directly reach their intended customer base and gain insight into customer preferences by collecting feedback through surveys, surveys, or campaigns.

Moreover, travel emails are less likely to be blocked by spam filters compared to other forms of online advertising and promotions, so you don't have to worry about missing out on potential bookings.

What's more, an effective travel email marketing campaign leveraging the right data can result in increased sales for travel companies. It also provides them with a reliable source of revenue and helps ensure their long-term growth and stability in this ever-fluctuating industry.

The travel industry is quickly adapting to the power of travel email marketing, and the results have been nothing short of incredible.

Recent research shows that travel email marketing provides marketers with a $42 return for each dollar invested, making it one of the single most efficient forms of online advertising available today.

Travel businesses engaging in travel email marketing can use tools like automated welcome emails and segmented campaigns to maximize their impact on customers while delivering personalized messages that encourage brand loyalty and engagement.

Its effectiveness has been proven time and again, and travel email continues to power growth for travel brands around the world.

How to build relationships and expand your audience

When it comes to email marketing success, the content of your newsletters is key. Your newsletter should be more than just a sales pitch for good travel deals. For one thing, its content needs to be relevant and genuinely helpful to the journey planner.

By diversifying yourself from the competition with this kind of engaging content, you’ll capture their emotional attention and be sure that they’re returning to you again and again for the valuable information. And when it comes to choosing what kind of content to offer, creativity is really your best friend!

So, put on the hat of a teacher and provide interesting educational advice. Let your subscribers learn something they didn’t before interacting with your emails.

If you offer valuable content that resonates with travelers, they’ll begin to trust you as an expert resource not just as a vendor, and that's when you'll see stronger engagement and loyalty.

You'll want content ideas like:

• Travel e-books
• Various travel ideas
• Videos and podcasts
• Travel tips
• Lists of must-see travel destinations
• Interviews with experienced travelers
• City guides and other useful information

Now, what are the types of travel email content you can use? Let's dig deeper.

7 Travel email content types for mile-high results

Say hello by sending a welcome email.

Welcome emails are like the first impression for a business that can sway either way on the customer experience. It is essential to ensure that your welcome email makes the right impression and properly sets the tone for their future interactions with you.

A recent study found that welcome messages have a  42% higher  read and click through rate than standard email marketing campaigns, meaning your customers are more likely to open, read, and engage with your message!

This means that your conversion rates will see a boost when using this in your marketing strategy.

Pro tip: Right there and then, don't forget to add a call-to-action button. This will influence your subscribers to take a course of action.

Give your greetings a personal touch

Going beyond basic customization with your email marketing campaigns isn't just about providing good service, it's about creating an experience. Even when customers aren't traveling, they still want to be heard and no type of communication conveys that better than personalization.

With personalized emails, travel agents can stand out in the inbox and guarantee a better return on investment.

It's no wonder why 82% of travelers believe that the most luxurious travel customer experiences come from those that take the time to personalize their communications—and those same principles go for any other industry as well.

Tour companies can tap into this powerful connection by implementing thoughtful touches in their emails.

Pro tip: To send tailored messages, segmentation is one tactic that groups your subscribers into categories based on their preferences or behavior to deliver content that's more relevant to them. You can gather data through surveys, contests, and other preferences.

Make your visuals stand out

Traveling is so much more than a place we go. It’s an attribute that not only embraces culture, food, and activities but feelings and emotions too.

Email design plays an important role in motivating readers to make travel part of their bucket list, adding more vibrancy when used with the right imagery.

Pictures invoke emotion and can show someone how others may have experienced a place before them, providing just the motivation one needs to take the trip. Visuals are irreplaceable for storytelling and help the reader stay engaged from beginning to end – tempting them to embark on a journey of their own.

They provide images that break boundaries between real-life experience, understanding, and Fantasyland.

Pro tip: By effectively utilizing images in your email design you will be more successful in getting readers to become travelers themselves.

Send travel newsletters that express urgency

Traveling can be a life-changing experience that we all strive for. It's something that everyone should take advantage of, and now is the perfect time to start planning a trip! That's why sending out travel newsletters that express a sense of urgency is key.

This sense of urgency can motivate people to act more quickly than they might otherwise, providing them with an opportunity to make their dream trip come true.

You can play with this appeal by offering limited promotions such as discounts or early bird events for special occasions when decision-making needs to happen quickly.

Pair this urgency with attractive offers and special occasions, and you've got yourself a powerful incentive! Make sure your newsletters clearly state the offerings and relevant time frames, as well as how long those deals are valid.

These simple but meaningful tactics will help boost sales from both loyal customers, as well as those on the fence about your product or service.

Pro tip: Use email coupons to boost your sale and ramp up engagement.

Provide educational content about the travel industry

Take note of your "why's." This means that knowing your goals in sharing content on your newsletter can influence the decision-making process and make people go places!

If spreading your knowledge is your goal, then crafting engaging marketing can be a great way to do so. It's important to keep in mind that when you use such marketing techniques, the content you create will only stay within the boundaries of your newsletter.

As such, it can become an exclusive resource for sharing knowledge only with those subscribed or connected to you or your business in some fashion.

This kind of exclusiveness should be used as a unique selling point (USP) to draw people into signing up for what you have to offer – and allow them to be part of a special tribe within this environment.

Pro tip: Use videos! People can remember up to 95% of a message when they watch it on video, all the while experiencing a greater emotional connection.

Engage your audience

When people are planning their next vacation, the first thing they do is talk to friends and families who have been to the same place. Why?

Hearing about someone else's experience abroad gives them valuable insight, helps us build community connections, and builds our trust in a certain destination or travel agency.

This shared attitude of experiencing foreign places together is why incorporating customer reviews into travel email marketing campaigns can be so powerful.

When readers see firsthand what past travelers thought about their trip and recommend it to others via an email campaign, companies can tap into this positive sense of community and use it to gain trust among readers.

As such, using customer reviews in your travel agency newsletters and marketing campaigns is a great way not only to garner more trust but also to add a personal touch that will capture the attention of potential customers!

Pro tip: Make it easy for your customers to leave a review and participate in your loyalty program. Read our detailed guide on how to do so.

It's time to socialize, travel agencies!

It’s amazing to see how influential social media really is when it comes to travel.

According to a study, an incredible  86% of people  research a travel destination after seeing a post on social media, underlining its potency as an effective marketing tool.

The takeaway here is that if you want your message and promotions to have the maximum reach, then there's no better way than combining email marketing and social media outreach.

Doing so will ensure both parties work in unison and synergize with each other, leading to greater success down the road - not just for the travel agency but for potential new customers too!

Adding some simple social media buttons to your emails gives readers the ability to quickly share your posts across their own networks. Plus, including posts or content directly in the email itself offers greater context for the email recipient about what you’re doing online.

Pro tip: Make your travel email templates responsive and mobile-friendly as more users use their mobile phones now.

How to grow your travel email list

When it comes to digital marketing, having an email list is essential. Gaining subscribers for your list isn't as difficult as it sounds, either! With the right strategy, you can quickly grow a high-quality email list with ease.

Collecting email addresses in person

Ask people to sign up for your emails when you talk to them face-to-face. While this may be time-consuming, it's an effective way to get emails from potential customers and clients.

Plus, you can use this opportunity to give out discounts and other offers right away to incentivize sign-ups.

Thanks to the advancements in mobile technology, we now have access to an array of email collection apps that can be operated from various mobile devices or smartphones. 

Collecting email addresses through your website

Pop-ups are one of the most effective ways to build your subscriber list and grow an email database. Sure, they may be a bit annoying to visitors. But when used correctly, pop-ups can be an essential part of success for both large and small travel agencies.

They not only grab attention with their bold placement but also encourage subscribers to act quickly by providing them with a convenient signup option that is straightforward to use.

Pro tip: A clever marketing message in the form of a pop-up can quickly move someone from “just browsing” to engaging with your travel business.

Embedded forms

Embedded forms are a great way to collect email addresses. They are typically placed in the sidebar of a website, and they allow visitors to quickly sign up for your newsletter or promotional emails without having to navigate away from the page they’re on.

These forms are also very effective when used with other CTAs, such as “Download our whitepaper" or "Download our tips for traveling abroad".

Pro tip: Email incentives such as exclusive information and even a one-time discount can attract more people to sign up .

How to set up a travel email marketing campaigns

Define the goals.

Before diving into the task of creating an effective email marketing campaign, it is essential to get clear on why you're setting that campaign up in the first place.

Ask yourself: What are your goals? Are you trying to get more website traffic, increase conversions or boost brand loyalty?

A clearly defined goal allows you to define success and measure progress along the way as well as create a focused strategy toward reaching it. If you don't set specific objectives upfront, your efforts may result in wasted time and resources.

Figuring out why you’re implementing an email marketing campaign should always be the first step as it will provide a foundation for how to launch, track, and optimize your campaigns over time.

By having your campaign goals in mind from the get-go, you give yourself a far better chance of being successful with your marketing strategy.

Build your mailing list

Now, it's time to create a mailing list. You can start with the emails that you have collected through your website or in person, but don't forget to keep adding new subscribers as well.

You can easily do this by using social media and encouraging people to follow your page, join your email list, or share posts with their own networks.

Segment the list

Once you have collected your emails, it's time to start segmenting. Segmentation is the process of dividing your list into separate categories based on common characteristics.

This can be done using demographic data (such as age or location), psychographic data (lifestyle choices and interests), or any other criteria that make sense for your travel agency.

Segmenting your list allows you to create highly targeted campaigns that will be better received by the people on your list. It also helps you to get more accurate insights into the performance of each campaign, so you can make adjustments and enhance the overall effectiveness of your marketing emails.

Decide on the type of content

Once you've segmented your list, it's time to decide what kind of content you want to send out. Depending on the goal of the campaign, you may choose to include anything from stories about past experiences and tips for traveling safely to promotional offers and discounts.

If possible, try to mix up the type of content that you're sending out to keep your audience engaged and interested.

Craft the message

Now, it's time to craft a powerful email message. Make sure that you include attractive subject lines, a captivating introduction, interesting content, and a clear call to action (CTA).

Your subject lines and CTA should direct people to where they can take the desired action, such as visiting your website or booking a trip.

Make sure to also include an unsubscribe link at the bottom of your emails and keep in mind that all emails should comply with CAN-SPAM regulations.

Test and optimize

When you're finished creating your message, it's time to test it out. Test both the content and the design of the email to make sure that it looks good and that it is performing as expected.

Then, track the results and adjust your strategy accordingly. This will help you refine your travel email marketing campaigns over time and get more out of each message.

In order to succeed in the online travel and hospitality industry, it is essential to have an effective email marketing strategy in place.

As a tour operator or travel agency, this will allow you to reach out to potential customers, build relationships, and ultimately increase travel bookings.

By setting clear objectives, building a mailing list, segmenting the contacts, crafting compelling messages, and testing and optimizing your campaigns regularly, you will be able to maximize the impact of your email marketing efforts.

Now go out there and start creating powerful email campaigns that will drive travel bookings and increase revenue for your travel business!

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Email marketing advice for travel agents

Email marketing is essential to any successful travel agency's marketing strategy. With over 4 billion email users worldwide, it's no wonder many travel agents are turning to email marketing software to reach their target audience. However, with so many email marketing software options on the market, it can be hard to know which one to choose. In this blog post, we will provide invaluable advice on email marketing software for travel agencies, from choosing the right software to analyzing and measuring success and everything in between.

Your guide to email marketing for travel agents

Email marketing has emerged as a highly effective tool for travel agents to promote their products and services to customers. With the help of email marketing software, travel agents can easily create engaging, personalized, and relevant email campaigns. This section will provide an overview of the importance and benefits of email marketing for travel agencies.

Why email marketing is important for travel agencies

Email marketing is a cost-effective way for travel agents to promote their services, generate leads, and drive conversions. According to a recent study, email marketing has an ROI of 3800% , meaning that every dollar spent on email marketing generates $38 in revenue. Moreover, email marketing enables travel agents to reach out to their customers at the right time, with the right message, and in the right format. With email marketing, travel agencies can build brand awareness, establish trust, and foster long-term customer loyalty.

Benefits of using email marketing software for travel agents

While it is possible to create and send emails manually, it can be time-consuming and inefficient, especially when dealing with a large number of customers. Email marketing software can automate the marketing process, from creating and sending emails to tracking and analyzing results. 

Email marketing software also provides several other benefits, including segmenting email lists, creating personalized messages, and integrating with other marketing tools. With the right email marketing software, travel agents can focus on their core business activities while ensuring their email marketing campaigns succeed.

Finding the right email marketing software for your travel agency

As a travel agent, finding the right email marketing software can be vital to reaching and engaging with your audience. In this section, we'll discuss the factors you need to consider when selecting email marketing software, compare top software options for travel agencies, and review the best email marketing software available.

Factors to consider when choosing email marketing software

Before settling on an email marketing platform, it's important to consider the following factors:

• Ease of use: Choose software that is easy to navigate and requires minimal technical knowledge.
• Features and functionality: Determine which features are required for your specific needs and tailor the software selection accordingly.
• Integration capabilities: Look for software that can integrate seamlessly with your existing tools and systems.
• Customer support: Ensure that the software provider offers adequate customer support.

Building your email list for travel agency marketing

Growing your email list is essential for successful email marketing campaigns. In this section, we will explore strategies for building and segmenting your email list and gaining permission to email your clients.

Strategies for growing your email list

One of the most effective ways to grow your email list is by offering incentives to your customers. For example, you can offer a discount or a freebie in exchange for signing up for your email list. Additionally, you can include an opt-in box on your website's homepage or blog posts, asking visitors to subscribe to your newsletter.

Another way to grow your email list is by attending tradeshows and events, where you can collect the email addresses of interested attendees. Lastly, partnering with other businesses in the travel industry can also be a great way to expand your reach. Cross-promoting each other's email lists can help both businesses grow their lists and reach new audiences.

Best practices for email list segmentation

Segmenting your email list can significantly improve the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns. It allows you to tailor your messages to different groups of subscribers based on their interests and behaviors. When segmenting your email list, the following best practices can be helpful:

• Use data to identify commonalities between subscribers and create separate lists for each group.
• Send targeted messages that speak to each segment's specific interests and needs.
• Regularly review and update your segments to ensure relevance and effectiveness.

Tips for gaining permission to email your clients

Before sending marketing emails to your clients, it's crucial to obtain their permission. Here are a few tips to help you gain their consent:

• Clearly explain the benefits of subscribing to your email list.
• Use a double opt-in process to confirm that subscribers want to receive your emails.
• Make it easy to unsubscribe from your list and honor any requests promptly.

By following these best practices, you can build a high-quality email list that drives engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty.

Crafting emails that convert for travel agency marketing

As a travel agent, crafting effective marketing emails can be a powerful tool for reaching out to potential customers and keeping existing clients engaged with your business. Here are some tips and best practices for crafting travel agency marketing emails that convert.

Writing effective subject lines for travel agency emails

The subject line is the first thing your recipients will see when they receive your email, so making it attention-grabbing and informative is crucial. Use clear and concise language, and appeal to the reader's interests and needs. Avoid generic subject lines, such as "Summer Travel Deals," and come up with something unique and compelling, such as "Explore the World with Our Exclusive Vacation Packages."

Best practices for crafting travel agency marketing emails

When crafting your email content, it's important to keep your audience in mind. Make the email visually appealing with high-quality images and easy-to-read text. Use a conversational tone to maintain a personal touch with your clients, and avoid using overly promotional language. Provide clear calls to action and make it easy for your readers to follow up with you by including your contact information in the email signature.

Techniques for optimizing your email content

To optimize your email content, consider using personalization and segmentation . Personalization allows you to tailor your message to individual recipients, increasing the chances of engagement. Segmentation involves dividing your subscribers into smaller groups based on specific criteria, such as their travel preferences or interests. This can help you deliver more targeted and relevant content to your audience, leading to higher conversion rates.

Analyzing and measuring the success of your travel agency emails

Once you've crafted and sent your email campaigns, it's important to track their success and measure their impact. This will help you to understand what works and what doesn't and enable you to continually improve and optimize your email marketing strategies. In this section, we'll look at the key metrics to track, the tools available for measuring and analyzing performance, and how to use data to improve the effectiveness of your email campaigns.

Key metrics to track in email marketing campaigns for travel agencies

There are several key metrics that you should be tracking in your email marketing campaigns. These include open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, bounce rates, and unsubscribe rates. Open rates and click-through rates measure how engaged your audience is with your content, while conversion rates indicate how effective your emails are at driving action. Bounce rates indicate email deliverability issues, while unsubscribe rates tell you how often your subscribers are opting out of your list.

Tools for measuring and analyzing email marketing performance

There are many tools available for measuring and analyzing email marketing performance. Popular options include Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor, and Constant Contact. These tools provide a range of features, including detailed analytics, A/B testing, list segmentation, and automation capabilities. By analyzing your data, you can uncover insights into what's working and what's not, which can help you to refine your tactics and improve your results.

How to use data to improve the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns

Once you've collected and analyzed your data, it's important to use the insights you've gained to improve the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns. For example, you might use A/B testing to refine subject lines and email content, segment your list to target specific groups of subscribers, or automate your campaigns to make them more personalized and relevant. Additionally, you can use your data to identify which types of content and messaging resonate most with your audience and adjust your strategies accordingly.

Measuring and analyzing the success of your travel agency email marketing campaigns is crucial for identifying what's working and what's not, and how you can continually improve your results. By keeping track of key metrics, using the right tools, and using data to optimize your strategies, you can create more effective and impactful email campaigns that drive business growth and success.

Takeaways for travel agency email marketing

As a travel agent, email marketing is a powerful tool to reach out and connect with your clients. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this blog post, you can build a powerful email marketing campaign that drives engagement and leads to conversions.

Overall, email marketing provides a valuable channel for travel agents looking to reach clients and build relationships. Investing in the right tools and strategies allows you to differentiate your business and stand out in a crowded market.

Use B12’s email marketing tools to leverage your travel agency

The benefits of email marketing cannot be overstated. By leveraging the power of email, travel agents can communicate with their clients personally, promote their travel offers, and keep their customers informed on the latest travel trends. 

B12 is the all-in-one platform that helps professional service small businesses launch an online presence with tools like email marketing . With their email marketing & automation tools, you can send engaging emails that promote your services in a matter of minutes. 

Additionally, it features pre-written messages, brand-aligned templates, quick editing, and automated workflows that make it easier to develop client relationships without taking up a lot of your time. You can also test your emails before officially sending them to your contacts. 

Need a professional online presence for your business? Try B12 today to get a website built by AI and refined by expert designers, copywriters, and SEO specialists. Make DIY changes any time you want. Launch in 30 days or less with client-engaging tools like scheduling and payments.

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Email Marketing For Travel Agencies: How to Guide

In an era where exploration knows no bounds and wanderlust is an ever-burning flame, mastering the art of captivating travel email marketing messages can truly set your travel agency on a remarkable journey. 

Whether you're a seasoned explorer of the digital landscape or just embarking on your marketing odyssey, this guide is your compass to crafting compelling emails that showcase your agency's offerings, weave dreams, and inspire unforgettable adventures. 

So, fasten your seatbelts as we delve into the captivating realm of travel email marketing, where every click of the "send" button holds the promise of a new voyage.

Welcome Aboard

Picture this: a curious traveler takes the leap and signs up for your emails, eager to embark on a digital journey with your travel agency. 

Now, it's your moment to shine – extend a virtual red carpet welcome. Think of it as that warm smile you offer to a new friend stepping into your home. Craft a welcome email that's more than just a message; it's an invitation to explore, a chance to uncover the captivating tapestry of your brand.

But here's the secret ingredient: automation. Like a well-orchestrated symphony, you can set the stage for a seamless experience. The moment that sign-up button is clicked, a virtual messenger springs into action, delivering that welcome email straight to their inbox. It's like a friendly handshake that happens in the blink of an eye.

Why does this matter, you ask? Well, buckle up because here come the numbers. Research, the true guiding star, has shown that real-time welcome emails work wonders. An astonishing 88% of recipients open them, and almost a third, that's 29%, eagerly click through to discover more. 

Compare that to the slower-paced batch emails, with a 52% open rate and a 12% click-through rate – there's no denying the impact of a personalized, timely connection.

So, just as a traveler's journey begins with that first step, your travel email marketing voyage kicks off with that initial welcome. Get ready to witness the magic of automation as you usher in engagement rates that set the sky as the limit.

As travelers seek their next great escapade, a desire for inspiration lights their path. And here's where your expertise as a travel agency comes into play, painting vivid stories with each travel email marketing message you send.

Behold, the stage is set by research – a guidepost to traveler trends. A fascinating trend emerges a surge in wanderers seeking the allure of lesser-known havens and hidden gems away from the tourist throngs. 

It's a narrative that the 2016 Virtuoso Luxe Report keenly captured, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the evolving desires of explorers.

Now, envision crafting these electronic missives, each email a window to the extraordinary. Your canvas is adorned with exotic landscapes waiting to be unveiled and quaint towns whispering their secrets. 

These emails become more than just digital notes; they are gateways to uncharted territories, invitations to tread the unbeaten paths.

And what's the secret ingredient that turns these travel email marketing messages from mundane to mesmerizing? The power of visuals. A single image, carefully chosen, can transport a wanderer's imagination. 

It's not just a picture; it's a portal to a daydream – basking beneath a swaying palm, wandering cobbled streets, soaking in local life. These images, meticulously curated, breathe life into your words, kindling the fire of wanderlust.

With every email you send, you're weaving tales, igniting dreams, and kindling the flames of exploration.

Personalization

A subscriber's inbox comes alive with an email that seems to whisper their name, an invitation so tailored it's as if the email itself knows their heart's desires. 

This touch of personalization isn't just a flourish; it's a key that unlocks engagement. As that subject line beckons, curiosity piqued, the chances of that email being opened, explored, and cherished rise exponentially.

And the alchemy behind this magic? Data. Each piece of information gleaned from your subscribers weaves a tapestry of understanding. 

Your booking app, e-commerce portal, and CRM are like your treasure caves, filled with insights waiting to be polished into gems of tailored experiences. 

Imagine the power of knowing your audience's preferences, their previous escapades, and even the dreams they've whispered to their screens.

Let's take a page from Air Canada's playbook. In their email overture, they make a simple request: "Tell us about you." It's like the first notes of a melody that dance with the reader's curiosity. 

With a sprinkle of data, they craft symphonies of relevance. Imagine a subscriber from Montreal dreams of distant shores. With each email, Air Canada conjures destinations departing from their home airport, each destination a chorus of their yearnings.

So, fellow virtuoso of the email marketing for travel stage, let this be your anthem. Beyond destinations, beyond deals – it's the personal touch that turns a mere email into a serenade. 

With every click, every open, you're not just sending an email; you're crafting an experience . Let your emails be whispers of familiarity, your offers melodies of understanding.

Leveraging Testimonials

Step onto the stage of trust-building with a spotlight on real voices and authentic tales. Testimonials, those glimmers of personal experiences, have the power to transform your email marketing for travel messages into vivid narratives. 

Think of them as postcards from fellow explorers, each one sharing a unique slice of their journey, captured in heartfelt words.

Picture this: A traveler's inbox welcomes an email where a fellow adventurer recounts the breathtaking sunsets of Santorini or the hidden gems of Kyoto. 

Suddenly, it's not just a promotional email; it's a connection forged through shared wanderlust. The resonance of a traveler's testimony is a melody that lingers, a chord that strikes a chord.

So, here's your cue: weave these stories into your emails. Highlight the exhilaration, the serendipitous encounters, and the transformative moments. 

These testimonials aren't just endorsements; they're windows into a world waiting to be explored. Your subscribers become part of a community, embarking on journeys guided by the whispers of those who've gone before.

Your Loyalty Program

Imagine a secret garden of privileges, a realm where your most loyal travelers are welcomed with open arms. Your loyalty program, a treasure trove of exclusive experiences, is the key to crafting an email symphony that resonates with lasting resonance.

Consider this: Inboxes come alive with an email that beckons, inviting travelers to join your loyalty program. It's not just a membership; it's a ticket to a world of perks, a backstage pass to extraordinary adventures. 

With each click, subscribers step into a realm where every journey is elevated and every experience enriched.

But here's the enchantment: nurture the allure of exclusivity. Make your subscribers feel like esteemed guests, offering sneak peeks into upcoming offers, priority access to coveted destinations, and tailor-made itineraries that resonate with their individual tastes. 

The call to action isn't just a button; it's an entrance to a world where loyalty is rewarded and wanderlust reigns.

So, let your emails sing this song of belonging. Paint a picture of a traveler's utopia, where loyalty is celebrated, and every adventure is a step closer to unlocking hidden treasures. 

With each email, you're not just promoting a program; you're extending an invitation to a voyage of a lifetime, where every mile is a testament to their loyalty and every destination a celebration of their spirit.

Final Words

Amid intense rivalry within the travel and hospitality sector, these strategies have been meticulously crafted to empower you in captivating and retaining subscribers. 

By curating a diverse array of emails that spotlight enticing offers, enchanting locales, delightful escapades, and exclusive loyalty endeavors, you forge a distinctive advantage that sets you apart and ensures a steadfast stream of returning adventurers.

Email Marketing Strategy for Travel and Tourism Industry

According to statistics, 85% of people find that “spending money on travel is an investment worth making,” so the primary goal of travel agencies is to help customers make up their mind. In this entry, we’ll talk about the advantages of email marketing for your travel business and bring real-world examples of how to use it effectively. [contents]

Why is email marketing suitable for the travel industry?

Many travel agencies use email marketing as the main communication channel with their customers, and here are five reasons why:

• It helps you catch warm quality leads and turn them into customers and brand advocates. In fact, 87% of marketers consider email to be the most effective lead generation channel.
• It allows your travel agency to provide customers with details and updates on the date and time of their trip automatically.
• It enables you to create relevant offers based on the previous activity of your subscribers.
• It brings high ROI for the accessible price you pay — up to $38 for every $1 spent .
• It generates good open and click-to-open (CTO) rates , while the number of unsubscribes and spam complaints remains low.

According to Litmus , people start planning vacations mostly from one to three months in advance. This time is enough for you to assist your customers in many ways, with email content too. So, let’s see how you can get high conversions and deliver expectations of your traveling subscribers.

Collect email addresses

Email marketing starts with a mailing list, and travel email marketing is not an exception. To keep your sender reputation high and prevent spam traps from getting into your list , you need to build a list of engaged and active subscribers on your own. If you already have a mailing list make sure to keep it healthy .

Use subscription forms

Introduce a subscription form at the very point that you meet potential customers — on your website, blog, or landing page. So that it is easier to choose from the pop-up, floating, fixed or embedded forms , let’s explore some examples.

You can add an embedded form at any place of your website you find potentially suitable for conversion. Take a look at the example from Worldwide Horizons. Their subscription form is located in the footer, and it’s highly visible thanks to the bright yellow which matches the color scheme of the brand logo, website call-to-action buttons and details resting on the menu bar.

A pop-up, in turn, will appear on the website after a specified time or based on the mouse movement as a visitor navigates across the page. Travel and Leisure use this type of form reinforced with the engaging CTA copy , which contains verbs that encourage actions, pronouns “my” and “I” that speak to website visitors and make them feel more personally connected.

A floating form stays in the specified part of the page and remains there while a visitor scrolls the page. Take a look at this example from Grand American Adventures. The form itself is short, designed in the corporate colors with the clear CTA copy.

By the way, brevity is not obligatory. You can be more specific in your subscription form and describe the benefits of joining your mailing list right in it — just like Vueling Club did in their embedded form:

Offer lead magnets

One of the surest ways to attract new customers is to use a lead magnet — a deal, a discount, a piece of useful content offered in exchange for subscription. For instance, Book It offer $100 in instant savings to new subscribers.

We decided to check if the company sticks to its promises, so we signed up for their emails. And indeed, a few seconds later we received two discount codes directly to our mailbox:

Combine social media and email

Email and social media are effective channels for getting new customers, whereas their combination will even multiply possible results. Your first step should be placing a sign-up button on your Facebook page. Check out this example from Travel and Leisure:

As soon as a person clicks “Sign Up,” a registration form opens up in a new tab. Notice the number of choices a user can make to personalize their inbox:

Afterwards, you can include links to your official social media pages to your travel email marketing campaigns so that your recipients will have a possibility to choose a preferable communication channel. See how Hipmunk incorporated social media buttons in their email footer:

Segment your audience

Travel and tourism companies can boast about having much more personal data than any other industry. This is a real advantage they can use to segment their mailing lists and be more personalized. We offer three ways to segment your audience, but keep in mind that there are a lot more options.

Start with a sign-up form

Ask visitors to choose their email preferences during the sign-up stage. Secret Escapes, for example, provide two different ways, both explained.

Tablet also ask their “one-step-away” subscribers to choose whether they want to receive the deal-packed emails or just the top news.

Invite users to a preference center

Invite users to pick up the content of your emails in their preference centers. Take a look at the example from Kayak — the company places a link to the preference center in the email footer:

The preference center itself looks like this:

Pay attention to the “unsubscribe” option at the end of the page: it should be always visible in case a subscriber is no longer interested in your content.

Jetsetters, in its turn, offer to choose not only the topics themselves but also the frequency of emails for even better customer experience.

Hold a survey

Another option to get to know your subscribers better is by holding a survey. For example, you can ask what types of content they are more interested in. Booking Buddy, for instance, hold surveys on general topics not related to subscribers’ trips and visits to get as much extra information as possible.

Build a behavior-based email marketing strategy

Behavioral emails are automated targeted messages that you send customers based on their interactions with your company through multiple channels — triggers. For travel and tourism agencies such triggers can be the following:

• subscription or registration;
• abandoned browse;
• booking confirmation or cancellation;
• special dates.

Welcome new subscribers

Set up a welcome email that will be launched once a new email address appears on your list. Use this email to

• introduce your company and promote your hot or best-selling tours;
• set expectations for newcomers and invite them to join your social media channels;
• give instructions about how to use your website or order a tour.

Click&Go, for example, provide new subscribers with a clear guidelines on how the service works.

Tablet, for their part, set the expectations of their subscribers right from the beginning.

One more example of a welcome email is from Travel and Leisure. It includes a breath-taking image and a reminder of what a user has subscribed for.

Celebrate special dates

Incorporate milestone emails in your travel email marketing strategy. These are messages used to reward loyal customers with special birthday offers, improve customer retention with can’t-miss anniversary deals, or keep subscribers engaged with extra discounts on the occasion of national holidays.

Below is a colorful email from Britannia Hotels with instructions on how a  person can get their bubbly treat on their birthday:

Another example is a membership anniversary email from Hipmunk with a 10% off inside:

Keep an eye on abandoned searches

Send out automated emails to subscribers who were browsing your website but didn’t order anything. Pick them up right where they left off. To provide an example, we browsed hotels in Spanish resort cities on Booking.com. The day after, an email appeared in our inbox offering hot choices of the deals in the cities we had surfed.

Summing it up

To attract new leads to your travel-related business and nurture them into loyal customers and brand advocates, develop a holistic email marketing strategy:

• Build a mailing list of real users through subscription forms and social media, and don’t forget to offer lead magnets.
• Segment your audience using information you got from their preferences, their choices at the sign-up stage, or results of surveys and tests.
• Set up triggered emails — welcome, abandoned browse, milestone and others. Use Automation 360 to simplify your email marketing routine.

Date of publication:

13 Sep. 2018

Being always on the road, I consider myself a thrill-seeking traveler. I draw inspiration from fresh experiences and meeting new...

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Travel Agency Marketing Tip: Setting Up a Professional Email Address

Last Updated February 29, 2024

Setting out on the journey of starting your own travel agency is an adventure. You've planned, dreamed, and brainstormed. One of the things you've come up with is the perfect name. One that resonates with the wanderlust you want to inspire in your clients.

Your travel agency name isn't just a name to you. It's a reflection of your passion, your vision, and the unique experiences you'll offer.

But there's a crucial piece of your business identity (and digital marketing strategy) that you may have overlooked in your eagerness to get started. Your email address.

Or maybe I should say, your  professional  email address.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

What is the difference between a personal and professional email address?

It all comes down to the format of your email address. Is your email address “[email protected]”? Or is it “[email protected]”.

The first, ending in a “gmail.com,” “yahoo.com,” or any other “.com” that isn't your domain name (aka the “www.yourcompanyname.com” where your website lives) is a personal email address.

An email address that ends in your domain name, on the other hand, is a professional, or business, email address.

While it may seem like a small difference, it's a vital part of a strong travel marketing foundation.

Why your email address matters in your travel agency marketing

1) email security and deliverability to potential customers.

Custom email domains have additional security, such as strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, built in to them. Email service providers know that professional accounts require more security than personal accounts, so they build it in to their platform automatically.

A professional email address also makes it more likely that your customer actually receives your email.

Have you ever tried to send an email to a potential client and been told it ended up in their spam folder? It's highly likely that it's because you sent it from a personal email address.

What started out as the easier, quicker option of setting up a personal email address for your business can make it very difficult to connect with potential clients. And that's a huge problem!

Professional accounts automatically include specific authentication that is required for email deliverability, and that authentication isn't readily available on personal email accounts.

You also can't use many email marketing tools (like ConvertKit , my recommendation for email marketing campaigns) with a personal email address because they violate international spam laws. So if you want to use email as part of your content marketing strategy, you need a professional email address.

Flodesk, which is farily popular in the travel industry, will allow  a personal email address. However they don't recommend  using one because email from your travel business will most likely end up in peoples spam folders.

2) Brand awareness and consistency

In an oversaturated market full of travel agents, your brand needs to be consistent. Your email address should be an extension of your business name, not simply include your business name.

Using a personal email for your travel agency might seem inconsequential, but it sends mixed signals about your brand's professionalism. It can dilute the impact of your marketing efforts, making it harder for clients to see you as a trusted advisor and partner for their travel plans.

So if a potential client can find your travel company website at yourtravelagencyname.com, they should be able to email you there as well.

Think of who your target market or target audience is. Are they people who are used to dealing with professionals like attorneys and financial planners? I guarantee you that those professionals are using a professional email address, and that potential customer expects the same level of professionalism from their travel agency.

That professionalism helps assure clients that they're dealing with a travel advisor they can trust with one of their most valuable assets, their leisure time.

3) The suppliers perspective

In the travel industry, your relationship with your suppliers and vendors is your lifeline. It's not just potential clients who can see a personal email address as a red flag. Your suppliers can too.

A personal email address can unintentionally signal to them that your agency isn't a serious business partner. When you use a personal email address, they're more likely to see you as a hobbyist instead of a professional travel agent.

How to set up your professional email address.

I recommend using Google for your professional email address. If you already have a free gmail account you'll find it intuitive and simple to use.

To get started, head to Google Workspace  to set up your account. It's a minimal investment, starting at just $6 per month for a basic account with plenty of storage.

Once you choose your plan, enter some basic information like your business name, the number of employees, and where you're located. You'll need to provide some basic info, like your name and your current email address, and then Google will walk you through the rest of the setup process.

I recommend making your email address simple, just [email protected]. Most suppliers don't like email addresses with things like info@ or contact@, so make sure the main address has your name in it so they know who they're emailing with.

If you'd like to have an email address for new enquiries, you can set up an email alias in addition to your regular email address.

An email alias delivers messages to your inbox, but the address used is different than your main email address. So you can set up [email protected] as an alias if you want to use it for new potential customers to submit enquiries.

Migrating from a personal email to a professional email

Once your professional email address is set up, it's time to start using it. Start by setting up a rule in the personal account you've been using to automatically forward messages to your new, professional account.

When you reply to clients, send everything from your professional account. Make sure you update your email address with suppliers, as well as on your social media accounts, website, and business cards.

The bottom line

Setting up a professional email address for your travel agency is a strategic marketing move. It's about aligning every aspect of your business, from social media marketing to web design, with the professionalism and quality your customers expect from your travel brand.

With these simple steps, you can elevate your travel agency's image, ensuring your first impression is as compelling as the destinations you represent.

Get more travel agency marketing tips here.

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• Marketing Strategy

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6 Email Marketing Tips for Travel Agents

Travel agents today need a strong digital marketing strategy to engage with their customers. It's not like the old days when people contemplating a trip would walk in the door of a brick-and-mortar travel agency. This still happens, of course, but it's relatively rare. Today, the vast majority of travelers book their trips and do their research online. There are many digital tools for engaging with customers such as your website and social media pages. One of the best ways to stay in touch, however, is by email. With email, you don't have to wait for people to visit your pages. You can proactively contact them and point them wherever you want them to go. Here are 6 powerful email tactics for travel agents.

1. Build Your List

One of the biggest email marketing challenges is to grow your list. There are quite a few ways to get subscribers. 

Use a reliable email marketing service such as MailChimp, Constant Contact, or AWeber. These and similar services, also known as autoresponders, provide many tools for automating your marketing: scheduling, subscription forms,  automated responses, newsletter templates, and more.

Place subscription forms in visible places on your website and social media pages. You can test various placements and tactics such as exit popups on your site. Your Facebook page is another premium spot for your form. 

Give people a reason to subscribe. Offer benefits that match your specialty (e.g. "To find the best value on Caribbean cruises, subscribe to my newsletter"). You can also offer a lead magnet such as an e-book or report. Another idea is to offer a  promo code or discount on one of your services. 

2. Create a Branded Newsletter

To get maximum engagement, it's important to contact your subscribers regularly. Creating a newsletter helps you position yourself as an expert and gets people to expect your emails. You can also just send out messages regularly. A newsletter, however, has a higher perceived value and lets you build your brand. Give your newsletter a simple and straightforward name that helps you brand yourself such as "Sue's Travel Tips") and include your logo. Using an automated email service gives you access to many professional-looking templates.

Some business owners find the idea of creating a newsletter daunting but there's not much to it. You choose a template, set up a schedule (something else you can do through your autoresponder/email service), and create your content. You don't have to write a long post or essay every time. Most customers are busy and therefore appreciate short and concise writing. 

3. Share Useful Information

The main goal of all your marketing is to get more bookings. However, the focus of your email campaigns should be on providing useful information rather than directly promoting your company. You can include offers in your emails, of course. however, you should also share tidbits such as:

Destination Guides -Describe attractions, activities, and events in areas you cover. 

Timely Events - Talk about festivals, concerts, holiday celebrations. This overlaps with destinations but the focus can be different. For events, you might list things like Top Music Festivals in Europe, Most Exciting Carnival Celebrations, etc. 

General Travel Tips -Packing, locating the best fares, etiquette in different cultures, etc. 

Useful links. As we'll discuss below, it's best to send subscribers to your own site and other pages. However, you can also include useful links provided they aren't competitors. 

You needn't worry about providing too much information so that people don't need your services. Even when customers can do tasks themselves, they often appreciate the convenience of having it done for them. Thus, providing information on travel apps, airlines and cruises isn't going to stop people from booking with you. In fact, it might even help you as you're reminding them how much research they'll have to do if they don't get help! At the same time, you're demonstrating your thorough knowledge of the industry. 

4. Use Email to Boost Your Content Marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool to enhance content marketing for travel agents. If you have a blog, for example, you should link to your latest posts in your emails. You can also send traffic to your Facebook page, videos, articles, and any other channels you may be using. Linking to your own content also means you don't have to create tons of content for your newsletter. You can simply entice people with a short summary of your latest content along with a link. 

5. Segment Your Email List

Creating a single email list and newsletter is a good first step. However, as your list grows, it's even more powerful to segment your list and send the most appropriate messages to each subscriber. Segmentation isn't that complicated if you're using an autoresponder. For example, you can set up different campaigns associated with different opt-ins. You might set up a sequence of emails to promote tours to different destinations. Some of your readers might be more interested in the Caribbean, others in Europe or Asia. 

6. Make Your Email Marketing Mobile-Friendly

More and more people are using mobile devices. You need to be prepared for this and make sure your marketing is mobile-friendly. Not only are travelers using smartphones and tablets for research and booking, but they also use them at every stage of their journeys. For example, 64% of travelers now check into flights using mobile devices. There are two main ways to leverage the mobile revolution.

Make sure your emails are easy to view on mobile devices. Keep email copy short and concise. On a similar note, keep subject lines brief so they don't get cut off.  Limit the use of images as these can slow down the experience for mobile users. 

Reach out to customers while they're traveling. They're likely to open your messages from their phones and may appreciate add-ons you can offer. For example, someone on a trip may want to book a tour or buy a city pass for transportation and entertainment. 

Email Marketing: A Powerful Tool for Travel Agents

These email strategies are all helpful for travel agents who want to grow their business and connect with more clients. Email marketing can complement all of your other digital marketing strategies. It helps you acquire new clients and keep in touch with existing ones. With an email list, you can establish your expertise, send traffic to your website, and remind travelers to take advantage of your latest offers. You'll also find that the benefits of email marketing increase over time as your list grows.

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Marketing for Travel Agencies: Understanding and Surviving in the Online Travel Industry

• 16 min read
• Business ,   Travel
• 23 Dec, 2019
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Understanding the travel agency market

• Leading players holding the market. Booking Holdings with its 41 percent share and Expedia with about 32 percent are dominating the online travel agencies market. And their shares keep growing. So, for travel agencies, it’s difficult to stay afloat without a specific niche.
• Distrust. People tend to be skeptical and even suspicious in arranging their trips. They would rather follow word of mouth, go to their old, time-tested local travel agent, or stick to larger players, even if they are not totally satisfied. So, new travel agencies have to work hard to break through the wall of mistrust.
• Invisibility. Unless a travel provider puts a lot of effort and resources into promotion, it risks staying unnoticed. Here, the choice of distribution channel plays a decisive role.

This ad, published in National Geographic by Econo-Travel hotels, dates back to 1978

It will take days for a regular traveler to create such a complex itinerary, Eightydays cuts this to minutes

Investigate and define your market and target audience

Skift, Experiential Traveler Survey , 2019

Analyze your competitors

Establish your partnerships with service providers, define your pricing strategy, determine the right distribution and promotion channels, metasearch engine.

• You can manually check prices and manually change markups.
• You can use automated dashboards to track your performance and then manually change markups.
• The most advanced scenario is to create an automated commission engine that will keep all your markup rules and will be adjusting your margin on the go, reacting to competitor results.

Prestigia, a small OTA with about 200 thousand monthly visitors, wins on Kayak with this hotel deal as it targets boutique accommodation

Search engine

Orbitz has dedicated landing pages for hundreds of their deals and packs them with all useful information that a traveler may need: a booking widget, selected fares, basic information, and even short copy describing the trip

• Internal activities to meet technical standards of search engines. These usually include installing tools like Google Console and Google Analytics, working with meta tags, reviewing a website for the right page redirection, code errors, and others.
• External activities usually include working with keywords, texts in general, and acquiring backlinks from other websites.

Email marketing

One of the great examples of submitting discounts was Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants. The discounts promoted the unpopular post-Christmas holiday season

As you can see, there are both wallet-friendly and luxurious destinations and tour packages

Web adverts

Video blogging and other social media, final recommendations.

Travel marketing for agencies: Latest strategies and SMS solutions

Travel agencies face the challenge of growing and acquiring new customers in a highly competitive industry. This sector has been expanding alongside internet usage and the increasing availability of travel opportunities worldwide.

Table of contents

The travel industry has been expanding shoulder to shoulder with the internet, making digital marketing a key component of growing a travel agency business. Faced with the challenge of captivating an audience with a myriad of choices at their fingertips, travel agencies are now turning to innovative strategies to stand out in a crowded market.

From the immersive experiences of virtual reality tours to the targeted precision of Google and social media ads, there are unprecedented opportunities to engage potential travelers. Read on for an overview of fresh and effective digital marketing strategies that travel agencies can implement to attract and retain a loyal customer base.

9 Marketing strategies for travel agencies

For travel agencies looking to capture the attention of wanderlust-filled consumers, integrating innovative strategies is key. Whether you’re aiming to leverage the latest in digital marketing or refine traditional tactics, these strategies offer a roadmap to success in the competitive travel industry.

1. Showcase destinations in well-crafted videos

Video presentations stand at the forefront of digital marketing for travel agencies. They offer a dynamic and immersive way to showcase the scenery, culture, architecture, and general vibe of a travel destination. With the help of professional video production, travel agencies can transport viewers to their dream destinations, sparking the wanderlust that drives bookings.

Creating vertical videos that can be shared on popular social media platforms further enhances reach and engagement. Short-form travel videos also have a high potential of becoming viral and leading to huge sales of travel packages in record time.

2. Give clients a free trial of your destinations with VR

Virtual Reality (VR) transforms travel marketing into an immersive experience. With the help of a VR set, you can enable travelers to virtually explore the destinations, experiences or attractions you have on offer.

This immersive preview not only aids in decision-making but also builds anticipation and excitement. Travel agencies adopting VR can differentiate themselves by providing an innovative and interactive “free trial” of their travel packages.

3. Optimize your website for Google search

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial for making travel agencies visible in a crowded online space. By optimizing website content with relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and quality backlinks, agencies can improve their search engine ranking, making it easier for potential clients to discover them on Google and other search engines.

If you want to get more foot traffic traffic to your physical location, start doing local SEO by claiming a Google my Business profile or optimizing your pages for relevant “near me” searches.

4. Invest in Google and social media ads

Online paid advertising is pivotal in enhancing a travel agency’s online visibility and reaching potential travelers effectively. Google Ads specifically target users who are actively searching for travel-related terms and bring highly qualified leads to your website.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer complex targeting options, including interests, demographics, and behaviors, allowing agencies to tailor their messages to the ideal traveler profile. Social media ads can be crafted to inspire and captivate, using stunning visuals and enticing narratives that resonate with users’ travel aspirations.

5. Encourage travelers to share their experiences online

User-generated content (UGC) , such as reviews, photos, and social media posts, serves as a powerful endorsement for travel agencies. Clients can offer an engaging and authentic perspective of the travel experiences you offer that helps build trust in your brand. Social media posts created by your clients are highly likely to attract other like-minded travelers who will want to book with your agency and create a community around your brand.

6. Offer a loyalty program

Loyalty programs are a great way to encourage clients to book again. By offering points, exclusive deals, and special perks to returning travelers, travel agencies can encourage travelers to rely on them for their vacation plans for the foreseeable future. These programs not only enhance customer retention but also create brand advocates who are likely to recommend the agency to their peers.

7. Get travel influencers on board

Due to the trust and emotional connection influencers build with their audience , influencer marketing works similarly to word-of-mouth but on a huge scale, thanks to the popularity of social media platforms today. By partnering with travel influencers whose followers align with the agency’s target market, agencies can gain access to a highly engaged audience. Influencers’ authentic storytelling and visually appealing content can inspire their followers to explore new destinations through the agency.

8. Collaborate with local businesses

Collaborating with local businesses, such as restaurants, tour operators, and cultural sites, can create unique travel packages that offer authentic experiences. These partnerships allow travel agencies to differentiate their offerings and provide added value to travelers. Local collaborations can also enhance the agency’s reputation as a provider of bespoke and authentic travel experiences.

9. Include SMS in your marketing strategy

SMS marketing offers a direct and effective channel for engaging with travelers. With high open rates, text messages can deliver timely promotions, updates, and reminders to travelers’ mobile devices. This strategy is particularly effective for last-minute deals, booking confirmations , and customer service, providing a personal touch that enhances the travel experience.

Each of these strategies offers a unique way to connect with and engage travelers in the digital age. By integrating these approaches, travel agencies can create a comprehensive digital marketing plan that enhances visibility, engages potential travelers, and drives bookings. Naturally, text messaging is the marketing tool we’re actually most excited to talk about.

SMS marketing for travel agencies

Travel agencies often face issues beyond their control that can negatively impact their clients’ experience and perception of your business. Air travel delays or cancellations, lost luggage, severe weather, and accommodation inadequacy are among the few issues that can come up and mess up travelers’ plans.

Business SMS communication allows travel agencies to quickly address clients’ concerns and discontent with the help of features such as text message automation , auto-responders , templates , distribution lists, and more.

Text messages can reach a high number of clients instantly, without the need for an internet connection or installing additional software, and it also doesn’t disrupt travelers’ activities as they can choose if and when to reply to texts sent by their travel agency.

SMS marketing use cases for travel agencies

Advertise travel promotions and new itineraries.

• Target customers with SMS promotions and deals: By using past purchase information or feedback, set up marketing lists so that you can offer customers deals that they’re more likely to be interested in and increase sales and customer engagement.
• A/B test text message promotions on fresh leads: Most of the customers in your database probably haven’t purchased anything yet. In this case, you can use A/B testing to see what kind of destinations and experiences they react to so you know how to target them with campaigns accurately.
• Use subscription rewards to capture leads: You can set up a subscriber rewards campaign on your website or even in the physical office of your travel agency. Whether it’s offering a discount on a flight, hotel, or car rental or giving them a voucher for a free coffee at the airport, opt-in rewards are a great way to expand your contact database.

Send helpful reminders and updates

Text message reminders can be general such as heads up for their check-in and flight time or uber-specific details about their booked experiences and itineraries. Sending your customers tips and ideas that will make their trip better is also an excellent way to increase customer satisfaction. Some ideas could be:

• Alert travelers about important booking or flight changes: “Hi Jack! Your 11 a.m. flight from New York to Paris has moved to 4 p.m. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Please feel free to contact us at this number for more information.”
• Let them know what time they should check in for their flight: “Hi Jane, I just wanted to remind you to check in for your 10 a.m. flight from San Francisco to Philadelphia tomorrow by 8 a.m. See you then!”
• Confirm bookings instantly: Automated hotel booking confirmations, train reservation confirmations, or flight confirmations sent via the Textmagic SMS API will instantly deliver peace of mind to your customers.
• Give them weather updates for their destination: “Hi Jack, you might want to pack a winter jacket for your trip. The high in Paris tomorrow will be 44 °F and the low 29 °F”.
• Give them travel tips for their destination: “Hi Jill, did you know Madrid is home to one of Spain’s oldest bullfighting rings? Check out this link for more sites and attractions”.
• Let them know about airline policy changes: “Hi John, just wanted to make sure you’re updated on American Airlines’ new baggage policy for international flights (include link)”.

These messages accomplish a couple of things. First, they reduce the workload of your ground staff by decreasing the number of phone calls and misunderstandings they might encounter regarding check-ins, baggage policies, etc. Second, they provide valuable and personalized information to the customer that goes beyond regular customer service, improves the overall experience for the customer, and, as a result, increases their loyalty.

Get feedback from travelers

Invite travelers to offer feedback about business-to-customer communication, the destinations and experiences you offered, make sure you know what their general perception of your brand and services is. You can either send an automated text after they come back from a trip to invite them to complete an online survey or use SMS polls. Use the information you gather to address criticisms and low-scoring areas of your travel services.

According to ThinkJar stats , 70% of companies providing the best-in-class customer experience use customer feedback (as opposed to an industry average of 50%). Feedback is the ideal way to plan your customer service strategies. A poll not only gives you helpful information about your customers’ experiences, but it also sends them the message that their opinions are important to you.

Business text messaging benefits for travel agencies

For travel agencies eager to expand their reach and elevate the traveler experience, embracing the benefits of business text messaging could be the game-changer they need. Here are the main advantages:

Large audience reach

Sending text messages is easy and cost-effective, and there are fewer communication barriers between the company and customers. People are able to receive your text on any phone, without requiring an internet connection or installing any additional apps.

Increased customer satisfaction

SMS as a customer service solution has been receiving much attention because it’s fast, reliable, and personal, yet not disruptive. In an industry where customer satisfaction hugely influences people’s decisions to stick with a brand or go on to the next one, SMS becomes an opportunity to stay ahead of the curve.

Easy customer database growth

Website visitors are high-intent leads you should take full advantage of. Get them on your marketing lists with website sms subscribe forms . Create a customized form in the Textmagic web app, copy the generated code, and simply embed it into your website.

Boost productivity

Beyond marketing, SMS is a great channel for internal communication and can be used to streamline the efforts of your team or increase the productivity of customer care representatives.

Useful SMS templates for travel agencies

Attract more customers and build loyalty with our cost-effective SMS templates for travel agencies.

Last-minute deals

Retargeting deals, holiday package offers, discounted flights, customer feedback, flight reminders, business texting features for your travel agency.

Sign up for a Textmagic trial and improve your marketing strategy and communication with our easy-to-use SMS features :

• Incoming SMS automation: Automatically and instantly respond to customer requests via SMS and improve their satisfaction.
• Zapier SMS integrations: Integrate with your favorite apps to automate your marketing campaign and increase revenue.
• Global SMS coverage: Reach customers in 190+ countries and 1,000 mobile networks and receive responses from them.
• Scheduled text messages: Automatically send alerts and reminders at specific times to raise customers’ loyalty.
• Long text messages: Send travel texts up to 918 characters in length to include more useful information.
• SMS distribution lists: Segment your audience and send targeted travel offers via the Email to SMS service.

By embracing the outlined techniques, travel agencies can enhance their market presence, engage more effectively with potential customers, and secure a stronger foothold in the global travel market.

Success in this sector is not just about reaching out — it’s about connecting meaningfully with travelers and offering them unforgettable experiences. As the industry continues to evolve, so too should the marketing approaches of travel agencies, ensuring they remain at the forefront of travelers’ minds in a world of endless opportunities.

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• SMS product launch checklist
• 1. Create a product launch plan
• 2. Generate awareness and engagement before the launch
• 3. Make an impression on launch day
• 4. Keep the excitement going post-launch
• New product launch message samples
• Conclusions

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Email Campaign for Travel Agencies

₹1500-12500 INR

Paid on delivery

I need an expert in email marketing to design and execute a successful lead generation campaign.

Key Requirements:

- Conduct an email campaign to generate leads for a travel agency

- The primary goal is to promote a product or service

- The target audience are travel agencies

Ideal Skills:

- Proven track record in successful email marketing campaigns

- Familiarity with lead generation techniques and strategies

- Experience with B2B email campaigns

- Knowledge of the travel industry is a plus

The freelancer I am looking for should be able to develop an engaging email campaign that highlights the unique selling points of our product or service, and effectively targets travel agencies as prospective clients. The implementation of the campaign should be well-structured and results-driven.

Marketing Email Marketing Leads Email Campaign Bulk Marketing

About the project

Place your bid, benefits of bidding on freelancer, 16 freelancers are bidding on average ₹7100 for this job.

Hi, As an experienced digital marketer, I'm confident that my skillset and track record make me the perfect-fit candidate for your email campaign to generate leads for travel agencies. One of the pivotal factors in ou More

With years of experience as a digital marketer, I possess all the skill-sets you need for implementing a successful email campaign targeting travel agencies. My proven background in developing and executing effective d More

Hey there, I'd love to help you with this task. You can shoot me a message any time to discuss further. Looking forward, Demir

Hey there! I'm Raj Malviya, a friendly freelance developer with an awesome team. I've checked out your Requirement for email campaigning for travel agencies to promote your services, we have expertise in it and I gua More

I understand that you're looking for an expert in email marketing to generate leads for your travel agency. With over 5 years of robust experience in the field, I have a proven track record in successful email marketin More

With my extensive experience in email and bulk marketing, I am more than equipped to design and execute an effective lead generation campaign for your travel agency. I've successfully executed B2B email campaigns, whic More

Hello Roshni A., I understand that you are looking for an expert in email marketing to design and execute a successful lead generation campaign for travel agencies. With my expertise in Marketing and experience in co More

DEAR, I WILL GIVE YOU MORE THAN EXPECTED AND ON TIME. I WILL BE VERY HAPPY WORKING WITH YOU. REGARDS NITISH SHARMA

I am an email marketing specialist with 4 years of experience. I currently carry out email marketing for 2 clients, one in Brazil and one in France.

I'm interested because I have more than 1 year experience in Google Ads, Email Marketing etc. I'll target the audience which is already interested in traveling according to their household income, Age, Gender and Locat More

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Dear, I hope this message finds you well. My name is Ashley Miranda and I have recently completed my studies in Advertising. I am contacting you due to my interest and commitment. Through my academic training and work More

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Visit Moscow Tours

Saint Petersburg - Karelia 9 days - 8 nights

Moscow - Saint Petersburg tour package 8 days/7 nights

Moscow - saint petersburg 5 days/4 nights.

Moscow - Saint Petersburg 6 days/5 nights

Sochi tour 8 days/7 nights

Altai tour package 11 days/10 nights

Murmansk 4 days/3 nights

Happy New Year tour package- best price 8 days/7 nights

Baikal tour package 7 days/6 nights

Christmas tour package- best price 5 days/4 nights

Moscow tour package 4 days/3 nights.

Special Winter Edition Tour 8 days/7 nights

Saint Peterburg tour package 4 days/3 nights

Moscow-Kazan-Saint Petersburg 9 days/8 nights

Moscow-Suzdal-Saint Petersburg 9 days/8 nights

Moscow-Saint Peterburg tour package 8 days/7 nights BEST DEAL (15th of MAY-22d of MAY only)

Moscow-sochi tour package 6 days/5 nights.

Moscow - Velikiy Novgorod - Saint Petersburg tour package 9 days/8 nights

Moscow-Saint Petersburg-Baikal lake 14 days/13 nights

Moscow-Saint Petersburg-Sochi tour package 10 days/9 nights

Moscow-Altai tour package 14 days/13 nights

Moscow-Murmansk-Saint Petersburg 11 days/10 nights

Saint Petersburg - Karelia 8 days/7 nights

Moscow tour package 5 days/4 nights including tank riding and Stalin Bunker visit

Moscow-Saint Petersburg tour package 7 days/6 nights including tank riding and Stalin Bunker visit

Magic Ice of Baikal Lake - 7 days / 6 nights

SPA tour package Grozny (Chechnya) 4 days - 3 nights

Hiking tour package Dagestan 5 days - 4 nights

Suzdal and Vladimir Tour

Moscow Kremlin Tour

River Cruise Tour

Driving Tour around Saint Petersburg

Peterhof Tour

Moscow Driving Tour

Moscow in 1 Day (Walking tour)

Welcome to visit moscow tours.

We provide authentic, informative and memorable tour packages and city tours, at very competitive prices. Visit Moscow Tours are available not only in Moscow, but also in other cities: Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Suzdal and Sergiev Posad.  We also organise customised individual programs tailored just for you.

Our guests come in large groups, small private groups, as couples or as single travellers. We take care of and treat our guests with respect in a friendly and warm family environment. We show people our beautiful cities with passion and deep knowledge of their history, culture and traditions.

Our guides are extremely hospitable, helpful and well-informed. They are simply the best because only by providing the best services can we make the world fall in love with Russia. And we are very happy when our guests say that they will definitely come back to Russia and that they will tell all their friends how great Russia is! That is what inspires us to put even more dedication and hard work into our tours, knowing that what we do is positive and meaningful.

Our classic tours include tours of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, two main Russian cities.

Moscow is a big and busy  megalopolis and Russia’s capital city, where more than 12 million people live and work. Our capital city is happening place; it is mysterious, elegant, luxurious, fashionable, clean and bright, with its unique legends, traditions and events. It is with great pride that we show the Red Square and the Kremlin, our Underground and Tretyakovskaya Gallery, among other stunning attractions.

Saint Petersburg is our second capital,  the second largest city in the Russian Federation. This wonderful city has a strong and lively aristocratic spirit, uniquely Russian royal architecture, magnificent museums and theatres. Saint Petersburg bears the royal heritage of Russia, which can be felt in its air, its streets, parks, monuments, museums and citizens.  In Saint Petersburg tours, we will take you to the Hermitage, Peter and Paul Fortress, Faberge Museum and Orthodox Cathedrals. We’re sure you will love it!

If you have a few more days to spare, venture into the dreamy Russian countryside in Suzdal or Sergiev Posad. Suzdal is a small town with a population of about ten thousand people, situated on less than 15 square kilometres. This tiny area is home to 53 historic cathedrals, five monasteries and a kremlin. Church domes are visible like mushrooms from anywhere and everywhere in the town like in a fairy tale. No wonder Suzdal is called the ‘Town Museum”.  It is definitely worth visiting!

Just try any of Visit Moscow Tours’ tour packages or any individual city tour, and we promise that you will want to come back to Russia again.  Russia is huge with countless amazing places to visit. There are so many unique experiences to be had and energies to be felt that one tour is definitely not enough to explore this vast land. It is also a very safe destination to travel, and we have a tradition of warm hospitality. Our people adore and take care of visitors as our own guests, and even if they do not know your language very well, they still try to be helpful and hospitable.

Our guides will show you the most interesting attractions and historical places, taking you on a journey to the past to enjoy stories of medieval times, the Romanov monarchy, the Soviet Era. And of course, we will show you the contemporary life of our country through authentic local experiences.

We look forward to meeting you soon!

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Moscow Travel Guide

• Guide to Russia
• Russian Destination Guide

Why travel to Moscow

Contrasts: 12th century monasteries and some of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe can be found side-by-side in this complex and captivating city. The diversity of this mega-city is astounding. Only a few steps away from the solemn red facade of the Kremlin and the sounds of righteous church bells, a buzzing night scene and alternative-fashion boutiques can be found.

Culture: In Moscow only the best goes. Be it a theatre, restaurant or gallery, the standards are certain to be world-class. The Bolshoi ballet company is reputed to be even better than the Mariinsky’s and “MMOMA” (Moscow’s museum of modern art) exhibits works of art as profound as any that could be found in the famed MOMA.

Convenience: Unlike the rest of Russia, it’s easy enough to get by with just English in Moscow and, driving excepted, it is surprisingly safe: the murder rate is lower than in some of America’s major cities.

Top Sights in Moscow

St. Basil’s

Novodevichy Convent

MORE SIGHTS

• Moscow Fact File
• History of Moscow Russia
• Arriving in Moscow
• Getting Around
• Moscow Museums
• Nightlife in Moscow
• Moscow Restaurants
• Moscow Entertainment
• Activities in Moscow
• Outside Moscow

FEATURED MOSCOW TOURS

See tours which enjoy highest popularity with our customers

CLASSIC MOSCOW

A WEEK IN MOSCOW

WEEKEND IN MOSCOW

View all tours

Why visit Moscow

It would take more than two days to walk around the perimeter of the biggest city in Europe, Moscow. Many of its inhabitants barely know what’s beyond the few blocks around their flat and there are so many attractions that it’s almost impossible to know where to start. If there is such a thing as an antidote to boredom, Moscow City is it. The mind-boggling range and diversity of things to do, places to eat, parks, historical monuments and more means that a vacation in Moscow has a wealth of activities to offer for every type of traveler, from young families to retirees.

Reasons to Vacation in Moscow in 2022

The Bolshoi theatre is familiar to almost everyone as Russia’s grandest theatre, but what people don’t know is that there are many more bolshoi (big) sites in Moscow that are worth travelling all the way to Moscow to see. For more than 100 years, the world’s biggest bell has been hidden behind the Kremlin’s walls and inside Moscow’s main park (which is bigger than some countries!) there is the world’s largest outdoor ice-rink. Travelers that visit Moscow can stay at the Izmailovo, Europe’s biggest hotel, then eat at the largest and most historic McDonald’s in Europe and after that have fun at the largest European indoor theme park!

Ancient Past & Stunning Architecture:

As those who travel to Moscow will see, just because Moscow is a city of record-breaking, glitzy high-rises doesn’t mean that there is no history. On the famous Arbat street, time-worn, wooden storehouses and century-old churches are squashed up against grey, soviet blocks which are then towered over by 21st century office-blocks. Unlike its much younger sibling, St Petersburg, Moscow’s roots stretch way back to the 12th century. Within the walls of the Kremlin, the city’s oldest building the Cathedral of Assumption can be admired in all its 500+ years of age.

Culture & Convenience

For a foreigner who has never visited Russia, Moscow is the perfect stepping stone into this great land of mystery. From the country’s best classical ballet troupes to snow-white troikas trotting through the parks, all the highlights of Russian culture can be had in Moscow without any of the complications that would be expected in other, less developed regions of Russia.

Cheap as Caviar

In Moscow, everything is bargain when with the current foreign exchange rates being what they are. Even caviar doesn’t seem so dear when the exchange rate is at 60rub to the dollar, so go on indulge yourself! Take your 2022 vacation in Moscow and have the best of both worlds, with European luxury at very affordable prices.

Lena, our guide in Moscow was excellent. She was very knowledgable and could answer any question we had for her. We liked that she could pick up on our interests and take us places we might not have thought of to go. When we realized that one of the places we had chosen to see would probably not be that interesting to us, she was able to arrange entry to the Diamond Fund and the Armoury for us. Riding the Metro with Lena was a real adventure and a lot of fun. In Saint Petersburg we found Anna well versed in the history of the Tsars and in the Hermitage collection. Arkady in Veliky Novgorod was a very good guide and answered all of our questions with ease. Novgorod was perhaps a long way to go for a day trip, but we did enjoy it. Vasily was a great driver to have and kept us safe with good humour and skill. We enjoyed ourselves so much, my daughter says she is already planning to return. We would both have no hesistation to recommend ExpresstoRussia to anyone we know.

Just wanted to let you know that My grandson Bruno and I couldn´t have been more pleased with our week in Moscow (6/15 - 6/21). We were absolutely enchanted with the whole experience, including getting lost a couple of times in the Metro during our free time. Although both our guides (both Eleanas) were excellent, I would particularly commend the first one (she took us to the Tatiakov, the KGB tour, and to that beautiful cemetery where so many great Russian artists, authors, composers, musicians, militarists, and politicians are buried). Her knowledge is encyclopedic; and her understanding of today´s Russia as a product of its past was, for us, truly enlightening. I will be taking another tour in Russia, with my wife, within the next two or three years. I will be in touch with you when the time comes. Meanwhile, I will refer you to other potential visitors to Russia as I meet them.

We had a great time both in Moscow and St Petersburg. Your travel agency was excellent in coordinating the whole trip. Everything worked like clockwork. The guides assigned to us were very nice and friendly. They had a great knowledge of their subjects. The cars and the drivers were great. The hotels were good and the itinerary was good. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. It was nice dealing with you and your company. Thank you very much for a great Russian experience. Have a great future ahead

• 31 reviews of Express to Russia Moscow Tours in Moscow

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