Post-recession is a term were hearing more and more but I continue to scratch my head and ask, “Are we really on the tail end of the economic Tsunami?” A blog post I read recently, based on a report from eMarketer cites six online travel trends that will make up an even greater percentage of the total travel market in this post-recessionary environment. I mention their trends because each one could line up under the 3 P’s – outlined in my January blog about 2010 Travel “Predictions” - PRICE – PLANNING - PATIENCE.
No, I don’t have a crystal ball or advanced college degrees covering my office wall confirming how smart I am, but common sense tells you the 3 P’s matter.
April’s Prediction #1 - PRICE
eMarketer trend # 1 - Value takes center stage –Amid the economic rubble, travelers have adopted a back to basics mentality seeing quality at the right price.
April’s Prediction #2 PLANNING
eMarketer trend #2 Social Media gives rise to new ways of sharing – Online reviews and user-generated content are being combined with social networking, increasing their influence on travel-buying decisions.
eMarketer trend #3 Mobile takes travel on the go – A growing number of travelers now use mobile devices to plan and book trips and access location –specific content.
eMarketer trend #4 Personalized micro-niche travel takes off – Growing dissatisfaction with one-size-fits all travel is driving demand for customized offerings.
eMarketer trend # 5 Online travel spans new horizons – Growth in online booking is shifting overseas, while US travelers who book on-line are looking for more international options.
ZipSetGo also recognized these trends in planning and the increasing need for travelers to have the “REAL DEAL” from other travelers who have actually, “been there and done that,” so we’ve created a virtual sounding board for the industry through our web site and by hosting a weekly travel chat called Travelers Night In™ (TNI™). Our sight provides over 100 different destination reviews that have over 250 aggregated data points per destination. This helps meeting planners PLAN-TRAVEL-FAST!!! With resources tight in every organization, the ZipSetGo website helps planners streamline and work more effectively. What TNI provides is an organized opportunity for people from all over the globe, who love to travel, share their travel experience - come together and share their personal travel experiences - the good, the bad and the truly amazing! Every Thursday 3:30 EST the ZipSetGo team selects a travel chat topic, develops questions, selects host and for 90 minutes each week questions are sent out through Twitter by host every ten minutes – and the CHAT IS FAST and FURIOUS!
April’s Prediction #3 Patience
The last prediction I had for 2010 was PATIENCE – meaning, travel is different now and our expectations need to change with the trends – but that doesn’t necessarily mean something negative. There are great apps out there for travel now, but you need to know how to use them. There are great deals out there, but you need to shop around –not all travel sites are created equal and customer service is usually non-existent. Your patience in learning a new skill, app or technology will pay off…really, it won’t take that long. And patience is paying off when it comes to efforts by the travel industry towards sustainability. eMarket’s final trend will become a reality!
eMarket trend #6 Sustainable is becoming attainable: suppliers who deploy green practices are enjoying favored status among acutely aware consumers.
ZipSetGo supports travel suppliers who employ green practices like Fairmont Hotels leading the hotel industry with their green practices, Patagonia outdoor clothing company’s Evolve program, Wynn hotel’s “behind the scenes” recycling program and Impact 4 Good with their socially responsible activities for corporate groups. THANK YOU for being YOU!
I hope the industry researchers and trend watchers are right and we are in a “post-recession.” I do think, we are all on the same page “people still want to travel,” but value is key. The launch of the World Wide Web and online travel sites has been a game changer for the travel industry; the likes of which have ever been seen in history. I am excited to see how these latest trends will impact the evolution of the industry and our planet!
