In this article, we’ll see why travel bloggers are an important node in the Hospitality Industry, and what benefits does Hotels stand to gain by working closely with them.
Travel bloggers are avid travelers themselves. They love to travel, see new world, and blog their experience to share it with their readers. The readers engage in a conversation with the travel bloggers about travel destinations – be it for vacation or business, learn from them, and most importantly take their recommendations in deciding their next destination, tour packages and accommodations. BTW, I love to travel as well.
So, in short, Travel bloggers are ‘Influencers’. They influence the minds of their readers (and other travelers) on travel destinations, tour packages, accommodations and so on, which are of great interest to not only Tour Operators but for Hoteliers too. One established travel blogger can influence hundreds of thousands of travelers and thus their decisions on travel destinations, tour packages and accommodations. Travelers, in addition to searching for information about their travel destinations, also look for recommendations. There are plenty of review sites available online, and reviews are posted mainly by travelers themselves. However, travel bloggers are seasoned travelers and their analysis of a particular destination, package and accommodation is always valued higher.
Now, we know who travel bloggers are and how they influence travelers, lets see how companies, particularly Hotels, can work with them.
Just like any blogger (including myself), travel bloggers love content. High quality content. Content could be in the simplest form such as
* blog post
* videos
* pictures
So, start to think of WIN-WIN situations where it benefits your Hotel and the blogger.
Here are few ideas:
* Write a guest post at the travel blog about a local attraction and create a back-link to your Hotel website
* Share videos, pictures of any local attraction, special events happened at your Hotel with the travel blogger and encourage them to write a blog post about it
* Invite top travel bloggers of your location for a Dine & Network session, educate them on new local attraction, upcoming events and give them travel subjects to blog more !
All of the above will lead to ‘word of mouth’ marketing initiated by influential travel bloggers leading to increased web traffic to your site and thus sales.
Put on your thinking hat, and you’ll come up with plenty of ideas that creates a WIN-WIN combination for Hoteliers and Travel Bloggers.
Any other ideas that has worked well for you ? Would love to hear your thoughts !.
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