Destination Marketing Reinvented
The millennial audience is one of the most sought after for travel destinations and tourism brands. The million-dollar question is this: how can they cater to this demographic that values seeing the world, cares about the environment and wants to make a difference?
Despite economic uncertainty and high employment rates, millennials continue to travel and are even forgoing standard vacations in favor of extended, meaningful experiences. In fact, a study by the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation found that the average trip for young travelers lasts 58 days. This is likely attributed to the millennial mindset that we should see the world and we should do it now, which is much different than the mindset of waiting until retirement to travel that is held by previous generations.
As more in the industry are attempting to capitalize on these young travelers, several themes have emerged that are proving successful for early adopters. Spoiler alert: deals and vacation packages aren’t the main driver to lure millennials; it’s about creating an experience within a destination that is unforgettable.
Creating the Experience from Scratch
A unique twist on destination marketing is Bud Light’s Whatever USA summer campaign. Built entirely on the idea of experiential marketing – creating the experience for a specific audience to better connect with the brand – the beer conglomerate created its own city and invited consumers to visit for a party-charged, long weekend.
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The three-day event came and went without any serious incidents (pause for a collective sigh of relief from PR pros) and those who attended likely had the time of their lives, minus some challenges trying to get back home after.
The three-day event came and went without any serious incidents (pause for a collective sigh of relief from PR pros) and those who attended likely had the time of their lives, minus some challenges trying to get back home after.
In many ways, the campaign can be considered a success. Given that millennials inherently value experiences and are looking to engage with brands rather than be marketed to, the idea was a hit among the younger demographic.
From a long-term view, Crested Butte might even see some increased tourism and revenue numbers. The event was widely covered by news outlets geared toward younger generations (Coed, EliteDaily), exposing the small ski town to a much broader audience and one that’s significantly more likely to visit following the endorsements of their peers.
Offering Access to Multiple Destinations
While some millennials are using long travel opportunities as a means to escape the arduous job search process or to reevaluate their career goals, many are jumping on the opportunity before they even reach the so-called “real world.”
Enter study abroad. Semester at Sea, a shipboard program for global study abroad, offers something unique that appeals to the millennial generation and their urge to travel and explore. With marketing that focuses on a floating campus that transports you 24,500 nautical miles to 15 destinations on four continents, who wouldn’t be ready to sign up?
Semester at Sea Summer 2011
Semester at Sea not only offers students the opportunity for long-lasting adventure that millennials yearn for, but also transferable credit towards a four-year degree and the diverse cultural experience that is becoming increasingly important when interviewing for that first post-graduate job.
Through strong partnerships with universities across the country, a focus for its staff on how to teach the millennial generation specifically and an emphasis on the students’ experience at the core of its mission, Semester at Sea inspires wanderlust and resonates brilliantly with Generation Y. In true millennial marketing fashion, they are also creating and nurturing brand ambassadors among students and leveraging word-of-mouth marketing so that this trend stays popular and entices the upcoming Gen-Z.
Reinventing a Classic Destination
Disney theme parks increased ticket prices again this summer, but don’t expect turnstiles to slow down any time soon. In fact, marketing experts anticipate Disney will see comparable results to last year’s record-breaking attendance and $2.2 billion profit. But what is keeping lines longer and crowds busier even with sky-high prices? One word: millennials.During the 80s and 90s, Disney used images of characters, castles and giant Mickey Mouse balloons to entice kids to experience the vacation of their lives. These young kids have now grown into decision-making millennials. Millennials are choosing Disney for their vacation plans to relive their childhood memories. And with ever-changing park attractions, they can continue to return to Disney parks year after year to experience something old and new.
Disney continues to innovate with this audience. For example, My Disney Experience is a brand new app that provides Disney World guests with an interactive experience. The app provides wait times, holds reservations and builds itineraries for visitors. Disney has taken this app to the next level with a wearable gadget, MagicBand, which can hold park tickets, fast passes and hotel keys to streamline guests’ travel plans.
In addition, Disney is relying heavily on social media to share visitor moments, including a magical Instagram account for each of its parks. Providing a melody of Disney and guest photos, profiles truly capture the Disney experience from a visitor’s eyes and imagination.
Integrating Millennials into the Campaign Planning
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB) recently revealed that part of its 2015 marketing plan would focus entirely on attracting more millennial tourists.
In order to better reach the younger age group, the GFLCVB will be creating an advisory board made up of 10 to 15 millennial members to provide feedback. Essentially, the board will provide guidance on what messages resonate with the target audience, which in turn will be used to guide advertising initiatives.
In addition to existing efforts and the “Hello Sunny” campaign, GFLCVB plans to employ several different tactics to reach the millennial segment. To target the experience-driven generation, the bureau plans to use “beyond the beach” messaging to promote the area’s nightlife and entertainment as well as a video series highlighting lesser known attractions and up-and-coming neighborhoods. GFLCVB also plans to bring additional festivals and concerts to the area, appealing to a younger audience willing to travel for events.
To kick things off, GFLCVB headed to the CBGB Music and Film Festival in New York City at the beginning of October. The marketing efforts focused on touting the destination as an ideal place to visit with plenty of entertainment options through free branded pedicab rides, a beach mobile, Velcro Sticky Wall, and of course social sharing using the #hellosunny hashtag.
What have we learned from these successful campaigns and approaches to reaching the millennial audience? Plenty. It’s all about engaging with them in a direct way, creating a new experience and essentially reinventing everything we thought we knew about travel and tourism marketing.
