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I need to understand the consumer journey for residents of US when booking ski holidays and other winter holidays.
Hello and thank you for your question in regards to understanding the consumer journey for residents of the US when booking ski holidays and other winter holidays. The short answer is that the journey moves from awareness of a destination, to considering alternatives, to comparing prices of alternatives, and finally, to making a decision and booking. The best practices in marketing successfully to these consumers is through utilizing social media, selling the overall experience, showcasing environmental practices or initiatives, and promotional emails.
METHODOLOGY
To accurately address the request, I have ensured to limit my research to US consumers from recent and reputable sources. I first began by presenting the four stages of the customer journey in relation to ski/winter holidays. Next, I examined some of the important factors influencing this group when booking their trip. Finally, I included some of the successful tools marketers use to appeal to this group.
FINDINGS
The consumer journey of US residents when booking a ski or a winter holiday consists of four stages. These stages are:
AWARENESS: A person cannot think of going to a ski destination if they are not aware of where it is and what it entails. In this stage, advertising plays a major role to ensure the product is within the customer's radar.
CONSIDERATION: At this point, the customer is considering multiple destinations or resorts for their holiday. They will normally have a number of possibilities in mind that they are interested in but have not begun researching the topic.
INTENT: In the intent stage, the customer begins comparing prices of the different ski destination, looking at possible dates, researching other activities that may be available, food establishments, accommodations, and any special events that may taking place on those specific dates. Customers will utilize a number of tools to sway their decision ranging from using booking sites, travel agencies, social media, and relying on recommendations from family and friends. Additionally, 40% of online searches for destinations and holidays are through mobile devices. It is imperative for any ski or winter holiday site to be mobile-friendly to ensure reaching this demographic. Also, preferences of popular Instagram influencers with a passion for skiing/snowboarding, can be a deciding factor in younger demographics' choice and awareness of destinations.
DECISION: At this final stage, the customer finally picks a destination for their winter/ski holiday and either book it directly from the destination, or through booking platforms.
BEST PRACTICES
There are a number of factors that are considered essential for consumers when booking their trip. Cost is one of the most important ones. The possibility of enjoying themselves while saving money helps consumers decide on where to go. As such, many will purchase lift tickets online to save, or will book their trips for midweek as many destinations offer discounts or special deals at that time. For example, resorts offer packages for midweek days that include lift tickets, breakfast, and a room for a considerably lower cost than that of the weekend. Furthermore, cost is essential to consumer in the sense of getting the most of their money in terms of service, food, lodging, and the overall experience.
Furthermore, night-skiing, other outdoor sports, ski lessons, fitness centres, spas, f amily activities, restaurants, and nightlife are important for customers as they help in differentiating the destination and ensuring guests would return again. That is especially so when booking for a larger group. They would try to find a resort that includes multiple activities, different level slopes and difficulties. Having something for everyone, aids in attracting larger group consumers. Some of the best tools marketers need to use when promoting ski or winter holidays are:
SOCIAL MEDIA: Social media plays an essential role in reaching customers. Utilizing platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube helps destinations in reaching a larger target market. Taking Twitter as an example from this past December, many ski destinations have used the platform to increase customers by offering discounted lift tickets on the condition of a small donation of food or toys to charities. These companies did not only use social media to offer discounted tickets but also associated their brand with caring for local communities; this helps in creating a loyal customer base, and in receiving free positive media attention. Examples include Brighton Resort in Utah offering $20 tickets with the donation of a new toy, or Pico Resort in Vermont offering $29 tickets with the donation of 3 non-perishable food items.
SELLING THE EXPERIENCE: It is imperative to ensure that all marketing efforts are focused on selling the experience the holiday will create as opposed to the tangible items it comes with. Pushing the experience to customers helps in selling the product. High quality visuals and concise text help in achieving that. Additionally, showcasing the natural location and terrain surrounding the area allows consumers to explore the destination and creates a desire to visit. A great way of doing so is through uploading high quality YouTube videos, while also embedding them on the destination's website. Creating videos for first-timers is also an excellent method of helping the non-expert guests explore confidently. Moreover, taking little snippets of these videos and posting them on the destination's Facebook page with a link to the full YouTube video helps in increasing attention and generating interest.
ENVIRONMENTALISM: Customers taking a ski or winter holiday tend to have a passion for nature. As such, showcasing the destination's environmental contribution or sustainability practices is an excellent tool in creating a positive perception in the consumer's mind.
EMAILS: Sending personalized promotional emails and offering special deals for email subscribers is successful in increasing returns from past customers as well attracting new ones. Furthermore, creating loyalty programs increases repeat visits from customers and ensures they always feel appreciated.
CONCLUSION
To summarize, the consumer journey for residents of the US when booking ski/winter holidays begins with the awareness of a destination, moves to considering alternatives, comparing prices, and to finally, making the final decision and booking. The best practices in marketing successfully to these consumers is through utilizing social media, selling the overall experience, showcasing environmental practices or initiatives, and promotional emails.
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