DIGITAL MARKETING
Digital action plan for tourism While the pandemic presented massive challenges for the hospitality industry in 2020, Rob Edlin, director of digital marketing agency Niddocks, has some advice to help tourism businesses bounce back in 2021. Communication has always been the key to success in business, now more than ever we need open and honest communication in our marketing, advertising, policies, procedures, terms & conditions. Digital marketing makes communicating your brand, message, offer, destination, accommodation, attraction, activity or other entity much easier and cheaper than it was 30 years ago when many tourism businesses relied on newspapers, magazines, tele-marketing and travel agents to attract customers. Although easier and cheaper, digital
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TALKING TOURISM
marketing is still confusing to many. Much of the work can be carried out by yourself now and Devon and Cornwall are full of really good small businesses that can help you with all or some of what you need to do if you need a helping hand. Having looked at the data from hundreds of businesses, we have noticed some interesting trends amongst all the difficulty and confusion that has surrounded tourism and travel throughout the last 12 months. A few key points are worth highlighting and I recommend that you take time out to audit your own digital marketing activities, advertising and web presence to ensure that you’re ready for whatever 2021 has to throw at you. The two most significant things I’ve observed are: 1. There are many more people visiting websites in Devon and Cornwall that have not visited before - the figure varies from business to business but as an average, we’re seeing almost twice the number of “new” visitors to websites, in real terms this means tens of thousands more people are looking for holidays in, services provided and products to buy from the south west. 2. Search patterns and terms have been very different, people are searching for things to do, more information, Covid restrictions, opening times, delivery
SPRING 2021
