Today we feature two MABR students’ opinions on marketing during and after a pandemic.
First off, Megan Danielson discusses “How The Travel Industry is Reacting to the Pandemic”
The travel industry is one that has been greatly affected by the pandemic. Arguably, travel and hospitality have been the most hit industries, being that travel is strongly discouraged, and in many places, has been banned. The global travel restrictions and advisories are in place as COVID cases rise throughout the world and the pandemic continues to create uncertainty for brands and individuals alike. Events all around the world have been cancelled, and travel in general is highly ill advised as the pandemic persists. Brands have had to adjust their operation and staff and are having to shift their marketing and messaging strategies to keep people safe.
Many tourism brands are going against their usual promotional activities as officials are encouraging people to isolate. This could look like tourism industries actively telling travelers to stay where they are, rather than plan a trip. All brands and businesses have had to make shifts in order to be proactive in their responses to COVID. It is important for consumers to feel like brands are being responsible, and in a world crisis of this extent, are taking the proper steps to keep them safe. For travel industries, this could look like instilling hope and giving consumers reassurance that things will eventually return to normal, but if they have to travel or stay overnight now, that they are taking the precautions necessary to keep them safe.
Travel brands that have continued running have had to implement serious plans and information to show how they and their customers can be responsible during the pandemic. Airbnb, for instance, has created elevated standards for every stay, and even offers online experiences for customers to replace gathering in groups and in-person experiences. Other brands are sharing how they are supporting relief efforts for COVID-19, from raising money to shipping supplies to support medical staff. Omni Hotels have created an #OmniAtHome campaign and where they are encouraging people to replicate the hotel experience through inspiring content that they provide “so that you can treat yourself to a luxurious vacation at home”.
This pandemic is proving to be one of the most impactful shocks to the tourism system that has been seen, and these brands throughout the tourism ecosystem must now have the readiness to meet demand and shifts in travel behavior, as well as be prepared for the impacts this crisis has had on customer’s confidence in brands. There is so much uncertainty for what the future holds. Brands that are pivoting their marketing to instill hope and focus on the positive are doing what they can to stay relevant during these times. Using their influence creatively during troubled times to inspire and engage their customers will lead to them seeing bigger returns when things finally go back to normal.
Read more: https://econsultancy.com/how-travel-tourism-brands-reacting-coronavirus-social-media/
https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/view/?ref=137_137392-qsvjt75vnh&title=Rebuilding-tourism-for-the-future-COVID-19-policy-response-and-recovery
https://www.airbnb.com/d/covidsafety