What is Travel Tuesday? And why it matters for tour operators
Searches for Travel Tuesday have grown more than fivefold in the last two years.
What is Travel Tuesday? And why it matters for tour operators
You’ve probably heard about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But have you heard about Travel Tuesday?
Travel Tuesday is an increasingly popular marketing initiative focused solely on travel deals, making it a prime opportunity for tour operators (you!) to capture the attention of deal-seeking travelers.
What is Travel Tuesday?
Travel Tuesday is the travel industry’s answer to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In fact, according to McKinsey and Company, searches for Travel Tuesday have grown more than fivefold in the last two years.
In a 2018 New York Times article, Hopper was credited with popularizing the Travel Tuesday trend. Since then, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving has been the day airlines, hotels, and tour operators like you are offering their best deals.
Why it’s important for tour operators
With searches for Travel Tuesday rising more than 500% from 2021 to 2023, this promotional theme is a golden opportunity for you to boost your bookings. Use the awareness around the promotional nature of the “holiday” to boost revenue during your slower months.
Plus, consumers are continuing to catch on to Travel Tuesday as a day to focus on experiences over electronics. CNBC notes that shoppers are eager to lock in savings for those experiences during the holiday season.
Since travelers are often seeking exclusive travel deals, offering a promotion encourages them to purchase now rather than later. Overall, running promotions on your bookings can turn maybes into yeses.
Travel Tuesday marketing strategies
Travel Tuesday, like any promotion, needs a marketing plan that stands out yet is easy to execute. There is no need to spend endless hours creating complex marketing campaigns, nor is it necessary.
Keep your messaging simple, but don’t sleep on urgency — let your customers know it’s now or never. If your peak season is during warmer months, offer customers the option to book now with early-bird discounts and limited-time deals. Meanwhile, winter tour operators can increase average basket totals with exclusive discounts or BOGOs on combo offers, capitalizing on end of year promotions
The key to any promotion is making sure your audience sees it. This may mean sending out a few more emails and social media posts than usual. While you can still keep it simple, an average consumer needs to see a message up to seven times before they purchase.
Lastly, you can also leverage your partnerships with OTAs or influencers to make a bigger impact when it comes to brand awareness. OTAs tap a wider high-intent audience while influencers can create real excitement around your brand.
Using online booking systems for Travel Tuesday deals
With FareHarbor’s all-in-one capabilities, not only can you manage your bookings, but you can also run a promo code campaign that is active just on Travel Tuesday.
There are endless ways to customize your promotion. Whether you want to run a 10% flash sale or a Buy One Get One 20% off, you can tailor the promotion to best suit your audience.
Combos are one of our favorite FareHarbor tools. Customers purchasing one experience can seamlessly add another to their order in one seamless checkout. On average, FareHarbor clients have seen a 19% increase in bookings with 2 or more items in a single order when utilizing combos. This is a great way to promote your business even beyond Travel Tuesday.
Pro tip: While creating your combo deal, encourage more sales by offering the second experience at a discounted rate. Try combining your two tours that are most often purchased together!
Travel Tuesday for tour operators is a powerful opportunity to connect with your customers, both returning and new. By offering irresistible deals, you can position your business as the go-to choice for unforgettable experiences.Ready to get started? Learn how FareHarbor can streamline your holiday promotions today.
