GROWING INTERNATIONAL SALES - Failte Ireland · − Culturally Curious − Social Energisers ... ,...
Transcript of GROWING INTERNATIONAL SALES - Failte Ireland · − Culturally Curious − Social Energisers ... ,...
Global Segmentation ToolkitUsing segmentation to win international sales
GROWING INTERNATIONAL SALES
CONTENTS
− Introduction
− CulturallyCurious
− SocialEnergisers
− GreatEscapers
−Understandingexperientialtourism
−Theexperiencewheel
− The5stagedigitalconsumerjourney
− Directandindirectsaleschannels
− Overview
− Airandferryroutes
− Snapshotofthemarket
− 5stepstodevelopingyoursalesplan
− Overseassalesactionplantemplate
− FáilteIreland
− TourismIreland
INTRODUCTION
In2013Irishtourismsawasignificantandwelldeservedgrowthinoverseasvisitornumberswithmanymarkets
nowbackorclosetopeakperformancelevels.Overallgrowthof7.2%in2013wasreflectedinanincreasefrom
GreatBritain(GB)of+5.6%,theUnitedStates(US)+14.5%,Germany+7.7%andFrance+9.4%.Forthefirstnine
monthsof2013,correspondingoverseasrevenuegrewby+13%andholidaymakersby+13%.Withgrowthof+11%
betweenDecember2013andFebruary2014,thepositivestartto2014isreflectedinallthemainsourcemarkets;
visitorsfromNorthAmerica(US&Canada)haveincreasedby+17%;GB+14%;Germany+16%andFrance+5%.
TourismIreland’stargetfor2014is8.2moverseasvisitors,anincreaseof1millionover2013.Whilethetrading
environmentinmostsourcemarketsremainschallengingtherearepositiveindicators.TosecurethisgrowthIreland
mustwinadditionalmarketshareinthemainmarketsandinadeterminedefforttodothis,thetourismagencies
ontheislandofIrelandarejointlyimplementinganew,evidence-basedconsumerglobalsegmentationmodel.
Thismodelprovidesnew,uniqueinsightsaboutthekeyconsumersegments;theirmotivations,thekindsof
experiencestheywillbuy,associatedmarketdifferentiatorsandthekeychannelintermediariestheyuse.
Threesegmentshavebeenprioritisedas:
1. Culturally Curious
2. Social Energisers
3. Great Escapers
Culturally Curioustendtobeslightlyolder,areveryindependentlymindedandareinterestedinplacesof
historicandculturalinterest.Social Energiserstendtobeyoung,lookingfornewexperiencesandexcitement.
Great Escapersareallaboutgettingawayfromitall,renewingfamilybondsandspendingtimetogetherina
beautifulplace.
Thistoolkit,Growing International Sales,formspartofaseriesofsalescapabilitysupportsforIrishtourism
industrytoaidinbettertargetingandmoreeffectivesellingintotherightchannelsandoveralltogrow
internationalsales.
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The island of Ireland involves youand brings history to life
The island of Ireland allows you toimmerse yourself more fully and
connect with nature
EXPERIENCEIRELAND
Livinghistorical
stories
Active innature
Vibe ofthe city
Awakeningthe
senses
The island of Ireland’s urban
atmosphereis vibrantimmersive
and distinctive
The island of Ireland’s urban
atmosphereis vibrantimmersive
and distinctive
EVENTS
EVENTS
EVEN
TS EVEN
TS
BRAND IRELAND
AholidayinIrelandmustpresentanddeliveracredibleandengagingmemorytopotentialvisitors.Research
indicatestherearefivedifferentIrishholidaypillarsthatarehighlymotivatingforinternationalconsumers.
1. Living historical stories
2. Awakening the senses
3. Active in nature
4. Vibe of the city
5. Connecting with people
Festivalsandeventsareavitalcomponentthatunderpinthefivepillarswhileconnectionswithpeopleare
importantacrossallpillars.Aswellasbeingcrediblewithinternationalholidaymakers,developingpowerful
experienceswillhelpdifferentiateIrelandfromcompetitordestinations.
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GLOBAL SEGMENTATION
Introduction
ThenewglobalsegmentationmodelistheresultoftwokeyreportsfromtheTourismRecoveryTaskForce;GB Path
to Growth 2012andGermany and France: A Strategy for Growth 2014.
ExtensiveresearchwasoriginallyconductedintheGBmarketandoncethemodelprovedsuccessfulthere,the
ideaofextendingittoothermarketswasconsidered.AdditionalresearchintheUS,GermanyandFrancevalidated
thesegmentsandascertainedthattheyappliedglobally.It’sworthrememberingthatbetweenthem,GB,theUS,
GermanyandFrancedeliver70%ofourinternationalvisitors.
Critically,theresearchfoundthat,inamarketingsense,peoplearebestdifferentiatedbythevaluestheyhold
andtheirindividualmotivationsratherthanbydemographicsornationality.Therearesomelocalnuancesacross
differentgeographicmarketsbuttheglobalnatureofthesegmentsiscompelling.Suchmarketnuancesshouldbe
reflectedonwhenplanningyourcommunicationandengagementwithconsumers.
What is segmentation?
Segmentationissimplythegroupingofpeopleaccordingtosomecriteria.Thenewmodel,basedgenerallyon
valuesandmotivations,underpinsawholerangeofdecisions,notjustspecificholidays.Forexample,peoplemay
chooseadifferenttypeofholiday(e.g.activity,relaxing)atdifferentperiodsoftheyear,butfundamentallytheyare
stillmotivatedbythesamevalues.Thenewmodellooksatwhypeopletakeholidaysandwhattheywanttofeel
fromthatholiday,bothduringandafter.
Themodelalsoallowsforthefactthatpeoplefromverydifferentdemographicsmayholdsimilarvalues-justbecause
somebodyisover50doesnotmeanthattheysuddenlyonlywanttovisitcastlesandgardensanddrinktea…
Why global segmentation?
TheglobalsegmentationapproachisdifferenttothosepreviouslyemployedtopromoteIrishtourism.Focusingon
motivationsratherthanneeds,itdeliversrichinsightsintopotentialvisitors,enablingmoreeffectivetargetingand
moreefficientuseofresources.
Which segments?
Whenchoosingwhichsegmentstoprioritise,thedecisionwasbaseduponIreland’sabilityto:
• Bringthesegmentfrom‘I’llcomesomeday’to‘I’llcomenow’
• Addressthecurrentbarrierstoconversionbypresentingthesegmentwithafreshandpositivelysurprisingtake
onIreland
• Capitaliseonasegment’swarmthtowardsIreland.Ifasegmentisnot‘warm’itwillbemuchmoredifficult(and
expensive)toconvincesuchholidaymakerstoholidayhere.
FáilteIrelandandTourismIrelandhaveprioritisedthreesegmentsinthefourmainmarketsofGB,US,Germany
andFrance.
1.CulturallyCurious2.SocialEnergisers3.GreatEscapers
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Comfortablerelaxed pace
Not beingtold what
to do
Broadculture: food &
café culture
‘Feeling’ of freedomExperience of discovery & authenticity
-new & different culture in all its facets:Fascinating & inspiration: ‘How & why’
Walking
Range ofexploration,
history, culture,architecture
Far awayfrom usualroutine &
culture
Learning
Localinsight
Accessibility
SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Culturally Curious
Who are they?
Theychoosetheirholidaydestinationscarefullyandareindependent‘activesightseers’lookingtovisitnewplaces.
Theywantto‘doaplace’andareunlikelytoreturnforsometimeoncetheyhavevisitedit.Theytravelascouples
orontheirown.Iftheyhavechildren,theyhavegrownuporhavelefthome.Higherproportionofsingleadultsand
couples,fewerfamilygroups,slightlybiasedtowardsfemales.
TypicallyCulturallyCurioustravellersareouttobroadentheirmindsandexpandtheirexperiencebyexploring
newlandscapes,historyandculture.Theyarecuriousabouteverythingandaredelightedtodiscovertheworldfor
themselvesonceagain.MostCulturallyCuriousarearound40orover.
What they want from a holiday
They’reinterestedinallthataplacehastoofferandtheywantittobeauthentic.Theywon’tchooseabrandor
visitaplacejusttofollowtheherd.Thisistheirownexplorationandtheyreallywanttocovereverything,to‘do’a
place.TheCulturallyCuriouslovetodiscoverhistoryandalwaysfindwaysofgettingrealinsight.Theyarelooking
toencounternewplacesandexperiencesthatareoutoftheordinary.TheCulturallyCuriousliketofeelthatthey
havenotonlybroadenedtheirmindbutalsoimmersedthemselvesinaplace,givingtheirsensesaholidaytoo-the
sights,thesounds,thesmells,thetastes.Theyenjoyconnectingwithnatureandgettingoffthebeatentrack.They
likepeopletoshowaninterestandeducatethem-tofeelthey’veconnected.Theyreallyappreciatepersonalguides.
Culturally Curious: Self-directed rich discovery
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Social, LocalMobile
What they don’t want
Toparty,toseethingsthey’veseenbefore,todopackagesor‘laidon’activities,tobetoldwhattodo.
Most likely to be seen doing
• Exploringlandscapes-MegalithicorearlyChristianrelics
• Castles,gardens,museums,countryhousesandartgalleries
• Literarytour,UNESCOsite,visitorcentre,browsingforbookstodeepentheirexperience
• Enjoyinggoodfoodandwine,particularlylocalspecialities
• Uniquelocalfestivalsandevents
• Gentleexplorationoftheplace-walking,cycling,pleasureboating
Holiday behaviour - how long and where?
CulturallyCuriousaremostlikelytostayinahotel,self-cateringaccommodationoraB&Baslongasthere’salotto
see.Theywillusuallychoosesomewherewithaccesstosceneryandgoodwalks.Theyarethreetimesmorelikelyto
takelongbreaksthanaveragebuttheyalsotakemoreshortbreaksthanaverage,bothathomeandoverseas.They
areunlikelytoreturnforawhileunlessadestinationistrulydiverse,preferringtomoveontonewdiscoveries.
What are they likely to pay more for?
• Somethingthatisoutoftheordinary
• Superiorservice-“peoplerecognisemebyname”
• Interested-“knowsme,knowswhatIwant”
• Ahumanguidethatoffersrealinsightintothehistoryofaplace
• Environmentallyfriendlyfeatures
What makes a great food and drink experience?
• Getthebesttableandbewelllookedafter
• Peaceandquietwithgoodwineandfood
• ClassicIrishmenuwithatwist
• Goodqualityfoodbecause“I’mlookingaftermyhealth”
• Personalisedservicewherepeoplecallme“Mr.…..”
• Midmorningbreakfast“soIcansleepin…”
Media habits
• Theiruseofsocialmediaisgrowing
• MediumtoheavyTVwhichdrivessomeonlinesearch
• Lighterinternetusage-preferenceforsearchratherthansocialmedia
• Newspapersareprominent
• Radioisimportant.
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CULTURALLY CURIOUS -‐ UK
Image
NAME Vanessa AGE 38 PROFFESSION High School Principal
Interest/Hobbies Barriers to visiting Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Photography & Design (Creative Design)
• Cookery (Ivy Manning) • Keeping Fit (London
Strollers) • Music and Theatre (West
End & Cirque du Soleil)
Not aware of the outdoor activities that Ireland has to offer. Believes that Ireland has a limited food offering from a fine dining perspective.
• Huffington Post • Creative Design • BBC News • Instagram (Sharolyn Wise) • Buzzfeed • Radio Times • Guardian Guide • Reuters • Gawker
• Guardian Travel • Culture Trip • In the Know Traveller • Lescape • British Travel Blog • Mr & Mrs Smith • Lastminute.com • Timeout London • World Travel Market
Implications Visual content appeals to Vanessa including informative articles showcasing culture news, galleries, crafts, photography and food. High quality photographic content that can be used standalone and within articles and distributed to visual social channels like Instagram and Pinterest with relevant social tagging is important to connect with Vanessa. From a distribution perspective, it’s important that our content reaches food, travel and culture-based blogs and online publications to reach Vanessa.
Meet Vanessa, she is a fan of things of beauty, photography, new design, music, mixology and fine cuisine from the world over. She loves photography exhibitions and uses her smartphone to share images from the world over, from her trips abroad to sharing artistic photos around her. She embraces Instagram to share her photos to a wider community using relevant hashtags like #regram and #tbt (Throw back Thursday) As an active person she is constantly looking for new experiences that take her off the beaten track. She likes walking tours around major European cities as she is looking to see what each city can offer her outside of a tour bus. When researching a holiday she’s looking for an authentic experience and researches on multiple sites to determine what galleries and museums to visit and small intimate places to stay.
CULTURALLY CURIOUS -‐ USA
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NAME Kevin AGE 36 PROFESSION Social Media Manager
Interest/Hobbies Barriers to visiting Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Music • Social Media • Fashion • Health and Fitness • Television (HBO
Series & Mad Men) • Technology (Windows
Surface & HTC)
Doesn’t see Ireland as offering the depth of diversity he seeks in terms of landscape, culture and history.
• TedX & Wired • Globalizer • The Cultural Calculator • Simply Measured • Art on Air • Huffington Post • KickStarter • YouTube • Twitter .
• Virgin Atlantic • Trip Advisor • Yelp • Porter Airlines • Getaway Magazine • Business Travel News • CAA Neo Travel • About.com Travel • Tripbase .
Implications The type of content which appeals to Kevin is that which brings to life the background history of a place – merging old with the new. As a Social Media Manager he responds well to peer to peer referrals, and is highly engaged on social platforms such as Twitter and YouTube. He is attracted to high quality video and photo content, and ‘snackable’ content such as Top 10 Lists. Social listening is critical to identifying and engaging with Kevin when he is online discussing his possible travel plans.
Kevin, a social media manger for a mid-size corporation enjoys keeping fit and follows Nike & New Balance to find out about the latest equipment. He also frequently checks into Pilates studios as well as letting his followers and colleagues know about new health products. A knowledge seeker, he is constantly engaging with current digital trends and reading up on entrepreneurship. He is a keen traveller who has been to Europe a number of times. He considers Rome, Budapest, Prague and Greece some of the best places he has visited due to their mix of ancient and modern. He likes to travel with his partner and both enjoy checking out local, authentic venues and tasting local foods. He is also quite active in his exploration of new places – always bringing his running/hiking boots so he can uncover new locations by foot. When searching for new places to explore, Kevin relies heavily on peer to peer recommendation sites as well as visiting trusted blogs.
SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Culturally Curious: Digital Personas
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CULTURALLY CURIOUS -‐ GER
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NAME Alexander Gorny AGE: 45, Married PROFFESSION: Engineer, BMW
Interest/Hobbies Barriers to visiting Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• History • Technology / Engineering • Hillwalking / Trekking • Iconic Scenery • News / Current affairs
• Looks for warmer climates • Not aware of what Ireland
has to offer • Distance from Germany
• Spex • Der Spiegel • Re-publica • Wuv.de • Stern • Wallpaper.com
• Tripadvisor • AirBerlin & German Wings • Travel Made Simple • Slow Travel Berlin • Frommers • Lonely Planet
Implications Content should seek to educate i.e. informative articles that give Alexander a clear sense of what a destination has to offer. Content should be distributed to a mix of OTAs, third party interest sites and travel sections of media publications . Itineraries and regional brochures play a key role in helping Alexander plan and enjoy his trip, so having e-brochures and itineraries easily accessible as PDFs is important. Likewise, all content needs to be mobile friendly, and packaged up within apps which he can use while on holiday.
Alex is an engineer at BMW’s primary production plant in Milbertshofen, Munich, heading up a vehicle testing team. His logical and curious mind translates into his holiday research habits. He engages in meticulous research pre-trip, talking with friends to get specific recommendations and researching official tourist sites to really discover the must-dos of an area, planning every detail of his trip in advance. In addition to reading the Sunday Travel newspaper supplements, he accesses information via his iPad, mostly searching in the evenings and at weekends. Recent trips of note with his wife Doris have included a two week coastal trip of Croatia, visiting the world heritage sites of Dubrovnik, Split and the Plitvice Lakes National Park, and a Danish adventure to the scenic beauty of North Jutland and the historical epicentres surrounding Kronborg Castle and Roskilde Catherdral. He always travels with his iPad and iPhone by his side, and Frommers & Lonely Planet Guidebooks. .
CULTURALLY CURIOUS -‐ FR
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NAME Cedric Buisson AGE: 57, Married no kids PROFFESSION: Sales Manager
Interest/Hobbies Barriers to visiting Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Documentaries • Arts, Culture & Theatre • Literature • Museums & Galleries • Current Affairs
• Aventures en Islande • Culture Spaces • nuitdesmusees.culture.fr • Le Monde • Le Nouvel Observateur • La Fourchette
• www.viamichelin.fr • Lastminute.com France • Voyages-sncf.com • www.voyage-prive.com • Expedia.fr • www.homair.com • www.gralon.net
Implications The type of content that resonates most with Cedric is long form articles from reliable sources, i.e. respected travel bloggers and travel sections of media publications. Therefore, relationship building online with key influencers is critical to helping Cedric to decide which destinations to visit (consideration stage). Paid media on OTAs and review sites will also be key in creating initial visibility.
Cedric comes from Lyon. He and his wife, Celine, like going on romantic ‘learning’ breaks, together having explored Pompeii and Herculaneum, and have taken a two week tour through Transylvania, Bulgaria and the Balkans. He follow’s Adventure Holiday Providers & Novelle Frontieres for ideas on upcoming trips. He sees himself as a free-spirited adventurer, despite putting a lot of effort into planning every step of his trips. With a hectic work schedule, he likes to unwind by watching documentaries and particularly likes Bernard Natan films. Cedric also likes the theatre and is a regular attendee at Lyon’s Halle Tony Garnier Theatre. He is also a fan of the Night Museums. He follows Le Monde, Le Figaro, Le Point and Le Nouvel Observateur on Twitter to stay up to date on current affairs. A foodie, he refers to the Guide Michelin and the La Fourchette food review site when choosing places to eat.
Weather and price, believes that Ireland’s weather is always bad! Also price is a contributing factor. He is looking for value.
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SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Culturally Curious: Subtle differences between the markets
Acrossthefourmainmarkets,patternsandkeymotivationsfortheCulturallyCurioussegmentaremorealike
thandifferent.
• GB Culturally Curiouslikeauthenticity,areindependentandwanttoimmersethemselvesinaplace.They
likeconnectingwithpeople,nature,exploringculturalsitesandhavingfun.Won’tchooseaplacetovisittojust
followthecrowd.
• TheUS Culturally Curiousaresignificantlymoreinterestedinthingsthatarenewtothem,mindbroadening
andknowledgebuilding.Willhavedoneresearchandselectedtheirpreferredexperiences.WhileU.S.Culturally
Curiousaremorelikelytobeinterestedinfeelingspecialorspoiled,thisisstillwellbelow50%ofthem.
• German Culturally Curiousareslightlymorelikelytobeinterestedinpeaceandquiet,activeoutdoorand
coastalareas.Theyhavelessneedforthe‘wow’factor,solesssuperlativesareneeded,andagreaterfocuson
broadeningthemind.Thereisalsolessfocusongourmetfood.They,alongwiththeFrench,haveabsolutelyno
interestinmeetingandhavingfunwithothertourists.
• French Culturally Curiousshowslightlylessmotivationfor“funandlaughter”and“soakingupthe
atmosphere”-suggestingaveryslightlymoreserioustravellerthantheglobalaverage.Theyaremoreinto
breath-takingwildbeautyofthelandscapeandarealsoalittlemorelikelytowanttohaveheardsomething
aboutaplacebeforetheygo.Theyareslightlylesslikelytowanttobephysicallyhealthier.LiketheGerman
CulturallyCurious,theyhavenoabsolutelyinterestinmeetingandhavingfunwithothertourists.
Requirements
HowdoesmybusinessfittheCulturallyCuriousmotivations?
Whatdoesmybusinessofferthatmeetsthespecificwantsofthissegment?
WhatdeliversontheirdesiretodiscoverandlearnaboutIrishculture?
Whathelpsthemconnectwithlocalcultureandlearnaboutlocalstories?
WhatallowsthemtoimmersethemselvesinIreland?
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Excitement % adrenalin rush - 24 hrStatus attached to the experiencing of it
- stories to tell on returnOut-of-the-ordinary for a city break
Thingsto do
Involved aspart of
the group
Sharing theexperience
New, out-of-the-ordinaryexperiences
Be at thecentre of it
Doing whatthe people inthat city do
Be occupied
SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Social Energisers
Who are they?
Youngcouples/adultgroupslookingforexcitement,newexcitingexperiences,fun,socialholidaysinsomewhere
newanddifferent.
Agoodexample:agroupof28yearoldsonalongweekendinDublin.They’refriendsorcolleagues,lookingfora
cool,excitingtripsomewherenewandvibrant.
What they want from a holiday
Theyreallylikehavingalaughandsharingtheadventurewiththeirfriends,theylovenewexperiencesandexploring
newplaces-themoreout-of-the-ordinary,themoreexciting,thebetter.It’sgreatifthere’slotstodoinarelatively
smallarea,sotheydon’thavetoplantoofarahead.They’reupforbeingspontaneous,asthisoftenleadstoeven
morefunandlaughterandareallygreatbreak.
SocialEnergiserswanttobeattheheartofitall-wherever’ssocial,whereverit’shappening.Buttheirdefinition
ofagoodtimeiswiderthanjustpartying.They’realsolookingforinterestingevents,funactivities,gigs.Always
readytotrynewthings-exploringthecitybydayforitsvibrancyanduniqueatmosphere,aswellasenjoying
thenightlife.SocialEnergiserswillgoforsomethingunusualaslongasithasthe‘wow’factorthey’relookingfor.
They’rehungryforexperiencesothey’relikelytobepackingeverythingin.
Social Energisers: Defining Fun & Excitement
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Inspire, DeliverStay in touch
What they don’t want
Peaceandquietareofftheagenda.AsSocialEnergisers,theywanttogetbackhomerevitalisednotrested.They
won’twastetimesearchingforsomethingorwaitingforthingstohappen.
Mostlikelytobeseendoing
• Latestenergetic,popularactivities
• Livelypubs,goodfood,musicandconversationwithlocals
• Contemporaryfestivals,entertainment,comedy,streetart
• ‘In’placestoshop,coolplacestoeat,bestsightseeingopportunities
• Visitingattractionswherefunispartofthedeal
Holiday behaviour - how long and where?
SocialEnergisersaremostlikelytostayinahotelclosetotheaction.SomestayinB&Bs,guesthousesandhostels
aslongasthere’salotgoingonaroundthemthat’snewanddifferent.Thisisthemostlikelygrouptogoto
Europeancitiesandevenfurtherafieldinsearchofthesekindsofexperiences.Theyarealsomorelikelytotakea
shorterbreakoftwoofthreenights.
What are they more likely to pay more for?
• Somethingthatisoutoftheordinary
• Anall-inclusivepackage(flight,accommodationandcarhire)makesiteasyforthemtogetfromoneexperience
tothenext
• Aholidayofferedbyawellknownbrand
What makes a great food and drink experience?
• Greatatmosphere
• Atableinthecentreoftheaction
• Trendiestrestaurantintown
• Goodwholesomefoodsthatarelocalandtellastory
• Trendycocktaillist
• Artisancoffeeandqualityteaandcoffeeshops
• Brunchbecause“Iliketopartylate”
Media habits
• Heavysocialnetworkers-accesstotheinternetwherevertheyareisvital
• Mostownasmartphone
• Socialmediaplaysabigpartintheirlives
• Heavyinternetusers
• LightusersofTV&print
• Cinemaispopular
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SOCIAL ENERGISER -‐ UK
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NAME Amanda Kennedy AGE 28 PROFFESSION Marketer
Interest/Hobbies Barriers to visiting Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Photography • Music and gigs: Frank Turner,
Ventura Nights, NaHves. Also recording music
• Cycling: Mountain biking • Technology • Nights out with friends:
Cinema – Likes Beetle Juice and Run Lola Run
• Doesn’t think Dublin is cool. • More aSracted to other
European ciHes which have reputaHons for more vibrant cultural scenes and nightlife.
.
• Tech City News • Made Good Bikes • Perfect Pint • SoundCloud & Grooveshark • Serious Eats • Open Data Challenges • Instagram
• Guardian Travel • Culture Trip • In the Know Traveller • Mr & Mrs Smith • Lastminute.com • Timeout London • Airbnb.com
Implications
Amanda works and lives in London and is a keen traveller as well as blogger. She has her own website and likes to keep up to date with different technology. She likes to go out with her friends to off the beaten track places like Burger Bear in London which serves burgers and a disco. She loves music and gigs and likes Frank Turner, NaHves and follows digital music trends. This has lead her to set up her own SoundCloud account where she stores her favourite remixes. She is very keen about discovering the new sites and sounds of London. She recently went to Norway to see the Northern Lights , the caves and the beauHful scenery. She is quoted as doing some of her best thinking on her bike. When she travels, Amanda is looking for the whole package of culture, nightlife and adventure.
With a love for unique features, content that pulls out the quirky and unusual places, menus and acHviHes in Dublin, is key for Amanda. Short, punchy arHcles play a role in helping her plan a trip. Strong visual content such as photography and illustrated maps help to make a connecHon with her on visual social channels (Instagram / Pinterest). Using curated content from events and fesHvals, a relaHonship can be fostered direct with organisers that are genuine and authenHc to Amanda. Keen to explore by bike, maps available offline and on mobile help Amanda when she visits a desHnaHon.
SOCIAL ENERGISER -‐ USA
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NAME Eric Simmons AGE 26 PROFESSION Illustrator
Interest/Hobbies Barriers to visiting Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Online Gaming • Music • Design/illustraHon • Fashion • Comics • Street Art
• Distance between New York and Ireland seems vast.
• Lack of knowledge of Ireland’s culture, restaurants, music and bars.
.
Implications As a creaHve, Eric is aSracted to high quality content. Illustrated maps naturally, but video and photo essays too. A discerning cultural criHc, content needs to be unique and different to catch his aSenHon. Always online, sharing his experiences through TwiSer and Instagram is constant, while Tumblr is a window to his carefully curated tastes. He rewards good content via sharing. Social listening is criHcal to engaging with Eric.
Eric, a ConnecHcut naHve, has found his true home in hipsterville Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Working as an illustrator n a SoHo creaHve agency, he likes to think of himself as the official office culture vulture, keeping everyone up to speed on cultural happenings in the Brooklyn hood. He follows all his favourite local bars, restaurants and music venues on TwiSer. He is keen to find out about special offers and upcoming events, and always eager to learn where a new bar is opening, or a party is about to kick off. His Tumblr account provides updates on his fascinaHon with street art, comics, taSoos and veganism. A gamer, he is a fan of Call of Duty and retro Nintendo games. He prides himself on making sure his t-‐shirt collecHon is one of a kind, buying regularly online from Threadless, AlternaHve Apparel and Opening Ceremony.
• CoolHunHng • Flavorpil • Gothamist • TwiSer • Facebook • Instagram • Tumblr
• Tripadvisor • Airbnb • Travels of Adam • Fox Nomad • VICE Magazine • Thrillist.com
SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Social Energiser: Digital Personas
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SOCIAL ENERGISER-‐ GER
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NAME: Sabina Hein AGE: 32 PROFESSION: Chef
Interest/Hobbies Barriers to visiting Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Food • Cinema • Culture • CreaHvity • Nightclubbing
• Has a percepHon that Ireland is not cool or contemporary.
• Unaware of the cultural acHviHes and nightlife in Dublin.
• Facebook • Food blogs -‐ Kekstester
and MulHkulinarisch • Candycrush • Girlsgogames.de • Kaltblut Magazine • Electronic Beats
• Tripadvisor • Proud • German Wings • Slow Travel Berlin • Suddeutsche Zeitung • DK Travel • Lonely Planet
Implications Urban experiences around creaHvity, food and nightlife are paramount for Sabina, so content must reflect these in fresh and vibrant ways to aSract her aSenHon. Unique first person POVs and word-‐of-‐mouth influence her travel decisions as she seeks out the new. Using her tablet for online shopping and showrooming, Sabina browses for good offers and can make quick decisions, so content must be opHmised for mulH-‐screen browsing.
When work finishes on a Saturday night, Sabina is oden to be found at Salon Zur Wilden Renates, a house party venue with an actual underground labyrinth – perfect for checking out new bands. Sundays are all about flea markets -‐ Mauerpark for vintage threads, GDR kitchenware and Nowkoelln for local art. She loves Berlin in the summer when she and her friends take part in group Karaoke at Mauerpark, watch a film at the Friedrichschain Open Air Cinema, chill out at bars such as Yaam and Chez Jacki on the banks of the Spree, before taking a plunge in the barge-‐cum-‐pool of The Badeschiff. She has taken part in an aderhours museum crawl during the Long Night of the Museums. She loves escaping the city to one of the nearby lakes. Holidays that combine her love of quirky urban experiences with outdoor adventure are perfect – a recent four day trip with her boyfriend to Istanbul blew her mind.
SOCIAL ENERGISER-‐ FR
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NAME Victoria Moreau AGE 28 PROFESSION: Fashion Student
Interest/Hobbies Barriers to visiting Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Fashion • Blogging • City Breaks • Food and Wine • Snowboarding
• Paris by Mouth • Marie Claire • Hipsters in Paris • From Paris • Garance Doré • The Sartorialist
• Mr & Mrs Smith • Luxe City Guides • lastminute.com (France) • Expedia.fr • Airbnb • Vogue
Implications Personal brand is everything for Victoria. Forging her way in the fashion world, she updates her personal blog, TwiSer and Instagram like clockwork. Between selfies and snapping street style, her life is recorded digitally and shared. Priding herself on personal recommendaHons from peers, facilitaHng relaHonships is key to connecHng with Victoria. Content that champions the unique – e.g. crad beers, latest food trends and fashion -‐ will appeal to Victoria. She seeks content that she can consume via mobile and visual social channels. (Instagram / You Tube).
A fashion business student at MOD’SPE Paris, Victoria is determined to make it to the top of the fashion buying world. She has already established a voice for herself via her personal blog, TwiSer and Instagram presences. Ticketless, she watched the Dior Show live on Facebook, followed by a YouTube documentary around the Fendi Spring/Summer Show, ‘Inside the Mothership’. Using her Galaxy S3, she documents street style, jeing around the city easily with the help of her Paris Metro App. She watches a lot of videos on her phone, as well as listening to music via SpoHfy.
• Distance to Dublin is perceived to be too far for a city break.
• Doesn’t come across relevant content related to her interest streams.
| 13
SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Social Energisers: Subtle differences between the markets
• GB Social Energisersholidayingroups,mainlycitydestinations,likethespontaneityandpartyingatmosphere
incoolandvibrantvenues.Don’tliketoplantoofarahead.
• US Social Energisersareslightlymorelikelytobeinterestedinthe‘wow’factor,experiencingthingsthatare
newtothemandarekeentosoakuptheatmosphere.Explorationisalsoslightlymoreimportant(theyare
comingfromfartherawaythantheirEuropeancounterparts)aswellasfunandlaughter.Foodanddrinkare
moreimportanttoUSSocialEnergisersthantoothers.USSocialEnergisersareslightlymorelikelytostayina4
starormid-rangeaccommodation.
• MoresothanotherSocialEnergisers,German Social Energisersalsowantfreedom,tobeactiveand
adventurousoutdoors,ratherthanparty.Theyaremoreintobroadeningtheirmindsthanpartying.50%of
FrenchSocialEnergisersratepartyingbutjust28%ofGermans.However,forGermanSocialEnergisers,partying
isstillverystrongrelativetootherthings.
• French Social Energisersaremoreintopartyingandmoreintothebeautyofnatureandlessinclinedtowards
physicalactivitythanotherSocialEnergisers.Theyarealsoslightlylesslikelythantheglobalaveragetobe
motivatedbybroadeningtheirthinking.ThesinglebiggestdifferencebetweentheFrenchandotherSocial
EnergisersisthattheFrencharemuchmoremotivatedbypartying.
Requirements
HowdoesmybusinessfittheSocialEnergisers’motivations?
Whatdoesmybusinessofferthatmeetsthespecificwantsofthissegment?
DoIhavealistingoffuneventslike‘What’sontonight?’
Whatis‘wow’oroutoftheordinarycloseby?
Istheresomethingunique/differentthattheycandoandthenbragaboutwhentheygethome?
14 |
Water;coast, river
lakes
Experiencingthe elements:stars, water
Feeling of release- getting away from stress & revitalisingExploration (landscape, history) as a way of
connecting and bondingBeing part of the landscape and the elements
Easily accessible
Relaxing withfriends and
family
Nature &rural
Picturesquelandscapes
Away fromit all/the
stress
Take yourbreathaway
Unusual -greater sense of
explorationAccessibility
SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Great Escapers
Who are they?
Theyareoftencouples,approximately30yearsold,somewithbabiesorquiteyoungchildren.Mostareinserious
needoftimeoutfrombusylivesandcareers.Theyarespecificallyinterestedinruralholidaysandtravelverymuch
asacoupleorfamily.GreatEscapersareonholidayforabreak,togetphysicalwithnature,andtoreconnectwith
theirpartner.Morelikelytotakepartinslightlymorestrenuous,butnotextreme,exploration.Moreinterestedthan
othersegmentsingettingconnectedtonatureespeciallythemoreremoteandexcitingplaces.
What they want from a holiday
Toconnectwiththelandscape,tofeeltheearthbeneaththeirfeet,tosoakupthebeauty.Asenseofhistory,of
theirplaceinthevastnessofnature-theywanttofeelpartofit.AgainstthiskindofbackdropGreatEscaperscan
spendrealqualitytimebondingwiththoseclosesttothem.Theycanrebalancethemselvesandtakestockoftheir
lives,concentratingonwhat’simportanttothem.Theyappreciatepeaceandquietbetweenactivities…thepointis
thetripitself.It’s‘downtime’,it’sbeingoffthebeatentrack,it’sagreatescape.Butit’simportantthatgettingaway
fromitalliseasyenough-theywantthe‘wow’factorwithouttoomucheffort.Mostimportantly,GreatEscapers
wanttocomehomerefreshedandrevitalised,theirbatteriesrecharged.
Great Escapers
16 |
What they don’t want
Tomakeconnectionswithotherpeople-localsorothersonholiday-theydon’tneedto,they’retheretobewith
eachother.Theydon’tlikecrowdedplaces.
Mostlikelytobeseendoing
• Escapingtobreath-takinglandscapes
• Activelyexploringmoreremoteandexcitingplaces,onfootorbybicycle
• Standingenvelopedineachother’scompanyonthetopofamountainorcliff
• Visitingacastleoralandmark
• Gentleexplorationoftheplace-walking,cycling,pleasureboating
• Relaxedmealoffreshlocalproduce,orafuneveninginanauthenticpub
Holiday behaviour - how long and where?
Theyarelikelytotakemoreshortbreaksthantheaveragevisitor.Irelandoffersplentyofwhatthey’relookingfor.
What are they more likely to pay more for?
• Superiorservice-“peoplerecognisemebyname”
• Interested-“knowsme,knowswhatIwant”
• Somethingthatisoutoftheordinary
• Thingsthattakethehassleaway
What makes a great food and drink experience?
• Anauthenticexperienceinalocalhotelorpub
• Greatqualitylocalfoodatavalueprice
• Agoodfoodqualitychildren’smenu
• Ahighenergybreakfastandtheoptionofbringingapicniclunch
• AquietroomsoIcanunwindfrommyhecticschedule
• AnIrishcheeseboardbythefireatnight
Media habits
• LighttomediumTVusers,duetobusyscheduleandyoungchildren.Programmeschoiceoftendictated
bychildren
• Internetiskeysourceofinformationforworkandleisure
• Light-mediumusersofsocialmedia
• Light-mediumuseofnewspapers;catchinguponnewsonlineispopular
• Cinemavisitevery2-3months,oftenwithchildren
| 17
GREAT ESCAPER -‐ UK
Image
Implica4ons Content that appeals to John needs to communicate speed and ease of access to a variety of ac@vi@es, close to airport hubs. Although he likes to connect with nature in the moment, he also likes to post #latergrams of his adventures on Instagram and Facebook. Working every second weekend, his travel go-‐tos are supplement and lifestyle sites. He likes info in diges@ble formats, such as top 10 lists which are stuck on the fridge. Visual content that shows breathtaking landscapes are a key travel mo@vator. Mobile is key channel for him to access content.
• Running • Mountain biking • Health Food • Yoga • TV Show – House of
Cards, Game of Thrones
Interests/Hobbies • Believes Ireland is expensive,
par@cularly when it comes to dining out.
• Limited @me is a factor, with a busy work schedule, his usual escapes are within close proximity to home.
• Unaware of diverse outdoor ac@vi@es on offer in Ireland.
Barriers to Visi4ng Digital Interest Touch Points
• The Independent • The Observer • The Times • NeWlix • Yogaglo • MindBodyGreen • Elephant Journal • Facebook • Instagram
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Lastminute.com • BBC Travel • Travel Zoo • SecretEscape • Guardian Travel • TheJournal.co.uk • The Sunday Times
John works as a paramedic with the North East Ambulance service – stress is part of his daily working life! To help de-‐stress, he runs 3-‐4 @mes a week with his local running club, Tyne Bridge Harriers, and aims for a half-‐marathon/marathon every year – the Great North Run is his favourite. A yogi, he subscribes to Yogaglo, watching ‘how to’ videos so he can cram in a yoga session at home. He also follows a number of health and lifestyle sites like MindBodyGreen and ElephantJournal for daily posi@ve pep-‐ups. As an NHS employee, his salary doesn’t allow an overly extravagant lifestyle, so he subscribes to daily emails from deal plaWorms like Groupon, Wowcher and Achica.
NAME John Gills AGE 32 PROFESSION Paramedic
GREAT ESCAPER -‐ USA
Image
Jen studied interior design and the arts before se`ng up her own studio in downtown LA. A mum of two, she spends her days juggling the needs of her young kids alongside the demands of her small business. Work-‐life balance is a constant struggle, weekly Bikram yoga classes, weekend bike rides and runs down the Santa Monica pier help keep her sane, but to really take a break from it all, she has to schedule in ‘away @me’ for her and the family. Together, they’ve already explored the Redwood Forests of the Yosemite Na@onal Parks, driven Lake Tahoe’s spectacular Western Shoreline and got lost on the West Coast of France. She looks for opportuni@es to leave behind the trappings of city livings, turn off her iPhone and get close to nature, to help her rekindle her rela@onship with her equally busy insurance rep husband and her kids.
NAME Jen Nilson AGE 35 PROFESSION Interior Designer
Barriers to Visi4ng
• Biking • Interior Design • TV Shows -‐ Breaking
Bad, Modern Family • Healthy Ea@ng
• Unaware of what Ireland has to offer in terms of natural beauty and outdoor facili@es. Perceives Ireland as small, full of history and culture.
• Sees US na@onal parks as very accessible -‐ just load up the car and go. Ireland seems far away with two kids.
Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Loves Apps! Whatsapp, Amazon, Nike+
• Wallpaper • Apartment Therapy • Design Sponge
• Na@onal Geographic Traveller • LA Times • Travel Zoo • SecretEscapes • Condé Nast Traveller
Implica4ons Content that appeals to Jen's daydreaming a`tude to life is a must. Escaping and re-‐connec@ng with herself and her family are a priority, so content must reflect current lifestyle trends, such as digital detoxing. With a huge emphasis on healthy ea@ng, content showcasing Ireland’s food quality and traceability would appeal to Jen. For distribu@on, it is important content is hosted on Pinterest and makes use of Google's in-‐app display network to reach busy mul@-‐taskers like Jen.
SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Great Escaper: Digital Personas
18 |
GREAT ESCAPER -‐ GER
Image
Interests/Hobbies Barriers to Visi4ng Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Music • Art • Sun Holidays • Pilates • Medita@on • Art
• Unaware of what Ireland has to offer.
• Ojen holidays in in neighbouring countries, so accessibility may be an issue.
• Doesn't perceive Ireland to offer mix of great food, family getaways, culture and outdoors.
• Google • Konkret Magazine • Monopol Magazine • Juice • Intro.com • Facebook • Instagram • YouTube
• Booking.com • Airbnb • AirBerlin • Homelidays • Tripadvisor
Implica4ons With a busy gallery and family life, spontaneity does not influence Conny's travel plans. During extensive researching, she seeks out family focused reviews, culture magazines and sites with ‘Top Places for Family Holidays’. Peer-‐to-‐peer content ins@ls trust and influences her decision making. Content found through family related keyword search is important for her.
Conny is a 37 year old single mom of two. Having studied Fine Arts at Berlin University of the Arts, she went on to work in a number of art galleries in Berlin and Bremen, before returning to her home town of Koln to set up her own gallery. She is par@cularly interested in the arts, theatre and music. Her other down-‐@me ac@vi@es include pilates, hiking and daily medita@on. Hiring a new assistant for her gallery has finally given her the confidence to spend @me enjoying travel. Generally, she looks for an easy escape, holidaying in neighbouring Austria, France or further afield to Spain. The North of Ibiza is her perfect escape haven. When researching holidays, she generally uses Google search and sites like Booking.com, Tripadvisor, Homelidays and the Air Berlin website.
NAME Conny Soddemann AGE 37 PROFESSION Art Gallery Owner
GREAT ESCAPER -‐ FR
Image
NAME Laurent Muzellec AGE 40 PROFESSION Designer
Laurent is a mother of three residing in the Cóte d’Azur. When she is not working or looking ajer her children she loves to read magazines like French Morning and listen to the likes of Carla Bruni, Lescop and Les Femmes. She has a keen interest in Social Media and follows the French equivalent of the Social Media Examiner – Map Social. This gives her @ps for her Twioer, Pinterest and blog. She longs for the perfect trip and reads blogs about the Seychelles. She uploads photos of her trips and follows the Lonely Planet keenly for the perfect get away for her and her family. She looks at TMS travel and the Family on Bikes site to get inspira@on as to where she and her family can have an alterna@ve holiday. She likes wine and discovers the latest wines from sites like the Glass of Bubbly. She users her Android smartphone to upload photos to Instagram and document her favourite designs from Pure Design Interna@onal.
Interests/Hobbies Barriers to Visi4ng Digital Interest Touch Points
Digital Travel Touch Points
• Wri@ng • Reading • Music • Fine wine • Food • Cycling • Skiing
• Doesn’t perceive Ireland to be a des@na@on of fine wine and dining.
• Unaware of range of ac@vi@es available, only knows there is no skiing.
• French Morning • Pure Design Interna@onal • WritersCarnical • Pinterest • Twioer • Map Social • Glass of Bubbly
• Familyonbikes.com • Lonely Planet • Trivago • TMS Travel • @Kids_away • Blogger.com, healthy holidays,
family travel
Implica4ons A keen Android smartphone user, mobile is a key content touch point for Laurent. With an interest in social media, she values genuine two way conversa@on and direct assistance. For this, social listening is ideal. Ac@ve on Pinterest and Twioer, visual content is important to her. Holiday research is always extensive, but not limited to travel sites. Lifestyle magazine on outdoor ac@vi@es, fine wines and food also influence her travel plans.
| 19
SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Great Escapers: Subtle differences between the markets
Averysimilarpatternisvisibleacrosscountries,withfeelingconnectedtonatureandspendingtimewithmyother
halfas‘classic’GreatEscapertraits.
• GB Great Escaperslikeconnectingwithlandscape,havingqualitytimetogetherandmorelikelytostayinself-
cateringaccommodationinruralIreland.Want‘wow’momentswithouteffortandenjoyingdowntimeoffthe
beatentrack.
• US Great Escapersvalueflexibilityandfreedomtochangeplans.Theyprefertomoveattheirownpaceinan
unrestrictedway.
• German Great EscapershaveanevengreaterfocusonnatureandgettingruralthanGreatEscapersfrom
othermarkets.Theyhavelessneedforthe‘wow’factor-theyaremoreinterestedthanothersinsimple
natureandruralIreland.Themostmarkeddifferencefromtheirglobalcounterpartsisthelackofimportance
of‘gourmet’food.
• French Great EscapersarelessactivewhenoutdoorsthanGreatEscapersfromothercountries.Tobalance
that,theywantmoreculture.Theyarelessexplorationfocussed.FrenchGreatEscapersarelessmotivatedthan
theirUScounterpartsonasitebeingfamous.
Requirements
HowdoesmybusinessfitthemotivationsofGreatEscapers?
Whatdoesmybusinessofferthatmeetsthespecificwantsofthissegment?
Wherecantheyengagewithnaturetogetthatspecialqualitytimetogether?
Wherecantheygetpeaceandquiet,personalserviceandrelaxingatmosphere?
20 |
EXPERIENCES
Delivering Memorable Tourism Experiences
Agreattourismexperiencehasastrongideaatitsheart.Itissomethingwhichonedoes, seesorfeelswhichis
(ideally)uniqueanddistinctivetoaparticularplace.Itisinherentlypersonal,engagingthesenses,andmaking
connectionsonanemotional,physical,spiritual,intellectualorsociallevel;creatingalastingmemoryanddriving
repeat and referral sales.
AgreattourismexperiencerespondstothespecificmotivationsoftheCulturallyCuriousortheGreatEscaperor
theSocialEnergiser.
Understanding experiential tourism
Forvisitorstoday,it’slessabout‘doing’somethingandmoreaboutfeelingthattheyaretrulyimmersedinaplace
oranactivity.Anexperienceiswhatavisitorgainsfromthecombinationoftheplace,itsattractions,productsand
activities,and really importantly, it’s about the people they encounter - along with the stories they tell.
Thinkofitlikethis.Ifyoubuyfishfromafishmonger,youarebuyingacommodity.
Ifyoubuyafishpieinthelocalsupermarketyouarebuyingagood.
Ifyouorderfishinarestaurant,youarebuyingaservice.
Butifyouwenttoacookeryschoolinabeautifulpartofthecountryforaweekofrelaxationandcookeryclasses,
pickedyourfishatalocalmarket,learnedhowbesttoprepareitinthelocalpreferredstyle,maybeheardtalesof
howfishinghassustainedthelocalcommunityorindeedlendyourhandatlandingyourowncatch…andthen
finallygottotastethefinishedproduct….thatwouldbeanexperience!
And the Benefits?
For the visitor… Theofferismoreattractiveandhasgreaterpotentialtoinspireandmotivatethevisitortopurchase.
Theexperienceishighlyimmersiveandinvolvingforthevisitor,isofhighquality,uniquetothelocalplaceand
peopleandoveralldeliversahighlevelofsatisfactionforthevisitor….resultinginwonderfulholidaymemoriesthat
arere-livedandshared!
For the business… addingvalueallowsthetourismbusinesstofocusonthekeymotivationsofthevisitorsegment,
adjustitsoffering,diversifyintonewsaleschannels,includingdigitalchannelsandincreasesalesrevenues
(upselling/crossselling)andinmanycasescommandbetteryields.
Guiding principles
Memorabletourismexperienceshavethefollowingincommon:
• Visitor centric -focussedonunderstandinganddeliveringuponcustomerneeds,motivationsandexpectations.
• Authentic-Irishexperiencesmustbewellmanagedandpresented,basedonstrongthemesandstories,but
theymustalsoretaintheirauthenticity.
22 |
Feel
ing
enlig
hten
ed b
y st
orie
s th
atre
sona
te a
nd la
st a
life
tim
e
Feeling energised and instilled witha real connection to the place
Feeling enriched by imm
ersionin the local culture
and the personal service experienced
Feeling valued by the quality on offer
Product
Narration
MEMORABLETOURISM
EXPERIENCE
Service
Stor
y
1. A good story is at the heart of any experience
3. Is your infrastructure (and the business partners you work with) and equipment of a high standard?
2. How will you make the experience truly immersive?
1. Good service begins before the visit (see visitor journey*)
3. Experiencing world class service with a local twist
2. Meeting passionate and hospitable peoplethroughout the visitor journey
3. Does your story add to the overall experience and does it mean something to an overseas visitor?
2. What is unique about your story?
1. Communication that informs and motivates
3. Are you encouraging people to share your story through social media and other mediums?
2. Themes and stories are well narrated throughout visitor journey*
1. How will the experience be delivered on site?
The Experience Wheel -
Components of a
Memorable Tourism Experience
TheExperienceWheelcaptures
thecomponentsthatcombine
todeliveramemorableexperience.
• Commercial-tourismexperiencesmustcreateimpactinordertomotivateandgeneratetheappropriatevisitor
interest.Whereverpossible,thatinterestmustthenbeconvertedintosales,eitherdirectlyorindirectly.
• People led-proactivelyengagewithvisitors,adoptingtherequiredlevelsofprofessionalism,inapersonable
andfriendlymanner.
• World class with a local twist
• Sustainable
• Product-oneofthecoreelementsisqualityproduct.
It’simportanttonotethat‘product’includesthemainproduct offering;alongwiththeplaceandthe
environmentwhichisintegraltothatactivity;
supporting products,suchasaccommodation,foodetc.
andinfrastructuresuchastransportation,wifi,signageetc.
• Serviceplaysavitalroleinthevisitorexperience.Itisthepeoplewhodeliverahighquality,considerate,
personalservicethatcanmakeanexperiencereallymemorable.
• Storiesaretheidentifiedreasontheproduct/activitystandsoutwhenitisconsumedinIrelandratherthan
anywhereelse.Irelandisalandofstorytellerslikenoother…wecanreallyexcelinthisarea!Itisthestoriesthat
driveauniqueIrishexperience.Remember,storiesarenotlimitedtothespokenword,it’sreallyaboutensuring
thevisitorgetsastrongsenseoftheplaceandthepeople.
• Narrationisaboutcommunicatingthesethemesandstories...thisiswhatreallydeliversontheexperience
elementforthevisitor...a real sense that they have learned or discovered something new and engaged
with the people and the place.
| 23
EXPERIENCES
Components of a Memorable Tourism Experience continued
Culturally Curious Social Energisers Great Escapers
Fun, excitement ✓
Away from it all ✓
Meet the locals ✓ ✓
Enriching ✓
Personal development ✓
Different, authentic ✓ ✓ ✓
Participative ✓ ✓ ✓
Want to feel
connected to the
place. Broaden
my mind
Want to feel
stimulated, excited
Want to feel
connected to nature
and loved ones.
Elated, refreshed
Culturally Curious
IN JOYCE’S FOOTSTEPS
It’salovelywalkfromDúnLaoghairedowntoSandycove…pasttheseawallwiththequote(fromAPortrait
oftheArtistasaYoungMan)“Thefirstfaintnoiseofgentlymovingwaterbrokethesilencelowandfaintand
whispering”…downtoseethewavessplashingattheFortyFootandthe“snotgreensea”…intotheMartello
Towertoconsumethearchive,thenupthenarroweststairwellandoutontotheroof,whereyoumaypause,
seeingandhearingthatopeningscenefromUlyssesinyourmind’seyeandear,andwonderingat“the
surroundingcountry,andtheawakingmountains”…FromthereyoucouldwalkontotheWriters’Galleryat
DalkeyHeritageCentre,tolearnsomemore…YoumaywanttocomebackfortheDalkeyBookFestival,orfor
DúnLaoghaire’sMountainstoSeaBookFestival…andofcourseyou’llbewantingtocomebackon16thJune
forBloomsday.Youwill,won’tyou?Sureyouwill!
24 |
Social Energisers
I3 WAYS TO SHOOT THE (MOUNTAIN) BREEZE
1. Not for the fainthearted-anighttimevisittothesiteoftheinfamous18thcenturyHellfireClubfora
hauntedhistorytour.ClearlyvisibleontheDublinMountainsskylineit’safamouslandmarkintheseparts
withanotorioushistoryofdrinkingandexcess…Anditwasbuiltonthesiteofaprehistorictomb,sosaid
tohavestirredthewrathoftheDevilhimself…
2. Go on a Mountain Pub crawl…JointhelocalshalfwayupaMountainforAnSéisiúnofIrishsong,dance
andcráicattheMerryPloughboy,apubownedbymusicians…sitoutsidetheBlueLightonastillnight
andseethelightsofDublinCityspreadoutatyourfeet…joinatraditionalhooleyatJohnnieFox’s,saidto
beIreland’shighestpub…
3. Test your skills on the challenging Ticknock Mountain Bike Trail…8kmofpurpose-builtnetworkof
forestroadclimbsandtwistysingletrack…loadsoffastdescents,upsanddowns,tightturnsandtechnical
rockybits,guaranteedtoleaveyousmiling!Thatandtheamazingvistasovercityandbay...
Great Escapers
TAKE THE CABLE CAR FOR ‘EUROPE’S LAST SUNSET’
It’sadramaticdrivealongthenorthedgeoftheremoteBearaPeninsula,withviewsnorthandwestacross
themusselraftsandsealcoloniesinKenmareBay,toIreland’shighestmountains,andtheghostlyoutline
oftheSkelligsoutatsea.ThelandendsattheDurseySound-wherestrongtidesmaketravellingbyboat
hazardous.YetouttoseaisDurseyIsland,oneofover100islandsoffWestCork-sevenofwhich,including
thisone,areinhabited.Threefamiliesliveandfarmonthistinyisland,andyoucantakea10-minuteride-
abovethewaves,onIreland’sonlycablecar-toexploreitonfoot.There’salighthouse,castleruins,asignal
tower,standingstones,andstunningsunsets-knownlocallyas“Europe’slast”.Butdotakenoteofthecable-
caretiquetteinthiscorneroftheworld:theresidents-withorwithouttheirsheep-takepriorityovervisitors
inthequeueforacrossing.
Requirements
Doesmybusinessofferatrueexperience?
Whatexperiencescanmybusinessdeliveron?
Whatismyproduct,howandwheredoIdeliverservice?
WhatismystoryandhowdoIcommunicateittovisitors?
| 25
THE DIGITAL CONSUMER JOURNEY
Creatingyourstoryandassociatedcontent,beitimagery,videoorarticlesisthefirstcrucialstepinthejourney.
Thenextistocommunicateittotherightsegment,intherightplaceattherighttime.
UtilisingtheGoogle 5 Stages of Travel Modelthetablebelowadvisesthekeyactionstobetakenateachstageof
thedigitaljourneytocommunicateyourstorytothe3targetsegments.
Dreaming
Sharing Planning
Experiencing Booking
26 |
THE DIGITAL CONSUMER JOURNEY
DREAMING PLANNING BOOKING EXPERIENCING SHARINGC
ULT
UR
ALL
Y C
UR
IOU
S 1. Ensureyourwebsiteisaccessibleacrossalldevicese.g.mobile,tabletanddesktop
2. EnsureyourwebsiteistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermsrelevanttoCulturallyCuriouse.g.historytour,culturalholidays,nature&beauty
3. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytofindoninternationalsearchengines,e.g.Google.fr,Google.deetc
4. Ensureyourwebsiteincludeshighqualityimagerye.g.scenicshots,people,culturalorheritageattractionsnearyourbusiness
5. Ensureyourwebsiteimageryandlanguageappealstointernationalvisitors,notjustdomesticvisitors
6. SubmityourbusinesstoGooglePlaces
7. Implementan‘emailsign-up’featureonyourwebsite
8. Establishasocialpresence(featuringhighqualityimagery)onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,YouTube,Pinterest
9. JoinandbecomeapartoftheIrishTourismcommunityonlinee.g.followandre-tweetcontentfromlocalculturalbusinessesviaTwitter
10. ImplementblogfunctionalityonyourwebsiteandcreateblogcontentthatisrelevanttotheCulturallyCuriouse.g.Historicalwalkingtrails
11. Set-upGoogleAlertstomonitormentionsofyourbusiness
12. Remindpreviouscustomerstovisitagainviaemail/social
13. ConsidertranslatingkeyinformationintoFrenchandGerman
1. WriteblogpostbasedontheinterestsofCulturallyCuriousandpromotingyourregione.g.HistorytourofKilkenny
2. CreateillustratedmapsandinfographicstoinspireandeducateCulturallyCuriousonwhatyourregionhastooffer,e.g.hikingtrailsinConnemara,keyculturalsightsetc.
3. Uploadhighqualityimagery,videosandothercontentfromFáilteIrelandtoyoursitetopromotethehistoricalandculturalsignificanceofyourregion.Personalisewithlocalhighlightsandreferencestoyourbusiness
4. Ensureallcontentistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermse.g.historytour,culturalholidays,nature&beauty
5. Createphotoalbumsforsocialchannelsthatshowcasethehistoricalandculturalhiddengemsofyourregionandoldercouplesenjoyingtheseexperiences
6. Experimentwithvideocontentusingyoursmartphonecamerae.g.60-90secvideoscapturingthehistoryandcultureofyourregion
7. Createsampleitinerariesincorporatinghistory,cultureandlandscapeexperienceswhichcanbecombinedtocreaterichday-longactivityplans
8. Shareallyourcontent,andcontentfromFáilteIrelandandtradepartners,acrossyoursocialchannels
9. RepublishFáilteIrelandcontentonyourwebsiteandsocialchannels.Personalisewithreferencetoyourbusiness/region
10. Usepaidsocialmediae.g.Facebookadstobuildyoursocialcommunityanddrivesalesofspecificservices/specialoffers
11. Monitorreviewsitese.g.TripadvisorandrespondtocommentsfromCulturallyCurious
1. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytonavigate&easytobook(desktop,tabletandmobile)
2. Makeyour‘ContactUs’detailsprominent
3. Highlightthatyourbusinessisaccessibletotophistoricalspots&landmarks
4. Onsocial,writepostsbasedon‘what’shappeninginyourarea’,relevanttoCulturallyCurious
5. Promotespecialoffersacrossallchannels
6. Utilisepaidsearch(e.g.GoogleAdWords)toappearforrelevantsearchtermse.g.yourbusinessname,localactivities-WalkingroutesinClare
7. Useretargetingadvertising(e.g.GoogleRemarketing)topushafinalsale.Adstargetpeoplewhohavevisitedyoursitebutdidnotconvertonthefirstvisit
8. Monitorreviewsites(eg.Tripadvisor)andrespondtocomments
9. Don’tjustlistyour€prices-thinkaboutyourGBandUSvisitors.
10. Ensureyouhaveagoodsystemfordealingefficientlywithemailenquiries
1. Createsampleitinerariesincorporatinghistory,cultureandlandscapeexperienceswhichcanbecombinedtocreaterichday-longactivityplans
2. Postrelevantlocalnewsonwebsite/acrosssociale.g.newexhibitionopening
3. Promoteyouronlinepresenceatavailableofflinetouch-points(e.g.Posteratfront-desk,vehicles,clothingetc.)
4. Captureemaildatathroughtraditionalmethods(e.g.Guestbook,businesscards,surveys,pollsetc.)
5. RespondtoquestionsfromCulturallyCuriousviawebsite/socialchannels
1. Askyouraudiencetosharetheirexperienceonline,directingthemtospecificsocialchannelse.g.Tripadvisor,Facebooktopostreviews
2. Promptyouraudiencetousehashtagswhensharingphotos/reviews(e.g.#LoveDublin,#BurrenCentre)
3. Incentivisetoshareexperience(e.g.throughcompetition)
4. Withpermission,captureandpromoteimages/videosofCulturallyCuriousenjoyingexperiencesatyourbusiness
5. Ifwell-knownpeoplevisit,asktotaketheirpictureandshareviasocial
28 |
DREAMING PLANNING BOOKING EXPERIENCING SHARING
CU
LTU
RA
LLY
CU
RIO
US 1. Ensureyourwebsiteisaccessible
acrossalldevicese.g.mobile,tabletanddesktop
2. EnsureyourwebsiteistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermsrelevanttoCulturallyCuriouse.g.historytour,culturalholidays,nature&beauty
3. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytofindoninternationalsearchengines,e.g.Google.fr,Google.deetc
4. Ensureyourwebsiteincludeshighqualityimagerye.g.scenicshots,people,culturalorheritageattractionsnearyourbusiness
5. Ensureyourwebsiteimageryandlanguageappealstointernationalvisitors,notjustdomesticvisitors
6. SubmityourbusinesstoGooglePlaces
7. Implementan‘emailsign-up’featureonyourwebsite
8. Establishasocialpresence(featuringhighqualityimagery)onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,YouTube,Pinterest
9. JoinandbecomeapartoftheIrishTourismcommunityonlinee.g.followandre-tweetcontentfromlocalculturalbusinessesviaTwitter
10. ImplementblogfunctionalityonyourwebsiteandcreateblogcontentthatisrelevanttotheCulturallyCuriouse.g.Historicalwalkingtrails
11. Set-upGoogleAlertstomonitormentionsofyourbusiness
12. Remindpreviouscustomerstovisitagainviaemail/social
13. ConsidertranslatingkeyinformationintoFrenchandGerman
1. WriteblogpostbasedontheinterestsofCulturallyCuriousandpromotingyourregione.g.HistorytourofKilkenny
2. CreateillustratedmapsandinfographicstoinspireandeducateCulturallyCuriousonwhatyourregionhastooffer,e.g.hikingtrailsinConnemara,keyculturalsightsetc.
3. Uploadhighqualityimagery,videosandothercontentfromFáilteIrelandtoyoursitetopromotethehistoricalandculturalsignificanceofyourregion.Personalisewithlocalhighlightsandreferencestoyourbusiness
4. Ensureallcontentistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermse.g.historytour,culturalholidays,nature&beauty
5. Createphotoalbumsforsocialchannelsthatshowcasethehistoricalandculturalhiddengemsofyourregionandoldercouplesenjoyingtheseexperiences
6. Experimentwithvideocontentusingyoursmartphonecamerae.g.60-90secvideoscapturingthehistoryandcultureofyourregion
7. Createsampleitinerariesincorporatinghistory,cultureandlandscapeexperienceswhichcanbecombinedtocreaterichday-longactivityplans
8. Shareallyourcontent,andcontentfromFáilteIrelandandtradepartners,acrossyoursocialchannels
9. RepublishFáilteIrelandcontentonyourwebsiteandsocialchannels.Personalisewithreferencetoyourbusiness/region
10. Usepaidsocialmediae.g.Facebookadstobuildyoursocialcommunityanddrivesalesofspecificservices/specialoffers
11. Monitorreviewsitese.g.TripadvisorandrespondtocommentsfromCulturallyCurious
1. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytonavigate&easytobook(desktop,tabletandmobile)
2. Makeyour‘ContactUs’detailsprominent
3. Highlightthatyourbusinessisaccessibletotophistoricalspots&landmarks
4. Onsocial,writepostsbasedon‘what’shappeninginyourarea’,relevanttoCulturallyCurious
5. Promotespecialoffersacrossallchannels
6. Utilisepaidsearch(e.g.GoogleAdWords)toappearforrelevantsearchtermse.g.yourbusinessname,localactivities-WalkingroutesinClare
7. Useretargetingadvertising(e.g.GoogleRemarketing)topushafinalsale.Adstargetpeoplewhohavevisitedyoursitebutdidnotconvertonthefirstvisit
8. Monitorreviewsites(eg.Tripadvisor)andrespondtocomments
9. Don’tjustlistyour€prices-thinkaboutyourGBandUSvisitors.
10. Ensureyouhaveagoodsystemfordealingefficientlywithemailenquiries
1. Createsampleitinerariesincorporatinghistory,cultureandlandscapeexperienceswhichcanbecombinedtocreaterichday-longactivityplans
2. Postrelevantlocalnewsonwebsite/acrosssociale.g.newexhibitionopening
3. Promoteyouronlinepresenceatavailableofflinetouch-points(e.g.Posteratfront-desk,vehicles,clothingetc.)
4. Captureemaildatathroughtraditionalmethods(e.g.Guestbook,businesscards,surveys,pollsetc.)
5. RespondtoquestionsfromCulturallyCuriousviawebsite/socialchannels
1. Askyouraudiencetosharetheirexperienceonline,directingthemtospecificsocialchannelse.g.Tripadvisor,Facebooktopostreviews
2. Promptyouraudiencetousehashtagswhensharingphotos/reviews(e.g.#LoveDublin,#BurrenCentre)
3. Incentivisetoshareexperience(e.g.throughcompetition)
4. Withpermission,captureandpromoteimages/videosofCulturallyCuriousenjoyingexperiencesatyourbusiness
5. Ifwell-knownpeoplevisit,asktotaketheirpictureandshareviasocial
| 29
THE DIGITAL CONSUMER JOURNEY
DREAMING PLANNING BOOKING EXPERIENCING SHARINGSO
CIA
L EN
ERG
ISER
S 1. Ensureyourwebsiteisaccessibleacrossalldevicese.g.mobile,tabletanddesktop
2. EnsureyourwebsiteistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermsrelevanttoSocialEnergiserse.g.Dublinmusicscene/MountainbikingDublin
3. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytofindoninternationalsearchengines,e.g.Google.fr,Google.deetc
4. Ensureyourwebsiteimageryandlanguageappealstointernationalvisitors,notjustdomesticvisitors
5. EnsureyourwebsiteincludeshighqualitycontemporaryimageryofDubline.g.showcasingSocialEnergisershavingfuninDublin
6. SubmityourbusinesstoGooglePlaces
7. Implementan‘emailsign-up’featureonyourwebsite
8. Establishasocialpresence(featuringhighquality,contemporaryimagery)onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,YouTube,Pinterest,Google+
9. JoinandbecomeapartoftheIrishTourismcommunityonlinee.g.followandre-tweetcontentfrompopularDublinbusinessesviaTwitter(e.g.Lecool/DublinTown)
10. Implementblogfunctionalityonyourwebsitee.g.Wordpress
11. Set-upGoogleAlertstomonitormentionsofyourbusiness
12. Remindpreviouscustomerstovisitagainviaemail/social
1. WriteblogpostsbasedontheinterestsofSocialEnergisersandpromotingDubline.g.Mixtureofurban&outdoorexperiencesnearyourbusiness
2. CreateillustratedmapsandinfographicstoinspireandeducateSocialEnergiserse.g.FashionMaps,TopactivitiesinDublin
3. Uploadhighquality,contemporaryDublin-basedimagery,videosandothercontentfromFáilteIrelandtoyoursite.Personalisewithlocalhighlightsandreferencestoyourbusiness
4. Ensureallcontentistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermse.g.Dublinmusicevents/MountainbikehireDublin
5. CreatephotoalbumsforsocialchannelsthatshowcaseSocialEnergisersexperiencingurbanandoutdoorDublinexperiences
6. Experimentwithvideocontentusingyoursmartphonecamerae.g.60-90secvideoscapturingurbanandoutdoorDublinactivities
7. CreatecontentbasedonQ&A’swithinfluentialpeopleyouknowe.g.Favouritethingstodointhecity
8. Createlistsofwhat’shot,coolandcurrentinDublin.Lookatcurrentlistingsforinspiration
9. Shareallyourcontent,andcontentfromFáilteIrelandandtradepartners,acrossyourwebsitesocialchannels
10. Usepaidsocialmediae.g.Facebookadstobuildyoursocialcommunityanddrivesalesofspecificservices/specialoffers
11. Monitorreviewsitese.g.TripadvisorandrespondtocommentsfromSocialEnergisers
1. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytonavigate&easytobook(desktop,tabletandmobile)
2. Makeyour‘ContactUs’detailsprominent
3. Highlightthatyourproductisaccessibletothelocalhotspots
4. Onsocial,writepostsbasedon‘what’shappeninginyourarea’,relevanttoSocialEnergisers
5. Promotespecialoffersacrossallchannels
6. Utilisepaidsearch(e.g.GoogleAdWords)toappearforrelevantsearchtermse.g.yourbusinessname,localactivities-WalkingroutesinDublin
7. Useretargetingadvertising(e.g.GoogleRemarketing)topushafinalsale.Adstargetpeoplewhohavevisitedyoursitebutdidnotconvertonthefirstvisit
8. Monitorreviewsites(e.g.Tripadvisor)andrespondtocomments
9. Listyourpricesinmulti-currency
10. Don’tjustlistyour€prices-thinkaboutyourGBandUSvisitors.
11. Ensureyouhaveagoodsystemfordealingefficientlywithemailenquiries
1. Createsampleitinerariesincorporatinghistory,cultureandlandscapeexperienceswhichcanbecombinedtocreaterichday-longactivityplans
2. Postrelevantlocalnewsonwebsite/acrosssociale.g.newexhibitionopening
3. Promoteyouronlinepresenceatavailableofflinetouch-points(e.g.Posteratfront-desk,businesscards)
4. Captureemaildatathroughtraditionalmethods(e.g.Guestbook/Comments)
5. RespondtoquestionsfromSocialEnergisersviawebsite/socialchannels
1. AskcustomerstosharetheirexperienceandpostreviewsonTripadvisorandFacebook
2. Promptyouraudiencetousehashtagswhensharingphotos/reviews(e.g.#LoveDublin#Dublin)
3. Runsocialcompetitionstoincentivisecustomerstoshareexperiences
4. Withpermission,captureandpromoteimages/videosofSocialEnergisersenjoyingexperiencesatyourbusiness
5. Ifwell-knownpeoplevisit,asktotaketheirpictureandshareviasocial
30 |
DREAMING PLANNING BOOKING EXPERIENCING SHARING
SOC
IAL
ENER
GIS
ERS 1. Ensureyourwebsiteisaccessible
acrossalldevicese.g.mobile,tabletanddesktop
2. EnsureyourwebsiteistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermsrelevanttoSocialEnergiserse.g.Dublinmusicscene/MountainbikingDublin
3. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytofindoninternationalsearchengines,e.g.Google.fr,Google.deetc
4. Ensureyourwebsiteimageryandlanguageappealstointernationalvisitors,notjustdomesticvisitors
5. EnsureyourwebsiteincludeshighqualitycontemporaryimageryofDubline.g.showcasingSocialEnergisershavingfuninDublin
6. SubmityourbusinesstoGooglePlaces
7. Implementan‘emailsign-up’featureonyourwebsite
8. Establishasocialpresence(featuringhighquality,contemporaryimagery)onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,YouTube,Pinterest,Google+
9. JoinandbecomeapartoftheIrishTourismcommunityonlinee.g.followandre-tweetcontentfrompopularDublinbusinessesviaTwitter(e.g.Lecool/DublinTown)
10. Implementblogfunctionalityonyourwebsitee.g.Wordpress
11. Set-upGoogleAlertstomonitormentionsofyourbusiness
12. Remindpreviouscustomerstovisitagainviaemail/social
1. WriteblogpostsbasedontheinterestsofSocialEnergisersandpromotingDubline.g.Mixtureofurban&outdoorexperiencesnearyourbusiness
2. CreateillustratedmapsandinfographicstoinspireandeducateSocialEnergiserse.g.FashionMaps,TopactivitiesinDublin
3. Uploadhighquality,contemporaryDublin-basedimagery,videosandothercontentfromFáilteIrelandtoyoursite.Personalisewithlocalhighlightsandreferencestoyourbusiness
4. Ensureallcontentistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermse.g.Dublinmusicevents/MountainbikehireDublin
5. CreatephotoalbumsforsocialchannelsthatshowcaseSocialEnergisersexperiencingurbanandoutdoorDublinexperiences
6. Experimentwithvideocontentusingyoursmartphonecamerae.g.60-90secvideoscapturingurbanandoutdoorDublinactivities
7. CreatecontentbasedonQ&A’swithinfluentialpeopleyouknowe.g.Favouritethingstodointhecity
8. Createlistsofwhat’shot,coolandcurrentinDublin.Lookatcurrentlistingsforinspiration
9. Shareallyourcontent,andcontentfromFáilteIrelandandtradepartners,acrossyourwebsitesocialchannels
10. Usepaidsocialmediae.g.Facebookadstobuildyoursocialcommunityanddrivesalesofspecificservices/specialoffers
11. Monitorreviewsitese.g.TripadvisorandrespondtocommentsfromSocialEnergisers
1. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytonavigate&easytobook(desktop,tabletandmobile)
2. Makeyour‘ContactUs’detailsprominent
3. Highlightthatyourproductisaccessibletothelocalhotspots
4. Onsocial,writepostsbasedon‘what’shappeninginyourarea’,relevanttoSocialEnergisers
5. Promotespecialoffersacrossallchannels
6. Utilisepaidsearch(e.g.GoogleAdWords)toappearforrelevantsearchtermse.g.yourbusinessname,localactivities
7. Useretargetingadvertising(e.g.GoogleRemarketing)topushafinalsale.Adstargetpeoplewhohavevisitedyoursitebutdidnotconvertonthefirstvisit
8. Monitorreviewsites(e.g.Tripadvisor)andrespondtocomments
9. Listyourpricesinmulti-currency
10. Don’tjustlistyour€prices-thinkaboutyourGBandUSvisitors.
11. Ensureyouhaveagoodsystemfordealingefficientlywithemailenquiries
1. Createsampleitinerariesincorporatinghistory,cultureandlandscapeexperienceswhichcanbecombinedtocreaterichday-longactivityplans
2. Postrelevantlocalnewsonwebsite/acrosssociale.g.newexhibitionopening
3. Promoteyouronlinepresenceatavailableofflinetouch-points(e.g.Posteratfront-desk,businesscards)
4. Captureemaildatathroughtraditionalmethods(e.g.Guestbook/Comments)
5. RespondtoquestionsfromSocialEnergisersviawebsite/socialchannels
1. AskcustomerstosharetheirexperienceandpostreviewsonTripadvisorandFacebook
2. Promptyouraudiencetousehashtagswhensharingphotos/reviews(e.g.#LoveDublin#Dublin)
3. Runsocialcompetitionstoincentivisecustomerstoshareexperiences
4. Withpermission,captureandpromoteimages/videosofSocialEnergisersenjoyingexperiencesatyourbusiness
5. Ifwell-knownpeoplevisit,asktotaketheirpictureandshareviasocial
| 31
THE DIGITAL CONSUMER JOURNEY
DREAMING PLANNING BOOKING EXPERIENCING SHARINGG
REA
T ES
CA
PER
S 1. Ensureyourwebsiteisaccessibleacrossalldevicese.g.mobile,tabletanddesktop
2. EnsureyourwebsiteistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermsrelevanttoGreatEscaperse.g.coastallandscape,naturalbeauty,escapeholidays
3. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytofindoninternationalsearchengines,e.g.Google.fr,Google.deetc
4. Ensureyourwebsiteimageryandlanguageappealstointernationalvisitors,notjustdomesticvisitors
5. Ensureyourwebsiteincludeshighqualityimagerye.g.sceniclandscapes,couples&familiesenjoyingoutdooractivities
6. SubmityourbusinesstoGooglePlaces
7. Implementan‘emailsign-up’featureonyourwebsite
8. EstablishasocialpresenceonFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,YouTube,Pinterest
9. PostcontentrelevanttoGreatEscapersonsocialchannelse.g.photoalbumsshowcasingremotesceniclocationsofyourregion
10. JoinandbecomeapartoftheIrishTourismcommunityonlinee.g.followandre-tweetcontentfromlocaloutdooractivitybusinessesviaTwitter
11. Implementblogfunctionalityonyourwebsitee.g.Wordpressetc.
12. Set-upGoogleAlertstomonitormentionsofyourbusiness
13. Remindpreviouscustomerstovisitagainviaemail/social
1. WriteblogpostsbasedontheinterestsofGreatEscapersandpromotingyourregione.g.WalkingTrailsinConnemara,ScenicDrives,TopBeachesforFamilyPicnics,RecommendationsonGreatLocalRestaurants&AuthenticPubs
2. Uploadmapstoyourwebsite,highlightingkeyscenicattractionsandtheiraccessibilitytoeachothere.g.geographicmaphighlightingtopscenicattractions
3. Uploadhighqualityimagery,videosandothercontentfromFáilteIrelandtoyoursitetopromotethescenicbeautyofyourregion.Personalisewithlocalhighlightsandreferencestoyourbusiness.
4. Ensureallcontentistaggedwithtermsthataresearchfriendlye.g.regionalandinterest-basedtermssuchas‘WildAtlanticWay’,‘nature’,‘coastallandscapes’
5. Createphotoalbumsforsocialchannelsthatshowcasestunninglandscapesandnaturalphenomenafromyourregionandcouples/familieshavingqualitytimetogether
6. Experimentwithvideocontentusingyoursmartphonecamera-e.g.60-90secvideoscapturingtheremotenessofyourregionandkeylandmarks
7. CreateTop10Listsforregionaloutdooractivitiesandactivitiesforcouples/familiestodotogether
8. ShareallyourcontentandcontentfromFáilteIrelandandtradepartners,acrossyourwebsiteandsocialchannels
9. Usepaidsocialmediae.g.Facebookadstobuildyoursocialcommunityanddrivesalesofspecificservices/specialoffers
10. Monitorreviewsites(e.g.Tripadvisor)andrespondtocommentsfromGreatEscapers
1. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytonavigate&easytobook(desktop,tabletandmobile)
2. Makeyour‘ContactUs’detailsprominent
3. HighlightthatyourbusinessisinanareasuitedtoGreatEscapers,i.e.inanareaofnaturalbeauty,alongthecoast,forexampletheWildAtlanticWay.
4. Onsocial,writepostsbasedonhiddengemsandgetawaylocationsinyourarea.
5. Promotespecialoffersacrossallchannels
6. Utilisepaidsearch(e.g.GoogleAdWords)toappearforrelevantsearchtermse.g.yourbusinessnameandlocalactivities.
7. Useretargetingadvertising(e.g.GoogleRemarketing)topushafinalsale.Adstargetpeoplewhohavevisitedyoursitebutdidnotconvertonthefirstvisit
8. Monitorreviewsites(e.g.Tripadvisor)andrespondtocomments
9. Listyourpricesinmulti-currency
10. Don’tjustlistyour€prices-thinkaboutyourGBandUSvisitors.
11. Ensureyouhaveagoodsystemfordealingefficientlywithemailenquiries
1. Postandsharerelevantlocalnewse.g.localtrips,classes,activitiesetc.
2. Promoteyouronlinepresenceatavailableofflinetouch-pointse.g.posteratfront-desk
3. Captureemaildatathroughtraditionalmethodse.g.Guestbook,questionnaire,polls,etc.
4. RespondtoquestionsfromGreatEscapersviasocialchannels
1. AskcustomerstosharetheirexperienceandpostreviewsonTripadvisorandFacebook
2. Promptyouraudiencetousehashtagswhensharingphotos/reviewse.g.#WildAtlanticWay
3. IncentiviseGreatEscaperstoshareexperiencese.g.runaphotographycompetitionformostscenicpictureofyourregion
4. Withpermission,captureandpromoteimages/videosofGreatEscapersenjoyingexperiencesatyourbusiness
5. Ifwell-knownpeoplevisit,asktotaketheirpictureandshareviasocial
32 |
DREAMING PLANNING BOOKING EXPERIENCING SHARING
GR
EAT
ESC
APE
RS 1. Ensureyourwebsiteisaccessible
acrossalldevicese.g.mobile,tabletanddesktop
2. EnsureyourwebsiteistaggedwithsearchfriendlytermsrelevanttoGreatEscaperse.g.coastallandscape,naturalbeauty,escapeholidays
3. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytofindoninternationalsearchengines,e.g.Google.fr,Google.deetc
4. Ensureyourwebsiteimageryandlanguageappealstointernationalvisitors,notjustdomesticvisitors
5. Ensureyourwebsiteincludeshighqualityimagerye.g.sceniclandscapes,couples&familiesenjoyingoutdooractivities
6. SubmityourbusinesstoGooglePlaces
7. Implementan‘emailsign-up’featureonyourwebsite
8. EstablishasocialpresenceonFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,YouTube,Pinterest
9. PostcontentrelevanttoGreatEscapersonsocialchannelse.g.photoalbumsshowcasingremotesceniclocationsofyourregion
10. JoinandbecomeapartoftheIrishTourismcommunityonlinee.g.followandre-tweetcontentfromlocaloutdooractivitybusinessesviaTwitter
11. Implementblogfunctionalityonyourwebsitee.g.Wordpressetc.
12. Set-upGoogleAlertstomonitormentionsofyourbusiness
13. Remindpreviouscustomerstovisitagainviaemail/social
1. WriteblogpostsbasedontheinterestsofGreatEscapersandpromotingyourregione.g.WalkingTrailsinConnemara,ScenicDrives,TopBeachesforFamilyPicnics,RecommendationsonGreatLocalRestaurants&AuthenticPubs
2. Uploadmapstoyourwebsite,highlightingkeyscenicattractionsandtheiraccessibilitytoeachothere.g.geographicmaphighlightingtopscenicattractions
3. Uploadhighqualityimagery,videosandothercontentfromFáilteIrelandtoyoursitetopromotethescenicbeautyofyourregion.Personalisewithlocalhighlightsandreferencestoyourbusiness.
4. Ensureallcontentistaggedwithtermsthataresearchfriendlye.g.regionalandinterest-basedtermssuchas‘WildAtlanticWay’,‘nature’,‘coastallandscapes’
5. Createphotoalbumsforsocialchannelsthatshowcasestunninglandscapesandnaturalphenomenafromyourregionandcouples/familieshavingqualitytimetogether
6. Experimentwithvideocontentusingyoursmartphonecamera-e.g.60-90secvideoscapturingtheremotenessofyourregionandkeylandmarks
7. CreateTop10Listsforregionaloutdooractivitiesandactivitiesforcouples/familiestodotogether
8. ShareallyourcontentandcontentfromFáilteIrelandandtradepartners,acrossyourwebsiteandsocialchannels
9. Usepaidsocialmediae.g.Facebookadstobuildyoursocialcommunityanddrivesalesofspecificservices/specialoffers
10. Monitorreviewsites(e.g.Tripadvisor)andrespondtocommentsfromGreatEscapers
1. Ensureyourwebsiteiseasytonavigate&easytobook(desktop,tabletandmobile)
2. Makeyour‘ContactUs’detailsprominent
3. HighlightthatyourbusinessisinanareasuitedtoGreatEscapers,i.e.inanareaofnaturalbeauty,alongthecoast,forexampletheWildAtlanticWay.
4. Onsocial,writepostsbasedonhiddengemsandgetawaylocationsinyourarea.
5. Promotespecialoffersacrossallchannels
6. Utilisepaidsearch(e.g.GoogleAdWords)toappearforrelevantsearchtermse.g.yourbusinessnameandlocalactivities.
7. Useretargetingadvertising(e.g.GoogleRemarketing)topushafinalsale.Adstargetpeoplewhohavevisitedyoursitebutdidnotconvertonthefirstvisit
8. Monitorreviewsites(e.g.Tripadvisor)andrespondtocomments
9. Listyourpricesinmulti-currency
10. Don’tjustlistyour€prices-thinkaboutyourGBandUSvisitors.
11. Ensureyouhaveagoodsystemfordealingefficientlywithemailenquiries
1. Postandsharerelevantlocalnewse.g.localtrips,classes,activitiesetc.
2. Promoteyouronlinepresenceatavailableofflinetouch-pointse.g.posteratfront-desk
3. Captureemaildatathroughtraditionalmethodse.g.Guestbook,questionnaire,polls,etc.
4. RespondtoquestionsfromGreatEscapersviasocialchannels
1. AskcustomerstosharetheirexperienceandpostreviewsonTripadvisorandFacebook
2. Promptyouraudiencetousehashtagswhensharingphotos/reviewse.g.#WildAtlanticWay
3. IncentiviseGreatEscaperstoshareexperiencese.g.runaphotographycompetitionformostscenicpictureofyourregion
4. Withpermission,captureandpromoteimages/videosofGreatEscapersenjoyingexperiencesatyourbusiness
5. Ifwell-knownpeoplevisit,asktotaketheirpictureandshareviasocial
| 33
• Brand website• Email• Internet Booking Engine• Mobile• Social media
OFFLINE• Phone• Walk-in
DIRECT
THE CUSTOMER / TOURIST
INDIRECT
Hotels, B&Bs, Self Catering, Car Rental, Visitor Attractions, Events, Restaurants etc
TOURISM PRODUCT
• Tour Operators• GDS• Incoming Tour Operators• Retail Travel Agents• Handling Agents• Destination Management Companies• Professional Conference Organisers• Online Travel Agents /3rd party Websites etc
ORONLINE
Half of trip planning starts on either OTA,
airline or hotel websites
Hotel bookings from mobile devices, Dec. 2011, 1 in 8;
Dec. 2012, 1 in 4;Dec. 2013, 1 in 3.
DIRECT & INDIRECT SALES CHANNELS
Knowingwhereyourpotentialcustomerssearchforinformationandbeingvisibleinthoseplaces/channelsiskeyto
drivingsales.
2 main channels:
1. Direct-bothonlineandoffline:primarilyyourwebsite,butalsophoneandwalk-inbusiness
2. Indirect-bothonlineandoffline:onlinetouroperators(OTAsincludingcomparatorsites),touroperators,travel
agents,grouporganisersandothertravelwebsites.
34 |
Worth thinking about…
• 60%ofallhotelsbookingsarenowdonedigitally.
• Acrossallsegments,themajorityoftravelpurchasesareinfluencedbydigitalchannels(websites,social
media,peerreviews,smartphoneortabletapps)evenifthefinalpurchaseisn’tmadeonline.
• TouroperatorsandOTAsareoftenconsultedduringresearchandthebookingmadethroughthem
ordirectlywiththetourismbusiness-theseintermediariescanbeashopwindowthatinfluences
directsales.
• Anaverageholidaymakerwillvisitupto38sitesbeforemakingapurchase.
• ThesegmentresearchshowsthatCulturallyCuriousandGreatEscaperstendtoavoidall-inclusive
packageswhileSocialEnergiserslikethem-especiallyusingOTAsanddynamicpackagingwebsiteswhere
theybuildandpurchasetheirownpackagecombinationofflight,accommodation,carhire,activitiesetc.
onasinglewebsite.
• OTAsareanimportantsourceofinformationbothforinspirationandplanning.
• Thepercentageofholidaymakerswhowatchonlinetravelvideosisincreasingyearonyear.Videos(from
hotels,experts,‘peoplelikeme’,friendsandfamily)areeffective.
• Holidaymakersnotonlywatchonlinetravelvideos,theycreateandsharethemtoo-thiscandrive
referralsales.
• Moreandmorepeopleareusingsmartphonesortabletsfortravelrelatedinformationwhileonatripso
thereareopportunitiesforlocation-specificadvertisingtopeoples’smartphones/tabletswhenthey’rein
yourarea.
• Holidaymakersarewaryoftheroamingchargesthatapplywhileinanothercountrysoconsidertheuseof
appswhichavoidthisissue.
Requirements
What’sthecurrentmixofdirectvsindirectsalesinmybusiness?
Isthismixappropriate?Ifnot,whatmeasuresmustIinitiatetoredressthebalance?
Doesmywebsitereflectallthataholidaymakercanseeanddo?
Internet is becoming local
and personalThose seeking to
book hotels are twice as likely to search for
travel images
| 35
Reaching visitors with timely and
personalised offers
DIRECT & INDIRECT SALES CHANNELS
Online travel agents (OTAs)
OnlineTravelAgents(OTAs)arebasicallyonlineversionsofthetraditionaltravelagentortouroperator.Theysell
travelproductstocustomersonlineandactasabridgebetweensuppliers(hotels,airlines,carhirecompanies,
visitorattractionsetc.)andconsumers.
HotelroomsarethemainfocusofthemajorityofmostOTAwebsites,whilesomealsoofferdynamicpackaging
thatallowstheconsumertopurchasetheirhotel,flightandcarhireinonetransaction.OTAsarenowselling60%of
allroomsinIreland.
WellknownOTAsincludeExpedia,Booking.com,HostelWorld,Orbitz,Travelocity,PricelineandLastMinute.com.
ExpediaownsTripAdvisor,hotels.com,venere.comandHotwire.SomeOTAssuchasGoIrelandandIrelandhotels.
comonlysellIrishaccommodation.
OTAsarethefastestgrowingdistributionchannelfortravelproductsandcanbeveryeffectiveforindependent
hotels,B&Bsandguesthouseswhowillnottypicallybeknowninternationallyandwhomightnothavethe
expertiseormarketingbudgetstodirectlytargetinternationaltravellers.AstudybyFáilteIrelandshowedthat82%
ofIrishhotelssaythatOTAsgivethemaccesstointernationalmarkets.
WorkingwithOTAscanbearelativelylowmaintenancewayofreachingnewandinternationalcustomers.Fáilte
Irelandresearchindicatesthat86%ofIrishhotelsspendlessthan5hoursperweekupdatingtheirOTArates.Many
oftheseupdatesaredonemanually,whilesomeuseaChannelManagersuchasRateTigerorEasyYield.
The OTA billboard effect
OneofthemostpowerfulbenefitsofworkingwithanOTAisthe‘billboardeffect’.Thisiswhereahotelbenefits
fromthebrandingandvisibilityofbeingonanOTA’swebsite,butthecustomerbooksdirectlywiththehotel,saving
thehotelthecommissiontheywouldpaytheOTAifthebookingcamefromthem.Thiswasprovedina2011
CornellUniversitystudywhichshowedthatofthe1,726peoplewhomadereservationsontheIntercontinental
Hotelswebsite,75%hadvisitedanOTAbeforebooking,83%hadusedasearchengineand66%haddoneboth.
Thisprovestheimportanceofyourownwebsite,adirectchannelwhichshouldgeneratehigheryieldsthanany
otherdistributionchannel.Makesureyoumaximiseallopportunitiestoconverta‘looker’intoa‘booker’,i.e.
someonewhomightfindoutaboutyourpropertyona3rdpartywebsite,butcheckyououtonyourownsite
beforemakingadecisionandbooking.
CommissionsareoftentheboneofcontentionbetweenhotelsandOTAsandratestypicallyrangebetween10%
and30%.Thesecommissionscomeoffthehotel’s‘bestavailablerate’,andmanyOTAsinsistonrateparitywiththe
hotel’sownwebsite.OnthemajorityofOTAwebsites,hotelscanonlysellroomonlyandB&Brates.Beforedoing
businesswithOTASbeveryclearaboutcontractualarrangementsandreviewthebusinesssmallprintindetail.
36 |
Opaque deals on OTAs
ArecenttrendhasdevelopedwherebysomeOTAsofferanopaqueor‘topsecret’booking.Thisiswherethename
ofthepropertyisnotrevealedtothecustomeruntiltheyhavemadethebooking.OTAswhoofferthisinclude
PriceLine,Lastminute.comandHotwireanditisofmorerelevancetocitycentrehotelsthanothers.
Dynamic packaging
Dynamicpackagingisapackageholidaythatenablesconsumerstobuildandpurchasetheirownpackageofflights,
accommodation,carrental,activitiesetconasinglewebsite.
Other channels and GDS
Inrecentyears,inadditiontobuyingaholidayfromatouroperatorortravelagent,thetouristhasanincreasing
choice-tourismdistributionchannelshaveexpandedtoincludesupermarkets,readeroffers,specialinterest
groupsetc.
Site comparators (sometimes called metasearch)
Thesearesiteswhichpotentialvisitorsuseaspartoftheirresearch,andincludeTrivago,TripAdvisor,Hipmunkand
Kayak.Pricecomparisonisnottheonlyfunctionofthesesites,theyprovideeverythinginoneplace,search,maps,
photos,ratings,availabilityandprices.Theyprovidepeaceofmindforusersandaccuratetailoredinformationfor
thevisitor.In201360%ofholidaymakerscomparedpricesbeforebuying,andcomparatorsitesdriveupto13%
increaseintraffic(Source:tnooz2013).InEuropepercentagecostsofgenerateddirectbookingsfromcomparator
sitesare15-20%cheaperthanOTAs(Source:Mirai2013).Trivagowasthenumber1trendingbusinessfor
internationalhotelgroupsonGoogleinIrelandin2013(Source:IrishTimesDec.2013).
OTAs are not just for hotels
ExpediaandLastminute.comdon’tjustworkwithaccommodationproviders;
theyalsofeatureattractionsandtransportproviders.
| 37
DIRECT & INDIRECT SALES CHANNELS
Tour Operators
Theroleoftouroperatorshaschangeddramaticallyinrecentyears.Nowjust20%ofinternationalholidaymakers
cometoIrelandonapackage(flight+oneothergroundelement).Despitetherelativelylowpercentages,tour
operatorsarestillakeypartofthemixformostIrishtourismbusinesses.
AllinclusivepackagestoIreland:
• 29%ofUSholidaymakers
• 24%ofGermanholidaymakers
• 21%ofFrenchholidaymakers
• 6%ofGBholidaymakers
Top tour operators
GB USA Germany France
ImagineIreland CIETours DERTour VacanceTransat
HoganCottages BrendanTours CTSGruppen BrittanyFerries
Superbreaks SceptreTours HighlanderReisen GaelandAshling
ActionTours TrollTours CelticTours
NationalHolidays Wholesalers:Service
Reisen,Behringer
TouristikandFrumm
Touristik
Albatross
Pleaseseewww.tourismireland.comforfulllistofoverseasoperatorsprogrammingIreland.
The ITOA
TheIncomingTourOperatorsAssociation(ITOA)istherepresentativeassociationofIreland’sinboundtour
operators.Membersdesignprogrammesanditinerariesforescortedtourgroups,individualholidaymakersand
businesstouristsincludingincentive,corporatemeetingsandconferences.TheITOAoperatestwoworkshopsin
IrelandeachMarch-oneeastcoast,onewestcoast.Theseareavaluableopportunityfortourismbusinessestosell
toincomingtouroperators.Seewww.itoa-ireland.com
Rate parity and price transparency
Allproductprovidersshouldaimtomaintainrateparityacrossallchannelssoastobuildtrustfromonlinecustomers.
Customersareinternetsavvy-theycaneasilyseewhatpricesyouchargeindifferentdistributionchannelsandyour
reputationwillbedamagediftheypayahigherpricedependingonwheretheybuyyourproduct.Customersliketo
feelthatthepricetheybookedisthebestavailableprice,particularlyiftheybookfromyoudirectly.
Whenworkingwithtouroperatorsyoushouldhavearecommendedretailpricesothatthereispricingtransparency
acrossallyourdistributionchannels.
38 |
Winning on theinternet is a
science not an art!
Developing a Channel Strategy - things to consider
Somepointstobearinmindwhensettingadistributionstrategyforyourbusiness.
• YES • NO
1.DoIhaveamultichannelstrategysoasnottobeover-reliantonanyonechannel?
2.AmImanagingandmarketingmyownwebsitetomaximiseyieldbutnottothe
exclusionofotherdistributionchannels?
3. HaveIconsideredtheimportantrolethattouroperators,DMCs,travelagentsetccan
playinmybusiness?
4. DoIhaveapricingstrategyinplaceforallrevenuechannels?
5.Ismychannelstrategymarketspecificandagoodfitformyproductand
targetsegments?
6.HaveIsettargetsforallmyrevenuechannels?
7.HaveImaximisedmybusinessrelationshipwiththoseOTAswhofitbestwith
mybusiness?
8.Howeasyisitforcustomerstobuyfrommyownwebsite?
9.HaveIconsideredthecostofsaleswhencreatingmychannelstrategy?
(OTAcommissions,etc)?
10.Whoinmybusinesswillmanagemysalesandrevenuestrategyonadayto
daybasis?
11.AmIreviewingandmanagingmyreviewrating,conversionrate,availability,number
ofphotosandqualityofdescriptionsonOTAsites,andmybusinessranking?
12.ShouldIconsiderachannelmanagersuchasRateTigerorEasyYield?
13.HaveIconsideredrateparityacrossallmyrevenuedistributionchannelssothatmy
pricingstructureistransparenttoconsumers?
Content and advertising strategies need
to span all devices or risk missing out on ¼ of prospective
customers
| 39
ACCESS
Why access is so important
Goodairandferryaccessarevitalforinternationaltourism.NomatterwhereinIrelandyourbusinessislocated,it’s
importanttoletinternationaltouristsknowhowaccessiblebothIrelandandyourbusinessare.
Thepopularityofshortbreaksunderlinestheneedtocommunicateaccessinformation.Forexample,thenew
MunichandBerlinflightstoShannonpresentrealopportunitiesforbusinessesinthesouthwesttoincreasesales
fromGermany.
Airaccessaccountsfor80%ofGB&Frenchvisitors,75%ofGermanvisitorsand99%ofUSvisitors.Arrivalbyferry
accountsfortheremaining20%fromGBandFrance,and25%fromGermany(viaFranceorGB).
Forsummer2014,thenumberofairlineseatstoIrelandwillincreaseby5%over2013levels.Ferryaccesswillsee
newferryroutesaswellasadditionalcapacityonestablishedroutes.
It’s important to sell Ireland as a close BUT also very exotic place.
ForGB,GermanyandFrance,Irelandneedstobeseenaseasytogettobutdifferentenough
todifferentiateitfromcompetingdestinations.
BY AIR FROM GB
DEPART ARRIVE AIRLINE
ABERDEEN Dublin AerLingus
Knock Flybe
BelfastCity Flybe
BIRMINGHAM Knock Flybe
Dublin AerLingusRegional;Ryanair
Shannon AerLingusRegional
Cork AerLingusRegional
Waterford Flybe
BelfastCity Flybe
BelfastInternational easyJet
BLACKPOOL BelfastCity Citywing
Dublin AerLingusRegional
BOURNEMOUTH Dublin AerLingusRegional
BRISTOL Cork AerLingusRegional
Dublin AerLingusRegional;Ryanair
Shannon AerLingusRegional
BelfastInternational easyJet
Knock Ryanair
CARDIFF Dublin AerLingusRegional
BelfastCity Flybe
DONCASTER SHEFFIELD BelfastCity LinksAir
EAST MIDLANDS Knock Ryanair
BelfastCity Flybe
Cork Ryanair
Dublin Ryanair
BelfastCity Flybe
EDINBURGH Dublin AerLingusRegional;Ryanair;Flybe
Shannon AerLingusRegional
Cork AerLingusRegional
Knock Ryanair
BelfastInternational easyJet
BelfastCity Flybe
40 |
DEPART ARRIVE AIRLINE
EXETER BelfastCity Flybe
Dublin Flybe
GLASGOW PRESTWICK Knock Ryanair
Dublin Ryanair
CityofDerry Ryanair
GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL Dublin AerLingusRegional
Cork AerLingusRegional
Donegal Flybe
BelfastInternational easyJet
BelfastCity Flybe
INVERNESS BelfastCity Flybe
ISLE OF MAN Dublin AerLingusRegional
BelfastCity CityWing
JERSEY Dublin AerLingusRegional;Flybe
BelfastInternational easyJet
BelfastCity Flybe
Cork AerLingusRegional
LEEDS BRADFORD Dublin Ryanair
BelfastCity Flybe
LIVERPOOL Knock Ryanair
Dublin Ryanair
Shannon Ryanair
Cork Ryanair
CityofDerry Ryanair
BelfastInternational easyJet
LONDON CITY Dublin CityJet
LONDON GATWICK Knock AerLingus
Dublin AerLingus;Ryanair
Cork Ryanair
Shannon Ryanair
BelfastInternational easyJet
BelfastCity AerLingus;Flybe
LONDON HEATHROW Dublin AerLingus
Shannon AerLingus
Cork AerLingus
Dublin BritishAirways
BelfastCity BritishAirways
LONDON LUTON Knock Ryanair
Dublin Ryanair
Kerry Ryanair
BelfastInternational easyJet
LONDON SOUTHEND Dublin AerLingusRegional
LONDON STANSTED Knock Ryanair
Cork Ryanair
Dublin Ryanair
Kerry Ryanair
Shannon Ryanair
BelfastInternational easyJet
MANCHESTER Knock Flybe
Dublin AerLingusRegional;Ryanair;BritishAirways
Cork AerLingusRegional
Shannon AerLingusRegional
Waterford Flybe
BelfastInternational easyJet
BelfastCity Flybe
NEWCASTLE Dublin AerLingusRegional;Ryanair
Cork AerLingusRegional
BelfastInternational easyJet
BelfastCity Flybe
SOUTHAMPTON Dublin Flybe
BelfastCity Flybe
| 41
ACCESS
BY SEA FROM GB
DEPART ARRIVE CARRIER
CAIRNRYAN Belfast StenaLine
Larne P&OFerries
DOUGLAS (ISLE OF MAN) Dublin IsleofManFerries
Belfast IsleofManFerries
FISHGUARD Rosslare StenaLine
HOLYHEAD Dublin IrishFerries
DunLaoghaire StenaLine
DublinPort StenaLine
LIVERPOOL Dublin P&OFerries
Belfast StenaLine
PEMBROKE Rosslare IrishFerries
TROON Larne P&OFerries
BY AIR FROM USA
DEPART ARRIVE AIRLINE
ATLANTA Dublin DeltaAirlines
BOSTON Dublin AerLingus
Shannon AerLingus
CHICAGO Shannon UnitedAirlines
Dublin AerLingus
DENVER/BOULDER Shannon USAirways
Shannon JetBlue&AerLingus
Dublin JetBlue&AerLingus
LOS ANGELES Shannon JetBlue&AerLingus
Dublin JetBlue&AerLingus
NEW YORK
JFK Dublin AerLingus
JFK Shannon AerLingus
JFK Dublin AmericanAirlines
Newark Dublin AmericanAirlines
Newark Dublin UnitedAirlines
Newark Shannon UnitedAirlines
Newark BelfastInternational UnitedAirlines
JFK Dublin UnitedAirlines
Newark Dublin Lufthansa
Newark Shannon Lufthansa
JFK Dublin DeltaAirlines
ORLANDO Dublin AerLingus
PHILADELPHIA Dublin USAirways
SAN FRANCISCO Dublin AerLingus;AmericanAirlines
Dublin USAirways&AerLingus
Shannon AirCanada
SEATTLE Dublin JetBlue&AerLingus
WASHINGTON DC
Dulles Shannon JetBlue&AerLingus
Dulles Dublin AerLingus;UnitedAirlines
Dulles Dublin JetBlue&AerLingus
42 |
BY AIR FROM GERMANY
DEPART ARRIVE AIRLINE
BERLIN (SCHONEFELD) Dublin AerLingus;Ryanair
Shannon Ryanair
BREMEN Dublin Ryanair
COLOGNE/BONN Knock Lufthansa;Germanwings
DUSSELDORF Dublin AerLingus;Lufthansa;Germanwings
FRANKFURT Dublin AerLingus;Lufthansa
FRANKFURT (HAHN) Dublin Ryanair
Kerry Ryanair
HAMBURG Dublin AerLingus
HANOVER Dublin AerLingus
MEMMINGEN (MUNICH WEST) Dublin Ryanair
Shannon Ryanair
MUNICH Dublin AerLingus;Lufthansa
Cork AerLingus
STUTTGART Dublin AerLingus
BY AIR FROM FRANCE
DEPART ARRIVE AIRLINE
BERGERAC Dublin Flybe
BIARRITZ Dublin Ryanair
BORDEAUX Dublin AerLingus
BelfastInternational easyJet
BREST Dublin AirFrance;Flybe
CARCASSONNE Dublin Ryanair
Cork Ryanair
CLERMONT-FERRAND Dublin Flybe
GRENOBLE Dublin Ryanair
LA ROCHELLE Dublin Ryanair
LYON Dublin AerLingus
MARSEILLE Dublin AerLingus;Ryanair
NANTES Dublin Ryanair
NICE Cork AerLingus
Dublin AerLingus;Ryanair
Shannon Ryanair
PARIS (CHARLES DE GAULLES) Cork AerLingus
Dublin AerLingus
Dublin AirFrance
BelfastInternational easyJet
PARIS (BEAUVAIS) Dublin Ryanair
Shannon Ryanair
POITIERS Shannon Ryanair
PERPIGNAN Dublin AerLingus
RENNES Dublin AerLingusRegional
Cork AerLingusRegional
RODEZ Dublin Ryanair
TOULOUSE Dublin AerLingus
TOURS Dublin Ryanair
| 43
ACCESS
BY SEA FROM FRANCE
DEPART ARRIVE CARRIER
CHERBOURG Rosslare IrishFerries
Dublin IrishFerries
Rosslare StenaLine
ROSCOFF Rosslare IrishFerries
Cork BrittanyFerries
ST NAZAIRE Rosslare LDLines
Requirements
ListairandferryroutestoDublinandyourlocalairport/portonyourwebsite
Providetraveltimesanddirectionsfromairportsandferryportstoyourbusinesse.g.30minutesfrom
KnockAirport,2hoursfromDublinAirport
Createlinksfromyourwebsitetocarrierwebsites
Accessinformationissubjecttochangesocheckregularlyforupdates
SignupforGooglePlacestofeatureonGoogleMaps-makesiteasierforpeopletofindyou
44 |
4 MAIN OVERSEAS MARKETS
Introduction
Ireland’sfourmainoverseasmarketsdeliver70%ofvisitorsandrevenue.So,whenallocatingresourcesitmakes
sensetofocusresourceswherethereisbestpotential.
Questions Great Britain United States Germany France
When do they visit Ireland? Visitallyear
31%Jan-Apr
23%May-June
22%July-Aug
9%Sept
15%Oct-Dec
62%visitoutsideofJulyandAugust
17%Jan-Apr
29%May-June
29%July-Aug
11%Sept
13%Oct-Dec
73%visitoutsideofJulyandAugust
23%Jan-Apr
31%May-June
27%Jul-Aug
8%Sept
12%Oct-Dec
64%visitoutsideofJulyandAugust
22%Jan-Apr
26%May-June
36%July-Aug
6%Sept
9%Oct-Dec
Where do they go in Ireland? Majorityspendtheirtimeinone
destination
Short-breaks,lessregionaltouring
53%Dublin
28%Southwest
19%West
11%Midwest
Mostwillvisitmorethanoneregion
Dublinisonthemajorityof
itinerariesfollowedbyWestern
seaboardandSouthwest
80%Dublin
48%Southwest
35%West
32%Midwest
41%liketotouraround
24%visitDublinonly
65%Dublin
50%Southwest
33%West
Mostwillvisitmorethanoneregion
6%Dublin
50%West
43%Southwest
How long do they stay in Ireland? Average5nights
Averageannualleave28days
Average6.8nights
(42%stay6-8nights)
Averageannualleave12days
Average8.3nights
Averageannualleave29days
Average8.9nights
13%shortbreaks(1-3nights)
Averageannualleave
7.5weeks,min.5weeks
What accommodation do they use when in Ireland? 33%hotels
13%rented
9%guesthouses/B&Bs
26%friendsandrelatives
50%hotels
25%B&Bsandguesthouses
7%rented
8%hostels
34%hotels
25%Guesthouses/B&Bs
10%rented
23%guesthousesandB&Bs
20%hotels
13%rented
Where are they from? 21%SouthEast
15%London
11%SouthWest
11%NorthWest
10%WestMidlands
8%Scotland
8%Wales
NewYork,California,
Massachusetts,FloridaandIllinois
Bavaria
Baden-Wurtemburg,NordRhein/
WestphaliaRheinland-Palatinate
andHessen
33%fromParis
20%fromWesternFrance
14%SouthEast
12%SouthWest
11%Mediterranean
6%East
3%North
46 |
Questions Great Britain United States Germany France
When do they visit Ireland? Visitallyear
31%Jan-Apr
23%May-June
22%July-Aug
9%Sept
15%Oct-Dec
62%visitoutsideofJulyandAugust
17%Jan-Apr
29%May-June
29%July-Aug
11%Sept
13%Oct-Dec
73%visitoutsideofJulyandAugust
23%Jan-Apr
31%May-June
27%Jul-Aug
8%Sept
12%Oct-Dec
64%visitoutsideofJulyandAugust
22%Jan-Apr
26%May-June
36%July-Aug
6%Sept
9%Oct-Dec
Where do they go in Ireland? Majorityspendtheirtimeinone
destination
Short-breaks,lessregionaltouring
53%Dublin
28%Southwest
19%West
11%Midwest
Mostwillvisitmorethanoneregion
Dublinisonthemajorityof
itinerariesfollowedbyWestern
seaboardandSouthwest
80%Dublin
48%Southwest
35%West
32%Midwest
41%liketotouraround
24%visitDublinonly
65%Dublin
50%Southwest
33%West
Mostwillvisitmorethanoneregion
6%Dublin
50%West
43%Southwest
How long do they stay in Ireland? Average5nights
Averageannualleave28days
Average6.8nights
(42%stay6-8nights)
Averageannualleave12days
Average8.3nights
Averageannualleave29days
Average8.9nights
13%shortbreaks(1-3nights)
Averageannualleave
7.5weeks,min.5weeks
What accommodation do they use when in Ireland? 33%hotels
13%rented
9%guesthouses/B&Bs
26%friendsandrelatives
50%hotels
25%B&Bsandguesthouses
7%rented
8%hostels
34%hotels
25%Guesthouses/B&Bs
10%rented
23%guesthousesandB&Bs
20%hotels
13%rented
Where are they from? 21%SouthEast
15%London
11%SouthWest
11%NorthWest
10%WestMidlands
8%Scotland
8%Wales
NewYork,California,
Massachusetts,FloridaandIllinois
Bavaria
Baden-Wurtemburg,NordRhein/
WestphaliaRheinland-Palatinate
andHessen
33%fromParis
20%fromWesternFrance
14%SouthEast
12%SouthWest
11%Mediterranean
6%East
3%North
CONTINUEDOVERLEAF
| 47
4 MAIN OVERSEAS MARKETS
continued
Questions Great Britain United States Germany France
What age are they? Agreaterportionover35s
48%areover45
Mostlycouplesandaquarterin
otheradultgroups
Lesschildorfamilyfocussed
SlightlyolderthanEuropeanvisitors,
25%areover55
44%areover45
Almosthalfvisitaspartofacouple
22%areunder24
24%are25-34
16%are35-44
38%areover45
39%couple
12%family
23%withotheradults
Youngerthanothermarkets;just
27%areover45
36%couple
25%family(morethantwicethe
numberofGermanswhotravel
withfamily)
19%withotheradults
How do they get here? 8outof10air
2outof10hireacar
2outof10bringtheircar
99%air
46%hireacar
75%air
25%bysea
32%hireacar
23%bringtheircar
80%air
20%sea
18%bringtheircar
37%hireacar
Have they visited Ireland before? 59%previouslyvisited
Visitingfriendsandrelations(VFR)
isbigfromtheGBmarket
75%areonfirstvisit 65%areonfirstvisit
25%arerepeatvisitors
65%areonfirstvisit
Will they return to Ireland? 76%willreturn 50%willreturn 54%willreturn 50%willreturn
Is the language important to them? N/A N/A Veryimportantifattending
consumershowsinGermany
Manyliketodotheirholiday
researchandplanningintheirown
language,soknowledgeofthe
languageisadefiniteadvantage
BeingabletospeakFrenchis
importantbothforconsumer
andtradeengagement
48 |
Questions Great Britain United States Germany France
What age are they? Agreaterportionover35s
48%areover45
Mostlycouplesandaquarterin
otheradultgroups
Lesschildorfamilyfocussed
SlightlyolderthanEuropeanvisitors,
25%areover55
44%areover45
Almosthalfvisitaspartofacouple
22%areunder24
24%are25-34
16%are35-44
38%areover45
39%couple
12%family
23%withotheradults
Youngerthanothermarkets;just
27%areover45
36%couple
25%family(morethantwicethe
numberofGermanswhotravel
withfamily)
19%withotheradults
How do they get here? 8outof10air
2outof10hireacar
2outof10bringtheircar
99%air
46%hireacar
75%air
25%bysea
32%hireacar
23%bringtheircar
80%air
20%sea
18%bringtheircar
37%hireacar
Have they visited Ireland before? 59%previouslyvisited
Visitingfriendsandrelations(VFR)
isbigfromtheGBmarket
75%areonfirstvisit 65%areonfirstvisit
25%arerepeatvisitors
65%areonfirstvisit
Will they return to Ireland? 76%willreturn 50%willreturn 54%willreturn 50%willreturn
Is the language important to them? N/A N/A Veryimportantifattending
consumershowsinGermany
Manyliketodotheirholiday
researchandplanningintheirown
language,soknowledgeofthe
languageisadefiniteadvantage
BeingabletospeakFrenchis
importantbothforconsumer
andtradeengagement
Questions Great Britain United States Germany France
What age are they? Agreaterportionover35s
48%areover45
Mostlycouplesandaquarterin
otheradultgroups
Lesschildorfamilyfocussed
SlightlyolderthanEuropeanvisitors,
25%areover55
44%areover45
Almosthalfvisitaspartofacouple
22%areunder24
24%are25-34
16%are35-44
38%areover45
39%couple
12%family
23%withotheradults
Youngerthanothermarkets;just
27%areover45
36%couple
25%family(morethantwicethe
numberofGermanswhotravel
withfamily)
19%withotheradults
How do they get here? 8outof10air
2outof10hireacar
2outof10bringtheircar
99%air
46%hireacar
75%air
25%bysea
32%hireacar
23%bringtheircar
80%air
20%sea
18%bringtheircar
37%hireacar
Have they visited Ireland before? 59%previouslyvisited
Visitingfriendsandrelations(VFR)
isbigfromtheGBmarket
75%areonfirstvisit 65%areonfirstvisit
25%arerepeatvisitors
65%areonfirstvisit
Will they return to Ireland? 76%willreturn 50%willreturn 54%willreturn 50%willreturn
Is the language important to them? N/A N/A Veryimportantifattending
consumershowsinGermany
Manyliketodotheirholiday
researchandplanningintheirown
language,soknowledgeofthe
languageisadefiniteadvantage
BeingabletospeakFrenchis
importantbothforconsumer
andtradeengagement
| 49
4 MAIN OVERSEAS MARKETS
A snapshot of the GB market
Size of the segments
• 4.8mSocialEnergisers
• 4.7mCulturallyCurious
• 5.5mGreatEscapers
• 100%ofGBSocialEnergiserswhohavebeentoIrelandrateit8outof10
• MorethanhalfofCulturallyCuriousvisitorswerehappywiththevalueprovided
Potential of the market for Ireland
• Ireland’slargestsourcemarket;2.9mvisitorsin2013,anincreaseof5.6%over2012
• 42%ofallouroverseasvisitorsarefromGB
• 36%ofallouroverseasholidaymakersarefromGB
• 64%ofGBoutboundmarketareinterestedinvisitingIrelandinthefuture
Top 10 destinations for GB traveller
1. Spain
2. France
3. US
4. Greece
5. Italy
6. Portugal
7. Turkey
8. Netherlands
9. Ireland
10.Belgium
A snapshot of the US market
Size of the segments
• 12.9mCulturallyCurious
• 36.7mGreatEscapers
• 26.4mSocialEnergisers
Size and potential of the market for Ireland
• Oursecondmostimportantmarket;itgrewby14.5%in2013to1.036mvisitors
• USvisitorsareourhighestspendersandourmostaffluentvisitors
• Theystaylongerandtravelaroundmore
50 |
A snapshot of the German market
Size of the segments
• 16.6mGreatEscapers
• 7.6mCulturallyCurious
• 7.6mSocialEnergisers
Size and potential of the market for Ireland
• Theworld’ssecondlargestoutboundtravelmarket(afterChina);53%takeaholidayabroad
• Irelandgets1%ofGermanoutboundmarket
• Ireland’s3rdlargestsourcemarket;483,000visitorsin2013,up7.7%over2012
• Activityisimportantformany;28%takepartinhiking/walkingandGermanyisthelargestmarketfor
overseasanglers,whichaccountsfor15%ofalloverseasanglingvisits
• 68%ofoutboundmarkethaveexpressedaninterestinvisitingIrelandinthefuture
A snapshot of the French market
Size of the segments
• 8.3mGreatEscapers
• 6.7mCulturallyCurious
• 6.4mSocialEnergisers
Size and potential of the market for Ireland
• Ireland’s4thlargestsourcemarket;434,000visitorsin2013,upby9.4%on2012
• 60%ofoutboundmarketexpressedaninterestinvisitingIrelandinthefuture
• Frenchpeopletakeanaverage4holidaysperyear,1.5oftheseareabroadholidays
Franceistheworld’s5thmostimportantoutboundmarketbyrevenue;24.6moutboundtrips,with
€29billionspend
| 51
The Pastsales history
Presentmarket analysis
Futuresales and
revenue goals
Sales Planpositioning and actions
Competitioncompetitor
analysis
2
3
4
5
1
DEVELOPING YOUR SALES PLAN
The 5 steps to developing your sales plan
Theplanningandtimeyouputintodevelopingyoursalesplanisasimportantasthefinalwrittenplan.Work
throughthe5stepsandyou’llhaveawellthoughtout,focussedplantodrivesales.Eachstepisimportant-from
lookingatpastsalesperformancetoevaluatingyourbusinessagainstthecompetitiontoallocatingresourcesand
measuringeffectiveness.
1. Thepast-saleshistory
2. Thepresent-marketanalysis
3. Thecompetition-competitoranalysis
4. Thefuture -salesandrevenuegoals
5. Thesales plan-positioningandactions
52 |
1. The past - sales history
1.1 Revenue Useinternalsystemsandreportstoanalyserevenue-rooms,activities,
food,tickets,etc.
1.2 Sales mix Whichareasofthebusinessperformbest?Doesthe80:20ruleapply?
Ifyouaretooreliantonasmallnumberofcustomersitcanhaveabig
impactiftheycontract.
1.3 Key performance
indicators
Workout
• averagespendpercustomer
• averageroomrate(ARR)
• occupancylevels
1.4 Business mix
breakdown
Whichareasofthebusinessmixgeneratethemostandleastrevenue?
• Overseasleisuremarkets:GB,US,Germany,France
• Domesticleisuremarket
1.5 Cost of Sales Doyouunderstandthetruecostofsalefor?
Directbookings:
• Whatcostsdoesyourbusinessincur,forexamplecostsformanagingand
updatingyourwebsiteincludingdesign,hostingcosts,commissionto
bookingsites,managingemail,channelmanager,PPCandSEO?
OTAs:
• Doyouknowyourcommissionrates,channelmanagerandstaffcosts?
TourOperators:
• Doyouknowyourcommissionrates,costsoftraveltomarkettoattend
in-marketactivity,promotionalmaterial,etc?
1.6 Seasonal nature of
revenue
Determineweakandstrongperiods:
• Aretheretrends?
• Whatisforecast?
1.7 New/renewal/
existing business
New/repeat/existingbusiness:
• Whatnewbusinessisthereandwhatisitworth?
• Whoarethebusiness’top100customers?
• Whatistheretention/renewalrate?
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DEVELOPING YOUR SALES PLAN
2. The present - market analysis
2.1 Customer groups Whoaremycustomers?
• Overseasordomestic?
• CulturallyCurious,GreatEscapersorSocialEnergisers?
• Wherearetheyfrom?
2.2 Market size
and share
Isthemarketgrowing?Analyseindustrytrends.
WhatshareofthemarketamIgetting?
2.3 Changes and trends Whattrendscanbeforeseen?
• Whereisthebusinessnowagainstwhereitiswas?
• What’shappeningtomycustomersthatwillinfluencesales?
• What’shappeninginthemarketthatwillinfluencesales?
3. The competition - competitor analysis
3.1 Competitive
advantages
Competition:
• Whatmakesmybusinessdifferent?
• Howdocompetitors’offeringsandratescomparewithmybusiness?
• DoIhaveacompetitiveedge?
3.2 SWOT Strength: Whatdoesyourbusinessdowell,thatisbeyondwhatyour
competitiondoes?
Weakness: Whatdoesyourcompetitiondobetterthanyou?
Opportunity: Somethingoutsideyourbusinessthatcanbeturnedintoa
strengthe.g.newinfrastructure,achangeinconsumerbehaviour
Threat: Anexternalinfluencethatposesathreattoyourbusinessbeyond
yourcontrole.g.reducedairaccessfromakeymarket
4. The future - sales and revenue goals
4.1 Revenue goals Setsalestargetsbysegmentandbymarket:
• overseasleisurebusiness
• domesticleisurebusiness
4.2 New/repeat/
existing
It’scheapertosellmoretoexistingcustomersthanacquirenewones:
• Mytopcustomersandtypeofbusinesstheygenerate
• Newbusinessfromnewcustomers
• Newbusinessfromexistingcustomers
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5. The sales plan - actions
5.1 Acquiring new
business
Howwillnewbusinessbeacquired?
• Digitalsalesstrategyandownwebsite
• Touroperators
• In-Irelandeventsandtradeshows
• OnlinepresencewithOTAs
5.2 Growing existing
business
Reviewwhatyouhavedoneinthepast-learnfrommistakesandrepeat
whatworkedwell
5.3 Sales Action Plan
Template
Setoutallyoursalesactivitiesby:
• Month
• Detailofthesalesaction
• Target
• Resources(budgetandstaff)
• KPIs
• Responsibility
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DEVELOPING YOUR SALES PLAN
Short term actions that will drive sales
1. Amobile websiteisprobablyoneofthemostimportanttasksonyouractionplan.Keepcontentupdated,
relevantandofvaluetoyourtargetsegments.
2. Email newslettersaremoreeffectiveindrivingsalesthanmostsocialmediaplatforms.Asegmenteddatabase,
acleversubjectline,ashortnewsletter(1or2keymessages)andastrongcalltoactionthatdirectspeopleto
yourwebsiteisgreatfordrivingrepeatandreferralbusiness.Remembertheinfluenceofrecommendationsfrom
friendsandfamily!Stayintouchwithhappycustomersandtheywillbecomeyoursalesteam.
3. Anattractivevideoonyourwebsiteandotherdigitalplatformsisabigadvantage.Videoisextremelyeffective
forallsegments.
4. Goodimageryisvital.And,itgetsoverthelanguagebarrierwithoutanyneedfortranslation.Bothphotographs
andvideocanpowerfullycommunicateuniqueandauthenticexperiencesthatmakethevisitorwanttobuy.
5. Pricingonyourwebsiteandyourbookingengineshouldbemulti currency.
6. Location-based communications -capitaliseonthefactthatmanyofyourcustomersusetheirsmartphone
ortabletassourcesofinformationwhileonholiday.
7. OTAs-don’tgethunguponcommissionrates-theycanbeanimportantshopwindowandopenupmarkets
youmightnotreachonyourown.ManageyourpresenceonOTAs-don’tbeoverreliantbutdon’tignorethem.
AlsoconsiderhavingapresenceonanOTAcomparatorsite,e.g.Trivago.
8. Languagesareimportant-particularlyforconsumerengagement.Translatekeypagesthatareofinteresttoan
overseasvisitorintotheirlanguage.
9. UseGoogle Places-itwillmakeyourwebsiteandyourbusinesseasiertofind.
10. International SEOwillmakeiteasierforinternationalvisitorstofindyourwebsite.
11.Google Adwordscanbeacosteffectivewayofdeliveringvisitorstoyourwebsite.Oncetheygetthere,make
surethesitehookstheminanddrivesthemtowardsasale.
12.Use Facebook and Twitter and other current social media-especiallyforSocialEnergisers.Socialmedia
tendstobelessofageneratorofsalesthansearch,butit’spreferredbySocialEnergisers.
13.EngagewithTripAdvisorandotherrelevantonlinereviewsites.Includecustomerreviewsonyourownwebsite
andbesuretohighlightanyaccoladesforexamplefoodawards.
14.Guidebooks caninfluenceatinspirationandpurchasestage-areyoulisted?
15.Don’tforgetPR -notethenumberofpeoplewhousemagazines,TVandradiowhenresearchingtheirholiday.
16.Whendealingwithtour operatorsrememberthethreestepstosales;preparationforthesalespitch,theactual
salespitchandfollowup.Manybusinessesmakethemistakeofnotfollowingup-usuallythemostimportant
steptocloseasale!Stayintouchwiththemthroughouttheyear.Keepthemupdatedwithyournews.Askfor
thebusiness!
17.Partner withotherlocaltourismproviderstoenhancetheimpactofyourcombinedsalesactions.
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18.Respondtocustomer enquiriesquickly,efficientlyandaccurately.Givethemtheanswerstheyarelooking
forandidentifywaystoaddvaluetothefactssotheyarepersuadedtobuy.Dealingwithsalesenquiriesisan
importanttask-ifsomeonehascontactedyoutheyarepreparingtobuy,don’tlosethesale.
19.Thesecrettosalesisunderstanding your customer,tradeorconsumer.Themoreyouknowaboutwhat
motivatesthem,themoresuccessfulyouwillbeinallyoureffortstogrowsales.
20. Monitortheimpactofyoursalesefforts.Makesureyouknowwhat’sworkingandwhatisn’t.Learnfrom
mistakesandtailoryoursalesplanforthefuture-don’twastetimeandmoneyrepeatingactivitiesthat
didn’twork.
21.Whynotmarketandselldirectlytoyourpreviousinternationalvisitors,example€10discountfornext
directbooking.
22.Ensureimageryandlanguageonyourwebsiteissellingtotheinternationalvisitorandnotjustthedomestic.
23.Rememberthatevery‘phone callandemailreceivedisasalesopportunity;everybodyisresponsibleforselling.
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DEVELOPING YOUR SALES PLAN
Overseas sales action plan template
Month Sales activity Target Resources KPIs Responsibility
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BUSINESS SUPPORTS
Fáilte Ireland contacts
Leisure Sales
EvaDearie
T:0719194206
JennyDeSaulles
T:0214233209
OonaghKelly
T:061403810
TaraKerry
T:061575478
Digital
ShaunDelaney
T:018847761
InternationalPublicity
AislingTravers
T:061403814
Tourism Ireland Contacts
Great Britain
VanessaMarkey,HeadofGreatBritain
T:02075180800
North America
AlisonMetcalfe,HeadofNorthAmerica,
T:+12124180800
Germany
ZoëRedmond,Manager,CentralEurope,
(Germany,AustriaandSwitzerland)
T:+496992318514
France
MonicaMacLaverty,ManagerSouthernEurope
T:+35314763483
Tourism Ireland Dublin - Industry Opportunities
GeraldineEgan,IndustryLiaisonOfficer-
Co-operativeMarketing
T:+35314763414
Business Supports
FáilteIrelandoffersarangeofbusinesssupportstohelpyougrowyourbusiness.
Fulldetailscanbefoundonwww.failteireland.ie
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