Finding money in the Budget Travel Niche

Publisher BudgetTraveller.orgFacebook.com/BudgetTravellerTwitter.com/BudgetTravellerKash Bhattacharya

Everything starts with the end in mind

At the end of this session

1. Blog= brand?2. How to develop killer content ideas 3. Learn about a disease I have

4. Importance of ROI 

5. Need for Authentic marketing

My name is Kash

Better known to some as BudgetTraveller

Worked in publishing for 9 years I started my own magazine when I was 22. Bankrupt at 23.

2013: Launched a guide to Luxury Hostels of Europe & a series of 48 Hour Guides to 12 German cities.

iAmbassador: #Blogmanay in Scotland & #BlogVille in Italy

2014? Cool! Budget Hotels in Europe

18 month itch

I had no { business } blog strategy

Unless you call making money from sponsored posts and travelling the world for free a blogging

strategy.

My content was not really unique. No common identifiable thread.

My blog name, design of the blog was not memorable.

Loved by some readers, some PR companies but not loved by marketing executives.

1.Unique 2. Memorable +

3. Loved = BRAND= €€€

So…I started a new blog

.

Needed to find a killer idea to stand within the crowded

budget travel niche

Best ideas come from solving problems..

Your problems?

Your readers, travellers problemsExample: Airbed & breakfast

PROBLEMS...

1. Was I too old for hostels?

2. I ( and maybe you?) suffer from a disease

called Parcopresis

3. My last date was ‘a hotel kind of girl’

4. Negative brand image of hostels within the industry and amongst destination marketing

organisations. 

OASIS SEVILLE PALACE, SEVILLE

OASIS SEVILLE PALACE HOSTEL

OASIS SEVILLE PALACE HOSTEL CASA GRACIA, BARCELONA

OASIS SEVILLE PALACE HOSTEL

OSTELLO BELLO, MILAN

LUXURY HOSTELS OF EUROPE 1. 5 key sponsors easyJet, Travelzoo UK, Busabout, Travellerspoint & Interrail. 2. £1000 plus in-kind support from sponsors3. Visited 40 Hostels over a year4. All of the hostels paid me a fee between £200- £350 depending on level of exposure they wanted.

What did I offer them 1. Real-time exposure to the hostels involved.2. Reviews on the blog3. Wrapping up blog posts into a free e-book. 

The importance of showing ROI

To get paid, you have to be able to demonstrate some sort form of return on investmentCheck out Keith and Melvin’s online ROI calculatorBackpacker Steve- #Holagringo http://bit.ly/1aIpdEp

ROI- Luxury Hostels of Europe

12 million people reached via PR exposure.

4000 downloads of Luxury Hostels of e-book.

I’ve handed out 10000 postcards.

#Luxuryhostels has received 15 million impressions so far.

ROI - Luxury Hostels of Europe

I’ve looked at our Google stats and we’re getting a high referral rate from you blog, so it’s nice to see the work paying off. We’re looking forward to one of your busiest summers. ’Charley Batt, Loft Bourg Mountain Hostel

‘Proud day for Safestay and we want to say thank you!’Safestay Hostel, London awarded 4 star status by Visit England

 

Personal ROI

‘As one of the few travel bloggers who's managed to make their site pay, he's one to watch.’

Guardian UK

Launching now my own booking websiteLuxury Hostels of the World, December 2013.

 

You can have your cake…

And eat it too..

Perfect blog project?

Fuse your passion with the needs of your audience and that of the DMO, travel brands you want to work with.

Create content, products, and services that will help people.

This is what is called Authentic marketing.

Build relationships and networks with brands you are passionate about +share your valuesTBEX, WTM London, ITB Berlin.

Get over the fear of selling yourself!

‘Self-promotion is essential for making yourself stand out in a crowded niche such as travel, yet for many people, it’s not easy to do.’ Brooke Schoenman Her Packing List. Brooke Vs World

.

 

 

Thank you for listening!

Any questions?