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| “Our objectives in conducting the “Lush Experiences Travel Industry Communications Survey” were to develop a benchmark understanding of how Travel Advisors and professionals prefer to be communicated with, what information is most important to them to do their jobs and to use some of the information internally to the benefit of our members,” said Brad Beaty, Co-Founder. “We aim to revisit these questions over time to see if there are changes and will share the data with our members to help them perform at their peak with the key Travel Advisor audience. We are also pleased to be able to share plenty of useful information with the industry as well.” Among the key findings of the Lush Survey: Question 1 As a Travel advisor, what is your preferred way of receiving useful information to help you do your job? Our Takeaways Although many of us complain about the volume of emails we receive daily, they remain the number one channel of communication. More traditional methods of communicating were preferred over newer means. Email, email campaigns, newsletters and in-person combined amounted to almost 85% of respondent’s preferred means of receiving information. With emails at 44.3% and email campaigns at 22.1%, when combined, two-thirds of respondents said this was their preferred way of receiving information. Together, the two were preferred 2x as much as the next most popular means of receiving information. On the flip side, social media came in at 1% drawing the conclusion that the more traditional pathway of emails versus the newer method using social media still reigns. We will examine the generational/age aspect of this to dig deeper into the results. With almost 20% saying in person is their preferred way, it’s clear that a face-to-face appointment still has its value. Again, another traditional means of communicating information performed well and outperformed the new age way of receiving information. Virtual meetings, so popular during the height of Covid-19, at 12% was mentioned but not as a strong method. Question 2 Beyond travel magazines and newsletters, what is your preferred means to obtain useful travel information? Our Takeaways Clearly web sites came out as strong performers in terms of TA’s obtaining information. That begs several key points…You need to have a strong web site. It is worth making an investment in it. Plus, it’s important to keep your web site accurate and current since it’s the first choice of 40% of TAs to visit for information they will use with their clients. When deciding upon use of valuable and scarce resources, the website should be at the top of the consideration list. By a solid margin, web sites were the preferred way for TAs to obtain useful information. At 41%, web sites far outpaced other means such as Blogs, Online Peer Groups and Social Media which again underperformed given the emphasis on such things in many people’s daily lives. It appears that the first place TA’s go to when the need to obtain information is to a website. That should send a strong message across the travel industry that your web site really matters. Proactive Newsletters and information sent via email at almost 31% were other strong performers in terms of TA’s obtaining information. Travel influencers at 6% hold some, but minimal, sway in terms of professionals obtaining information they can use in their daily jobs. Given how much sway “newsletters” have in the industry, combined with the data we received in the first question, one could argue that an informative newsletter, combined with a call to action to an engaging web site will go a long way to becoming a trusted resource. Question 3 When you think about the most useful information you can receive, what would be most useful to learn about? Our Takeaways The takeaway here is clear in terms of what TA’s want to learn about to help them do their jobs. The use of this information relates back to the prior finding about the importance of web sites and the use of proactive email blasts and newsletters. The emphasis must be on using the web site as a key tool to inform travel professionals about new property openings, upgrades and renovations and added value programs. The advisors care less about offers than they do news, TA’s want to stay up to date and ahead of the curve to present the newest and best options to their clients. When thinking about useful information TA’s want, new property openings (88%), property renos (83%), added value programs (72%) and Upgrades/Free Night Offers 67%) were the leaders. New Activities and Excursions (52%), New restaurants and Chefs (35%), Spa and Wellness (32%), Sustainability (20%) all faired strong, but not as strong as we had anticipated given all the chatter about these topics in the industry. Increased Commission and Covid/Covid related matters were each under 1%. Question 4 As a Travel Advisor, how do you best choose your Destination Management Company, (DMC), for use on your client’s trips? Our Takeaways In the process of selecting a DMC, TA’s rely heavily on their own experiences, the testimony and validation from colleagues and supporting proof from Consortia who they obviously have faith in. It is clear that “peers’ matter” in the process. The “personal touch,” however it presents itself, is important. DMCs would benefit from making sure they collect TA testimonials and using those on their web sites, in personal presentations and seeking mechanisms to promote “word of mouth” support from travel professionals. Going into the data deeper we could see that “Consortia” membership is important and generally TA’s are less likely to put their clients in the hands of a true unknown. In selecting a DMC, Advisors overwhelmingly depend upon the personal touch. Recommendations from colleagues (28.1%) and personal experience (25%) were the favorite responses of more than 50% of the group surveyed. Consortia Membership (27%) was another critical factor in the selection process which amounts to an independent, trusted source validating the choice. The saying, “To know me is to love me,” would be an accurate way to describe the DMC selection process. Presentations (14%) representing a one-on-one experience played well too. Such items as reliability and response time measured negligibly and even web searches, so important in earlier responses to other related questions didn’t receive much attention either. Methodology The Lush Experiences Travel Industry Communications Survey was fielded from September 8, 2021 through September 22, 2021. The Survey was conducted only among travel industry professionals solely via email using Google Survey to collect and tabulate the data. The Survey consisted of 5 short questions (4 for public use, 1 for member purposes only). In total, Lush received 384 complete responses. About
Lush Experiences
Lush Experiences prides itself on making travel advisor’s work simpler and effortless and approaches its member’s business with a philosophy that “every booking is a relationship.” Lush Experiences portfolio is comprised of the finest luxury hotels and destinations throughout the world. From regions including Asia Pacific to Europe to Mexico and the Caribbean, its members are recognized by travelers and travel professionals as being among the most prestigious names in the industry. Also offering destinations services, the experienced team at Lush Experiences treats its clients and relationships as family and the results show it. Contact
Information:
Facebook.com/LushExperiences
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