The results of a survey undertaken by travel company Frommers has shown that 70% of organisations across the travel industry expect to increase investment in online marketing in 2011.
The travel industry appears to be aware of the obstacles to making better use of on line marketing, with two-thirds of respondents claiming their biggest issues will be keeping their level of content generation in line with the demands of the audience and the market. Brand consistency is another worry facing47%, with concerns over outsourcing the service expressed by 37% of people surveyed.
Giles Longhurst, a director in Frommer’s European, Middle Eastern and Asian department, said “It’s clear that marketers are looking at how content creation and new applications can reach wider audiences, over and above traditional advertising.”
“When we asked, search engine optimisation was still by far and away the top priority, followed by high quality destination content and unique content to complement the SEO strategy.”
In addition to SEO and social media, Longhurst reports that “Video is also seen as important by two-thirds more respondents this year, than last.”
Frommers survey shows that social media websites will play a big part in the budgets of hospitality providers, travel agencies, cruise and rail operators, car rental companies and airlines. Mobile marketing will receive a big boost in expenditure, with an anticipated budget growth of 50% and a reported 114% rise through 2009 and 2010 in the travel industry’s utilisation of mobile applications.
