In a world that is moving faster and faster and where digital technology is becoming increasingly important, tourism professionals have a great deal to play for. To offer a perfect travel experience to your customers, there is no room for improvisation! In the age of networks where all services are rated, pre-stay support often makes the difference.
Ultra-personalization in a Post-COVID Era
Airlines, hotels, travel agencies... the competition is tough, especially after the complicated years linked to the global pandemic. While the recovery is felt, the crisis is still there and travelers have changed. More than ever, they need to feel protected, reassured and accompanied. Today, services such as free wifi or spaces (co-working, health, luggage storage...) are acquired and it is necessary to go even further. Indeed, it is now necessary to guarantee them a simplified, fluid and, if possible, low-cost travel experience.
It is by understanding the new travelers that professionals will be able to best adjust their itineraries. Today's travelers first of all need:
Safety first: the assurance of arriving safely and of being reimbursed in the event of a new border closure...
Speed and good prices, hence the boom in "Last minute" now favored by all generations;
To feel that they are working to protect the planet. Local tourism, "slow tourism" and more sustainable tourism, in general, are now favored by the most responsible travelers;
To be taken in hand. Pre-trip advice and tour packages for individuals and companies are highly appreciated.
The Pre-stay or Pre-travel Period
This phase begins with the first click on your site or the moment the customer pushes the door of your establishment. It is also without a doubt a key moment that announces the rest of the traveler’s journey. Here are some tips and tools that will make this phase as easy and pleasant as possible for your customers.
Added Value in the Organization of the Trip
Travelers are often ultra-connected and have access to a wealth of information on their devices. The challenge is not to give them extra information but rather to help them compile what they have. The role of professionals is now to guide them in the organization of their stay and to facilitate their choices. At a time when everyone is looking for a balance between work and family life, holidays should be a moment of pleasure from the moment the client thinks about it! To optimize this step to ensure the satisfaction of each traveler, it is imperative to offer personalized solutions adapted to each profile. The itinerary to get from point A to point B will often be different depending on whether it is a family, a student or a businessperson. The customer relationship and the customization according to the tastes of the users remain a sure value.
Official Sites and Strategic Partnerships for Better Support
When it is time to go on vacation, travelers don't always want to do a lot of research. What vaccinations are needed, what documents are required to enter the targeted country, are any additional certificates required, etc.
In addition, to go further in the process, who wants to wait in line for hours to get a certificate or a specific document? Why not establish strategic partnerships with approved structures to take care of or activate these procedures? If many administrative services have gone paperless, you can still make it easier for your customers.
For travelers who are used to teleworking and home deliveries of all kinds, everything has to move fast. Eventually, all documents should arrive in their mailbox, on their smartphone or at the address of their choice. Once again, the challenge is to facilitate the organization of the trip and everything is linked to the profile of each customer.
Security and Tools to Facilitate Controls
The new technologies contribute to making checks more fluid and simpler without compromising on security. In fact, the opposite is true, since in the event of a problem detected by a machine, it is a human controller who takes over. This dual control has everything to reassure travelers. These include solutions such as eGate, ABC gate (Automatic Border Control), and pre-security and boarding gates. These solutions, which have been implemented in airports, manage facial recognition and/or fingerprints and reassure travelers.
On the same theme, we also find the issue of the RGPD. Travelers are more and more suspicious about the management of their private data, and it is advisable to reassure them by explaining in all transparency how you, as professionals, handle them.
The Stay and the Post-stay Not to Be Neglected
You certainly already have all the keys to offer the best to your customers during the stay, the journey or the trip. At the heart of the tourism business, the human relationship is a quality service, but technology is about to change the lines. Innovation in the sector offers original and personalized services that improve travel experiences (applications, terminals, hubs, etc.).
As for the pre-stay, the post-stay is in full mutation and evolves at high-speed thanks to communication channels. Satisfaction mailings, comments on specialized platforms, traveler exchange groups... invite your customers to talk about you and the quality of your services. Use all the marketing tools at your disposal so that all the efforts made during the pre-stay phase are transformed into loyalty or recommendations. These virtual communities are also an excellent way to boost the pre-stay phase. Customers who are delighted with their experience will be your best ambassadors and will respond to the most sceptical.
Pre-stay, stay or post-stay, focus as much as possible on ultra-personalisation, one of the main expectations of customers. To build customer loyalty and boost your business, offer them an innovative and seamless travel experience, and to do this, don't hesitate to work with tourism experts, each with their own field of expertise.