1. Are your OTA’s updated and are you keeping an eye out for any new ones out there? OTA’s or Online Travel Agencies form an integral part of your online marketing presence and should be utilised to its full capacity. Yes, direct bookings are preferable, but so is online distribution. The more places you appear, the better. Just always make sure to opt for quality and not necessarily quantity. A few good ones to add to your list are: sacampsites.co.za, caravanparks.com, pitchup.com and campsited.com – We would happily assist to get you listed!
2. We have often times stressed the usefulness of social media as a cost effective source of marketing. South Africa has many very unique destination options, especially when it comes to outdoor stays. Use it on social media! Post beautiful pictures, talk about guests adventures and activities and encourage reviews. Creating a buzz on social media is the key to potential guests wanting to book. Sell them the adventure! Be sure to throw in some paid advertising to make sure you’re reaching the right target market. South Africa offers a large array of accommodation types, but as we know, our European guests just love the great outdoors, making them the perfect guest for your establishment type.
3. Get involved with other local businesses and form partnerships where possible. If there’s a car rental service in town or restaurants for instance, approach them to work together. Referrals, vouchers etc all help to create awareness of your business and will also offer more value for your guests if they are getting a good deal which includes more than one service. Also make sure you know your area very well, what other activities are available in the area etc so you can guide your guests. Be hands on and available when needed.
4. Make sure your online presence is in order. Do you have a beautiful website showcasing your establishment in the best possible way? Do you have stunning, professional photos? Is your Google listing up to date and are your OTA listings correct? Making sure that you keep up with the times and display your establishment in the best possible light shows that you care about your business and that you in turn, you care about your guests. You’ll always have the upper hand on your competition if the above mentioned is in order.
5. Stay in touch with your visitors by creating a database. Send out a newsletter every so often with some cool news about your establishment and the area. Is there a music festival happening, is there a cool market on a certain weekend, is the local pub having a famous musician playing? Did you perhaps make upgrades to your facilities or maybe you are running a special. These are all things your guests would like to know about, so we encourage you to let them know. This will definitely help them decide on where to stay or plan a spur of the moment getaway.
Tourism Marketing SA is dedicated to helping our clients with the best advice and recommendations at the most affordable price. We’re happy to have a chat with you should you need to start or revise your online marketing.
Pop us a mail at info@tourismmarketing.co.za or WhatsApp 084 706 2020 or 084 690 6526