Doing a quick Google search for travel destinations definitely yields beautiful results. From Portland to Portugal, the photos you’ll encounter are always stunning and well-captured. It’s enough to make anyone want to visit a locale! However, while it’s true that vivid imagery can tell a story all its own, nothing quite matches the power of descriptive language associated with tourism content marketing.
Can a picture accurately describe the softness of sand and the smell of the ocean of a Galapagos Island beach? Will a photo of an Italian marketplace tell you to avoid being duped by well-designed knockoff handbags? Probably not. Yet, these are just two examples of the critical information travelers are looking for before they book a trip. Through tourism content marketing, you can be the one to provide these critical insights.
Looks only get you so far
Have you ever gone to a movie based on a 30-second commercial preview, only to sit through a film that wasn’t worth your time or the price of the ticket? It’s frustrating. If only you had waited a few days to read the reviews or gauge the reaction of friends! Choosing a travel destination based solely on pictures may lead to the same result—a vacation that wasn’t worth the money you paid for it.
Tourism content marketing protects vacationers from buyer’s remorse. It tells them everything they need to know about their travel destination. This includes information what pictures cannot depict, such as where to eat, what to see and where to spend one’s limited vacation time.
Market the experience beyond pictures
Just how powerful is travel writing for selling a tourism destination? See for yourself below. This brief description of a Hawaiian restaurant was paired with vivid imagery to boost interest in the establishment:
Fresh from the boat, to the chef, to your plate, diners will enjoy the savory tastes of local Ahi, Ono, Mahi Mahi and more, prepared to order as entrées or as part of traditional dishes like poke or ceviche. Bask in the ambiance of a torchlight dinner as the sound of ocean waves break serenely in the background, wafting in the fresh scent of salty currents as you enjoy chef’s special green tea gelato for dessert.
Just a couple of descriptive sentences is all it takes to bring the sights, sounds and flavors of this restaurant to life. Pair that with an enticing photo, and you’ve got more than just a complete description—you’ve got a great sales tool for marketing a travel destination.
Paint a word picture
One of the chief reasons why travelers turn to tourism content marketing for information is because they are unsure of the opportunities a destination holds for them. For example, they may visit Cleveland to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But where should they eat? Which hotels are recommended? Are there other local attractions worth seeing?
Through travel marketing blogs and articles, you can profile attractions or aspects of a destination to give travelers the tangible information they can use when planning their trips. Reading a short blog post about the top three pizza places in Cleveland is far more valuable to someone than simply seeing a montage of pizza pictures. You can relay information on menus, cooking habits or eccentricities of each pizza place—things like brick-oven cooking, goat cheese toppings or gluten-free menu items. Pictures just can’t give you these important details.
A conversation beyond photos
There’s an infinite number of images on the web depicting must-visit travel destinations. Unfortunately, there’s a staggering lack of travel blog content writing to back them up. The secret to selling a destination is profiling it in words, and then using imagery to stimulate appeal.
Tell travelers what they can expect from a destination, beyond just a roll of breathtaking pictures in their cameras. It will give them the confidence they need to make the most of their travel opportunity.