Relevance is key to loyalty
I REMEMBER my first trip to Europe well. It was the early noughties, and sharing my experiences with friends and family was...challenging.
Fast forward 15 years and today’s young travellers - 18 to 34 year-olds - are doing things very differently, thanks to the ubiquity of mobile devices.
Sharing their travel adventures in real time is still essential to them, but they’re better equipped than ever to do it. Wifi-enabled calls, photos, videos, messaging and stories...it’s all a part of their sharing arsenal.
These are the hyper-connected travellers of tomorrow, and that’s exactly why corporate travel businesses should be working to win their loyalty now.
There’s certainly an opportunity. According to a recent Accenture Travel Loyalty study, 32% of 18–34 year-olds say they are not very knowledgeable about loyalty programs, while 26% are not part of any loyalty program.
To earn the loyalty of these younger travellers, brands should consider personalising their approach to surprise and delight them in relevant ways.
A good start is to be where they are, which means on mobile and on social. After all, research shows 78% of 18–34 year-olds use Facebook for travel-related activities. Travel companies that lean into these relevant channels are much more likely to get noticed.
Qantas, for example, invests significantly in content production to reach its customer base, using Instagram Stories in particular to engage younger audiences. The airline has also seen a lot of success in using interactivity features like Instagram quizzes and polls.
Corporate travel companies also need to embody issues that matter to young travellers. This means being ecologically friendly, sharing values and morals, and being technologically innovative.
Australia’s national carrier is once again a good example, actively promoting issues that resonate with younger travellers - such as sustainability, equality and inclusion. These are causes Qantas has championed through the promotion of waste reduction initiatives, drought relief, and events it sponsors, like The Mardi Gras.
It’s simple really. If you adhere to a game plan of highly visible and value-conscious content, you will be positioning yourself above your travel industry competitors.
“To earn the loyalty of these younger travellers, brands should consider personalising their approach to surprise and delight them in relevant ways “