How to Attract International Travelers
International travel to the United States is at an all-time high.
By 2020, more than 90 million people are expected to travel to the U.S. That’s up from about 63 million in 2011, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
So what’s driving the increase and how can U.S. hoteliers maximize on these new travelers?
Experts point to two major factors. An increase in incomes globally producing a stronger middle class. With more money, comes more travel. Couple with a rise in technology aiding in more affordable technology and you've got a recipe for increased international travel.
And that’s good news to hotel owners in the U.S. International travelers tend to stay longer and spend more when they do travel abroad.
With the trend of international travelers on the rise, hotel owners in the states should be developing a sound strategy for capturing and retaining these potential customers.
Here are some of the key ways to attract more international travelers:
Use Analytics to Target Your Market
This is the first step in determining your strategy for attracting international travelers. Analytic suites like Google Analytics and SiteImprove are great at capturing just where your web traffic is coming from. You can also pull past data from your property management system to see who has already stayed with you. Once you’ve determined just where the interested travelers are coming from, you can get started converting them into guests by strategic online advertisements.
Utilize International Bloggers and Influencers
The web is your best friend when it comes to attracting international travelers. Once you’ve identified your potential markets, it’s time to reach out to bloggers and social media influencers that can be useful. You can offer a free stay for a blogger or other incentives to get them to write about your property. A positive review or write up from a trusted blogger goes a lot longer than many paid advertisements.
Enhanced Language Translation
Having multi-language capabilities on your website is the first step to getting international travelers to book. But going beyond the basic translation, it’s also important to have currency-convertor applications on your website. Narrated videos and printable material in various languages can help seal the deal with travelers trying to get a sense of what makes your property special. Basic languages like Spanish and French are important for translation. By using analytics you can determine what other languages are important to provide.