Data look at 2022 Taiwan tourism industry (5): How to improve pain points? Take a look at what Yiyou.com and Xingyu Airlines have done right
Although the tourism market is recovering, there are still some pain points in the development of the tourism industry, which still need time and effort to solve and improve. First of all, it will take time to make up for the loss of talents and manpower in tourism, accommodation, aviation and other industries due to the epidemic to cope with the continuously rising tourism demand.
As for tourism resources, various operators are actively expanding and retrieving tourism products before the epidemic, including different destinations, aircraft types, ticket types, housing, itineraries, etc., hoping to increase selectivity and diversity, and even provide customer Customized options to meet the domestic market with rising demand, as well as future international travelers.
Insufficient differentiation of tourism products
However, even if the options increase, the high homogeneity of CITS products is still a problem. For consumers, the same type of travel platforms, restaurants, and transportation are actually similar. Therefore, various operators will mainly adopt two methods of “preferential war” and “feature war” to seize the market.
For example, Yiyou.com cooperated with Taiwan Railways to launch a series of itineraries for sightseeing trains around the island . In addition to the unique appearance, the interior part also has KTV, bar and other compartments, providing different software and hardware services. Round the Island Star stops at 21 stations across Taiwan, connecting 300 to 500 itineraries in series, attracting consumers with different preferences and destinations.
In addition, Round the Island Star has also cooperated with international IPs such as Hello Kitty, and the results have been surprisingly good. The successful experience has also prompted other IPs to cooperate after the contract expires. Together with Disney in 2023, it is expected to set off another wave. Yiyou.com said that in the future, in addition to domestic tourists, it also hopes to attract foreign tourists with special and recognizable products such as the Star Around the Island, combined with in-depth local itineraries.
Tourism industry urgently needs digital transformation
Insufficient digitalization is also a major problem for Taiwan’s tourism industry. For example, the reservation platforms currently used by Chinese people, regardless of domestic and foreign travel, are often still dominated by foreign platforms. Maturity may not be as good as abroad.
Therefore, including reservation websites, travel platforms, travel agencies, and airlines, Taiwanese tourism operators should continue to improve in digitization, systematization, and data utilization. The industry interviewees also emphasized that digitalization is not just about digital marketing. It includes products that allow consumers to search, browse and place orders online, digitization and management of member information, marketing and advertising. The use of data is an important issue.
Brand strategy practice case
- Yiyou.com: from digitization to mobility, creating a digital consumption ecosystem
Yiyou.com, one of the largest travel platforms in China, features one-stop services. Including air tickets, room reservations, related tickets and other travel products, as well as customer service and after-sales service, can be satisfied in one stop.
1. Data-driven successful transformation
Yiyou.com exclusively reveals the data utilization strategy. The first part is to integrate the data in the dashboard to help the team make marketing decisions and product layout planning; the other is to use consumer behavior analysis to carry out cross-selling and re-marketing.
Yiyou.com has observed that consumers usually do not purchase transportation and room reservations at the same time. For example, it analyzes how long it takes for consumers who have bought air tickets to start looking for room reservations, so as to provide appropriate discounts or promotions at the right time; in addition, it will also automatically Define different tags to label consumers, such as frequent destinations, preferred travel types, who to go with, etc., to design personalized recommendations and experiences.
2. Mobile consumption is an irreversible trend
In addition to digitization, Etra also emphasizes the importance of mobile consumption. Kimberly believes that many Taiwanese travel agencies are relatively insufficient in developing mobile consumption. Therefore, through active promotion during the epidemic, Etra’s app has successfully exceeded 2 million Download; Currently, 80% of products are booked through mobile phones, which shows that mobile consumption is an irreversible trend in the tourism market.
As for how to increase followers quickly, Kimberly also generously shared her marketing secrets. Mainly through the combination of discount codes and KOL alliance marketing, consumers are attracted to download the app and use mobile consumption. While cultivating more users, they also continue to accumulate first-party data and continue to optimize.
In addition, in order to enhance the stickiness of users on the App, Etour.com has integrated the payment system, cooperated with banks to issue travel co-branded cards, and connected them to the App synchronously. The digital consumption ecosystem of the tourism industry, in order to attract more and different customers after the epidemic.
- Xingyu Airlines: Create sound volume with unique value, and provide personalized experience precisely by grouping and crowd
Xingyu Airlines, which mainly promotes high-end flights, hopes to give consumers at home and abroad a brand new flying experience in addition to launching first-class service in the Taiwan market ahead of other competitors in 2023.
Chris, Chief Digital Marketing Officer of Xingyu Airlines, said that the pursuit of hardware is something that everyone can buy with money, but the experience of software is what Xingyu wants to bring to consumers. Including the cockpit feel design, spare parts, and in-flight meals, all of which have been specially selected, hoping to bring Taiwan’s good things to passengers all over the world.
Therefore, Xingyu especially uses Taiwanese local brands , such as Tainan’s One Street Coffee, Nina’s ice cream, and Taiwan’s Hutong Roasted Pork. It hopes to enter the world market with the image of a Taiwanese airline and differentiate its products. Reach global consumers.
1. Use differentiation to attract attention, and the community will amplify the effect
Xingyu created topics through exclusive creations, and Chris proudly shared that everyone is rushing to drink the seven special cocktails that Xingyu cooperated with Tainan bar Bar Home , and shared them on Instagram and other social platforms; Celebrating the arrival of all three Airbus fleet models, A321neo, A330neo, and A350–900, especially the film of the three-aircraft formation was shot with air-to-air photography, attracting domestic and foreign aviation fans to come and visit.
As the topic fermented, it also attracted many YouTubers or other types of KOLs to join Xingyu as the highlight of their videos or content. Observing the voice of the community, whether it is exposure or discussion, KOL and the audience’s response to the message are not bad, which also prompts Xingyu to continue to cooperate with KOL.
2. Divide into different groups and accurately target different customer groups
As for the operation and marketing of the tourism market, Starspace Airlines adopts the design of grouping and crowding, and provides different products and marketing strategies for special groups such as families, parents, seniors, and students with different budget levels, ages, genders, and interests.
For example, Xingyu uses different communication channels in Focus Marketing, including Facebook, Instagram, Line and other social media, Focus’s EDM, and differentiated advertising, and communicates messages for different customer groups, so as to optimize the marketing effect .
Therefore, Xingyu’s own COSMILE membership is divided into four card levels, including Traveler, Adventurer, Explorer, Insighter, and a family account option that can accumulate miles with the family, and the cabin class can also be distinguished separately – in addition to providing In addition to different feedback and services, it also enhances consumer stickiness through focus marketing and creating personalized experiences.
Accurately grasp customer needs and create differentiated and personalized travel experiences
In view of the high homogeneity of tourism products, brands need to make differentiation to retain key customers. At the same time, for the broad market, it is necessary to make good use of data to maximize the ROI of marketing. In addition to optimizing marketing strategies from performance data, remarketing or personalized recommendations can also be made through CRM or interest labeling.
In the future, the tourism market will continue to develop toward diversification, tourism products will become richer, newer, and faster, and consumers will pursue more flexible combinations and travel patterns. This makes the traditional tourism segmentation method may not be enough. Coupled with the impact of “de-cookies”, the tourism industry needs more accurate and detailed audience information, combined with automated methods, to cope with changing tourism scenarios.
