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Travel email marketing: Selling sunsets, not plane tickets

The travel industry has had a bumpy ride over the last two years. But luckily there was one marketing channel that helped businesses to stay connected with customers: email marketing.

From virtual experiences to local getaways, many travel agencies adapted to the challenges of the pandemic and used email to stay close to their audiences through thick and thin. And now, travel bookings are starting to climb again.

Travel email newsletters can inspire with alluring footage, convince people with captivating travel stories, and offer ideas to ease into traveling again. It can help you go beyond selling tickets and make it all about the experience you’re selling. 

Fasten your seatbelts, and let’s springboard into how travel businesses can use email marketing to build airtight customer relationships.

Why email marketing matters for travel

Our 2022 benchmarks show that the tourism industry’s open rates are slowly starting to climb back up, from 25.88% in 2020 to 28.76% in 2021. 

Meanwhile, travel bookings are rising again. For example, Carnival Corp has announced that cruise bookings for the second half of 2022 are ahead of pre-pandemic levels. 

Things are starting to look up for travel companies—which makes this the perfect time to get your travel email marketing campaigns in shape.

With email marketing, you can create a direct line of communication, allowing you to connect with your customers at any time. It also offers a high ROI ( $42 for every dollar spent ). With the right email strategy, you can build an audience of engaged subscribers so that your travel promotions, loyalty programs and deals get the attention they deserve.

How to build relationships and travel far with your subscribers

When it comes to email marketing success, the content of your newsletters is key. As a travel agency, you’re competing with big shots like Google and Kayak, so it’s important to build meaningful customer relationships. This way, you’ll capture their hearts and diversify yourself from the crowd.

It all starts with relevant, engaging and helpful travel content. Don’t just send out sales pitches for good travel deals, but offer valuable information.

You'll want content ideas like:

Travel e-book (one of our customers offers a free cookbook with recipes that they collected whilst traveling Asia, Africa and Central America)

Downloadable lists

City guides and other useful information

Travel tips

Personal travel stories

Calendar with the best times to book

Live tracking of which countries are on the ‘green list’ to travel

Before we continue...

Why not open a free MailerLite account and build your email campaign as you're reading?

Tip: Read how to create engaging email content in the guide below.

7 types of travel email content to send for mile-high results

1. say welcome aboard with a welcome email.

A warm welcome sets the tone for the entire experience. Virtually, you need to do the same with a welcome email .

Welcome emails have a 42% higher read rate than standard email marketing campaigns (which spells good news for your conversion rates)! With email automation , you can magically make them arrive in your subscribers’ inboxes the very moment they sign up.

Pro tip: Here’s how to set up a welcome email series with MailerLite, our straightforward email marketing software. 🤓 Or, check out our introduction to automation below.

Your welcome email should greet your new pen pal and tell them more about you. A lot of travel sites tell subscribers what to expect. Some will also include a special deal or promotion to get the ball rolling. 

Here’s how Sonder greets its new subscribers, with a stunning apartment photo to catch attention, plus a stand-out call to action (CTA).

Pro tip: A CTA button should work together with all the other elements of the email newsletter to influence subscribers to take a course of action. Learn more about creating highly-effective CTAs.

2. Send a personalized greeting

Imagine walking into your hotel room and seeing a bottle of champagne and a personalized welcome card with your name on it. That would definitely put a smile on your face!

82% of travelers believe that personalization is one of the most luxurious travel customer experiences—so why not extend that to your email marketing campaigns?

Readers want tailored travel newsletters with content that they can actually use. Sure, you can send American readers newsletters about how great it is Down Under, but how many of your subscribers can quickly hop on a plane to Australia? Probably not many. It makes a lot more sense to talk about travel destinations your reader can actually plan and book. 

Segmentation lets you group your subscribers based on shared traits so that you can send them tailored messages that resonate. For example, use information on the places your subscribers have visited or whether or not they have children. Check the available data and see how you can use this to create groups.

For example, Booking.com sends this personalized message to a subscriber who is just finishing their stay in a London hotel. There’s even information about booking a ride from their hotel to the airport!

Pro tip: If you don’t know certain information, ask! Gather data through subscriber preferences, embedded surveys or contests.

3. Catch attention with the right imagery

Many of us have no idea what other places in the world look like. That’s why we search for images and create Pinterest boards with all the dreamy destinations we want to visit.

Traveling is about experiences and emotions. Using the right images in your email design can motivate readers to put your offer on top of their bucket list.

For example, Vacasa tells its subscribers to ‘Reach their dream destination’, and then lets this stunning tropical paradise photo do the rest of the talking…

Pro tip: Want to design professional-looking travel email newsletters on your own? We break down the process into two design elements in our guide on designing emails that people will read.

4. YOLO! Express urgency in your travel newsletter

Traveling costs money, but you also only have one life to explore the world. Play with this sense of urgency to get people to act.

Use offers and special occasions to create limited promotions. In January, you can promote last-minute offers to sunny paradises. For Easter, you can highlight discounted family-friendly packages.

Combining your promotions with email personalization makes sure your offer is a perfect fit for each of your subscribers.

The Hoxton promotes their limited-time 20% discount and includes “What to tell your boss” excuses that surely gave their readers a good laugh.

Pro tip: Did you know that you can create email coupons with MailerLite? Use them to boost your sale and ramp up engagement with your travel agency.

5. Share educational content

Think about why your subscribers should sign up for YOUR travel newsletter. Do you have insights about certain locations? Travel hacks or hidden gems? Can you tell readers never-heard-before stories about a culture? Or debunk stereotypes and myths about places?

Informative content from destinations or travel brands can influence the decision-making process and make people go places!

When you spread your knowledge using travel email marketing, your content stays within the newsletter. Just for you and your tribe to know. Use this exclusiveness as a USP to attract more subscribers.

In this travel newsletter, National Geographic teaches readers about Morocco.

Pro tip : If you can package your content in the form of videos, even better, as people can remember 95% of a message in video form , compared to 10% when they read it.

6. Start a conversation

Have you ever searched on Facebook for traveling groups? Spoiler alert: There are LOADS. People love to get together and talk about their experiences in foreign countries. Use this community feeling in your travel email marketing campaigns.

According to Bright Local, 77% of people will ‘always’ or ‘regularly’ check local business reviews before buying. People want to hear other people’s opinions before making up their minds.

To gain trust and add a personal touch, add customer reviews to your travel email campaigns. Or collect them first using your travel agency newsletter!

In this personalized email, a hotel in Barcelona makes it super easy for readers to leave reviews. In-email NPS surveys work well to find out how satisfied your customers are.

7. Let’s get social

It’s been found that 86% of people have researched a travel destination after seeing a social media post about it!

Yep, email marketing and social media go together like a good glass of wine and a beautiful sunset. Spread your exposure and encourage people to get social with you. You can add social media posts directly to your travel email campaign, or add social media buttons—just like Tropicfeel did below.

Pro tip: 85% of travelers use their phones to manage different aspects of their trips. That’s why you need to make all your travel email templates responsive, so users don’t need to pinch and zoom to see your content on mobile.

How to grow your travel email list

Your email list is the driving force behind your travel email marketing campaigns. Building one is easy! All you need is a way to collect email addresses—offline and/or online.

We'll quickly cover how you can gather emails here. If you want to learn how to grow a high-quality email list, we've got a guide for that too!

Collecting email addresses in person

Ask people to sign up for your emails when you talk to them face to face. The simplest way is to use an offline email collection app that works on mobile devices and smartphones. This method is GDPR-compliant and hassle-free, as it automatically syncs your new subscribers to your travel email list.

Collecting email addresses through your website

To get people to opt-in to your email list via your website, you can use pop-ups and embedded forms .

Pop-ups work well because they literally pop up in your face. Integrating pop-ups is easy when you use an email tool. Set the frequency to a level where it’s not annoying for your visitors.

This is how Luxury Travel Magazine uses pop-ups. They provide a clear reason for signing up for their travel newsletter and only ask for an email address. The sea background adds vacation vibes.

Embedded forms

You’ll often find embedded forms in the website footer and blog sidebar. This is the signup form Iconic Luxury Hotel uses for people to sign up for their travel agency newsletter.

(Bonus) Incentives: Something to brighten people’s moods

You’re asking for their email, so why not give subscribers something in return? Here are some email incentive ideas for travel agencies:

One-time discount

The first chapter of an e-book

Exclusive information, like receiving deals first

Free tickets to your travel event, conference or fair

Not only do these ideas make great incentives, but they can also be used as content ideas for your next newsletter.

You can also create a travel landing page to promote a contest or giveaway. In order to participate, people need to sign up. The winner is then announced via email.

This page from Harrison Beach Hotel shows how website visitors have a chance to win a free 1-night stay (up to a $300 value) by simply subscribing.

Travel blogger Tara Cannon of Pint Size Pilot also uses lead magnets as a smart way to collect new subscribers.

Travel email marketing examples

So who in the travel agency industry is doing their email marketing right? 

Let’s get inspired.

This newsletter does a great job of selling a more local travel experience, with a large aesthetically-pleasing image and spot-on email copy (e.g. ‘Adventure is just around the corner’).

This travel newsletter is bound to make people smile, with the fun header and tantalizing glimpses of different travel locations. Plus, the travel company even helps people to schedule their pre-departure tests, if needed.

Can we just take a minute to appreciate the gorgeous illustrations in this travel email? It celebrates the travelers who were able to ‘get back out there’ in 2021. The complementary colors instantly catch the eye and make the reader want to scroll down to see the most-loved homes that people visited.

Travel emails aren’t just pretty scenery, it’s also about appreciating your readers.

This email from Southwest Airlines does exactly that. The personalization is top-notch—from the customer’s name to their travel history and loyalty program points earned. The smiling faces of the diverse employees reflect Southwest’s image as one of the friendliest airlines in the sky.

Travel Triangle

This Hong Kong guide from Travel Triangle offers a stunning selection of travel ideas, complete with eye-catching photos to help the readers visualize themselves there! With clear headings and bold CTAs, you can grab your subscribers’ attention and get them to take action.

P.S. You can find more travel email campaigns in our travel newsletter example gallery .

Travel email subject lines

Here are some ideas from actual email subject lines that will inspire you. Like writing content that your subscribers will care about, remember to craft subject lines that stand out in your subscriber's inbox to ramp up your click-through rate.

Give them a compelling reason to click open your email and read on!

Katie & Ben - Two Wandering Soles - Here is your Ultimate Japan Packing List

Azamara Club Cruises - Here’s one destination we can’t stop thinking about.

Jack @ Jack's Flight Club - How cheap flights work

Tours4fun - You've got over $10 worth of points!

Priceline.com - ❤️️ Treat Yourself, Jonas! Ridiculously good Rental car deals from ridiculously low prices!

Vueling Air - Allergic to the cold? Soak up Spring at one of our destinations

Jessie on a Journey - Notes on maintaining relationships while traveling ❤ ✈

Delta Air Lines - It's Time To Check-In

Expedia.com - ✈ Paging passenger Jonas Fischer: You’re getting the flight deal of a lifetime

Nomads With A Purpose - Reset your life in 30 days + Summer is just around the corner 😲

Momondo - Prices going down for your flight from AMS to DPS.

Dipaways - Do women solo travel more than men?

Booking.com - A reminder about your trip

Jetsetter - 10 Pro Tips for Packing Lighter Every Time

Captivating Compass - How to save on transportation during family travel & more!

Wanderlust - Gift a year of travel inspo - perfect for Father's Day

To learn more, we cover how to write subject lines that boost open rates in another Ultimate guide.

Email marketing strategy for travel agents: It’s time to fly high!

To end this trip on a high note: Travel email marketing can definitely help you acquire new customers! Well-curated emails also help you to retain and encourage your readers to keep following your journey.

Sending engaging, personalized and valuable content is your answer to turning subscribers with wanderlust into loyal customers that trust your travel expertise and happily book your offers.

As a travel agency, you’ll want to take your readers on many trips, but let’s not forget the journey that leads to the purchase. Butter them up with travel inspo and insider knowledge, and be a genuine help to make sure each individual subscriber finds their dream destination.

Now go out there and find some new travel followers, and don’t forget to enjoy the ride!

Create your first travel email campaign in minutes!

Our free plan includes email marketing automation, landing pages and more amazing features.

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Email Marketing for Travel Agencies: Success Strategies

Email marketing for travel agencies has become an essential tool in today’s digital age. With the right strategy , it can help you reach potential customers, boost engagement and ultimately increase bookings. In this blog post, we will delve into the fundamentals of email marketing for travel agencies and how to use Unlayer’s drag-and-drop functionality to create visually appealing emails that can be tailored with incentives to specific interests or locations.

From building a robust subscriber list and segmenting your audience based on their preferences to designing visually appealing emails using Unlayer’s drag-and-drop functionality, our guide covers all the bases. We’ll also discuss incentivizing leads through special offers tailored to specific interests or locations.

As privacy legislation becomes increasingly important worldwide, we’ll touch upon compliance with local laws and utilizing Bitrix24 CRM software for effective marketing automation . Moreover, we’ll delve into mobile optimization strategies that ensure your campaigns cater to users across devices.

Finally, learn how integrating customer reviews and social media into your newsletters can create a powerful impact on readers while re-engaging dormant subscribers post-pandemic. This comprehensive guide aims to provide you with actionable insights that elevate your travel agency’s email marketing game plan.

Table of Contents:

Strategies for growing an email subscriber list, utilizing customer testimonials to increase credibility, criteria for effective segmentation of subscribers, tips for creating personalized and visually appealing emails, incentivize leads with targeted promotions, key aspects of gdpr and other privacy regulations affecting email marketing, best practices for maintaining compliance, mobile optimization & responsiveness, crafting engaging travel newsletters that inspire wanderlust, utilizing nps surveys and customer feedback for continuous improvement, strategies for successful event marketing, examples of effective visual aids, re-engaging dormant subscribers post-pandemic, best practices for sending transactional emails:, leveraging crm software like bitrix24 for efficient email management, how to use email marketing for travel agencies, what is the best marketing strategy for travel agencies, why is email marketing important in tourism, how do i create a marketing plan for a travel agency.

Building a Subscriber List for Travel Agencies

Creating a subscriber list is the first step in leveraging email marketing to promote travel services.

• Offer exclusive content or discounts to incentivize sign-ups.
• Include sign-up boxes on your site, blog posts, and social media platforms.
• Create engaging lead magnets like eBooks or guides related to popular travel destinations.
• Host webinars or events that require registration with an email address.

Incorporate positive feedback from satisfied clients into your promotional emails to enhance their appeal.

For instance, include quotes from travelers who have enjoyed memorable experiences thanks to your agency’s expertise in planning customized itineraries.

Be sure to link these testimonials back to relevant pages on your website where readers can learn more about specific packages and offers.

Segmenting and Personalization in Email Marketing

Segment your subscriber list based on demographics, past travel history, and email engagement to ensure relevant content reaches the right audience .

Personalization plays a significant role in connecting with audiences through engaging text, humor, and high-quality images.

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, income level.
• Past travel history: Destinations visited or types of trips taken (e.g., adventure vs. relaxation).
• Email engagement: Open rates and click-through rates to determine which customers are most responsive to your emails.
• Add the recipient’s name to the subject line or greeting using email marketing software that supports dynamic content insertion.
• Create eye-catching visuals by incorporating high-resolution photos from popular travel destinations or custom illustrations related to your agency’s services.
• Use an email marketing platform that offers email templates specifically designed for travel agencies.
• Send personalized messages based on the customer’s interests and preferences.
• Include travel advice and information about popular travel destinations to increase customer satisfaction.
• Send confirmation emails and automated emails to keep customers informed about their travel package and itinerary.
• Collect email addresses from potential customers by offering email marketing offers and incentives.
• Increase customer engagement by sending informational emails about the tourism industry and travel experiences.
• Use social media and online reviews to influence customers to book with your travel agency.

Boost conversions and loyalty by offering special deals based on location or interests, tailored to smaller demographics within your customer database.

Examples of Targeted Promotions for Different Traveler Types:

• Family Travel Deals: Discounts on family-friendly accommodations and attractions, such as theme parks or museums.
• Solo Traveler Discounts: Reduced rates for single travelers looking to join group tours or explore new destinations independently.
• Senior Citizen Specials: Exclusive savings on transportation, lodging, and activities tailored towards older travelers with flexible schedules and budgets.

Measuring Success Rates of Incentivized Campaigns

Track KPIs like open rate , CTR, and conversions to gauge the effectiveness of your email marketing offers. Use an email marketing platform with robust analytics capabilities to optimize future campaigns based on subscriber behavior trends.

Privacy Legislation Compliance in Email Marketing

Respect subscribers’ data privacy rights and protect your business by adhering to local privacy legislation.

• GDPR : Governs the collection, processing, and storage of personal data from EU citizens.
• CAN-SPAM Act : Sets rules for commercial email messages and gives recipients the right to opt-out of receiving them.
• PECR: UK-specific regulations governing electronic communications, including email marketing practices.
• Obtain explicit consent from subscribers before sending promotional emails.
• Maintain an up-to-date record of subscriber consents as proof in case of audits or disputes.
• Incorporate easy unsubscribe options within each email sent to allow users to manage their communication preferences effortlessly.

By following these best practices, you can ensure compliance with privacy legislation and build trust with your subscribers.

Mobile devices are increasingly used worldwide, making it vital to optimize emails for compatibility across different platforms to maintain engagement levels.

• Use a single-column layout for easy scrolling.
• Select large, legible fonts to improve readability.
• Incorporate clear call-to-action (CTA) buttons that stand out from the rest of the content.
• Avoid overcrowding your email with too many images or links.

Email marketing software like DirectIQ offers pre-built responsive templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor to create visually appealing travel agency emails optimized for various screen sizes.

Using services such as Litmus, you can test your designs across multiple devices and browsers before sending them out to ensure optimal user experience regardless of how customers access their inbox.

Travel Email Newsletters and Community Building

Inspire potential customers with captivating imagery and stories that showcase the unique experiences your agency offers.

Incorporate customer reviews, Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys, and social media integration into these communications to foster a sense of community around your brand.

Create visually appealing newsletters filled with high-quality images of stunning travel destinations.

Combine this with compelling narratives about the adventures awaiting clients when they book through your agency.

This could excite their curiosity and increase the likelihood of them sharing it with others.

• Gather valuable insights from customers by incorporating NPS surveys in follow-up emails after they’ve completed a trip booked through your agency.
• Use this data to identify areas where you can improve services or better cater to specific customer preferences.
• Integrate social media channels into email campaigns, encouraging subscribers to engage with you online while sharing their own travel experiences as part of a larger community centered around exploring new places together.
• For more information on NPS surveys, check out Qualtrics .

Make Personal Connections with Event Marketing

Interact with possible patrons in person and establish transient campaigns to induce them to subscribe for your journey agency’s mailing list.

• Partner with local businesses and tourism boards to co-host events.
• Promote events on social media with targeted ads.
• Create interactive experiences, like virtual reality tours or cultural workshops.
• High-quality photographs that showcase beautiful travel destinations.
• Videos that highlight unique aspects of different locations.

By utilizing creative content and leveraging event marketing strategies, travel agencies can engage potential customers both online and offline.

By incorporating visually appealing content into your campaigns and leveraging event marketing strategies, you can boost engagement rates and build lasting relationships with clients who are eager to explore new horizons.

Reactivate your travel agency emails by crafting compelling subject lines that create a sense of urgency, incorporate humor, use personalization , and showcase exclusive offers.

• Use buzzwords and urgency markers: “Last chance. Book your dream vacation now.”
• Add humor or puns: “Escape the daily grind – literally.”
• Personalize your message: “Discover your next adventure in Bali, John.”
• Showcase exclusive offers: “Unlock our secret travel deals just for you.”

Track key performance indicators (KPIs) like open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and revenue generated from email campaigns to measure their effectiveness in reactivating dormant subscribers. Utilize an email marketing platform like DirectIQ that provides detailed analytics on these metrics.

Transactional Emails & Customer Relationship Management

Confirmation and thank-you emails are crucial in building positive relationships with customers in the travel industry, potentially leading to repeat transactions.

• Timeliness: Send emails promptly after a customer books a trip or service.
• Detailed information: Include all relevant details about the booking to avoid confusion.
• Contact information: Provide clear contact details for any questions or concerns.

Integrating Bitrix24 into your travel agency’s operations can streamline processes related to sending transactional emails and tracking customer interactions more efficiently, ultimately increasing customer satisfaction by providing personalized messages tailored to each individual’s interests.

FAQs in Relation to Email Marketing for Travel Agencies

To use email marketing for a travel agency, start by building a subscriber list through website sign-ups and face-to-face interactions. Segment your list based on criteria like age and interests, then design visually appealing emails using tools like Unlayer . Offer incentives, comply with privacy legislation, utilize CRM software like Bitrix24 , optimize for mobile devices, integrate reviews and social media in newsletters, re-engage dormant subscribers post-pandemic, and send transactional emails throughout the customer journey.

The best marketing strategy for a travel agency includes a combination of online presence optimization (SEO), content creation (blogs/articles), social media engagement ( Facebook , Twitter , Instagram), paid advertising (Google Ads or Facebook Ads), partnerships with influencers or local businesses, referral programs to encourage word-of-mouth promotion from satisfied customers and targeted email campaigns that cater to specific audience segments.

Email marketing is important in tourism because it allows agencies to maintain direct communication with their clients. It helps build trust through personalized messages tailored to individual preferences. Email campaigns can increase brand awareness while promoting special offers or new destinations. Additionally, they provide valuable insights into customer behavior patterns which help improve future targeting strategies.

• Analyze your target market: Identify demographics & psychographics of potential clients.
• Determine objectives: Set measurable goals related to revenue, customer acquisition & retention.
• Conduct a SWOT analysis: Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats.
• Select marketing channels: Choose platforms like SEO, social media or email campaigns to reach your audience effectively.
• Create content strategy: Develop engaging and informative content tailored for each channel.
• Allocate budget: Determine costs associated with chosen marketing tactics and allocate resources accordingly.
• Monitor performance: Track key metrics regularly to measure success and adjust strategies as needed. Use tools like Google Analytics .

Effective email marketing for travel agencies involves building a targeted subscriber list, segmenting your audience, and designing visually appealing emails with Unlayer.

It’s also important to comply with local privacy legislation, optimize for mobile, and integrate customer reviews and NPS surveys into newsletters to engage subscribers throughout their journey.

Incentivizing leads with special offers and utilizing Bitrix24 CRM software can also boost success, while re-engaging dormant subscribers post-pandemic and using transactional emails can enhance the overall customer experience.

Adrian is a specialist in researching and implementing email marketing for businesses of all sizes. He’s particularly knowledgeable and focused on the niches and nuances of eCommerce email marketing, and he chose to work with DirectIQ as he knows that segmentation can make or break a successful email marketing campaign.

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Email Marketing for Travel Agencies: The Complete Guide

Rida Ali Khan

Table of contents.

“Travel brings power and love back to one’s life.” - Rumi

Indeed it does. 

People love to travel. In fact, even saying this seems like an understatement. However, in 2020, the travel industry had to face some serious challenges due to the unfortunate pandemic. 

Statistics say that the decline in travel spending due to Covid-19 resulted in a $500 billion loss. But hey! The rough patch is over, and it’s high time that you and all other travel marketers start inviting people to resume their jet-set lifestyles. 

And with 80% of businesses using email to acquire and sustain their customers, it’s safe to say that email marketing is the best way to build and nurture relationships with new and old customers. 

Doubtful? Well, then the following reasons will convince you why travel email marketing is advantageous. 

How Beneficial Is Travel Email Marketing Exactly?

If the animal kingdom represented marketing, then email marketing will be the lion, for sure. 

Email marketing earns this title because of its consistent record of informing subscribers well, effectively boosting sales, and promoting brands. 

According to research, 58% of people say checking emails is the first thing they do in the morning. Plus, email marketing allows you to send segmented and personalized messages to your customers. Segmented campaigns alone result in a 760% increase in revenue. 

Additionally, the success of email marketing can be proven by the fact that 87% of B2B marketers use it for the successful distribution of content. Also, the travel industry has a pretty high average email open rate, i.e., 20.44% . The competition is crazy.

So, if you want to win over your subscribers, you must go the extra mile to be the best. Keep on reading to know all the tips and techniques to run a successful travel email marketing campaign.  

We’ll start by telling you the types of emails that you can send as a travel agency.

Types of Travel Emails You Can Send to Your Subscribers

Contemplating on what exactly to send? Well, you can send different types of emails to your subscribers depending on where they are on their customer journey. These types are mentioned below;

Welcome emails

Welcome emails are the first impression you give to your subscribers; make sure it’s a solid one. ​​Welcome emails are reported to have an open rate of 91.43% . 

You can add more charm to your welcome email by giving your subscribers a special discount offer, introducing your brand, or by giving them instructions for the future. 

Here’s a welcome email template that you’d love to use or take inspiration from. 

Exclusive offer emails

Want to secure your customers for another trip with you?

Then send emails that have a loyal customer, birthday, or a basic discount offer. You can do this by giving a special discount offer for their next trip or creating a campaign where you give them reward points for each trip they take. 

It’s a clever tactic to keep your customers hooked on traveling with your company. Here’s a sample template that you can use or refer to;

Newsletter emails 

Newsletters are great for nurturing relationships with your subscribers. You can give valuable information about your services, feature the best locations to visit, or add useful details about some tourist destinations. 

The following newsletter template will allow you to add the information mentioned above perfectly and its eye-catching design will stand out in your reader’s inbox.

Thank you emails

Thank you emails make your customers feel that they are appreciated. Also, it provides you with a chance to get valuable feedback about your services. 

You can send these right after your subscribers book your service or after they have traveled with you. Add a vibrant call-to-action button if you wish to take their feedback through survey or review forms.

Take a look at this attractive-looking thank you email template below;

Notification/Confirmation emails 

If your customer books a holiday or tour with your company, then send them transactional or confirmation emails . 

These emails have an open rate of 65% . You can give them trip details, an order summary, or a general heads up about the trip they are going to take with you in these confirmation emails. 

Take a look at this template below and you would understand better; 

Promotional emails 

If you want your subscribers to make decisions in your favor, then send them promotional emails. You can tell them about special places to visit, introduce them to new services you’re offering, or help them select the best package. 

Here’s a promotional email template below that can grab your customer’s attention instantly. 

10 Tips to Create High-Performing Travel Emails 

Convincing people to travel with you is not that easy. People are super picky (read: sensitive) about their travel experiences.

But we’re here as your knight in shining armor; because below, we have mentioned the 10 necessary tips to create a travel email marketing campaign that is highly likely to convince your subscribers. 

1. Think of campaign ideas that customers will love

First things first, select a campaign idea. 

If your mind feels like a blank slate, look at the campaign ideas mentioned below. These can help you create high-performing travel emails. 

• Add testimonials to woo your subscribers

Want to know the power of testimonials? 

According to research, 93% of consumers say that online reviews influence their purchase decisions. So, create and send emails that have testimonials from happy clients. These can be in the form of videos, pictures, and/or written reviews. 

By doing so, you increase your reader’s confidence in your brand, which further motivates them to travel with you. 

• Suggest them travel destinations

Your suggestion should vary according to the time of the year. Give them suggestions to visit places during the high, low, and shoulder season. 

Something that goes like; Hey! Guess what? Paris - the city of love, has its arms open for you with a 20% discount on return tickets. 

You can also suggest which place is more economical or safe to visit during specific times of the year. 

• Give them an incentive 

One of the greatest attractions for a tourist to travel with agencies is their incentives or discounts on travel destinations.

You can offer free or discounted adventure park tickets, or free food at a particular restaurant. 

It’s almost impossible for someone to turn down such an opportunity. 

• Understand their interests through questionnaires 

You won’t be able to entertain your subscribers or send them personalized emails until you understand their interests, would you?

So, here’s what you can do; send your subscribers questionnaires or review forms to collect information from them. This will skyrocket the engagement rate of your emails and help you nurture relationships with them.

• Suggest limited time offers 

They say, “Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.” So, let’s cash on people’s desire to avail limited time offers. 

Send them emails with limited-time offers and see how impulsively they rush to travel with you. We’ll discuss the importance of such email designs later in this article but for now, just shortlist this idea for your travel email marketing campaign. 

2. Be cautious about your subscriber list

Creating a subscriber list is similar to making friends; make sure you shortlist the most reliable ones. 

You can create your subscriber list by placing a sign-up option at a visible and prominent place on your website. You can also use social media posts to collect subscribers’ email addresses. 

Apart from this, you can also collect email addresses in person from people who make reservations at the resort that your company collaborates with. 

Lastly, you can use double opt-in forms for careful screening of your subscriber list. 

3. Segment and personalize your emails 

We can't emphasize enough the significance of both of these practices.

Segment your subscriber list based on criteria like age, customer’s interests, or your subscriber’s travel history. This allows you to send personalized emails conveniently. 

Speaking of which, you can personalize your emails in different ways, such as through email subject lines, by adding names with the help of merge tags, or by sending emails that are specially designed for a specific segment of subscribers. 

Research says segmented emails are responsible for a 14.31% higher open rate than non-segmented campaigns. Besides this, both segmentation and personalization are responsible for creating a better user experience. 

4. Convince them with written content

Your email copy is the voice of your brand. Not to add pressure on you, but it has the tendency to make or break your deal. 

Keep it as personal and conversational as possible. It makes your reader feel that you are talking to them exclusively, which keeps them interested in your message. 

Moreover, using industry jargon is a big no-no because how will people respond to your message if they don’t even understand it? So, use comprehensive and personalized language in your travel emails to connect with your audience. 

5. Create visually appealing travel email designs 

Did you know that 90% of the information received by the brain is visual? 

Yep, that’s right. So if you want your brand’s identity imprinted in your subscriber’s brain or wish to deliver your message more effectively, then you need to give some serious attention to your email design . 

You can do this in many ways; 

• Wisely add images

As a travel company, the easiest way to lure your subscribers to travel with you is by embedding breathtaking images of travel destinations. But if overdone, it can backfire. 

There are 2 important things to be careful about when you're embedding images in emails . First, use only high-quality images, and second, always add text along with the image. 

Also, be wise in the image selection. It’s your embedded image that is most likely to turn your subscriber’s response positive. 

• Cleverly select a color scheme

Go for a color scheme that will complement your brand, your message, and the interactive elements embedded in your emails. It’s preferable to use color contrasts as it can attract your customers’ attention.

• Necessarily opt for responsiveness 

There’s one element or design feature that you must never compromise on, and that’s your email design’s responsiveness. 

Research says, 51% of emails are opened on mobile. So, ensure that the designs you select are responsive on all kinds of devices.

• Carefully insert countdown timers

Well, it’s the holiday season, and everyone’s planning to travel. It’s the ideal time to use the FOMO element in your emails. 

To gear up the urgency factor in your emails, add countdown timers. If you find yourself puzzled about doing so, here’s a glimpse of Unlayer allowing you to embed countdown timers in your emails with great ease. 

• Sensibly create and place CTA buttons

What if your subscriber agreed to travel with you but kept scratching their head about what action to take next? Yep, let’s avoid that. 

Add prominent, well-designed, nicely labeled, and properly placed call-to-action buttons in emails . This allows the readers to take further action more easily and increases the clicks up to 371% and conversions up to 1617%.

6. Give them reasons to choose you

​​The bitter truth is that you’re not the only one who wants your subscribers to travel with them. 

So you’ve got to earn those stripes by showing them what you have is the best. For instance, create a humorous email. Something like, “We heard you settled for less. So we’re here to help you reconsider and choose the best.” 

You can also mention how your travel package is better than anyone else in the market. It could be either because of the lower prices or better travel destinations and accommodations, etc. 

7. Send trigger emails 

Research says trigger emails result in 24 times more revenue per send as compared to other emails. 

Well, this statistic alone should be enough to convince you. You can send trigger emails based on your subscriber’s actions or behaviors. This will increase their interest in your email and also boost click and conversion rates. 

For instance, send your user a welcome email after they sign up. This can include special deals and discounts (as mentioned earlier). 

If they buy your service, then send them a transactional or confirmation email. If they complete a trip with you, send them a thank you or feedback email. 

Take a look at the automation flow chart below to understand this better. 

8. Use software that can boost your email’s performance 

You must have heard people say, “Work smart, not hard”. Well, that’s exactly what email marketing software offers you. 

Here are the 3 most useful and reliable email marketing software that can help you create the best travel emails. 

Unlayer is a user-friendly drag and drop editor that helps you to create and modify professional-looking emails. The best part is that you don’t need coding skills to design top-notch emails with Unlayer. 

They provide a range of attractive travel email templates that can be modified according to your choice, and yes, all these templates are responsive on all devices. 

Using it can save your time, effort, and cost of designing captivating travel emails.

Travel Email Templates That Convert Crazy Good

This is the best and most economical tool for email automation. 

Some of the best-selling features of Moosend are its behavior tracking, lead generation, A/B testing, and email segmentation features. Besides this, it also provides excellent workflows.

Optinmonster

It is the most powerful lead generation software. 

It allows you to create multiple quality lead forms such as lightbox popups, floating bars, scroll boxes, gamified wheels, etc.

Some major plus points are that it doesn’t require any coding skills and has a very powerful segmentation engine that reaches out to the right people at the best time.  

9. Ensure your email is friends with the law

If you skip this step, there's a major loophole in your travel email marketing campaign. Always comply with the legalities to save your email from landing in the spam box or facing any penalties. 

Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing or CAN-SPAM act is a set of rules for commercial email marketing. 

According to CAN-SPAM, you must;

• Avoid the use of fake or wrong headers. 
• Give recipients an option to opt out whenever they want. 
• Give a valid postal or physical address.
• Monitor what people are doing on your behalf. 
• Avoid misleading subject lines. 
• Not send messages that identify as an advertisement.

This act is specially designed to eliminate false identities and ensure authenticity. Make sure you abide by it.  

10. Encourage travel email marketing in the holiday season

Can’t emphasize enough the importance of email marketing during the holiday season. 

It’s the textbook definition of doing the right things at the right time. People are in the holiday mood and ready to travel around with their loved ones.  

So try to create holiday-centric email designs, give them special holiday or limited-time offers, or tell them which destination is ideal to visit during a specific holiday season. People are more vulnerable to the discount offers and promotions that you are going to offer. So, don’t miss out on this chance.  

Well, that’s about it. 

You’re all set to create the best travel email marketing campaign. Just follow the tips and guidelines mentioned above, and you’re golden. 

Good luck and safe travels.

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11 Email Marketing Tips for Travel Agents to 3x Their Business

by  Ron Stefanski

Updated: December 21, 2023

Disclosure: OneHourProfessor is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Email marketing remains one of the most effective channels for travel agents to nurture leads, drive sales, and boost repeat business. Yet many struggle to create campaigns that engage and convert subscribers. 

This article reveals 11 powerful email marketing tips to help travel agents triple the impact of their email efforts. Follow these proven best practices to dramatically grow your travel agency business through email and with the help of email marketing platforms .


Let’s dive in.

Importance of Email Marketing for Travel Agents

Email marketing is critically important for travel agents looking to boost revenue and build lasting client relationships. 

Studies show that travel companies using email marketing earn on average 50% more repeat bookings compared to those that don’t. 

Beyond increased sales, effective email campaigns allow agents to stay top of mind during travel planning, cross-sell additional services, upsell upgrades, re-engage old clients, and automate lead nurturing workflows. 

With email delivering $40 in revenue for every $1 spent , the channel provides one of the highest returns available in digital marketing. For travel agents, prioritizing email presents a huge yet underutilized opportunity to profitably grow your business.

1. Offer Exclusive Deals for Subscribers 

One of the most effective ways to grow your subscriber list is by providing exclusive deals and insider access to discounts only available to your email followers. 

Send flash sales on all-inclusive resort packages, last-minute flight bargains, 50% off cruise fares, bonus loyalty points for hotel bookings, and other tempting offers reserved solely for your mailing list. 

Make subscribers feel special by giving them early access to time-sensitive promotions that drive urgency and conversions. 

Just make sure the discounts provide enough incentive to sign up while still being profitable on your end. Exclusive savings reserved for email followers can rapidly expand your list.

2. Promote New Destinations and Properties 

Travelers look to agents as trusted advisors on the latest and greatest destinations. Leverage this by using email updates to provide insider intel on recently opened travel hotspots gaining buzz and upcoming locations on the verge of major popularity. 

Share details on the newest beachfront resorts, adventure eco-lodges, luxury retreats, and other vacation rentals perfect for their unique interests.

For example, if you start working with a new eco-resort in Costa Rica catering to adventure travelers, let your subscriber list know in an email. Include tantalizing descriptions of the ziplining, volcano hikes, and jungle safaris offered. 

Provide links to breathtaking pictures of the bungalows and pristine beach access. Make it exciting and build urgency by reminding them of the limited number of vacancies still available.

Position yourself as an in-the-know travel curator by periodically highlighting ideal vacation spots tailored to each subscriber. They’ll eagerly anticipate your next vacation find. Email enables you to instantly notify clients when exotic locales they’ve wanted to visit become bookable through your agency.

3. Spotlight Limited-Time Offers

Nothing motivates rapid travel bookings like time-sensitive specials promising huge yet fleeting savings. Use email to prominently showcase promotions featuring expiration dates that create impulse and urgency. 

These may include 72-hour flash sales on vacation packages, free cabin upgrades on last-minute unsold cruises departing soon, bonus loyalty points for hotel stays booked by a certain date, and other deals only available for a strictly limited window.

For example, if you secure a batch of unsold rooms from a resort partner in Cancun that must be filled in the next 4 days before release, notify your email list immediately with an exclusive super-discounted rate to incentivize rapid booking. 

Remind subscribers this rate will vanish as soon as the room block sells out. You might say “For the next 96 hours, take advantage of the steal of the season with all-inclusive Cancun resort stays at an unheard of 45% off our already lowest prices! But you must act fast – these rooms will sell out extremely quickly at this rate and the offer disappears Thursday at midnight.”

Make sure to prominently display the end date for any limited-time offer and strongly reinforce the first-come, first-served nature of these discounts. 

Travelers will stop procrastinating and book quickly once they know exactly when they’ll lose out on big savings for indecision. Time-bound deals drive conversions.

4. Share Partner Perks and Recommendations 

Enhance the trip planning experience by using email to share exclusive perks, discounts, and recommendations from your contractual partners. 

These may include coupon codes for 10% off rental cars, complimentary show tickets, vouchers for a free dessert at popular restaurants, walking tours, museum entries, and other valuable offers.

For example, if you have a relationship with a certain Italian restaurant in Rome that provides your clients with a free bottle of wine, let travelers headed there know in an email. 

Or if your agency has an agreement with a reputable New York tour provider offering $20 off Central Park bike rentals, share that partner promotion via email with clients vacationing in the city who enjoy cycling.

You might also provide personalized suggestions of can’t-miss attractions, best local hangouts, top-rated shows, and affordable tours to book based on the traveler’s selected destination. This adds and showcases the true value you bring as an agent. 

Partners allow you to deliver perks that wow clients. Recommendations tailored to the locale remind subscribers that you understand their interests better than any general travel site.

5. Give Custom Trip Planning Checklists 

Streamline travel prep for your audience by sending free, downloadable trip-planning checklists tailored to popular locales. These may feature efficiently organized packing lists so travelers don’t forget common essentials needed for their destination like power adapters or proper seasonal clothing.

You can also share country and region-specific visa guidelines, transportation options for getting into the city from airports, and electrical adapter requirements. This helps ensure travelers arrive prepared with the proper documentation and gear.

Additionally, provide general recommendations showcasing your expertise on the top attractions, hidden gems, restaurants, and tour companies based on interests like outdoor adventures, family activities, luxury pampering, arts and culture, nightlife, and more.

Trip planning checklists customized down to the destination reduce client stress while positioning you as a specialist in the region who understands how to experience it properly. They’ll appreciate the hand-holding.

6. Cultivate Group Travel Organizers 

One of the most efficient ways to book large volumes of travelers at once is by actively cultivating relationships with volunteer trip organizers from schools, churches, social clubs, alumni associations, companies, and other entities that coordinate group getaways annually. 

Build loyalty with these influencers by providing free planning kits with sample itineraries, proposed activities, and special rates for group travel.

For a church youth group coordinator, you might provide a sample agenda for a mission trip to Costa Rica including lodging options, transportation logistics, impact volunteering opportunities like building schools or sustainable farming, and budget-friendly dining recommendations. Have your best agent available to answer any questions and customize proposals.

Share beautiful collateral featuring potential destinations tailored to their group’s interests. Give perks like complimentary upgrades, dining certificates, welcome receptions, discounted tickets to attractions, and custom-branded gifts as a token of appreciation for choosing your agency. 

Make their job easier and they’ll re-use you annually for hassle-free group travel bookings driving major revenue.

7. Promote Travel Insurance 

Don’t leave money on the table. Proactively educate travelers on the benefits of comprehensive travel insurance via email – then make quoting and purchasing a breeze. 

Explain how policies protect vacation investments with trip cancellation coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, emergency medical transportation, 24/7 travel assistance services, and more.

For example, remind clients that trip cancellation coverage allows recouping non-refundable payments if unforeseeable events prevent traveling as planned. This provides peace of mind in case of illness, injury, layoffs, and other incidents. 

Lost luggage insurance can reimburse essential replacement items like clothing and toiletries so lost bags don’t ruin a long-awaited vacation. Emergency transportation provides access to urgent care while limiting out-of-pocket costs.

For extra incentive, offer exclusive discounts or free secondary coverage for flights booked through your agency. Making insurance easy to understand and buy provides tremendous peace of mind that converts more lookers into bookers. 

Promote how protection plans eliminate travel risk at a reasonable price. As a valuable add-on service, commissions from policies also contribute significantly to your bottom line.

8. Curate Customized Getaways 

A key travel agent skill is curating tailored adventures for loyal globe-trotting clients that align with their interests, lifestyle, and past trips. Save an opportunity to surprise and wow repeat wanderlusters with unexpected destination insider deals you source just for them.

Email marketing costs are low compared to other marketing channels. This means you can market to a broad audience of interested travelers at an affordable price. 

Start by reviewing the travel history and trip preferences previously shared with your agency. 

Then scan for new and unique opportunities that speak to destinations not yet explored, bucket list activities, and exotic sights they’ve dreamed of. 

You might propose a hiking trip to Patagonia catering to their love of the outdoors and passion for culture in one special journey. Or a safari weekend at a new luxury eco lodge could tempt the couple that adores privacy, proximity to wildlife, and fine dining.

Leverage your industry relationships to identify limited-time offers matching their temperament or unlock VIP extras that jive with their personalities. Sending unsolicited yet skillfully matched vacation ideas provides tremendous value that breeds life-long brand advocates. 

The key is demonstrating you truly know who they are as travelers by proactively curating trips they’ll cherish. 

Your knowledge and ability to fast-track research helps craft memories not available just by searching alone. The extra mile builds indelible client connections and drives more tailored travel referrals.

9. Reward Loyalty

Show appreciation and reinforce loyalty with surprise value-added perks for your repeat and referral clients. 

These special upgrades hand-selected by you might include a complimentary room category bump at their preferred all-inclusive resort, daily breakfast credits to order in bed, fast track passes letting them skip attraction admission lines, or late 4 pm check-out allowing extra time to lounge poolside between flights.

For example, a family who has booked their annual Orlando theme park vacation through you for the past three years would treasure being upgraded to a kids’ suite complete with bunk beds, video games, and free dessert coupons for their stay. 

Or surprising a wine connoisseur who refers everyone in their firm to you with a free winery tour and tasting in Napa would make their day.

Small yet heartfelt tokens of gratitude go a long way when provided unexpectedly during a trip. The hotel concierge slipping them a bottle of champagne at check-in on your request also wows. 

Explicitly call out linking the amenity to their loyalty in an accompanying note. When you express gratitude and consistently delight brand devotees, they’ll eagerly return and refer friends more often.

10. Share Relevant Reviews and Blogs 

Strengthen your reputation as a premier travel advisor by periodically highlighting client testimonials, expert reviews, and articles spotlighting your superior service and expertise. 

For example, when a major travel publication features one of the niche excursions you hand-craft for adventure seekers, share it across digital channels and on your next email campaign.

Quote rave reviews from a prominent luxury travel blogger that read: “Sandals Resorts just doesn’t disappoint, but working with [Your Agency] to book our anniversary trip took the entire experience over the top. Thanks to their amazing agent, we scored a 2-category suite upgrade, $150 in dining credits, and a sunset catamaran cruise that made our getaway extra special from the very start.”

If an influencer blog documents raving about the unexpected upgrade you scored at a boutique Paris hotel, make sure followers see that glowing praise. 

Prominently display press mentions accrediting your status as a Virtuoso agency or articles showcasing you as a top producer. Social proof from credible third parties significantly reinforces your greatest differentiator – a high-touch approach delivering once-in-a-lifetime dream trips.

11. Continuously Test and Optimize 

Don’t settle for stagnant email performance. Consistently fine-tune and enhance results through A/B split testing different email variables. 

For example, send one version with the subject “Last Chance for 50% off Costa Rica” and a control version saying “Big Discounts Expiring on Costa Rica Trips” to see which gets a higher open rate . Test moving call-to-actions higher in the email body to determine if it lifts click-throughs.

You might also experiment with different types of featured content to see what converts best. Send one email leading with limited-time flight deals on the top. Send another highlighting of new resort openings in the first section instead. Monitor which email receives more clicks and bookings from each content type featured first.

Experiment with sending a promotion on Tuesday vs Thursday while keeping other elements equal. Try emphasizing different selling points like luxury or affordability to see what resonates more. 

Incrementally over time, compile learnings on optimal wording, placement, segmentation, timing, and more to continually optimize engagements, click activity, and bookings. Ongoing testing allows continually improving email strategies so performance never plateaus.

Implementing even a few of these 11 email marketing best practices can significantly impact travel agent sales, leads, and client loyalty. 

With consistent testing and refinement, an optimized email approach delivers some of the highest ROIs across channels for dramatically growing your agency. Prioritize building your list and sending value-driven campaigns, then watch bookings take flight.

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• Tips and Tricks
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• Inspiration

Travel Agency Email Marketing: How To Do It Right

Why email marketing for travel agencies is so important

The key aspects of a successful travel agent email to a client, most popular travel agency email types, how to set up a campaign, best travel agency email examples, final thoughts.

Now that the pandemic restrictions are lifted, more people start traveling. If you work for a travel agency, it’s time to start an email marketing campaign to boost the recovery of your business and engage new customers. Read this article and learn about tips and best practices and create effective travel agency emails.

Tourism was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic — people traveled less due to restrictions and infection threat. According to UNWTO , in 2020 international tourism receipts dropped by 62% compared to 2019. International arrivals followed this trend — the decrease reached 72%.

And lockdowns were not the only factor. Measures were less strict in 2021 but people still were not ready to travel. For example, according to Statista, 42% of Spanish citizens planned to decrease their travel budgets for 2021.

But what about 2022? Consider this graph.

As you can see, people started traveling more often than in 2020 or even last year. And that’s why email marketing for travel agencies is important — it’s an easy way to re-engage your former clients and boost the recovery of your business.

Now that you know the importance of email marketing for travel agencies, let’s take a look at the recipe for a good email campaign in this industry. 

Personalization

71% of customers expect personalized communication from brands. When it comes to personalization in email marketing , it’s more than including your customer’s name in the greeting or the subject. One of the ways to make your marketing emails more personal is giving relevant recommendations.

For example, Airbnb implemented location-based personalization. Right after the customer arrives somewhere, they suggest what to do and where to go.

Subject lines

A good email subject line can vastly improve your open rates. Here’s how you can create catchy subject lines specifically for travel agency emails:

Appeal to the value of traveling. People travel for different reasons — depending on the niche of your agency, you can use different buzzwords in your subject lines. Possible options include:

• Discovery, Enlightenment, Experience
• Relaxation, Vacation, Getaway, Weekend
• Adventure, Bucket list, Road trip

These word groups appeal to different audiences — know your customers and use what triggers them.

Use urgency markers. Word combinations like “Last chance”, “Starts now”, “Don’t miss it”, and other similar subject lines will trigger FOMO. But don’t overdo this — some words might get you a one-way ticket to the spam folder.

Use jokes and puns. A funny email subject is a great way to stand out in your customer’s inbox. Examples include “Czech this out: 10 places to see in Prague” or “Been to South America? I don’t Bolivia”. Opportunities are endless — use your sense of humor to increase sales.

Get down to business. For sales emails, the best tactic is to describe your offer in the subject line. Examples include “Get 30% off our July package holidays” or “Save money on your next dream vacation”.

Use of visual aids

There are many ways to use visual aids. You can use photos, GIFs, videos, and illustrations — or come up with a minimalist email design that only highlights the important elements. Typefaces and layouts also count — they make customers pay attention to important parts of email content like CTAs.

This World Food Day email from Contiki Travel Tours uses vibrant pictures and warm colors to create a certain mood. But aside from photos, they accentuated the part with CTA with an all-caps header and a bold yellow frame. These simple tricks instantly draw attention to the button.

Sense of urgency

The usage of FOMO in email marketing is not limited to travel agencies. For example, it’s often used in retail during Black Friday or holiday-related promotion campaigns.

This email from Friendly Planet is a great example of how urgency works in campaigns for travel agents. Its subject line is “Our newest trips + Last chance to save!” and we see a big “Deals expire tonight!” header in the email body. Urgency is created via verbal cues — use them in email subjects and content copies.

Shared opportunities

Even the most aesthetically pleasing email with the funniest subject line wouldn’t work without a valuable offer. Here are some ideas for what you can suggest to your customers via email:

• Promo codes and discounts
• Last-minute tours that are cheaper than regular tours
• Convenience — for example, a fully-planned vacation plan
• Helpful content related to traveling — for example, guides on packaging or what to see in a certain city
• Unique experiences — these offers work best for niche travel agencies

Another promo code is not the only reason to send emails. Let’s take a look at the most popular travel agency email types. Most of these email types are not specific to the industry — but they work well for travel agencies too.

Welcome emails

Sending a welcome email to a new customer is like giving a house tour to a first-time guest. If you show your guest where the bathroom is and offer them tea, they will be more comfortable staying at your place and might come over again. 

It works the same with email marketing. According to GetResponse , welcome emails have a 50% open rate, which is 86% better compared to newsletters.

This email from AllTrails is a great example of onboarding — they give the guide on using the service right away.

Newsletters

A newsletter is an email you send regularly to share updates. They can be used for introducing new offers, giving them something fun or useful to read, or inviting them to take part in a contest. Newsletters are great because:

• It’s a good source of traffic for your website.
• It increases brand recognition — the tone of voice and the choice of content add more details to your brand personality and make it more charismatic.
• It increases customer loyalty — by regular communication, you build stronger relationships between customers and your business.
• It gives room for personalization — by tailoring suggested website content, you can increase customer satisfaction. 

And speaking of personalization, here’s a great example from Airbnb.

They came up with a newsletter specifically for hosts — and included lifehacks and policy updates.

Confirmation emails

Customers need confirmation emails so they know that the transaction was successful. They also need these emails to get important information like delivery details or the hotel’s address. Confirmation emails also give further directions for the next step in the customer flow — that’s why they are so important.

A good example of a confirmation email is this one from Vacasa. It contains all the necessary information for checking in — the lockbox code, the address and driving directions, and even the weather forecast for easier packing. 

Thank you messages

Thank you messages are sent after a customer completes the target action — like buying something or subscribing to an email list. They might not be as important for the customer journey as confirmation emails. But thank you notes express appreciation and help you build warmer relationships with your customers.

This email from HotelTonight is a great example of a thank you note for a traveling business. They don’t just show appreciation with words — they suggest what to do next, including taking part in a loyalty program. 

Informational emails

There is a difference between newsletters and informational emails. Newsletters are sent weekly or monthly and they give an overview of the latest updates. And informational emails are sent in case of emergency.

For example, this Airbnb informational email is about current policies and how the company handles the situation. 

Re-engagement emails

Imagine that your best friend hasn’t reached you in three months and has been ignoring your text messages where you suggested hanging out or watching a movie they liked. If you forget them and move on, you will lose a friend. But a wellness check message will increase the chance to win your friend back. 

Email marketing works the same. You will lose customers — just like you will grow apart from friends. But you can decrease these losses if you send re-engagement emails .

This is a great example of a personalized re-engagement email from TripAdvisor. They saw that a customer was browsing Boston-related pages — and based on the hypothesis that this customer was too confused to make a decision, they provided extra information on this region.

Seasonal offers

Many industries have seasonal offers to give. But traveling is probably the most season-driven industry. According to Eurostat , one-third of the nights Europeans spent in tourist facilities were in July and August. And it’s reasonable — people plan long trips for summer and short trips for holidays. That’s why travel agencies should send emails with seasonal offers.

This email by Sonder is a great example of how to do a seasonal offer message right. They don’t just give an offer — they also give useful information on planning a summer trip, which adds more value to the email.

Upsell emails

Upsell emails suggest a more expensive version of the same product or service after your customer completed the transaction. Not only does this type of email increase sales — it also raises brand awareness and increases your customers’ lifetime value.

This email from Scott’s Cheap Flights is a perfect example of upselling. After a new customer used their app, they suggested a premium membership and explained its value. They also offered a free trial period so customers won’t feel pressured to spend money right now and try it out instead.

Keep in mind that these are not all the possible types of emails that can be used for promoting travel-related businesses — we’ve listed the most popular types. And these types can be mixed together. For example, you can include a thank you note in a confirmation email or add a seasonal offer to a monthly newsletter — it depends on the goal of your campaign.

Setting up a campaign for a travel agency is not different from other industries. Here’s a short recap of the whole process.

Define the goals

Every campaign starts with an email marketing strategy . You need to understand why you’re running a campaign in the first place — for example, to increase sales.

The next step is defining success criteria using the SMART framework:

For example, if your goal was to increase your website blog’s readership, your success criteria would look like “Increase the number of daily unique visitors by 30% by the end of this month”.

Build your mailing list

A mailing list is a list of users who will receive your marketing emails. Keep in mind that buying readymade email lists online and using them for marketing campaigns is illegal. Build your list using opt-in forms and pop-ups. To learn more, read our article about building an email list . 

Segment the list

Segmenting your email list is important for sending relevant emails. There are many segmentation criteria — age, location, website activity, and so on. The choice of criteria depends on your campaign and your market niche. To learn more about segmentation with Selzy, visit this page .

Decide on the type of content

The type of content you chose will affect the subject line, the copy, the CTA, and the email layout. Choose the content type depending on your marketing campaign goal.

One of the types of emails often used for travel agencies is last chance emails. Use these emails for promoting seasonal offers — and use our guide on last chance emails with writing tips and best practices.

Design your email

Good email design draws attention to CTAs, improves email readability and helps you express the charisma of your brand. And a trendy look will keep your subscribers engaged.

To learn more, read our guide on email design with tips and best practices.

Test and analyze the results

Once you’re done with your email content and design, test your emails before sending:

• QA testing — to make sure that your email campaign is set correctly, all the hyperlinks work as intended and customers won’t receive an email with a “Hello <undefined>” greeting.
• Split testing — to validate your ideas and hypotheses and make smarter marketing decisions. 

And this is how you set up a campaign for a travel agency. And if you’re afraid to miss something, use our email marketing checklist .

Now that you know how to set up an email campaign for a travel agency, let’s take a look at some examples of great campaigns in the industry. We’ve picked 4 good travel agency emails for your inspiration. 

Vacasa: Wanderlust-worthy road trips

Vacasa is a rental management company that operates in North and Central America. And although their business is focused on destinations, they ran a campaign that’s all about the journey.

Domestic and rural tourism were a big traveling trend in 2021 — and it’s predicted to continue in 2022 . Vacasa caught up on this trend and made a guide on interesting road trip destinations within the US. We love how visually appealing this campaign is — and the lovely “Life is a Highway” CTA button. Another good thing about this email is that you can look through rentals right away if you like a certain destination — it’s convenient for customers.

Intrepid: Celebrating BIPOC culture

Intrepid is a US-based company that specializes in small group tours and adventure trips. Since the questions of oppression and justice in the postcolonial world have been around for a long time, they rolled out a series of educational tours and ran an email campaign.

It’s hard to run a campaign like this without being offensive. Educational tours are great but they shouldn’t look like a trip to a zoo where the privileged group looks down on the culture of those who survived genocide and occupation. Intrepid handled the subject matter gracefully — they give the word to local experts and aim at educating, not just entertaining. And the campaign itself is great — it’s well-written, and beautiful pictures and minimalist email design create a stylish look.

Oliver’s Travels: God Save The Queen!

Oliver’s Travels is an agency that specializes in luxury vacations and high-end real estate rental in Europe. And they’ve prepared something special for The Queen’s Jubilee.

First of all, just because you’re a luxury brand doesn’t mean you can’t throw a pun in an email. And they didn’t stop here. Apart from the invitation, they added topic-related blog articles and links to luxury castles in the UK. Maybe they overdid it with CTAs. But overall, this email makes you feel like a queen. Or a king.

Tripaneer: Yoga in the USA

Tripaneer is a travel agency that specializes in wellness holidays like retreats for mindfulness, weight loss, spiritual growth, and so on.

This email about US-based yoga retreats doesn’t have a lot of text — but it’s incredibly well-written. And we appreciate creative CTAs — like the one about rolling down mats. We also like that Tripaneer added a link to a guide on their website instead of writing the whole article for the email.

Running an email campaign for a travel agency is a good way to re-engage your customers who stopped traveling due to lockdowns and increase sales. Some common types of emails for campaigns in this industry include:

• Welcome emails — use them to introduce customers to your service and explain how it works.
• Newsletters — it’s a great way to draw more traffic to your website and stay in touch with your customers.
• Confirmation emails — use them to share valuable information and notify that the transaction was successful.
• Thank you messages — this type of email increases customer loyalty and helps you build stronger relationships.
• Informational emails — unlike newsletters, these emails are not sent regularly and are used to share important information, for example, about emergencies.
• Seasonal offers — since tourism is a season-driven industry, emails with summer vacation or holiday offers will help both you and your customers.
• Upsell emails — suggesting a more expensive version of what your customers already bought will increase your revenue.

To run a successful campaign for a travel agency, don’t forget about:

• Personalizing your campaign to give more relevant offers
• Catchy subject lines — use humor, add a personal greeting, or appeal to the value of traveling depending on your niche
• Visual aids — they will gently coax your customer into clicking on the CTA button
• Sense of urgency — verbal urgency cues will trigger FOMO
• Shared opportunities — offer your customers something valuable.

How To Warm Up an Email for Your Marketing Campaign

How to write a good webinar follow-up email, latest articles.

The Foolproof Guide To Email List Building

Others just make a list of ways. We actually explain how to make the most of each way.

21 surefire ways to grow your email list with detailed explanations and hand-picked examples. Based on research and 10+ years experience in email marketing.

• Do Not Sell My Personal Info

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How to Succeed at Email Marketing in the Competitive Travel Space

The travel industry is fiercely competitive. Learn how to craft email marketing campaigns that get noticed and win conversions for your travel business.

The travel industry is a fiercely competitive place and inboxes are jam-packed these days. When it comes to email marketing, you really need to stand out.

All of the best travel companies in the business are using email marketing to keep in touch with existing customers, interact with high-quality leads and build a stronger and more meaningful relationship with their audience.

It’s fast, cost-effective, and has one of the best return-on-investment (ROI) rates of any marketing channel — $38 in ROI for every $1 spent, according to CampaignMonitor.

But with so much email content already on the market for travelers, how do you ensure that yours isn’t sent to Trash unread?

Understanding the best ways to engage and inspire your target audience with email content is a simple process — that is, once you’ve got your head around how to segment your mailing lists and craft engaging emails.

In this column, you’ll find tips and advice for travel businesses who want to take their email marketing to the next level.

Let’s get started.

Some email marketing experts will tell you to collect as many contact details as possible on your site to ensure that your mailing list is wide-reaching.

The problem with this approach is that the majority of readers just aren’t going to be interested in what you have to say.

You’ll be much more successful if you use carefully crafted lead magnets to capitalize on people who are already interested in what you have to offer, rather than using a basic “opt-in” box.

Say you have an article on your website’s blog that features unique advice for travelers planning on visiting Italy with children, for example.

You’ve studied your site analytics and know that this post gets a high volume of visitors every month.

You also know that a significant proportion of your customer base is parents who travel with their children.

It’s the perfect opportunity to use a lead magnet .

At the bottom of this post, you could include a call to action that tells the reader that they can receive more specialist travel advice from your email newsletter if they enter their email address.

Even better, have an eye-pleasing pop-up that tempts users with a valuable free download of a child-friendly travel guide to Italy or access to a list of the best family restaurants in Rome.

This will entice users to opt-in to your list and give them value.

They sign up, and you gain a potential customer who is already engaging with the content you produce and therefore is already more likely to respond well to other marketing material.

Boom! A warm lead straight into your customer database or email marketing platform.

You can use this process to create lead magnets across your site that target different members of your audience with different intents and interests.

A good starting point is to analyze which pages are receiving the most amount of traffic, identify who is visiting and engaging with the content on there, and create a lead magnet that adds value to them.

The simplest way to operate your email marketing strategy is by using software that automates the process.

We favor GetResponse, but there are plenty of different providers out there.

Automation software allows you to create specialized email pathways for customers who opt-in, tailoring the content they receive based on what brought them to your site in the first place and what they interact with after that.

This not only makes your job a lot easier but allows you to accurately monitor the success of each email pathway and identify where your readers are engaging and where they might be dropping out.

A standard example of an automated email pathway begins with a potential customer entering their email somewhere on your site, prompted by a lead magnet.

They will then receive a welcome email from your travel company, explaining a little bit about who you are and what you do.

This welcome email will also feature several links to other relevant pieces of content or pages on your website, which the reader might then click on.

The content that is featured in this welcome email can be tailored depending on what encouraged the reader to first give you their email address.

So, if they came to your mailing list through an article about visiting Italy with children, you’ll want to link them to more articles about family holidays, visiting Italy, or family-friendly activities in Italy.

A series of specific branch emails will set up within your software will send regularly based on data such as whether the reader clicks on a specific link within the email or visits your site and starts browsing.

You get a clear idea of what your customer base is looking at and engaging with, and the automation does the hard work.

The delivery of these automated emails can also be tailored to the location and time zone of their recipients, to increase the likelihood of them being read.

Many pieces of email marketing software also let you take this one step further and gather data on what time of day your recipients usually open your emails.

You can then choose to send further emails at this time, which again will increase the number of people who open and engage with the content you have shared.

Not bad for a simple bit of automation, right?

When it comes to adding value through your email marketing, segmentation is key.

While some huge travel businesses can get away with sending generic emails to their entire customer base, this simply won’t reap the same results for the vast majority.

Splitting your recipients into different groups based on their interests and what content they engage with the most is the best way to ensure you are only delivering valuable content to your audience.

As you gather more data on which emails and content are the most successful with each group, you can further personalize the content you send out. This can increase engagement and improve conversion rates.

Including links to other pages, posts and pieces of content on your company’s website allows you to collect data on what each recipient clicks on.

The next emails that the users receive will be based on what kind of content they engaged with and enjoyed most.

Using the automation process outlined above, you can personalize the email pathways for each of these groups, building out the options as you go, based on how the user interacts with your communications.

Including follow-up emails in your automated process that ask whether your reader enjoyed the recommended content is a great way to engage your audience and gain valuable feedback.

Create a simple link click-based voting system that will allow you to gather further valuable insight. The data you gather from this allows you to intelligently usher your customer down your marketing/sales funnel and drive more conversions.

By continuing this process, you gain a detailed understanding of what your mailing list is looking for and can continue to personalize their emails to keep delivering valuable and engaging information.

You also become a trusted source of information and a thought leader in your space.

But don’t just take my word for it.

A recent study done by Google and Phocuswright revealed that 36% of travelers are more likely to pay more for the services of a travel business if the information and trip ideas they were given were personalized based on their past behavior and preferences.

You can’t argue with that!

If “sell, sell, sell” is at the forefront of every piece of email marketing you send out, your audience is quickly going to lose interest.

Instead, a key way to set yourself apart from the competition is to tell stories with your emails, integrating your products or services within these when they are relevant to the insight you are giving.

The best way to get through to people is to paint a picture they can’t help but imagine themselves in. Use sensory description and personal stories to immediately get them hooked.

Storytelling with your emails not only makes them more memorable but also establishes your business as a more credible source of travel advice.

Writing content that is personal, descriptive, genuinely interesting, and engaging means your readers are far more likely to hang around, trust the information you give them, and think of you when they start planning a holiday.

Many of us daydream about travel, and your emails should make the most of this.

Imagine you’ve got two different emails in your inbox. Both are from travel businesses that focus on holidays in Italy, and both contain content designed to inspire you to book your next trip with them.

The first email opens with a banner outlining the company’s current deals on visiting Italy’s major cities. There’s a greeting, some appealing photos of places like the Colosseum and Rialto Bridge, and a well-written (if a little bland) short article offering five tips for getting the most out of visiting Rome, Venice, and Florence. The email closes with a message informing you that the exclusive deals won’t last long and that you should book your next trip today.

The second email opens with a greeting from Francesca, an Italian travel expert who is currently living in Tuscany. She describes what it is that made her fall in love with Italy in the first place, the different towns and cities that she has stayed in, and even the view of the Tuscan hills surrounding her as she writes.

Francesca goes on to give unique, thoughtful recommendations on some of the best places to visit in Italy in the coming months, drawing on her own experiences. A couple of links to the holiday packages her company offers are integrated into the text, but nothing too ‘in-your-face’.

At the end of the email, there are a few more links to other pieces of content Francesca has written. Because you have previously engaged with content that focuses on family travel and locations suitable for young children, the recommendations are personalized to suit these interests.

Which one of these emails would you most likely read, enjoy and engage with?

You don’t have to be the next great novelist to write compelling emails that tell a story. In fact, one of the easiest ways to produce email content like the piece described above is to use your staff or partners as the narrators in your email, describing their experiences and putting faces to the name of your company.

An easy formula to follow is this. Set the scene, show credibility, offer advice, and then slide in a very subtle sell if it feels relevant.

Focus on adding value to the reader’s inbox and gaining their attention and trust, instead of trying to sell your product or service every time.

The more emails you write and the more customer data you gather, the better idea you’ll get of what kind of storytelling is the most effective. As time goes on, you can hone your approach and produce outstanding content every single time.

It’s as simple as that.

Data for a study by Econsultancy suggests that 66% of travelers watch videos of a destination while researching where to travel.

Research on the effect of video marketing also suggests that businesses who use video marketing get up to 66% more leads than their competitors who go without.

With this in mind, including videos within your email marketing is a fantastic way to improve reader engagement and ignite a sense of wanderlust in your audience.

Whilst well-crafted text that tells a story is essential in successful emails, video is the ultimate way to paint a picture for your reader and capture their attention and imagination in a new way. It’s an easy method of splitting up chunks of text, is more effective than just using photographs, and can help to explain detailed topics in a fast and simple format.

Video is one of the most versatile forms of content out there and is a fantastic way to maximize what you get out of the content you create. A single, 2-3 minute video can be split up into multiple different sections to use in a variety of different emails, as well as acting as a trailer for a long video available somewhere on your website.

Not only that, but it’s a great way to “humanize” your content.

I talked above about storytelling by using real people to narrate your emails, and adding videos only furthers the effect of this. Your audience is much more likely to trust you if they’ve seen clips of people in your business describing experiences, giving advice, and offering valuable insights.

Video content is a huge part of effective marketing. Implement it in your email strategy and the results will speak for themselves.

The final piece of advice for effective email marketing is to nurture your audience. Above everything else, what is going to increase customer satisfaction, drive repeat business and establish a positive brand image is through producing content that is relevant, valuable, and unique.

Segmentation has been mentioned a lot in this article, but it’s the key to delivering email content that leads to success.

If you’re not giving your readers exactly what they want, they’re going to unsubscribe to your mailing list. The best way to establish what they want is by creating groups with different interests and goals, targeting each of these with personalized content.

Each of your customer groups can be individually nurtured through your email content, building their trust and establishing yourself as someone whose content they really want to read. This relationship requires time and investment, but when your audience decides to book a holiday, you’ll be the company they think of first.

At the end of the day, your emails are only as good as the data you collect around them. It doesn’t matter how incredible your writing is or how valuable your videos are if you’re not analyzing their success and targeting the areas where your customers are engaging.

However, once you’ve established this process, you’ll find that email marketing is one of the most rewarding and effective methods of marketing. It’s cost-effective, yields immediate effects, and has a huge reach that can really help to grow your customer base.

It’s also somewhere that you are in control and not reliant on third-party platforms. Algorithm changes in Google or updates to Facebook’s newsfeed can change your visibility overnight, but harnessing those channels into an email list gives you a resource that you’re in charge of and which can’t disappear overnight.

As a travel company, your job is transporting your readers to new places, both with your trips and with your content. Email marketing offers the perfect format for inspiration, advice, and building brand affinity, and the best news is, anyone can do it.

More Email Marketing Resources:

• 4 Ideas to Combine Email Marketing & SEO for Stellar Results
• 5 Ways Email Marketing Can Help Your SEO Efforts
• New Report Reveals the 3 Trends Shaping Email Marketing in 2020

Image Credits

Screenshots and Featured Image: Created and taken by author, March 2021

Tom Mcloughlin is the founder of SEO Travel, a specialist travel marketing company. A passionate marketer and travel blogger, he ...

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Travefy Academy

Win and retain more business.

A Guide to Email Marketing for Travel Agents

By Travefy Academy

When it comes to marketing your travel business you might rely heavily on your website , social media , personal branding, and others but one of the marketing strategies you should also have in place if you don’t already is email marketing! Did you know that 49% of consumers said that they would like to receive emails from their favorite brands weekly ( Statista )? Email Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated either, it can be a simple solution to keep in constant contact with your potential and current clients.

In this article, we will explore how to get started if you’re new to email marketing and also share tips, tricks, and inspiration for anyone already sending emails to clients.

How to Start an Email List

The most important part of email marketing is having an email list to send them to so it’s important to organize your email list strategically. You may only need one email list for everyone, including potential new clients and older clients alike. However, it’s also smart to separate these lists out if you decide to share alternative email marketing to each type of customer.

For example, you might have an email list for current and old clients who receive emails about upcoming promotions, updates, etc. Then, you may have a separate list for people who have reached out or shown interest in booking with you. They could receive emails that are part of an email campaign to help get them into your sales funnel.

If you don’t have many emails yet and need to begin building your list, below are a couple of ways to begin building your email list:

Lead Magnets

A lead magnet is one of the most popular ways to acquire email addresses for marketers! A lead magnet is a download, incentive, or “freebie” that someone can receive in exchange with sharing their email with you. Examples of lead magnets that travel agents can offer is an itinerary download, a travel guide, eBook, PDF checklist, and so much more! Click here for a guide to creating lead magnets.

Travefy Academy previously hosted a webinar with Cyndi Williams and discussed the power of lead magnets and how to use them to build your email list. You can watch this webinar below:

Email Sign Up Forms

Another option to gather email addresses is to simply have a form that people can sign up to receive future emails from you. Typically, you can create these forms with the email software tool you use but you can also put together a simple Google Form and embed it onto your website to collect emails. You can also add this to your social media channels too!

Email Marketing Software

So you have your email list, now what? Finding the right tool to use is crucial because it will be the main organizational system of your email addresses and allow you to effectively and efficiently build an email campaign and send marketing. Below are some of the most popular email software tools to use along with pricing. It’s important to note that pricing depends on how large your email address list is with each software so be sure to research how many email addresses you can send to.

• MailChimp (Freemium)
• Emma ($89/month+)
• Constant Contact ($20/month+)
• ConvertKit (Freemium)
• MailerLite (Freemium)
• Drip ($19/month+)
• AWeber ($19/month+)

Pro Tip: If you’re uncomfortable with spending too much money on email marketing, according to the DMA , for every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect an average return of $42!

Other Helpful Software for Email Marketing

There are a lot of additional resources you might rely on for effective email marketing. Below are some of our favorites:

• Unpslash : Get free images to use for email marketing!
• Canva : A great option to easily create graphics.
• Google Forms : A simple solution if you need to collect email addresses outside of your email software tool.

Email Content Ideas

Once you have your email list and software in place, it’s time to start creating email marketing content! Below you will find different ideas to implement for your email marketing strategy.

A Welcome Email

This is especially important if you have an email signup form or lead magnet, consider sharing a simple welcome email to introduce yourself and share links to connect on your social media and website. This is also a great place to showcase your expertise and tell the reader how you can help them in planning their future trips.

According to GetResponse , a welcome email gets an average of 82% open rate!

Promotions and Sales

One of the great things with having an email marketing strategy in place is that it’s an easy way to share upcoming promotions and sales to your clients. You can share supplier promotions and your own!

Business News and Announcements

Be sure to keep your email viewers in the loop with any new business announcements that you might have or keep them up to date on what you’re up to and what you’re adding to your business. For example, if you attended a conference and learned about new suppliers to offer your client amazing experiences, share this with them!

Curated Content of Industry News

You’re the expert and your clients look to you for travel industry updates and news. Share an email linking to various articles that will keep them updated and if you specialize in particular destinations you can curate this news based on where your clients typically travel to.

Blog Posts and Content You’ve Created

If you create content like blog articles on your website, you can always package these articles up in an email for them to check out.

Invitation to Events You Are Hosting

If you are hosting an upcoming live event in-person or online be sure to let your audience know by sending them an email!

Relationship Building

Consider implementing emails that will help build a relationship with your email list. You can send emails for important dates like birthdays, anniversaries, and even check-in emails 1 year after they took their last trip you helped plan.

Email Campaigns

We saved the best for last! Email campaigns are extremely effective and allow you to curate a string of emails that can be automated once a new email address is added to your database. An email campaign can consist of multiple emails that are strategically lined up for the subscriber to receive. Here’s an example of a simple email campaign for new leads that come to you:

Email #1: Welcome Email Introducing the new subscriber to your email and letting them know what to expect and learn more about who you are and what you can provide to them. Email #2: Travel Inspiration Highlight the destinations and travel experiences you specialize in. You can share it in photos and text or link it back to your website that they can further explore. Email #3: Client Testimonies You’re the expert and you’re good at your job so show them this! Share with them reviews and testimonials of past clients and this might encourage them to begin booking travel with you. Email #4: Industry Updates This can be an email that you update once a month but this is another great way to share your expertise so that they know they can come to you for any travel-related questions.

Of course, your email campaign can look different but these are just ideas to help get you started. You can schedule each email to go out once a week or maybe the second email comes three days after the welcome email and the rest come a week later. It’s also helpful to check out the open rates and unsubscribe rates to adjust accordingly if needed.

When Should I Send Emails?

This is one of the most popular questions when sending emails, you want them to be effective but you also don’t want to overdo it sending them to press the unsubscribe button. Unfortunately, when researching through data of this you might see different results which is why it’s important to find what works best for you.

However, according to many resources, including Sleeknote , Tuesday and Thursday are the best days. Typically, weekends should be avoided but there has been data shown that for business-to-consumer emails, weekends actually do well since consumers might be more likely to read their emails on the weekend during more downtime.

Timing is also important! According to optinmonster , 8 am and 4 pm seems to be the best time to send emails.

We would encourage you to always reevaluate what is working and what is not for your email list and adjust accordingly. Feel free to experiment with different times and days as well!

Important notice: Beware of fraudulent recruiter messages on WhatsApp! More details on our LinkedIn profile

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6 Email Marketing Strategies for Travel Agencies

In 2022, online sales channels accounted for two-thirds of the revenue in the global travel and tourism market. Holiday packages are now booked online in 80% of all cases. This only means one thing: a strong digital marketing game is a must if you want to get a spot in the sun in the overcrowded tourism industry .

It's becoming less and less common for travelers seeking a trip planner to walk into a brick-and-mortar travel agency, while most travelers are booking online or using an online travel agent in their research. It’s time to embrace digital marketing and explore the variety of channels that can bring you customers.

Email is among the best ways to stay in touch with prospective clients, and with the help of email marketing you won't have to wait for your prospects to visit your pages or contemplate going to a specific destination. With powerful email copy, you can contact your clients and point them directly to the trips you've been planning most recently or inspire them to plan trips they may not have even considered. 

Throughout this article, we will provide some marketing strategies to help travel agencies in today's digital landscape. Using some of these top tips, you can build an email list and capitalize on these powerful leads to grow your business online. 

Why Email Marketing Matters for the Travel Industry

Travel bookings have increased since the pandemic. Cruises returned to pre-pandemic levels for the second half of 2022. Many other travel companies are experiencing  similar trends, and now the time has come to ramp up your email marketing campaigns so that you can open up a direct line of communication with your customers. 

With the right email strategy you will:

•  keep the audience engaged with new travel promotions,
•  inform your clients about new loyalty programs, 
• ensure that when a hot deal is available.

Your clients will thank you for the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.

Let alone the cost of gaining new customers is reported to be 4-5 times higher than retaining the existing ones. With great service in such an emotion-fueled industry like travel, you will make your clients want to return for more. Why go anywhere else, if they already trust you and know what to expect from booking trips from your company?

Stats show that most internet users prefer to receive their brand communication through email, so an extra effort into email marketing is  your win-win.

How to Nurture Relationships and Travel Far With Subscribers

The content in your email newsletter and marketing campaigns is about building relationships with your subscribers. As a travel agency, stand out from large competitors like Expedia or Kayak by speaking personally to your customers and offering more value with relevant and engaging travel information. 

The best email marketing for travel agencies are more than a consistent sales pitch. We’re all tired of decluttering our inboxes from countless promotions that have nothing to do with our needs and wishes. If you don’t want your letters to end up in the trash box and make your potential clients press the “unsubscribe” button, take your email strategy seriously. 

In the travel agency realms, personalization and value in email marketing are the tickets to unforgettable journeys and lasting customer relationships.

Imagine receiving an email that not only mentions your name but also suggests places you've always dreamt of visiting at an affordable price. It's like having a thoughtful travel buddy who knows your every wish and hunts down the last-minute deals to surprise you. 

Let's see a winning travel agency email to a client example. This email isn't a generic one-size-fits-all brochure. It says 

"Hi Sarah, we noticed you're a fan of active vacation. How about a special deal for Portugal's best surfing destinations?" 

Sarah feels like the agency really understands her and figured out the best possible travel choice for her. A personal touch like this coupled with value-packed offers is what makes customers want to open your emails.

The Best Travel Email Marketing Strategies 

Building your list.

One of the most significant tools you can start with in email marketing for travel agents is growing a substantial customer list. As you accumulate  more subscribers, you’ll get more reliable leads for prospective trips and have a dedicated list of future followers and subscribers interested in traveling and booking with your agency. 

As you continue building your list, make sure you're placing subscription forms along your social media pages and your main website. Focus your digital business effort on creating a funnel to get new subscribers for your list. 

With that, make sure that your email collecting forms aren’t too pushy and won’t discourage visitors from leaving your website. Read our article to learn more . 

As your lists grow, make sure you focus on making subscribers stay subscribed. Benefit your subscribers with promo codes or engaging  information about the latest travel destinations. 

You'll also need tools to stay organized, and email marketing tools like MailChimp are an excellent way to set up autoresponders and provide more personalized responses through travel agency newsletter samples. 

By aligning these tools and providing valuable content, your list will grow organically. 

While building an email  list and segmenting it is the most complicated and time-consuming part of email marketing for travel, consider asking for email services . Save  your time and budget, and avoid rabbit holes.

Creating a branded newsletter

As your list keeps growing and you work on more valuable content to attract a wider audience to your list, you'll need to focus on branding. To draw maximum engagement to your email list, you'll need to create a brand voice newsletter that sets you apart. Send out generic messages regularly, and make sure your newsletter has a perceived value and is uniquely yours . Giving it a name like "Friday Travel Newsletter," and adding your branded character will make it far more appealing than automated emails. 

Visuals that match your company's color scheme and logo will pack a punch. Team up with a graphic designer, analyze your competitor’s branding and create a recognisable visual language. Many travel agents are swamped and lack time to craft top-notch newsletters. A neat template in your corporate style will show you care about your clients a bit more.

Sharing useful information

Make your email list goal-oriented and give value with every email you send. Your email campaigns will focus on promoting your company, growing your list, and converting new sales for your travel agency. Send offers to your email list and create strong sales funnels from the valuable content that you create. The funnel will lead people to the booking pages or contact forms to reach out to you. 

To create these strong funnels, you should improve the open rates for your emails. Start by including email offers like destination guides, time-sensitive deals, and valuable links to apply for visas, or find new accommodation deals. It is essential to add these helpful tips to your email lists and convert this information into a new subscriber, a contact for your list, or a sales inquiry. 

“The content should be interesting, it should add life hacks, real-life stories of how a company's service help customers out. Use good storytelling and wrap it around a given service. I would recommend adding a feedback block to such campaigns, where you can ask customers if they like such content and whether they would like to receive the letters like this in the future.” ‍ Svitlana Fursa Head of Retention, Promodo

Try to balance the amount of information you provide  in your email lists. You don’t want to be too valuable to the point that your customers no longer need you, but share information on the best apps you use about  the minor aspects of your business to tell your customers more about the time and effort you put in and show them your industry expertise. 

Consider reaching out to your subscribers as they are traveling with information on their destination and travel and entertainment tips across  the area they are staying.

Segment your Email list

Emailing a mass newsletter to your customer list can be an excellent first step as you work with a small list. However, do not overestimate the power of segmentation. Send personalized messages to subscribers interested in specific promotions or the ones potentially interested in re-booking a vacation a year after traveling. Setting up campaigns and reminders with your list will help you send highly focused content to your subscribers at the right time they need it. 

Make your emails mobile-friendly

Most of your subscribers will be accessing your email on a mobile device, so make your content mobile-friendly. If you are creating content that only looks good on desktop, you will miss out on conversions. 

Make sure your emails are  scaled to a mobile device screen. This is about keeping copy your concise and using short subject lines and pictures throughout your content. Try to scale images and use faster loading designs to improve a mobile-friendly experience.  

Write strong headlines 

Headlines that make people act and open your emails will boost conversions. Creating a solid sales copy like special sales events or promotional offers will mark a good starting point. Titling emails at Easter for family-friendly destinations customers should book quickly is a good example. Limited-time discounts and promotions will grow your open rate if you don’t overuse it.

As you experiment with headlines that express urgency for your emails, learn the types of language that will help you get more engagement on your email lists. Incorporating humor or a catchy hook to interest the reader can be a powerful way to improve these open rates and strengthen your headlines. Our retention experts recommend testing your emails on small audiences first to see what works best.

The Bottom Line

Email marketing for tourism is a powerful tool. Your email campaigns may guide travelers on unforgettable journeys. When your emails serve tourists like a well-informed travel buddy, your subscribers will eagerly anticipate your messages.

As you continue to nurture relationships with your subscribers, the benefits of email marketing for travel agencies are multifold by:

• Building a substantial list 
• Creating a branded newsletter 
• Sharing valuable insights 
• Segmenting your email list 
• Making your emails mobile-friendly 
• Crafting compelling headlines.

That’s how you help people create lifetime experiences. Isn’t that what keeps you going?

Content Marketing Manager at Promodo

Immersing myself fully in any topic I explore and my appreciation for simplicity are the driving forces behind my work.

Head of Retention Marketing

I've been working in email marketing since 2016. I passed the way from a junior specialist with the thoughts "email is spam in the mailbox?" to the real jedi of retention marketing. I worked with the largest Ukrainian eCommerce projects. I'm keen of the latest technologies and non-standard technical implementations.

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6 Email Marketing Tips For Travel Agents

Travel Quest Network

Travel agents today need a strong digital marketing strategy to engage with their customers. It's not like the old days when people contemplating a trip would walk in the door of a brick and mortar travel agency. This still happens, of course, but it's relatively rare. Today, the vast majority of travelers book their trips and do their research online. There are many digital tools for engaging with customers such as your website and social media pages. One of the best ways to stay in touch, however, is by email. With email, you don't have to wait for people to visit your pages. You can proactively contact them and point them wherever you want them to go. Here are 6 powerful email tactics for travel agents.

1. Build Your List

One of the biggest email marketing challenges is to grow your list. There are quite a few ways to get subscribers.

Use a reliable email marketing service such as MailChimp, Constant Contact, or AWeber. These and similar services, also known as autoresponders, provide many tools for automating your marketing: scheduling, subscription forms, automated responses, newsletter templates, and more.

Place subscription forms in visible places on your website and social media pages. You can test various placements and tactics such as exit popups on your site. Your Facebook page is another premium spot for your form.

Give people a reason to subscribe. Offer benefits that match your specialty (e.g. "To find the best value on Caribbean cruises, subscribe to my newsletter"). You can also offer a lead magnet such as an e-book or report. Another idea is to offer a promo code or discount on one of your services.

2. Create A Branded Newsletter

To get maximum engagement, it's important to contact your subscribers regularly. Creating a newsletter helps you position yourself as an expert and gets people to expect your emails. You can also just send out messages regularly. A newsletter, however, has a higher perceived value and lets you build your brand. Give your newsletter a simple and straightforward name that helps you brand yourself such as "Sue's Travel Tips") and include your logo. Using an automated email service gives you access to many professional looking templates.

Some business owners find the idea of creating a newsletter daunting but there's not much to it. You choose a template, set up a schedule (something else you can do through your autoresponder/email service) and create your content. You don't have to write a long post or essay every time. Most customers are busy and therefore appreciate short and concise writing.

3. Share Useful Information

The main goal of all your marketing is to get more bookings. However, the focus of your email campaigns should be on providing useful information rather than directly promoting. You can include offers in your emails, of course. however, you should also share tidbits such as:

• Destination Guides - Describe attractions, activities, and events in areas you cover.
• Timely Events - Talk about festivals, concerts, holiday celebrations. This overlaps with destinations but the focus can be different. For events, you might list things like Top Music Festivals in Europe, Most Exciting Carnival Celebrations, etc.
• General Travel Tips - Packing, locating the best fares, etiquette in different cultures, etc.
• Useful links. As we'll discuss below, it's best to send subscribers to your own site and other pages. However, you can also include useful links provided they aren't competitors.

You needn't worry about providing too much information so that people don't need your services. Even when customers can do tasks themselves, they often appreciate the convenience of having it done for them. Thus, providing information on travel apps, airlines and cruises isn't going to stop people from booking with you. In fact, it might even help you as you're reminding them how much research they'll have to do if they don't get help! At the same time, you're demonstrating your thorough knowledge of the industry.

4. Use Email To Boost Your Content Marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool to enhance content marketing for travel agents . If you have a blog, for example, you should link to your latest posts in your emails. You can also send traffic to your Facebook page, videos, articles, and any other channels you may be using. Linking to your own content also means you don't have to create tons of content for your newsletter. You can simply entice people with a short summary of your latest content along with a link.

5. Segment Your Email List

Creating a single email list and newsletter is a good first step. However, as your list grows, it's even more powerful to segment your list and send the most appropriate messages to each subscriber. Segmentation isn't that complicated if you're using an autoresponder. For example, you can set up different campaigns associated with different opt-ins. You might set up a sequence of emails to promote tours to different destinations. Some of your readers might be more interested in the Caribbean, others Europe or Asia.

6. Make Your Email Marketing Mobile-Friendly

More and more people are using mobile devices. You need to be prepared for this and make sure your marketing is mobile-friendly. Not only are travelers using smartphones and tablets for research and booking, but they also use them at every stage of their journeys. For example, 64% of travelers now check into flights using mobile devices . There are two main ways to leverage the mobile revolution.

Make sure your emails are easy to view in mobile devices. Keep email copy short and concise. On a similar note, keep subject lines brief so they don't get cut off. Limit the use of images as these can slow down the experience for mobile users.

Reach out to customers while they're traveling. They're likely to open your messages from their phones and may appreciate add-ons you can offer. For example, someone on a trip may want to book a tour or buy a city pass for transportation and entertainment.

Email Marketing: A Powerful Tool For Travel Agents

These email strategies are all helpful for travel agents who want to grow their business and connect with more clients. Email marketing can complement all of your other digital marketing strategies. It helps you acquire new clients and keep in touch with existing ones. With an email list, you can establish your expertise, send traffic to your website, and remind travelers to take advantage of your latest offers. You'll also find that the benefits of email marketing increase over time as your list grows.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Get more marketing with Travel Quest Network. We provide one-one-one expert marketing training, as well as award-winning consumer marketing to the members of our network. Learn more about how Travel Quest Network helps travel professionals who want to thrive.

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Travel Agency Marketing Tip: Setting Up a Professional Email Address

Last Updated February 29, 2024

Setting out on the journey of starting your own travel agency is an adventure. You've planned, dreamed, and brainstormed. One of the things you've come up with is the perfect name. One that resonates with the wanderlust you want to inspire in your clients.

Your travel agency name isn't just a name to you. It's a reflection of your passion, your vision, and the unique experiences you'll offer.

But there's a crucial piece of your business identity (and digital marketing strategy) that you may have overlooked in your eagerness to get started. Your email address.

Or maybe I should say, your  professional  email address.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

What is the difference between a personal and professional email address?

It all comes down to the format of your email address. Is your email address “[email protected]”? Or is it “[email protected]”.

The first, ending in a “gmail.com,” “yahoo.com,” or any other “.com” that isn't your domain name (aka the “www.yourcompanyname.com” where your website lives) is a personal email address.

An email address that ends in your domain name, on the other hand, is a professional, or business, email address.

While it may seem like a small difference, it's a vital part of a strong travel marketing foundation.

Why your email address matters in your travel agency marketing

1) email security and deliverability to potential customers.

Custom email domains have additional security, such as strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, built in to them. Email service providers know that professional accounts require more security than personal accounts, so they build it in to their platform automatically.

A professional email address also makes it more likely that your customer actually receives your email.

Have you ever tried to send an email to a potential client and been told it ended up in their spam folder? It's highly likely that it's because you sent it from a personal email address.

What started out as the easier, quicker option of setting up a personal email address for your business can make it very difficult to connect with potential clients. And that's a huge problem!

Professional accounts automatically include specific authentication that is required for email deliverability, and that authentication isn't readily available on personal email accounts.

You also can't use many email marketing tools (like ConvertKit , my recommendation for email marketing campaigns) with a personal email address because they violate international spam laws. So if you want to use email as part of your content marketing strategy, you need a professional email address.

Flodesk, which is farily popular in the travel industry, will allow  a personal email address. However they don't recommend  using one because email from your travel business will most likely end up in peoples spam folders.

2) Brand awareness and consistency

In an oversaturated market full of travel agents, your brand needs to be consistent. Your email address should be an extension of your business name, not simply include your business name.

Using a personal email for your travel agency might seem inconsequential, but it sends mixed signals about your brand's professionalism. It can dilute the impact of your marketing efforts, making it harder for clients to see you as a trusted advisor and partner for their travel plans.

So if a potential client can find your travel company website at yourtravelagencyname.com, they should be able to email you there as well.

Think of who your target market or target audience is. Are they people who are used to dealing with professionals like attorneys and financial planners? I guarantee you that those professionals are using a professional email address, and that potential customer expects the same level of professionalism from their travel agency.

That professionalism helps assure clients that they're dealing with a travel advisor they can trust with one of their most valuable assets, their leisure time.

3) The suppliers perspective

In the travel industry, your relationship with your suppliers and vendors is your lifeline. It's not just potential clients who can see a personal email address as a red flag. Your suppliers can too.

A personal email address can unintentionally signal to them that your agency isn't a serious business partner. When you use a personal email address, they're more likely to see you as a hobbyist instead of a professional travel agent.

How to set up your professional email address.

I recommend using Google for your professional email address. If you already have a free gmail account you'll find it intuitive and simple to use.

To get started, head to Google Workspace  to set up your account. It's a minimal investment, starting at just $6 per month for a basic account with plenty of storage.

Once you choose your plan, enter some basic information like your business name, the number of employees, and where you're located. You'll need to provide some basic info, like your name and your current email address, and then Google will walk you through the rest of the setup process.

I recommend making your email address simple, just [email protected]. Most suppliers don't like email addresses with things like info@ or contact@, so make sure the main address has your name in it so they know who they're emailing with.

If you'd like to have an email address for new enquiries, you can set up an email alias in addition to your regular email address.

An email alias delivers messages to your inbox, but the address used is different than your main email address. So you can set up [email protected] as an alias if you want to use it for new potential customers to submit enquiries.

Migrating from a personal email to a professional email

Once your professional email address is set up, it's time to start using it. Start by setting up a rule in the personal account you've been using to automatically forward messages to your new, professional account.

When you reply to clients, send everything from your professional account. Make sure you update your email address with suppliers, as well as on your social media accounts, website, and business cards.

The bottom line

Setting up a professional email address for your travel agency is a strategic marketing move. It's about aligning every aspect of your business, from social media marketing to web design, with the professionalism and quality your customers expect from your travel brand.

With these simple steps, you can elevate your travel agency's image, ensuring your first impression is as compelling as the destinations you represent.

Get more travel agency marketing tips here.

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Email Marketing Strategy for Travel and Tourism Industry

According to statistics, 85% of people find that “spending money on travel is an investment worth making,” so the primary goal of travel agencies is to help customers make up their mind. In this entry, we’ll talk about the advantages of email marketing for your travel business and bring real-world examples of how to use it effectively. [contents]

Why is email marketing suitable for the travel industry?

Many travel agencies use email marketing as the main communication channel with their customers, and here are five reasons why:

• It helps you catch warm quality leads and turn them into customers and brand advocates. In fact, 87% of marketers consider email to be the most effective lead generation channel.
• It allows your travel agency to provide customers with details and updates on the date and time of their trip automatically.
• It enables you to create relevant offers based on the previous activity of your subscribers.
• It brings high ROI for the accessible price you pay — up to $38 for every $1 spent .
• It generates good open and click-to-open (CTO) rates , while the number of unsubscribes and spam complaints remains low.

According to Litmus , people start planning vacations mostly from one to three months in advance. This time is enough for you to assist your customers in many ways, with email content too. So, let’s see how you can get high conversions and deliver expectations of your traveling subscribers.

Collect email addresses

Email marketing starts with a mailing list, and travel email marketing is not an exception. To keep your sender reputation high and prevent spam traps from getting into your list , you need to build a list of engaged and active subscribers on your own. If you already have a mailing list make sure to keep it healthy .

Use subscription forms

Introduce a subscription form at the very point that you meet potential customers — on your website, blog, or landing page. So that it is easier to choose from the pop-up, floating, fixed or embedded forms , let’s explore some examples.

You can add an embedded form at any place of your website you find potentially suitable for conversion. Take a look at the example from Worldwide Horizons. Their subscription form is located in the footer, and it’s highly visible thanks to the bright yellow which matches the color scheme of the brand logo, website call-to-action buttons and details resting on the menu bar.

A pop-up, in turn, will appear on the website after a specified time or based on the mouse movement as a visitor navigates across the page. Travel and Leisure use this type of form reinforced with the engaging CTA copy , which contains verbs that encourage actions, pronouns “my” and “I” that speak to website visitors and make them feel more personally connected.

A floating form stays in the specified part of the page and remains there while a visitor scrolls the page. Take a look at this example from Grand American Adventures. The form itself is short, designed in the corporate colors with the clear CTA copy.

By the way, brevity is not obligatory. You can be more specific in your subscription form and describe the benefits of joining your mailing list right in it — just like Vueling Club did in their embedded form:

Offer lead magnets

One of the surest ways to attract new customers is to use a lead magnet — a deal, a discount, a piece of useful content offered in exchange for subscription. For instance, Book It offer $100 in instant savings to new subscribers.

We decided to check if the company sticks to its promises, so we signed up for their emails. And indeed, a few seconds later we received two discount codes directly to our mailbox:

Combine social media and email

Email and social media are effective channels for getting new customers, whereas their combination will even multiply possible results. Your first step should be placing a sign-up button on your Facebook page. Check out this example from Travel and Leisure:

As soon as a person clicks “Sign Up,” a registration form opens up in a new tab. Notice the number of choices a user can make to personalize their inbox:

Afterwards, you can include links to your official social media pages to your travel email marketing campaigns so that your recipients will have a possibility to choose a preferable communication channel. See how Hipmunk incorporated social media buttons in their email footer:

Segment your audience

Travel and tourism companies can boast about having much more personal data than any other industry. This is a real advantage they can use to segment their mailing lists and be more personalized. We offer three ways to segment your audience, but keep in mind that there are a lot more options.

Start with a sign-up form

Ask visitors to choose their email preferences during the sign-up stage. Secret Escapes, for example, provide two different ways, both explained.

Tablet also ask their “one-step-away” subscribers to choose whether they want to receive the deal-packed emails or just the top news.

Invite users to a preference center

Invite users to pick up the content of your emails in their preference centers. Take a look at the example from Kayak — the company places a link to the preference center in the email footer:

The preference center itself looks like this:

Pay attention to the “unsubscribe” option at the end of the page: it should be always visible in case a subscriber is no longer interested in your content.

Jetsetters, in its turn, offer to choose not only the topics themselves but also the frequency of emails for even better customer experience.

Hold a survey

Another option to get to know your subscribers better is by holding a survey. For example, you can ask what types of content they are more interested in. Booking Buddy, for instance, hold surveys on general topics not related to subscribers’ trips and visits to get as much extra information as possible.

Build a behavior-based email marketing strategy

Behavioral emails are automated targeted messages that you send customers based on their interactions with your company through multiple channels — triggers. For travel and tourism agencies such triggers can be the following:

• subscription or registration;
• abandoned browse;
• booking confirmation or cancellation;
• special dates.

Welcome new subscribers

Set up a welcome email that will be launched once a new email address appears on your list. Use this email to

• introduce your company and promote your hot or best-selling tours;
• set expectations for newcomers and invite them to join your social media channels;
• give instructions about how to use your website or order a tour.

Click&Go, for example, provide new subscribers with a clear guidelines on how the service works.

Tablet, for their part, set the expectations of their subscribers right from the beginning.

One more example of a welcome email is from Travel and Leisure. It includes a breath-taking image and a reminder of what a user has subscribed for.

Celebrate special dates

Incorporate milestone emails in your travel email marketing strategy. These are messages used to reward loyal customers with special birthday offers, improve customer retention with can’t-miss anniversary deals, or keep subscribers engaged with extra discounts on the occasion of national holidays.

Below is a colorful email from Britannia Hotels with instructions on how a  person can get their bubbly treat on their birthday:

Another example is a membership anniversary email from Hipmunk with a 10% off inside:

Keep an eye on abandoned searches

Send out automated emails to subscribers who were browsing your website but didn’t order anything. Pick them up right where they left off. To provide an example, we browsed hotels in Spanish resort cities on Booking.com. The day after, an email appeared in our inbox offering hot choices of the deals in the cities we had surfed.

Summing it up

To attract new leads to your travel-related business and nurture them into loyal customers and brand advocates, develop a holistic email marketing strategy:

• Build a mailing list of real users through subscription forms and social media, and don’t forget to offer lead magnets.
• Segment your audience using information you got from their preferences, their choices at the sign-up stage, or results of surveys and tests.
• Set up triggered emails — welcome, abandoned browse, milestone and others. Use Automation 360 to simplify your email marketing routine.

Date of publication:

13 Sep. 2018

Being always on the road, I consider myself a thrill-seeking traveler. I draw inspiration from fresh experiences and meeting new...

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18 Best Email Templates To Use If You Have A Travel Agency [2024]

If you run a travel agency, you probably rely on email quite a bit to communicate with your clients.

As a travel agent, your day-to-day is filled with quote requests, itineraries, planning, customer service, and much more. Having email templates on hand is a great way to maximize your productivity while still ensuring you are taking care of your customers.

Here are 18 free templates you can use for your travel agency.

The Early-Bird Email Template (Off-Season Business)

title=Special Early-Bird Pricing for [[Month or Year]] Hi [[Contact Name]],

It’s not too early to sign up for your [[Year]] [[service offered]]!

Get discounted early-bird pricing by calling us today at [[Contact number]]. Early-bird pricing applies to services booked through [[date]].

Terms and conditions apply [[link to details page on website]].

We look forward to being of service to you in [[Year]]!

[[Agency Name]]

Received Inquiry Confirmation Email Template

title=We received your inquiry! Hello [[Name]],

Thank you for reaching us. We are already working on your inquiry. And will get back to you within [[days/hours]].

In the meantime, feel free to check our FAQ section [[put the link]].

Thank you for your patience,

Learn more about starting a travel agent :

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start a travel agent? -> Pros and cons of a travel agent

Need inspiration?

-> Other travel agent success stories -> Examples of established travel agent

Other resources

-> Profitability of a travel agent

Promotional for a Free Travel Package Email Template

title=All-Expense paid trip to [[Location]], Why Not? Dear [[Recipient's Name]],

Wouldn't you love to go on an all-expense-paid trip to [[Location]] where you could soak in all the beautiful beaches and quaint medieval towns?

Or what about an all-expense-paid trip to [[Location]] where you could take walks in world-famous galleries and take pictures in one of their treasure-filled churches?

Now is your chance!

[[your agency name]] is awarding one of these two trips to a lucky customer. All you need to do is fill out the survey we have enclosed and send it back to us before the 25th of November. We will then add your name to an electronic database that will be used to draw the lucky winner on the [[date]]!

The winner will be receiving a free vacation package for one of the two destinations mentioned above. This prize will cover airfare, accommodations, and will also include a check for $10,000 as pocket money!

So, fill out the survey now! It will only take about ten minutes of your time but will give you a chance to go on a 3-day long vacation! Thank you and good luck!

[Agency Name]]

Travel and Services Sales Email Template

title=We've got something to offer! Dear [[Prospect's Name]],

Planning the perfect vacation means having all the right information. [[Name of your Agency]] is here to help you out with that.

We can give you everything you need to know to plan your trip, including lists of hotels, tour guides, tour packages, and so much more. We can even arrange the details according to the specifics you need.

All you have to do is get in touch with one of our travel agents, either by email or telephone. Call us at [[your agency number]] or send an email inquiry to [[agency email]].

Let us help you plan for an ultimate getaway. Get in touch with us today!

[[Sender's Name]]

Referral Request Email Template

title=Request for a potential referral Hi [[Contact Name]],

I first want to thank you again for choosing us for your [[service type]] needs. We’re so glad that we’ve been able to exceed your expectations.

And, in fact, I’m reaching out because I was wondering if you would be willing to vouch for us to a potential prospect we’ve been in contact with. All we need from you is to complete the [[form, survey, attached document, etc.]] and return it to us.

We would really appreciate the help if you have the time, but totally understand if not. Either way, we look forward to doing more travel and vacation plans work for you.

[[Agency name]]

Survey Feedback Request Email Template

title=Tell us how we’re doing in a brief survey Dear [[Contact Name]],

As one of our preferred customers, your feedback is of the utmost importance to [[your agency name]]. We are constantly striving to provide the ideal experience for our customers, and your input helps us to define that experience. That being said, if you could take a minute to post a review on [[review platform]], we would so appreciate it.

We hope to see you again soon!

Best regards,

Thank You Email Template

title=Hi [[Client Name]], thank you for booking your tour activity with us! Hello [[Client Name]],

We are so happy you were a part of our [[experience]] in [[location]].

We hope you enjoyed learning about the history of the city and got some great snaps of our unique architecture.

You’ll find a photo of you and the entire tour group enclosed in this message. If you want to see more pictures of you and the group, you can find them on our Facebook page. We would love it if you share or tag us in some of your photos, too!

Thanks again for booking with us and we hope you’ll visit us again!

[[Your name]]

Travel Agency Introduction to Client Email Template

title=Planning a summer holiday? Hi [[Contact Name]],

We are very enthusiastic to present our travel agency, [[agency name]]. Our well-established travel agency has been in the industry for more than twelve years. We are experts in every minor detail of this business and have been recognized by many people within these years. Our firm has familiarized the difficulty and aggravations of attaining visas and passports. So here we are, to deliver you the tension-free foldaway.

No matter whether you want to travel national or international, we offer the best class service for you. We provide our clients with the best sightseer & recreational spots and finest guesthouses at economic prices. Our services are prompt and way more competent.

People having traveling experience with us, are evidence of our exceedingly efficient and advanced services. They have submitted their high-quality experience of traveling with our company on our website. If you are fascinated with it and want to have you share, kindly let us know & we will shortly reach you.

We label ourselves as leading, innovative, and highly efficient and look forward to demonstrating these qualities at the earliest possible chance.

Thank you for your consideration.

[[Agency Contact No]]

[[Agency Email Address]]

[[Agency Website]]

Letter for Change of Address Email Template

title=Change of Address Dear Clients,

Hope this letter finds you in the best of your spirits. This letter is to inform you about the change in our address.

We have shifted our business location from [[old address] to [new address].

Kindly make sure to communicate at this new address for a proper response, and customer care.

Thanks, and Best Regards,

[[Company Name]]

[[Company Contact No]]

[[Company Email]]

[[Company Website]]

Travel Agent Introduction Email Template

title= Are you ready to getaway? Hi [[Contact Name]],

I, [[Agent Name]] will be serving you as your travel agent. I would like to thank you for choosing my travel agency, [[Agency Name]] for planning your vacation. I will make sure that you have the best value for your money through my services.

I have been working in this field for 10 years. Therefore, you can completely rely on me when it comes to experience and knowledge. I shall consider your requirements and budget to plan a very well-organized, comfortable, and fun trip for you and your family.

Kindly give me a call this week in your spare time and let me know when we can arrange a meeting. I would like to discuss your requirements and my recommendations so that I can plan a customized trip.

Looking forward to your call.

[[Agent Name]]

Travel Follow Up Marketing Letter to Loyal Customers

title=A good deal is always good news Dear [[Recipients Name]],

We appreciate that you have been such a loyal patron of [[Agency Name]].

For this upcoming summer, we would like to ask for your help. We have just finished the creation of several summer tour packages and would like you to refer some of your colleagues, members of your family, or friends who may be interested. We'd like to send them some brochures and put them on our mailing list so that we can give them the necessary updates.

We would be more than happy to provide you with compensation for your assistance. Thus, we guarantee you that for every referral that you give us, we'll be taking off 10% on your next tour or booking with us! Imagine how few names it would take for you to avail of a free trip from [[Agency Name]]!

You can send us your referrals by filling out the form we have enclosed.

We are very excited to hear back from you. If you have any further questions about our Referral Program, please don't hesitate to give us a call at [[agency number]].

Thank you very much!

[[Senders Name]]

Reservation Receipt Email Template

title=Reservation Receipt Email From [[your agency name]] Hi [[Client Name]],

Your reservation request for [[Hotel Destination]] has been submitted. We want to be clear that this is not a confirmed reservation. Not yet, at least.

Your potential host, [[Hotel Name]], has 24 hours to respond to your request, but most of our hosts reply more quickly than that! Once [[Hotel Name]] accepts or declines your reservation, we'll let you know.

We have authorized your payment method for [[Amount]], the full amount of the reservation. If your request is declined or expires, you will not be charged.

[[photo of the booking information]]

Reservation Confirmation Email Template

title=Confirmation of Reservation for [[Client Name]] Hi [[Client Name]],

This is the confirmation mail of the reservation of the [[Hotel Name]] in [[Location]]. Please go through the flight and accommodation details so that if there is any mistake it can be rectified at the right time.

As per your request, we have booked [[how many]] air tickets in the business class with [[Airline]]. The booking is made in the name of [[Bookers' Names]] with the age [[their ages]] years respectively. The tickets are for date [[Date]] from [[Location]] to [[Destination]]. Your accommodation reservation is done at the [[Hotel]] located at a [[exact location from the airport]]. You are confirmed for a stay of [[number]] days and [[number]] nights, from [[Date]] to [[Date and Year]]. The hotel rooms have spacious balconies with beach views.

I want to make clear that if you want any kind of change in the reservation then please inform within 24 hours of this confirmation letter after which any request won’t be entertained. Rest we assure you that you won’t face any problems with the proposed trip.

Thanks and Have a Good Day!

Follow Up Sales After Promo Introduction Email Template

title=Special promo just for you! Dear [[Recipients Name]],

During the last week of [[Month]], we sent you a brochure of our new products. Since we have already established a good long-time working relationship, we gave you a special promo for the month of [[Month]] to order them at discounted rates. [[Month]] is about to end soon and so is the promo yet we still did not hear anything from you. You are probably busy and might have overlooked our special offer for you.

From our years of working with each other, we have known you to be a man who greatly values customer satisfaction. You have always wanted to provide your customers with great products. If you would just take the time to peruse the brochure, you might find some things that would interest you.

If you decide to order now, we can give you a 15% off on the total amount of your purchase on top of the 10% on the individual product rates. So hurry and make your order before the promo period ends!

Travel Agency Business Proposal Letter

title=Collaboration request from [[Agency Name]] Dear [[newspaper owner]],

This is the very first collaboration I am making with you. I would like straightly to come to the point; we are a fresh travel organization firm positioned in the city. We are offering some prodigious travel packages for the new year. The strategies and packages are for both coast-to-coast and global visits. We are proposing incredible concession plans for populate in the city.

Your newspaper is widespread in the realm and masses read it regularly. It would be an honor to work with your organization to make known my concern to the people. Our commercial policy spins around the requirement to deliver class service to our customers.

We are completely focusing on the process of entirely nourishing their desires. This is going to get started through the enrolment of a specialized squad. We are also working hard on the delivery of better quality conventional plan travel packages, meeting & fulfilling the customer’s essential wants.

The company as well anticipates having brochures in unique designs. We also intend to have other marketing material that will empower regulars to know about the benefits of availing these services & to understand the categories of facilities we propose.

I have hemmed in the rate graph along with the letter to make it easy for you to create an eye-catching ad for us.

For additional figures or interrogations, you are welcome to communicate with me by phone [[ agency contact number]] or email [[agency email]].

Vacation Package Offering Email Template

title=Vacation made possible with [[Agency Name]] Dear [[Recipient's Name]],

How would you like to visit the beautiful country of [[Location]] to experience their fantastic food, inspiring culture, and incredible scenery for [[how many days and nights]]?

How would you like to stay at one of the top hotels in [[Location]] while you're there?

How would you like to pay just [[amount]] for all of that?

This vacation is all now a possibility with [[your agency name]]! We'll provide you with flight transfers, and accommodations for just [[amount]]! Just think about what that means regarding your potential savings!

This proposal is no joke. We are dead serious about the offer that we're making. All you need to do is give our customer hotline a call at [[contact number]] before the [[date]]. You do have to be of legal age, however, to avail of this offer.

Don't delay any further. Call us today so we can start planning your fabulous vacation. We hope to talk to you soon!

Trip Sales Email Template Sample

title=Don't miss this out! Dear [[Contact Name]],

I am pleased you selected [[Agency Name]] for your upcoming vacation in Italy. Our company offers the best packages for hassle-free vacations at the most reasonable prices. Italy is a place brimming with glorious places and splendid scenes. Cities like Venice and Florence are an exquisite blend of nature as well as classical craftsmanship. Our ten-day tour to Italy is devised to give our customers the finest taste of the picturesque cities and their rich cultural heritage. In this one-of-a-kind trip to Italy, you will experience a myriad of wonders; splendid countrysides and wines of Tuscany, the eternal city of Rome, private gondola ride in Italy’s famed Venice, boat ride to the surrounding islands, and Micheanglo’s legendary David, a masterpiece from the Renaissance Era.

The destinations included in the trip are Rome, Florence, Tuscany, and Venice; also known as the Jewels of Italy. The transportation for moving within the cities will also be included in the package. In addition, we will also provide you with an English-speaking tour guide to help you explore Italy and make the most of your trip.

Our standard prices start off from $5,500 per person for our Economy Package; the accommodation for this package is in a three-star hotel, such as the Hotel Al Paive. The Star Package costs $8000 per person, with accommodation in a four-star hotel such as the Hotel Berchielli. Our Deluxe Package costs $11,000 per person with accommodation in a five-star hotel, such as the Ritz-Carlton. These prices are exclusive of airfare. The prices may also vary depending on the type of transportation you want to choose; for instance, public bus, subway, taxi, or a private car. The current price is quoted for a private car.

Also, as the summers are approaching, the prices in the travel market is peaking due to the rush-season; yet, we are offering a special discount up to 10% until the first week of June. I would highly advise you to make your bookings with us as soon as possible, as the current prices are likely to go up several thousands of dollars in the coming weeks.

Your inclination to choose our company for your trip reflects astuteness; since Gleaming Horizons Travel Agency is a well-reputed company working relentlessly to provide luxurious vacations for couples and families for over a decade. We will ensure that you have a smooth trip without any complications and that you bring back many perfect memories.

Please do not hesitate to place your order right away. As mentioned earlier, the discounted prices are only available for six more days; i.e. the first week of June. You may inquire with other travel agencies if you wish. I guarantee you will find our company’s prices are the lowest for the caliber of quality we are providing for all our services.

To book your trip, please email us at [email protected] with detailed information about the number of people traveling, names of the individuals as mentioned in the passports, and your selected package; i.e Economy Package, Star Package, or Deluxe Package. Or call at our booking office – UAN: 800-111-22-33.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely, [[Name]] [[Ageny Name]]

Needy Customers Response Email Template

title=Regarding your queries, [[Mr./Ms. Name]], Hi [[customer name]],

Thanks for reaching out to us with your queries. We would love to solve your issue and we think phone calls are the best way to go about it.

Would you love to get on a call with us to discuss this? Please do get back to us with your available timings and kindly leave a number so that we can call.

We look forward to taking care of your issues. Thanks for choosing us.

[[Agency Contact No.]]

25 Travel Agency Email Subject Lines You Can Use

Here's a list of 25 popular email subject lines you can use for your Travel Agency

• Sure, it's possible to land a cheap flight. Let us help you
• Hey! Look at this! It's a vacation deal!
• You deserve the trip of a lifetime.
• Planning Your Mini-Vacay?
• Need a last-minute flight?
• Are you curious about our personalized service?
• You're going to love this… Now you can escape to over 500 destinations
• Are you getting enough sunshine this summer?
• Check out 50% Off Call of the Wild at Super Summer Sale
• What location is perfect for your next escape?
• Let me help you find a vacation you'll never forget!
• The Perfect Destination For Birthday Getaway
• Need help planning your next vacation?
• Are you a travel addict?
• Hello traveler, you have found a treasure! Let us show you
• Book your flight now and get thousands of miles bonus!
• Your dream vacation is only a click away
• Your summer vacation is about to get interesting
• Forget the stress of travel.
• Your destination is waiting
• You don't want to miss out on these deals
• You've got the plan. We've got the room. It's all
• Where would you like to go?
• Travel hasn't been the same without you!
• How you can win the ultimate travel experience

Below we detail the most common questions as it relates to Travel Agency for email.

How to market a travel agency?

• Add variety to your social media posts.
• Send direct mail to your clients.
• Practice your 30-second commercial.

How to become a travel agent?

• Focus on a specialty.
• Develop and market your brand.
• Create a business plan.

How is email marketing used in the travel industry?

• Attract and retain new customers.
• Convince people to take a trip even if they weren’t planning to.
• Give customers a way to connect with your travel business on social media and develop a better relationship.

There we have it: some smashing email templates for your viewing pleasure. Emails are a way of strengthening your connection with your customers. The templates and emails above can guide you through the process of building trust and rapport with your customers and prospects.

We hope you have found them helpful and get plenty of inspiration for your email marketing campaigns.

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• How Much Does It Cost To Become A Travel Agent? (In 2024) 5 of 5

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9 Effective Ways to Market Your Travel Agency

Written by: KHM Staff on December 14, 2017

Marketing your business to your clients is an important part of being a travel agent. Managing your social media accounts, website, CRM, blogs, and emails, plus staying on top of new travel deals and booking your clients–there’s always so much to do!

Are your efforts bringing in the business that you hoped for? When looking at your marketing plan for the year, consider adding one or more of these ideas into the mix.

Practice your 30-second commercial.

Often called an “elevator speech,” this is your opportunity to explain your business in a succinct message. Whether you’re walking into the grocery store or attending your child’s school function, you’re bound to bump into someone you know. Having your 30-second commercial  prepared is essential to marketing your travel agency stumbling over the words to explain it each time. Attending Boot Camp at our corporate office will help you perfect your pitch.

Create a monthly email newsletter.

Developing a short email sent from myTravelCRM or Mailchimp is an easy, efficient way to keep in contact with your clients. Your newsletter content should focus on the current travel season. Whether it’s engagement season, summer break, or time to deck the halls, email your clients on a consistent basis to give them travel ideas and tips for all occasions! KHM Travel Agents can utilize email templates in myTravelCRM for more content ideas.

Add variety to your social media posts.

Inspire your followers with content based on new travel deals, industry news, packing tips, destination highlights, and holiday posts! Add life to your with these suggestions:

• Consider setting up a theme for each day to help with consistency.  For example, Travel Tip Tuesday. 
• Share eye-catching photos from your own travel or from supplier websites and include short, attention-grabbing captions .
• Subscribe to emails from travel publications like Travel + Leisure and Travel Weekly to share their news articles to your pages.
• Subscribe to travel agent supplier Facebook pages for shareable contact posted regularly.  
• Look on Pinterest for packing must-haves to share on your pages!
• Search suppliers’ YouTube channels and share interesting, informational videos to your page. Be sure you are using supplier content and not the content of other travel agents. 
• KHM Travel Group Agents can read  Agent Access Weekly emails to learn about the newest travel deals. Post about the latest sales by pairing your content with appropriate graphics or supplier resources !

Scheduling posts is a great way to make sure you are consistent. 

Set up a booth at a local trade show or fair.

Find the perfect trade show by checking your local chamber of commerce, event center schedule, fairgrounds, or even call your nearest mall to set up a table or booth during a specific time. Broadcasting your business to potential clientele is the best way to amp up your leads list. KHM Travel Group has tips to prepare our agents to work a tradeshow .

Start a referral program.

Marketing by word of mouth requires minimum effort and is low-cost! Boost your sales by asking your clients to refer a friend to your travel business or to simply keep you in mind when someone mentions travel. Add an extra incentive with a referral program. Gift cards are a great way to reward clients for referrals.

Do a giveaway.

Giving out items with your travel agency’s information creates wide, visual exposure for your business. Think of low-cost giveaways that your clientele would enjoy and possibly use while traveling. We suggest visiting 4imprint to brainstorm ideas.

Advertise locally.

From bulletin ads to newspapers to pizza boxes, there are advertising opportunities everywhere. Putting your business name, logo, and contact information out publicly lets others know that your services are available and can boost your public relations image . Since some ideas will be more of an investment than others. Start small by putting an ad in the local school directory or your church bulletin and see if the response meets your expectations. 

Send direct mail to your clients.

Every day your clients come home to a mailbox full of bills, newspapers, and the occasional note from grandma. Add a little variety and a personal touch to your client communications by sending them something from their favorite travel agent! For special occasions like birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, or congratulations for a life event, consider hand-writing a card or letter.

Don’t forget to put a “travel” spin on your message.  For example, in an anniversary card add, “During these special times, couples often plan an anniversary trip, renewal of their vows, or just a romantic getaway as a celebration of their love. [YourAgencyName] will plan the perfect time for you and your spouse, so you can focus on each other. If I can be of any assistance to you, please contact me.”

The Engagement program through Travel Leaders Network is another great resource for low cost, professional looking, direct mail marketing.   

Plan a travel night.

By hosting a travel night, clients can learn more about a specific destination, tour or cruise. If you choose, you can even offer an exclusive booking incentive. Host this night in your home, event space, or restaurant depending on the number of attendees. Supplier BDMs are great resources to tap into when planning a travel night.

Keeping in contact with your clients is crucial to developing your business. When developing your marketing plan, keep an eye out for creative ideas that will attract your target audience. Be consistent with your timing, your message, and use the tools available to you through your host agency.   

Are you looking to be a successful travel agent ? KHM Travel Group’s travel agents have access to support for their independent business. Download our free guide by completing the form to the right or by calling 1-888-611-1220.

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Travel marketing for agencies: Latest strategies and SMS solutions

Travel agencies face the challenge of growing and acquiring new customers in a highly competitive industry. This sector has been expanding alongside internet usage and the increasing availability of travel opportunities worldwide.

Table of contents

The travel industry has been expanding shoulder to shoulder with the internet, making digital marketing a key component of growing a travel agency business. Faced with the challenge of captivating an audience with a myriad of choices at their fingertips, travel agencies are now turning to innovative strategies to stand out in a crowded market.

From the immersive experiences of virtual reality tours to the targeted precision of Google and social media ads, there are unprecedented opportunities to engage potential travelers. Read on for an overview of fresh and effective digital marketing strategies that travel agencies can implement to attract and retain a loyal customer base.

9 Marketing strategies for travel agencies

For travel agencies looking to capture the attention of wanderlust-filled consumers, integrating innovative strategies is key. Whether you’re aiming to leverage the latest in digital marketing or refine traditional tactics, these strategies offer a roadmap to success in the competitive travel industry.

1. Showcase destinations in well-crafted videos

Video presentations stand at the forefront of digital marketing for travel agencies. They offer a dynamic and immersive way to showcase the scenery, culture, architecture, and general vibe of a travel destination. With the help of professional video production, travel agencies can transport viewers to their dream destinations, sparking the wanderlust that drives bookings.

Creating vertical videos that can be shared on popular social media platforms further enhances reach and engagement. Short-form travel videos also have a high potential of becoming viral and leading to huge sales of travel packages in record time.

2. Give clients a free trial of your destinations with VR

Virtual Reality (VR) transforms travel marketing into an immersive experience. With the help of a VR set, you can enable travelers to virtually explore the destinations, experiences or attractions you have on offer.

This immersive preview not only aids in decision-making but also builds anticipation and excitement. Travel agencies adopting VR can differentiate themselves by providing an innovative and interactive “free trial” of their travel packages.

3. Optimize your website for Google search

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial for making travel agencies visible in a crowded online space. By optimizing website content with relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and quality backlinks, agencies can improve their search engine ranking, making it easier for potential clients to discover them on Google and other search engines.

If you want to get more foot traffic traffic to your physical location, start doing local SEO by claiming a Google my Business profile or optimizing your pages for relevant “near me” searches.

4. Invest in Google and social media ads

Online paid advertising is pivotal in enhancing a travel agency’s online visibility and reaching potential travelers effectively. Google Ads specifically target users who are actively searching for travel-related terms and bring highly qualified leads to your website.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer complex targeting options, including interests, demographics, and behaviors, allowing agencies to tailor their messages to the ideal traveler profile. Social media ads can be crafted to inspire and captivate, using stunning visuals and enticing narratives that resonate with users’ travel aspirations.

5. Encourage travelers to share their experiences online

User-generated content (UGC) , such as reviews, photos, and social media posts, serves as a powerful endorsement for travel agencies. Clients can offer an engaging and authentic perspective of the travel experiences you offer that helps build trust in your brand. Social media posts created by your clients are highly likely to attract other like-minded travelers who will want to book with your agency and create a community around your brand.

6. Offer a loyalty program

Loyalty programs are a great way to encourage clients to book again. By offering points, exclusive deals, and special perks to returning travelers, travel agencies can encourage travelers to rely on them for their vacation plans for the foreseeable future. These programs not only enhance customer retention but also create brand advocates who are likely to recommend the agency to their peers.

7. Get travel influencers on board

Due to the trust and emotional connection influencers build with their audience , influencer marketing works similarly to word-of-mouth but on a huge scale, thanks to the popularity of social media platforms today. By partnering with travel influencers whose followers align with the agency’s target market, agencies can gain access to a highly engaged audience. Influencers’ authentic storytelling and visually appealing content can inspire their followers to explore new destinations through the agency.

8. Collaborate with local businesses

Collaborating with local businesses, such as restaurants, tour operators, and cultural sites, can create unique travel packages that offer authentic experiences. These partnerships allow travel agencies to differentiate their offerings and provide added value to travelers. Local collaborations can also enhance the agency’s reputation as a provider of bespoke and authentic travel experiences.

9. Include SMS in your marketing strategy

SMS marketing offers a direct and effective channel for engaging with travelers. With high open rates, text messages can deliver timely promotions, updates, and reminders to travelers’ mobile devices. This strategy is particularly effective for last-minute deals, booking confirmations , and customer service, providing a personal touch that enhances the travel experience.

Each of these strategies offers a unique way to connect with and engage travelers in the digital age. By integrating these approaches, travel agencies can create a comprehensive digital marketing plan that enhances visibility, engages potential travelers, and drives bookings. Naturally, text messaging is the marketing tool we’re actually most excited to talk about.

SMS marketing for travel agencies

Travel agencies often face issues beyond their control that can negatively impact their clients’ experience and perception of your business. Air travel delays or cancellations, lost luggage, severe weather, and accommodation inadequacy are among the few issues that can come up and mess up travelers’ plans.

Business SMS communication allows travel agencies to quickly address clients’ concerns and discontent with the help of features such as text message automation , auto-responders , templates , distribution lists, and more.

Text messages can reach a high number of clients instantly, without the need for an internet connection or installing additional software, and it also doesn’t disrupt travelers’ activities as they can choose if and when to reply to texts sent by their travel agency.

SMS marketing use cases for travel agencies

Advertise travel promotions and new itineraries.

• Target customers with SMS promotions and deals: By using past purchase information or feedback, set up marketing lists so that you can offer customers deals that they’re more likely to be interested in and increase sales and customer engagement.
• A/B test text message promotions on fresh leads: Most of the customers in your database probably haven’t purchased anything yet. In this case, you can use A/B testing to see what kind of destinations and experiences they react to so you know how to target them with campaigns accurately.
• Use subscription rewards to capture leads: You can set up a subscriber rewards campaign on your website or even in the physical office of your travel agency. Whether it’s offering a discount on a flight, hotel, or car rental or giving them a voucher for a free coffee at the airport, opt-in rewards are a great way to expand your contact database.

Send helpful reminders and updates

Text message reminders can be general such as heads up for their check-in and flight time or uber-specific details about their booked experiences and itineraries. Sending your customers tips and ideas that will make their trip better is also an excellent way to increase customer satisfaction. Some ideas could be:

• Alert travelers about important booking or flight changes: “Hi Jack! Your 11 a.m. flight from New York to Paris has moved to 4 p.m. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Please feel free to contact us at this number for more information.”
• Let them know what time they should check in for their flight: “Hi Jane, I just wanted to remind you to check in for your 10 a.m. flight from San Francisco to Philadelphia tomorrow by 8 a.m. See you then!”
• Confirm bookings instantly: Automated hotel booking confirmations, train reservation confirmations, or flight confirmations sent via the Textmagic SMS API will instantly deliver peace of mind to your customers.
• Give them weather updates for their destination: “Hi Jack, you might want to pack a winter jacket for your trip. The high in Paris tomorrow will be 44 °F and the low 29 °F”.
• Give them travel tips for their destination: “Hi Jill, did you know Madrid is home to one of Spain’s oldest bullfighting rings? Check out this link for more sites and attractions”.
• Let them know about airline policy changes: “Hi John, just wanted to make sure you’re updated on American Airlines’ new baggage policy for international flights (include link)”.

These messages accomplish a couple of things. First, they reduce the workload of your ground staff by decreasing the number of phone calls and misunderstandings they might encounter regarding check-ins, baggage policies, etc. Second, they provide valuable and personalized information to the customer that goes beyond regular customer service, improves the overall experience for the customer, and, as a result, increases their loyalty.

Get feedback from travelers

Invite travelers to offer feedback about business-to-customer communication, the destinations and experiences you offered, make sure you know what their general perception of your brand and services is. You can either send an automated text after they come back from a trip to invite them to complete an online survey or use SMS polls. Use the information you gather to address criticisms and low-scoring areas of your travel services.

According to ThinkJar stats , 70% of companies providing the best-in-class customer experience use customer feedback (as opposed to an industry average of 50%). Feedback is the ideal way to plan your customer service strategies. A poll not only gives you helpful information about your customers’ experiences, but it also sends them the message that their opinions are important to you.

Business text messaging benefits for travel agencies

For travel agencies eager to expand their reach and elevate the traveler experience, embracing the benefits of business text messaging could be the game-changer they need. Here are the main advantages:

Large audience reach

Sending text messages is easy and cost-effective, and there are fewer communication barriers between the company and customers. People are able to receive your text on any phone, without requiring an internet connection or installing any additional apps.

Increased customer satisfaction

SMS as a customer service solution has been receiving much attention because it’s fast, reliable, and personal, yet not disruptive. In an industry where customer satisfaction hugely influences people’s decisions to stick with a brand or go on to the next one, SMS becomes an opportunity to stay ahead of the curve.

Easy customer database growth

Website visitors are high-intent leads you should take full advantage of. Get them on your marketing lists with website sms subscribe forms . Create a customized form in the Textmagic web app, copy the generated code, and simply embed it into your website.

Boost productivity

Beyond marketing, SMS is a great channel for internal communication and can be used to streamline the efforts of your team or increase the productivity of customer care representatives.

Useful SMS templates for travel agencies

Attract more customers and build loyalty with our cost-effective SMS templates for travel agencies.

Last-minute deals

Retargeting deals, holiday package offers, discounted flights, customer feedback, flight reminders, business texting features for your travel agency.

Sign up for a Textmagic trial and improve your marketing strategy and communication with our easy-to-use SMS features :

• Incoming SMS automation: Automatically and instantly respond to customer requests via SMS and improve their satisfaction.
• Zapier SMS integrations: Integrate with your favorite apps to automate your marketing campaign and increase revenue.
• Global SMS coverage: Reach customers in 190+ countries and 1,000 mobile networks and receive responses from them.
• Scheduled text messages: Automatically send alerts and reminders at specific times to raise customers’ loyalty.
• Long text messages: Send travel texts up to 918 characters in length to include more useful information.
• SMS distribution lists: Segment your audience and send targeted travel offers via the Email to SMS service.

By embracing the outlined techniques, travel agencies can enhance their market presence, engage more effectively with potential customers, and secure a stronger foothold in the global travel market.

Success in this sector is not just about reaching out — it’s about connecting meaningfully with travelers and offering them unforgettable experiences. As the industry continues to evolve, so too should the marketing approaches of travel agencies, ensuring they remain at the forefront of travelers’ minds in a world of endless opportunities.

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• SMS product launch checklist
• 1. Create a product launch plan
• 2. Generate awareness and engagement before the launch
• 3. Make an impression on launch day
• 4. Keep the excitement going post-launch
• New product launch message samples
• Conclusions

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Small Business Trends

How to start a travel agency.

If you buy something through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more .

If you love to travel, are highly organized and enjoy working directly with people, becoming a travel agent is an awesome career choice.

You’d think with the ease of using search engines on the internet; the travel business wouldn’t be thriving. But it is.

According to statistics, a person may spend (waste) 20 hours on internet research before booking a flight. The internet is clogged with info, which is why the benefits of using a travel agent will always be valuable to most travelers.

What is a Travel Agency Business?

A travel agency is a company that provides travel and tourism booking services and planning for people. This can include making arrangements for things such as air travel, vehicle rental, hotels/lodging and travel insurance. Before you get started, find out how do travel agents make money and see if you can find out new ways to generate income.

Travel agencies can offer a wide range of services, including:

• Booking flights and hotels: Travel agencies can help you find the best deals on flights and hotels. They can also book your transportation and accommodation and even help you with things like visa applications and currency exchange.
• Planning itineraries:  Travel agencies can help you plan your itinerary, taking into account your interests and budget. They can also recommend popular tourist destinations and activities.
• Offering travel insurance:  Travel agencies can help you purchase travel insurance, which can protect you in case of flight cancellations, lost luggage, or medical emergencies.
• Providing customer service:  Travel agencies provide customer service to help you with any problems that may arise during your trip.

There are two main types of travel agencies:

• Retail travel agencies:  These agencies sell travel packages to the general public. They typically have a physical location, such as a storefront or a call center.
• Wholesale travel agencies: These agencies sell travel packages to other businesses, such as airlines, hotels, and tour operators. They typically do not have a physical location and operate online or through a call center.

Starting a travel agency business can be a great way to turn your passion for travel into a successful business.

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Travel Agency?

The cost of starting a travel agency can vary depending on a number of factors, including the size of the agency, the location, and the type of services offered. However, in general, you can expect to spend anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars to get started.

Here are some of the expenses you’ll need to consider when starting a travel agency:

• Business license and permits:  You’ll need to obtain a business license and any necessary permits from your local government. The cost of these fees will vary depending on your location.
• Travel agency software:  You’ll need to purchase or lease travel agency software to manage your bookings and reservations. The cost of this software will vary depending on the features and functionality you need.
• Marketing and advertising:  You’ll need to invest in marketing and advertising to reach potential customers. The cost of this will vary depending on the channels you use and the reach you want to achieve.
• Office space:  If you plan to have a physical office, you’ll need to rent or lease space. The cost of office space will vary depending on the location and the size of the space you need.
• Staffing:  If you plan to hire employees, you’ll need to factor in the cost of salaries, benefits, and training.

In addition to these expenses, you’ll also need to factor in the cost of travel, meals, and other expenses associated with booking travel for your clients.

The good news is that there are a number of ways to reduce the cost of starting a travel agency. For example, you can use free or low-cost marketing channels like social media and email marketing. You can also start your agency as a home-based business, which can save you on the cost of office space.

How Much Can You Make Owning a Travel Agency?

The average salary for someone working for an established agency is $19 per hour. The average annual earnings for independent travel agents is $36,000. That varies depending on your geographical location and the type of travel business you’ve chosen as a specialty.

18 Important Steps to Start Your Own Travel Business

Here are key steps to take to get your start in the travel industry. You should decide early whether you want to work for a travel company or work on starting a travel agency.

1. Complete Relevant Training

Colleges and business schools offer associate and four-year degrees in tourism. There are some independent educators, such as The Travel Institute , which offer certifications.

All these studies will include courses in business management, marketing, accounting and customer service. As part of ongoing education, you should also keep tabs on international affairs and weather events.

2. Look at the Competition

Agencies in the travel industry typically offer all types of services but specialize in a certain niche. For example, some travel agencies focus on luxury travel, and some focus on the adventure travel industry.

Savvy travel agents know their competition well, especially before starting their own business.

3. Choose Between Host Agency, Independent Travel Agent, and Franchise

Under the umbrella of a host agency, you can work as an hourly or salaried employee. In addition to your regular pay, you may be eligible to earn commissions.

If you’re starting a travel agency, you’ll be working independently. Your source of pay will be the fees you charge clients plus commissions you earn from travel suppliers – such as airlines, hotels and rental vehicle companies. Some businesses function solely as online travel agencies, often focusing on arranging corporate travel.

You can also opt to purchase a franchise, such as Dream Vacations . A franchise will provide training programs. Both a host agency and a franchise have the advantage of existing vendor partnerships.

4. Find a Specific Niche and Target Market

Maybe your idea of a dream vacation is renting bicycles and traveling to an Inn in New England. Or you might prefer canoeing wilderness rivers, and staying in tents. Maybe you’d like to book an all-inclusive trip, where the price includes airfare, lodging, food and beverages.

Your preferences aren’t what’s most important. You need to think about your potential clients and customers. Learn the demographics of your local community area and the average income of potential customers.

5. Choose a Business Name and Register Your Travel Agency

Before you lock in on the name, go to the website for your secretary of state. That’s where businesses are registered. You can check to make sure the name you’d like to use isn’t similar or the same as a travel agency already in existence before you spend money on business cards or a website.

6. Write a Travel Agency Business Plan

Here are some helpful tips for making your business plan. A business plan should include key elements of a business plan for travel companies:

• New business name and website
• Business physical location
• Business Structure
• Niche in the industry
• Forming partnerships (cruise lines, hotels, rental companies, etc.), especially once you’ve been a travel professional for over a year
• Plans for marketing/expansion in the industry

7. Open a Business Bank Account

Opening a business bank account is a fundamental step for any budding travel business. It not only separates your personal finances from your business transactions but also enhances your professionalism.

When selecting a bank, consider factors like fees, transaction limits, online banking features, and customer service quality. Additionally, look for banks offering perks for small businesses, such as waived fees for the first year or low minimum balance requirements.

A dedicated business credit card is also advisable for handling business expenses and potentially earning rewards.

8. Make Sure You Have the Licenses and Permits Required in Your State

General Business License as required by your business location.

Travel Agents License – If required by your state.

Federal employer identification number (EIN) is needed for paying business and payroll taxes, if you have employees. You’ll need the EIN when you file taxes.

Zoning – If you’re working from a home office, you must make sure your residence meets the zoning requirements for home-based travel agents.

9. Create a Travel Agency Website and Choose a Location

You may start your own travel agency with the glitziest, most informative and most gorgeous website imaginable.

But its use will fail if it hasn’t been correctly linked – called search engine optimization. Unless you’re very savvy about this, it will pay you to hire a professional to make sure clients find your new company and social media accounts. That’s a key part of your marketing strategy.

10. Sort Out Your Accounting Software

You’ll need to manage travel contracts, travel bookings, invoices and receipts, vendors and more on the financial end. Here are some of our recommendations:

• Fresh Books
• itouroperator

11. Choose a Business Structure

You’ll need to choose a structure for starting your travel agency. Many travel agencies choose the Limited Liability Company or LLC. The LLC allows you to protect your personal assets, especially if you’re operating in your own home.

Other common structures chosen by many businesses in most states include partnerships and corporations.

12. Get Your Taxes in Order

Understanding and managing your tax obligations is crucial for a travel business. Firstly, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for tax purposes, especially if you plan to hire employees.

Familiarize yourself with the various taxes you’ll be liable for, including sales tax, payroll tax, and income tax. Use reliable accounting software to keep meticulous records of all financial transactions.

Consider consulting a tax professional or accountant to navigate complex tax regulations, ensure compliance, and identify possible tax deductions specific to travel agencies.

13. Purchase Business Insurance

There are common insurances needed, such as BOP (business operators), professional liability, commercial liability, errors and omissions, and general liability insurance.

If you’re going to sell travel, you need to offer travel insurance. What if travel restrictions suddenly impact a location? What if a natural disaster destroys the plans for a beach wedding destination?

14. Join Travel Associations

Here are a few which will serve as additional resources for you (help you with finding customers):

• American Society of Travel Advisors
• Association of Independent Tour Operators

15. Set Up Your Office and Invest in Equipment

You’ll need typical office equipment such as computers, software, internet, phone system and fax. If you’re offering travel services face-to-face, you’ll need comfortable furniture, a conference room, and ample parking.

16. Marketing

Effective marketing is key to the success of a travel business. Begin by identifying your unique selling proposition and target audience. Develop a marketing strategy that includes a mix of online and offline tactics.

Utilize social media platforms to engage with potential clients and showcase your offerings. Create informative and appealing content, such as travel guides, tips, and destination highlights.

Consider email marketing to keep your audience updated with the latest deals and offers. Attend travel expos and network events to build relationships and partnerships. Always track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts to refine your strategy.

17. Find Partners

Partners can include elements of a destination – a motel, B&B, restaurants, or spas, for example.

A partner can also be a media company, such as a newspaper, radio, or television station. You buy advertising with them and negotiate a reduced-price trip for an owner or manager.

18. Build Trust with Your Customers

Building trust with your customers is essential for the longevity and reputation of your travel business. Maintain transparency in your dealings, clearly communicate travel plans, and be upfront about costs and potential issues.

Provide exceptional customer service by being accessible, responsive, and empathetic to client needs and concerns. Encourage feedback and reviews from customers to improve your services. Develop a system to handle emergencies or unexpected travel issues efficiently.

Consistently delivering on your promises and providing memorable travel experiences will foster customer loyalty and lead to repeat business and referrals.

How to Compete with Big Brands in the Travel Industry

The travel industry is competitive, and it can be difficult for small businesses to compete with the big brands. However, there are a number of things you can do to give yourself a fighting chance.

Here are some tips on how to compete with big brands in the travel industry:

• Focus on a niche market.  Instead of trying to compete with the big brands on everything, focus on a specific niche market that you can specialize in. This could be a specific type of travel, such as ecotourism or adventure travel, or it could be a specific group of travelers, such as families or business travelers.
• Offer unique experiences.  Big brands often offer the same generic travel packages. To stand out from the crowd, you need to offer unique experiences that your customers can’t find anywhere else. This could be anything from a private tour of a hidden gem to a customized itinerary that’s tailored to your customer’s specific interests.
• Provide excellent customer service.  This is one area where small businesses often have an advantage over big brands. Big brands can be impersonal and bureaucratic, while small businesses can provide more personalized and attentive service. Make sure your customers feel like they’re valued and that you’re going above and beyond to make their travel experience as smooth as possible.
• Use technology to your advantage. Technology can be a great way to compete with big brands. You can use social media to connect with potential customers, use online booking tools to make booking their travel easy, and use analytics to track your performance and make improvements.
• Be creative with your marketing.  Big brands often have big budgets for marketing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t compete. Be creative with your marketing and find ways to reach your target audience without breaking the bank. This could include using social media, running contests, or creating original content.

Here are some additional tips that you can follow:

• Build relationships with travel suppliers.  This will give you access to better deals and will help you to provide your customers with a more personalized travel experience.
• Stay up-to-date on the latest travel trends.  This will help you to offer your customers the most in-demand travel experiences.
• Be flexible and adaptable.  The travel industry is constantly changing, so you need to be able to adapt your business accordingly.
• Never give up.  The travel industry is a tough one, but if you’re passionate about travel and you’re willing to work hard, you can succeed.

Competition in the travel industry is fierce, but it’s not impossible for small businesses to succeed. By following these tips, you can give yourself a fighting chance to compete with the big brands.

What are the legal requirements for starting a travel agency?

The legal requirements for starting a travel agency vary by country and region but may include obtaining the necessary licenses, permits, and registrations.

How do I choose a niche or specialty for my travel agency?

Consider your interests, expertise, and target market to choose a niche, such as adventure travel, luxury vacations, or corporate travel.

What technology and software do I need to run a travel agency?

You’ll need travel booking software, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, and a user-friendly website to handle reservations and inquiries.

How can I build relationships with travel suppliers and vendors?

Attend travel industry events, join travel agent associations, and establish strong communication with suppliers to build beneficial partnerships.

How do I market and promote my travel agency to attract clients?

Utilize digital marketing strategies, social media, content creation, and collaborate with influencers to increase your agency’s visibility.

What financial considerations should I keep in mind when starting a travel agency?

Plan for initial startup costs, ongoing expenses, and potential fluctuations in the travel industry. Budget for marketing, staff, and technology investments.

How can I provide exceptional customer service and stand out from competitors?

Focus on personalized travel planning, attentive communication, and 24/7 customer support to create a memorable experience for clients.

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6 Email Marketing Tips for Travel Agents

Travel agents today need a strong digital marketing strategy to engage with their customers. It's not like the old days when people contemplating a trip would walk in the door of a brick-and-mortar travel agency. This still happens, of course, but it's relatively rare. Today, the vast majority of travelers book their trips and do their research online. There are many digital tools for engaging with customers such as your website and social media pages. One of the best ways to stay in touch, however, is by email. With email, you don't have to wait for people to visit your pages. You can proactively contact them and point them wherever you want them to go. Here are 6 powerful email tactics for travel agents.

1. Build Your List

One of the biggest email marketing challenges is to grow your list. There are quite a few ways to get subscribers. 

Use a reliable email marketing service such as MailChimp, Constant Contact, or AWeber. These and similar services, also known as autoresponders, provide many tools for automating your marketing: scheduling, subscription forms,  automated responses, newsletter templates, and more.

Place subscription forms in visible places on your website and social media pages. You can test various placements and tactics such as exit popups on your site. Your Facebook page is another premium spot for your form. 

Give people a reason to subscribe. Offer benefits that match your specialty (e.g. "To find the best value on Caribbean cruises, subscribe to my newsletter"). You can also offer a lead magnet such as an e-book or report. Another idea is to offer a  promo code or discount on one of your services. 

2. Create a Branded Newsletter

To get maximum engagement, it's important to contact your subscribers regularly. Creating a newsletter helps you position yourself as an expert and gets people to expect your emails. You can also just send out messages regularly. A newsletter, however, has a higher perceived value and lets you build your brand. Give your newsletter a simple and straightforward name that helps you brand yourself such as "Sue's Travel Tips") and include your logo. Using an automated email service gives you access to many professional-looking templates.

Some business owners find the idea of creating a newsletter daunting but there's not much to it. You choose a template, set up a schedule (something else you can do through your autoresponder/email service), and create your content. You don't have to write a long post or essay every time. Most customers are busy and therefore appreciate short and concise writing. 

3. Share Useful Information

The main goal of all your marketing is to get more bookings. However, the focus of your email campaigns should be on providing useful information rather than directly promoting your company. You can include offers in your emails, of course. however, you should also share tidbits such as:

Destination Guides -Describe attractions, activities, and events in areas you cover. 

Timely Events - Talk about festivals, concerts, holiday celebrations. This overlaps with destinations but the focus can be different. For events, you might list things like Top Music Festivals in Europe, Most Exciting Carnival Celebrations, etc. 

General Travel Tips -Packing, locating the best fares, etiquette in different cultures, etc. 

Useful links. As we'll discuss below, it's best to send subscribers to your own site and other pages. However, you can also include useful links provided they aren't competitors. 

You needn't worry about providing too much information so that people don't need your services. Even when customers can do tasks themselves, they often appreciate the convenience of having it done for them. Thus, providing information on travel apps, airlines and cruises isn't going to stop people from booking with you. In fact, it might even help you as you're reminding them how much research they'll have to do if they don't get help! At the same time, you're demonstrating your thorough knowledge of the industry. 

4. Use Email to Boost Your Content Marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool to enhance content marketing for travel agents. If you have a blog, for example, you should link to your latest posts in your emails. You can also send traffic to your Facebook page, videos, articles, and any other channels you may be using. Linking to your own content also means you don't have to create tons of content for your newsletter. You can simply entice people with a short summary of your latest content along with a link. 

5. Segment Your Email List

Creating a single email list and newsletter is a good first step. However, as your list grows, it's even more powerful to segment your list and send the most appropriate messages to each subscriber. Segmentation isn't that complicated if you're using an autoresponder. For example, you can set up different campaigns associated with different opt-ins. You might set up a sequence of emails to promote tours to different destinations. Some of your readers might be more interested in the Caribbean, others in Europe or Asia. 

6. Make Your Email Marketing Mobile-Friendly

More and more people are using mobile devices. You need to be prepared for this and make sure your marketing is mobile-friendly. Not only are travelers using smartphones and tablets for research and booking, but they also use them at every stage of their journeys. For example, 64% of travelers now check into flights using mobile devices. There are two main ways to leverage the mobile revolution.

Make sure your emails are easy to view on mobile devices. Keep email copy short and concise. On a similar note, keep subject lines brief so they don't get cut off.  Limit the use of images as these can slow down the experience for mobile users. 

Reach out to customers while they're traveling. They're likely to open your messages from their phones and may appreciate add-ons you can offer. For example, someone on a trip may want to book a tour or buy a city pass for transportation and entertainment. 

Email Marketing: A Powerful Tool for Travel Agents

These email strategies are all helpful for travel agents who want to grow their business and connect with more clients. Email marketing can complement all of your other digital marketing strategies. It helps you acquire new clients and keep in touch with existing ones. With an email list, you can establish your expertise, send traffic to your website, and remind travelers to take advantage of your latest offers. You'll also find that the benefits of email marketing increase over time as your list grows.

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We provide authentic, informative and memorable tour packages and city tours, at very competitive prices. Visit Moscow Tours are available not only in Moscow, but also in other cities: Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Suzdal and Sergiev Posad.  We also organise customised individual programs tailored just for you.

Our guests come in large groups, small private groups, as couples or as single travellers. We take care of and treat our guests with respect in a friendly and warm family environment. We show people our beautiful cities with passion and deep knowledge of their history, culture and traditions.

Our guides are extremely hospitable, helpful and well-informed. They are simply the best because only by providing the best services can we make the world fall in love with Russia. And we are very happy when our guests say that they will definitely come back to Russia and that they will tell all their friends how great Russia is! That is what inspires us to put even more dedication and hard work into our tours, knowing that what we do is positive and meaningful.

Our classic tours include tours of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, two main Russian cities.

Moscow is a big and busy  megalopolis and Russia’s capital city, where more than 12 million people live and work. Our capital city is happening place; it is mysterious, elegant, luxurious, fashionable, clean and bright, with its unique legends, traditions and events. It is with great pride that we show the Red Square and the Kremlin, our Underground and Tretyakovskaya Gallery, among other stunning attractions.

Saint Petersburg is our second capital,  the second largest city in the Russian Federation. This wonderful city has a strong and lively aristocratic spirit, uniquely Russian royal architecture, magnificent museums and theatres. Saint Petersburg bears the royal heritage of Russia, which can be felt in its air, its streets, parks, monuments, museums and citizens.  In Saint Petersburg tours, we will take you to the Hermitage, Peter and Paul Fortress, Faberge Museum and Orthodox Cathedrals. We’re sure you will love it!

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Just try any of Visit Moscow Tours’ tour packages or any individual city tour, and we promise that you will want to come back to Russia again.  Russia is huge with countless amazing places to visit. There are so many unique experiences to be had and energies to be felt that one tour is definitely not enough to explore this vast land. It is also a very safe destination to travel, and we have a tradition of warm hospitality. Our people adore and take care of visitors as our own guests, and even if they do not know your language very well, they still try to be helpful and hospitable.

Our guides will show you the most interesting attractions and historical places, taking you on a journey to the past to enjoy stories of medieval times, the Romanov monarchy, the Soviet Era. And of course, we will show you the contemporary life of our country through authentic local experiences.

We look forward to meeting you soon!

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