The Art of Market Positioning

January 27, 2014 Steve Wellmeier

The marketplace will position you whether you like it or not, putting your product in this basket or that, among all those baskets that deliver the product that a buyer might choose in a particular segment of the market. Photo courtesy Magnolia Bask… — The marketplace will position you whether you like it or not, putting your product in this basket or that, among all those baskets that deliver the product that a buyer might choose in a particular segment of the market. Photo courtesy Magnolia Baskets.

Is good content enough these days?

What if it’s not as descriptive or representative of your product or service as you think it is, and doesn’t really set you apart from your competitors? Understanding the craft of positioning can help.

This post was inspired by a webcast I had the good fortunate to listen to last week. The webcast, How to Drive Travel Purchases with Content Marketing, was presented by the travel media company Skift and travel content provider DreamPlanGo.

The webcast provided great advice, to be sure. But it got me thinking about another ingredient in the marketing strategy mix that shouldn’t be overlooked before you start drafting your content marketing mission statement. Unfortunately, it often is.

Are Small Ship and Expedition Cruise Marketers Ready for Chinese Travelers?

January 16, 2014 Steve Wellmeier

In recent months, mainstream and travel trade journalists issued a flurry of articles about the growth of Chinese outbound tourism.

I find the sheer magnitude of the numbers and the estimates remarkable:

As of year-end 2012, Mainland China was the biggest source of foreign tourists in the world, with 83.2 million Chinese citizens having traveled abroad during the year, a 398% increase over the previous ten years. This number is pegged at 97 million for 2013, with some observers seeing continued annual growth of 15%–20% for the next few years.
Collectively, Chinese travelers will spend roughly $129 billion from mid-2013 to mid-2014 on outbound travel, more than any other nationality, having surpassed both the U.S. and Germany for the first time in 2012.
More than one million Chinese citizens have assets exceeding $1.6 million, with foreign travel generally thought to be an essential part of their spending habits. Of this elite group, 68% spend more than $8,000 while overseas, and 28% spend more than $16,300. Many with less modest incomes, especially in second- and third-tier cities, are also saving for their first visit to the West.
China is on track to become the second largest cruising market after the US by 2017.

What Does This Mean for Small Ship and Expedition Cruising?
I was curious what these trends mean for the small ship and expedition cruise segments of the industry – the area that I know the best – and wanted to learn a bit more. This blog post explores some of the marketing issues involved in tapping into the Chinese market, as well as the many cultural challenges in bringing these travelers aboard small cruise ships.

The Rise of Mobile Booking in Travel: Halfway to Never

November 20, 2013 Steve Wellmeier

HotelTonight booking app on an iPhone Photo: Skift / Placeit by Breezi — HotelTonight booking app on an iPhone Photo: Skift / Placeit by Breezi

Never say never, as the expression goes.

But a comment on Twitter earlier this week piqued my interest in the viability of mobile booking in the travel industry. It also led me to read the latest Skift Trends Report: The Rise of Mobile Booking in Travel.

The tweet was made regarding a November 17 blog posting, Five Travel Marketing Trends for 2014, on Social Media Today, and noted: “Due to the increase of mobile use, travel companies should create apps that make it easier to book ‘on the go.’”

That’s a big should, I thought, and “travel companies” is a broad category to be making general statements about. Curious, I tweeted in reply: “But are booking apps appropriate for complex tour or cruise products with long research cycles?” The response to my question came quickly, “I’d say yes. It’s important to keep in mind that the modern tourist is mobile and well traveled.”