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4 Easy-to-Implement Lead-Generation Ideas for Your Travel Business [Campaign Examples]

Learn how ShortStack campaigns can help you promote your travel business and generate leads through contests and email marketing.

By Jane Vance ・4 min read
Campaign & Contest Ideas
Email Marketing

Do you work in the travel industry, catering to would-be vacationers? Whether your target market is snowbirds going south to escape cold winters, students planning spring break trips, or families nailing down summer vacation plans, you can use ShortStack campaigns -- contests, in particular -- to promote your travel business. Contests allow you to collect email addresses, which you can then use for remarketing purposes down the road.Read on to find four lead-generation ideas you can use for your travel business, along with email-marketing solutions you can implement using ShortStack's marketing automation features.We're here to help you use all those leads you collect via ShortStack campaigns!

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council’s “#FishFLKeys” Trip Giveaway with Navigation Links

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council’s “#FishFLKeys” Trip Giveaway with Sub-Navigation

Who wouldn’t love a free vacation? The Monroe County Tourist Development Council knows vacation giveaways are popular, so they set up a giveaway to promote tourism in the Florida Keys. The contest highlights fishing in the Florida Keys, an activity the whole family can enjoy. Tourist boards will find vacation giveaways particularly useful, as they allow them to collect the email addresses for folks interested in visiting their location.TIP: Use our Navigation template to add navigation links to your campaign. This makes it easier for campaign visitors to locate your entry forms, voting, rules, etc. Email Marketing Suggestion: Use scheduled emails let your list know about special offers or events. A scheduled email sends on a specific date and time to your entire list, or the segment of the list that you choose.Need some examples of how this would work for your travel-related business?How about:

  • A hotel might send an email with special room pricing for a specific weekend
  • An airline could promote their discounted round-trip fares
  • A tourist board could send a list of exciting events taking place during the next month

Adrien Gagnon’s “Win a 1-week trip to Mexico” Contest with Refer-a-Friend bonus points

Adrien Gagnon’s “Win a 1-week trip to Mexico” Contest with Refer-a-Friend bonus points

Create Your Own Refer-a-Friend Giveaway

(Available on the Business Plan and higher plans.)

Looking to encourage sharing on your next campaign? Then the refer-a-friend option is for you! Andien Gagnon is not a travel company, it's a wellness brand. However, their “Win a 1 week trip to Mexico” contest is a brilliant use of the refer-a-friend feature that anyone who works in travel-industry marketing should emulate.Entry via the form for this high-value giveaway is limited to once per person. However, entrants can gain bonus entries through referrals, increasing their chances of winning. The unique referral URL displays automatically after form submission. Plus, an autoresponder that includes the entrant’s referral URL is sent after form submission, making it easier for referrers to share the contest at a later date.IDEA: Encourage entrants to opt in to your mailing list by offering bonus entries using our field points feature (available on the Business Plan and higher plans). Email Marketing Suggestion:Are you using an autoresponder to send your refer-a-friend referral link after form submission? Don’t forget to include information about your business in this email! Folks who are interested in receiving referral points will be opening that email a few times, making it valuable advertising space. Be sure to include links to your website for easy online booking, tips for traveling to destinations serviced by your company, and links to your social media platforms.

Holiday Parks New Zealand’s “Where Can I Camp?” Trivia Quiz and Sweepstakes

Holiday Parks New Zealand’s “Where Can I Camp?” Trivia Quiz and Sweepstakes

Create Your Own Quiz A trivia quiz can test your customer’s knowledge and inform them about your business or organization. Holiday Parks New Zealand created the super fun “Where Can I Camp?” quiz that shares valuable information by asking questions like, “Can you be fined for camping in a No Camping spot?” (The answer: Yes, up to $200!). After folks take the quiz and submit their information to enter the $100 voucher giveaway, the answers and the option to share the quiz on Facebook and Twitter are displayed. Displaying answers after form submission requires folks to submit their information to see the correct answers to each of the question, and it allows you to collect valuable leads.IDEA: Choose a winner from the folks who submit all of the correct answers using our Filter feature.Email Marketing Suggestion: Use follow-up emails to send camping destination ideas, or other travel-related content, a certain number of days after folks sign up for your list. Try creating a “path” for folks to follow with your follow-up information. For example, if you work for a national park, in your first email, try sending information on the best times of year to see specific types of sites at the park. In the next email, mention the pros or cons of different types of camping styles -- tent camping versus trailer/RV camping vs staying in a cabin. In a later email, suggest packing lists or activities to pursue during different times of the year.

Seagoe Hotel’s “Win Your Wedding” Photo Contest

Seagoe Hotel’s “Win Your Wedding” Photo Contest

Create Your Own Photo Contest Weddings are not only a reason to celebrate, they’re also a reason to travel. That’s why Seagoe Hotel’s “Win Your Wedding” photo contest is so clever. Hopeful couples have a chance to win a 100-guest wedding package, which includes an overnight stay for the bride and groom, and a second visit on the winning couple's one-year anniversary. All entrants need to do is submit a photo of themselves and their significant other, then get their friends and family to vote for them. The top 10 entries will go on to the final, where the winner is chosen at random.So, why is a wedding giveaway such a smart idea for a hotel? Well, it’s likely that number of the guests will book rooms! Plus, the hotel/wedding coordinator is able to compile a list of couples planning their weddings -- perfect for email marketing efforts and targeted outreach down the road.Email Marketing Suggestion: Send an autoresponder to entrants after form submission. Include wedding planning tips, your venue’s rates and information on how to learn more about booking a wedding at your venue. When the winner is selected, use a Scheduled email to announce the winner to all those who entered. Within the winner selection email, include information on how to contact the wedding coordinator at your hotel for those people who didn’t win.We want to hear from you! How is your travel business using online campaigns to promote your brand? What types of email marketing campaigns help you to fill rooms, book tours, etc? If you are an avid traveler, let us know what information you find useful when planning and booking trips. Just comment below!Need help setting up a campaign for your travel business? Shoot us an email at theteam@shortstacklab.com.

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About the author

By Jane Vance ・4 min read
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Jane has over a decade of martech experience, with an emphasis in content marketing, UX, and customer success. Her combined skillset and years of hands-on experience make her a valuable player in the industry. In her free time, Jane loves quiet family dinners at home and a good book.


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