Ajax, Yahoo!, Google and the evolution of travel industry marketing
The travel industry and I have lost touch a bit ever since I began to understand I could earn more and potentially become a less stressed and a happier person doing something else than flogging hotel rooms and cheap flights to Malaga.
However that is not to say this is a love forlorn and I promised myself I would return to say a few words when something really groundbreaking would come along. The question is as always…is this really it?
More and more it seems to me that non-industry people are getting involved with the evolution of online travel services. People such as Andrew M. Lin, Founder and CEO of TripTie.com, a former interactive designer from New York City.
All these home grown projects basically start from a similar fundamental need and Andrew’s story is much like others I have heard.
I.e. Finding it difficult to book a trip, buying the rough guide, standing in line or waiting for brochures from the official tourist authorities, surfing around online and basically getting loaded down with so much information he and his girlfriend were incapable of making a discussion about anything anymore.
It was my understanding, from taking a few pioneering steps in the travel technology sector way back when I had the whole start up buzz going on that things were about to improve. OTA standards, XML and multiple GDS connections promised to greatly improve our holiday planning capabilities. Eventhough I do actually believe some of this has happened it seems to be taken quite entirely taken for granted by the consumer.
During the past few years we have seen the complete offline intermediary field (i.e. the former high street travel agent) entering the online market with white branded web sites, in addition white labels were being pawned off to companies and interactive agencies with little or no travel experience whatsoever. From a regulatory standpoint we are really way back to the Seventies.
Consumers are also gradually beginning to pull up their noses at this ugly cut throat business because I have to agree its not a pretty business (but people have a inherent tendency to over-glamorize it) I believe that one of the real threats for travel providers is competing for the customer whilst safeguarding the integrity of the brand, but I have said this before and many people agree with me now;-)
As an informed consumer I am weary of booking on sites where I think the tiers between me and the provider of the actual service has gotten too far. TravelSmarter is a good example if you realize that they boast about having 130 commercial partners including for example Kayak, Starwood, United, Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, Hilton and Enterprise, who they claim partner with them as an alternative to higher cost channels, so I guess its all back to a brand equity story which may I humbly state has nothing to do with my experience of the holiday as such.
Ask SmarterLiving.com’s Krista Pappa (above Booking buddy.com and TravelSmarter.com) on what his greatest concerns are at the moment and it all sort of brings it home ie. CLICKFRAUD and you probably thought they were concerned about improving your holiday experience, think again.
So here comes Web 2.0 and with it a couple of practices which are reminiscent of the days that Thomas Cook was still pawning steam train tickets from a soap box cart: word of mouth. The consumer retaliates, and so they should, how dare the travel industry get their minds in a muddle, inspire stress, emotional turmoil and moody girlfriends. If you have visited a high street travel agent recently with a feeling of pure relief you know what I am talking about.
Online travel is not about who has the best sales pitch anymore, as the online travel conglomerates are well aware, its about community and social interaction The Go See Tell NetworkTripwiser.com, Tripup.com and afore mentioned Triptie.com are good examples of consumer generated and perhaps more importantly consumer inspired initiatives.
Online travel marketing has been, to put it lightly, uninspiring and a slightly boring space, not bringing the consumer much more than the equivalent of highway billboards and Google ads claiming Last minute, cheap flights and travel discounts. I hope thisis about to change.
