Whether you are an independent travel enthusiast or a travel agency, starting a travel website can seem like a daunting task. This is because it is one of the most competitive online niches and most travel industry sectors are already dominated by large multinational brands. That being said, global tourism is a $600+ million industry, and if you have a winning strategy, you can always carve your niche and be successful. Here are some tips on establishing your online tourism brand.
Pick Your Niche
You must focus on one (or a few) tourism niches if you want to stand out from the crowd. Are you focusing on eco-tourism, city tours, cruises, jungle safaris, tourism in a specific country (or region), or hiking? Having a niche means that you know the type of customer that you are targeting, and you can design your brand and website to appeal to them. You’ll find that even the big players in the tourism sector pick a lane and stick to it. Your niche should be something you have a lot of knowledge and passion about.
Design Your Website
With an advanced website builder, such as IONOS, you don’t need to know how to code or hire a professional. You can design your dream website by adding and customising the visual elements to fit your style. When it comes to design style, you have to include a lot of pictures and video content. Travel websites are all about selling an experience, and you can’t capture the magnificence of a perfect sunset on a tropical beach or the majesty of watching wildlife in their natural habitat with words. Make sure that the design theme you choose will work well with multiple visual elements.
Choose a Domain Name and Web Host
Your domain name must be short, memorable, and informative. It should communicate the tourism niche your site focuses on, and if possible, where you are located. Another aspect to consider is whether your domain name is available as a handle on popular social network sites. Tourism is very dependent on social media, and to have a unified brand, you want your domain name and social media handles to be identical – or at the very least, to be very similar.
We have already mentioned that your site will contain a larger-than-average number of high-quality photography and video content. This makes your website “heavier” which can be detrimental to its loading time. Make sure you are using a web host that guarantees fast speeds. Also, try to avoid shared hosting plans and opt for virtual private servers which give you dedicated bandwidth for fast loading.
Deliver Quality Content
All your online infrastructure investment will be for nothing if your website features low-effort content. Research hidden travel gems that won’t be covered by the established websites, and take your followers off the beaten path. Present them with hard-to-find attractions and introduce them to small family-owned restaurants serving the best local dishes. Give them information they wouldn’t find anywhere else.
Conclusion
Establishing yourself in the crowded tourism niche is all about finding the perfect niche, an awesome website design, and offering unique insights into the destinations that you profile.