In this episode of SMS marketing in your branch series, we would like to show you how to use SMS communication in the tourism sector. You’re going to learn how can a text message improve customer service and make your sales bars as high as you never even dreamed of. Especially in the high season of trips, last minutes flights and intensive hotel booking.

Communications in tourism may play many roles and be beneficial for both sender and the receiver. And no matter if your business is a hotel, travel agency, small local hostel or an airline, at the very beginning, you should answer the question: What would you like to achieve? Here are the hints of goals you may choose.

Choose a purpose of SMS communication

1. Instant notifications

Booking cancelation, late arrivals to the airport or lack of required documents may easily cause the frustration for both customer and the trip organizer. The best way to avoid inconveniences is to send SMS notifications (alerts) after confirmation and a few days before the trip. Such messages can include exact time, pick-up point or the list of required documents.

2. Last minute & remarketing

SMS may become a very helpful tool if it comes to renew relations with former customers. Remarketing SMS can be useful for the companies that place returning customers in their strategy and care about retention. Sometimes, it also happens that attendees resign in the very last moment and give a free space that could be taken. It’s a perfect occasion to send texts to loyal customers and offer last-minute chance to buy a trip.

3. Customer satisfaction surveys

Retention and gaining new customers is getting harder and harder, especially in such a branch as tourism. Many companies use SMS communication to gather feedback through short links leading to surveys. If a company considers its clients’ voice and make improvements based on it, quick text message questionnaires are way to go.

Top-notch customer service

Every day, our clients prove that strong customer service during trips, flights or stays is a key indicator of satisfaction. It’s more cost-effective to invest in communication solutions that engage loyal customers than to seek out new ones. Bulk SMS campaigns are an excellent tool for customer retention building.

How can you use SMS communication in tourism?

Participants are interested in local cuisine, new places to visit. Most likely, they would be willing to take part in activities organized in the hotel. Furthermore, you can celebrate important moments in their lives, e.g., birthdays, as well as inform them about sudden changes in the agenda, remind them about the meeting at the pick-up point.

An SMS is the most suitable channel for such messages because it’s fast, reliable and doesn’t depend on access to the internet. Visit the SMS marketing page to learn about more advantages of business text messaging.

Oh weather, you do love to play tricks

The plan of the trip should always be prepared beforehand so that every participant can get ready for it. Unfortunately, the weather loves to play tricks, especially when the trip seems to be buttoned up!

Sometimes you have to change the agenda immediately and the best way to inform your participant is to send a text message. The same applies when you want to make some spontaneous changes. There’s no better way to pass the information than through simple and fast SMS. Why?

Advantages of SMS messaging in tourism

• exceptionally high open-rate;
• high CTR;
• short delivery time;
• global coverage;
• available offline, even with weak GSM network coverage.

Examples of SMS in tourism