Thanks to the possibilities of the internet and innovation era, we are now close to the whole world with just a fingertip. Digital marketing beautifully classifies that big world we can fit on our computers, phones, and even televisions. Then, it directs us to choose the services we need.

For those who provide products/services, we can say that digital marketing strategies are a “survival guide in the online world.” Likewise, using the term “natural selection of the internet” would not be wrong. So, small/large businesses trying to establish their brand by adhering to traditional methods remain far behind the scene. Especially tourism, one of the sectors that suffered a great blow during the pandemic, realized the necessity of digital opportunities once again to survive. In the tourism sector, digital marketing is the biggest key to reaching large masses at large times in a highly competitive sector.

Today’s Situation of the Tourism Sector

Anixe, a computer and research firm, shared its May 2021 reports recently. We see in the report that an unprecedented online reservation boom occurred as of the last week of May. Holiday packages offered by travel agencies and tourism companies were instantly consumed during the reservation period. Likewise, research conducted in 2018 by the Turkish Informatics Industry Association (TÜBİSAD) before the pandemic determined the share of online holiday-travel market in e-commerce market as over 35%. Accordingly, online reservations exceeding 800 billion dollars after 2020 had been predicted long ago. Travel and holiday expenses made online are increasing every year at record levels. A significant portion of the market is growing through working women and young people. Four out of 10 women who shop online book travel reservations at least once a year.

It is known that the volume in online tourism businesses has increased significantly, especially after the pandemic. Many people who have been staying at home for more than a year are under the spell of social media ads or sites offering early reservation opportunities. Business owners who are unaware of digital marketing in the tourism sector suffer a great blow from the pandemic and the digitalization process. The same situation continues in businesses with a conservative mindset that insist on traditional marketing.

The Importance of Digital Marketing in the Tourism Sector

Digital marketing makes every internet user of all ages around the world accessible as a mass for tourism. For example, it is possible for a primary school child who encounters a Disneyland tour advertisement on his/her tablet to share it with his/her family. Similarly, a family planning a vacation turns to detailed information about accommodation with Adwords ads.

A business that does not take advantage of digital marketing opportunities in the tourism sector, such as SEO, Adwords, social media ads, mobile application, or website design, is a ghost for internet users. This business can only market itself with local promotions or word-of-mouth marketing. And this situation also requires a significant amount of physical effort, time, and budget. Therefore, digital marketing in the tourism sector is a critical tool to reach large masses more efficiently and quickly.