Carlos Ulibarri
03-11-2025
6. Breakthrough Distribution: The Direct-to-Consumer
Imperative
The battle for the customer is fought on your platform, not
on a third party's.
- Relationship
Owners: The strategic objective is to aggressively migrate market
share from expensive OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) to direct selling.
This is achieved by offering exclusive value – not just a lower
price – such as one-time flexible cancellation, value-added amenities, or loyalty point
multipliers only available on your website.
- Unified
ecosystem: The key investment should be directed towards developing a frictionless
booking engine, a robust mobile app, and a centralized CRM. Each
touchpoint should work in harmony, making it easier, faster, and more
rewarding for the customer to book directly with you. OTAs are a
necessity, but the priority investment should be the direct
channel.
7. AI-Powered Hyper-Automation: The Standard of Service
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a novelty but an essential operational layer that
frees up human talent for high-value tasks.
- 24/7
Autonomous Concierge: Deploy Gen-AI chatbots capable of
handling 80% of routine queries — from "What's the breakfast
menu?" to "Help me reschedule for a delay" — with human
conversational fluency and zero wait time. This boosts satisfaction and
reduces costs.
- Predictive
Hospitality: Using AI to monitor data in real-time and anticipate
friction points before the customer complains. For example, if
a flight is delayed, the system proactively sends a personalized rebooking
option or a voucher for amenities
at the airport, without the traveler requesting it. This turns a service
failure into a moment of trust building.
8. The Experience Economy: Selling Moments, Not Rooms
Travelers increasingly value curated experience and
authentic immersion over the static comfort of a flight or room.
- Local
Cultural Product: Go beyond the standard tours. Partner with local
artists, chefs, and community leaders to offer ultra-local, exclusive,
and one-of-a-kind packages. Sell a "Sicilian Cooking Master
Class" or a "Private Stargazing Session" instead of just
the stay.
- The
All-Inclusive Upgrade: The new "all-inclusive" does not
focus on the quantity of buffet food, but on the quality of the
immersion. The packages bundle accommodation, transportation, and a
number of unique local experiences, simplifying the choice and making the
value proposition irresistible.
9. Blended Reality & Pre-Booking Immersion
The customer journey begins weeks before take-off, directly
into the digital world.
- VR/AR
'Try Before You Buy': Adopt Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented
Reality (AR) tools to allow
customers to "walk" through a hotel suite, explore a cruise ship
or stand on a beach via their mobile devices or helmets. This eliminates
booking anxiety and increases conversion rates into premium products.
- Augmented
Destination Guides: Use AR to transform the destination into a living
digital canvas. Travelers can point their phones at a monument and see real-time
reviews, hidden historical facts, or directions to the best coffee
shop nearby, all powered by your brand's app, creating unmatched utility.
10. Carbon Transparency and Impact Marketing
Sustainability is no longer a marketing slogan, it is a fundamental
cost of doing business for the conscious consumer.
- Mandatory
Carbon Clarity: Provide the traveler with a clear and integrated
carbon footprint calculation for every aspect of their booking:
flight, accommodation, and transportation. This information should be
presented alongside the price, allowing for an ethical and informed
choice.
- Auditable
Offsetting: Offer transparent and audited compensation programs
as the default option, tying projects directly to the destination they
visit (e.g., funding a marine sanctuary on their trip to the Caribbean).
Brands that lead with verifiable impact and not vague promises will earn
the trust and loyalty of the influential Gen Z and Millennial
traveler.
