As a Florida-based commercial printer, we do a whole lot of printing for the travel and tourism industry. We see it over and over again: Nobody wants to travel and then get lost.

Think about it.

How did you get around the last time you visited a major theme park or big city? Did you overlook the colorful brochures, pamphlets, and nifty maps designed to keep you on track?  Without them, your experience would've been very different. You could have wasted time and money doing the wrong things at the wrong time.

In this blog article, we show how brochures, activity guides, and maps have improved the customer journey in the travel and tourism industry. There's a lot to learn here as a marketer even if you're in a totally different industry.

Print Materials Make Life Easy for Consumers.

Everyone knows it. Time and money are scarce when traveling or on vacation. That's why people still flock to information centers in search for what to do and where to go. No matter how easy it is to search on Google or Yelp, people still want travel information on-hand and ready to go. Tourists want to feel secure, safe, and in control of their time especially when visiting uncharted territories.

If you're a marketer in the travel industry, you know this is true for your target buyer. That's because no one wants to travel without their handy list of "must do’s." People want recommendations and they want it when it counts.

This is the case for your customers too. The moment someone engages with your company, they don’t know what they're going to get. But we can assure you they have an expectation of where you need to be in terms of communication and support.  This is exactly why print has survived Google and Facebook’s domination. Printed marketing communications keep customers from getting lost in your process.

The next few points explain what customers want from your marketing collateral as well as some tips for you to improve your print marketing.

Market your company as a top tourist destination.

Tourists expect to see a visitor or welcome center at a major destination. They sparkle when they see one. You’ll see this in an airport, hotel, or popular subway station in places like Orlando, San Francisco, and New York. With so much to do in such little time, people like to know print can show them how to make the most from their visit. These travel centers pair their tour guides ( or sales reps) with printed brochures and booklets full of beautiful and welcoming information. Tourists love that!

Perhaps your company should market itself as a major travel destination? Isn't that an interesting idea? Start thinking this way when working with prospects or onboarding new customers. When someone visits your company, they should be impressed with your team, how you work, and your marketing pieces should reflect that. 

Give your sales reps high quality printed materials
to guide and impress your customers.

Tourists Want to Know Their Options.

If you're printing a corporate brochure or booklet, more often than not, you’re looking to showcase your capabilities. You want customers to know what’s in it for them, how you can solve their problems, how long it will take to deliver a service. The travel industry knows this very well, placing printed materials at the forefront of keeping tourists engaged every step of their journey. Never assume your prospect knows everything about you. It's better to spell it out in a printed brochure to make them feel comfortable when making a buying decision. The travel industry thrives from presenting options by using print.

Your customers need direction. No one wants to get lost.

Aside from what’s available and what their travel options are, tourists want to know how to plan and make the most of their time. This is the case for your customers too. That's how activity guides help tourists choose if a day trip or a three-to-four-day excursion makes sense. Your business should present product options this way too.

If you’re proactive in communicating with your customers with print, you’re making sure they know what step they should take next. Should they sign up for a new service? Or come back for another consult? Perhaps your customers need more information on how to use your products? Think ahead and give them answers to questions in advance. You’ll earn their trust.

Each customer journey requires resources like printed booklets, brochures, and menus. These tools are the best way for you to stand out!

Tourists Still Love Printed Content. Your Customers Too.

Camera phones blew up social media because of the beautiful pics people could share. And to this day, printing can be just as powerful by using sharp visuals.

Always consider how color and image quality help you stand out in a brochure. Treat your company as a top tourist destination. We see this all the time with large cruise lines, for instance. Royal Caribbean does a great job at printing beautiful brochures with high-quality pictures of activities, executive suites, lavish restaurants, and boutiques. Each image is striking and helps to convert more business for them. Your imagery is what sells; not so much the printed brochure. Your design has to be appealing and it must connect with the buyer. Don't print something just because. Consider the overall look and feel as the sauce that will encourage people to start their customer journey with you.

Spruce up your artwork with engaging content. Use eye-grabbing headlines and superb copy to move emotions. Tweak your style and approach if you want to appeal to business owners. You may want to consult with a print consultant to play with different paper options or printing techniques and styles.

Since everyone needs a point of reference, put together clear instructions on what you want your customer to do next. Maps have done this for years with color codes, icons, and fun legends to follow. Use them in your marketing pieces too! The key is to give people a better sense of where they're at, what step they should take next, and why they will enjoy doing business with you in the first place. Start applying these tips and improve your customer journey big time.