Facebook™ ads are very effective for many industries, including the hospitality business. Travel agencies, hotels and airlines rely on them to build relationships with customers and promote their offers. The social proof was given by friends and family members who liked their pages and recommended their services are very helpful – and this is one of the reasons why people trust Facebook™ ads over general banner ads on other websites.
However, this doesn’t mean that any Facebook™ ad campaign is an instant hit. Travel agencies have to make their visuals and copy as persuasive as they can and tailor them for the intended audience. There are many ways in which you can promote a travel package – for honeymooners, for families with children, for business travellers – and you have to address your audience with the right message and the right image.
Theory Is Fine, Let’s Look at Some Practical Examples
In this article, we don’t intend to repeat the theoretical advice we gave you before. Instead, we want to show you through examples of how various travel agents, hotels and airlines found their clients using effective Facebook™ ads.
We selected five representative examples for the travel business and we will explain to each of them why they work. Without other further introductions, let us get started:
1. Put Kids First in Holiday Promotions
Source: https://www.fueltravel.com/blog/the-best-facebook-ad-formats-for-hotels/
This Facebook™ ad is an instant hit for parents looking for vacation offers. They see the photo of the happy boy enjoying a water slide and they will want to offer their children the same experience. Once their attention is grabbed, viewers discover the unique selling proposition – discounts for signing up to receive e-deals.
Online is the new environment for shopping and doing business, and most people use their mobile phones to receive notifications on offers or to shop through an app. Thus, parents who are in the stage of initial browsing for vacation offers will certainly follow the CTA and sign up for the deals.
2. Take Advantage of Carousel Ads to Promote Several Destinations
Source: https://adespresso.com/blog/ive-analyzed-100-ads-in-the-travel-industry-and-heres-what-i-found/
Facebook™ offers a special ad format – carousel ads. They allow the user to swipe/ click through several slides promoting different products. These ads are very effective because people may reject a single offer but, when presented with a choice, they will opt for one product over another. This gives them the sense that they are in control of their shopping choices.
This specific ad puts side by side two very different offers: one for Rome (using the image of the Coliseum) and one for Abu Dhabi (using a representative building as an illustration). There is a striking visual contrast between the blue/white of one photo and the shades of brown/orange in the other, as we all between the architectures of the two buildings. The viewers will stop scrolling to take a closer look and will be prompted to want to find out more.
3. Promote a Specific Benefit
Every hotel has friendly staff, spacious rooms with modern amenities and children’s playgrounds. Frequent travellers know what to expect from the hotel they book. So, citizenM Hotels has decided to promote one key benefit that any modern traveller wants: free WiFi, so they can keep in touch with their loved ones via Skype video calls or Facebook™ Messenger.
This is one of the pain points of people who have to travel a lot – being away from home and from family. The Facebook™ ad addresses this specific pain point with the promise that each guest will be able to bring home close to them (even virtually).
4. Fun for the Entire Family
Source: https://www.fueltravel.com/blog/the-best-facebook-ad-formats-for-hotels/
Parents want their kids to have fun on holiday – but they also want to have some fun themselves. This Facebook™ ad recognises the need to promise the entire family that they will have a relaxing and exciting holiday at the promoted resort.
The visual is appealing, not just for the image of the happy parents and children, but also for the choice of colours. Blue and yellow, with a spot of red – all primary colours that draw attention and create a pleasing contrast. Add the special offer – a discount of up to 30% – and this Facebook™ ad is certainly a winner.
5. Flying Can Be Exciting
Source: https://adespresso.com/blog/ive-analyzed-100-ads-in-the-travel-industry-and-heres-what-i-found/
Flying long distance is anything but fun. You are stuck in your seat, the people next to you may be noisy or have a crying toddler with them and you count the hours and minutes until you land. Alaska Airlines is doing its best to change this perspective with their Facebook™ ad.
They are offering free inflight films for their passengers, which they can watch on their own devices. This is a special kind of offer. Discounts in the airline industry are not impressive anymore (not for frequent flyers who add up free miles), but the idea of getting good quality entertainment is a great bonus.