Hawaii Tourism Conference

Posted by Michelle Harrington on Aug 13th, 2008

Last week I attended the Hawaii Tourism Conference in Honolulu themed “So Much More Hawaii”. As many of my clients are in the visitor industry I wanted to hear what the experts forecast for the State’s tourism industry. The following are my notes of the various presentations that I attended and some reminders of things we can all do to ensure that our businesses continue to flourish in spite of the economic slowdown.

Although the forecast for travelers arriving in the islands is declining compared to recent years, Hawaii is still regarded as a very safe and attractive vacation destination, rich inculture and diverse in natural beauty.Due to rising fuel and travel costs, a weak mainland economy and less air travel capacity, there will be less visitors coming to Hawaii. The good news for Kauai is that our visitor numbers aren’t falling as dramatically as Oahu, Maui and the Big Island.As a result of having fewer visitors to the Islands, Hawaii’s challenge will be to focus on visitors who CAN afford the new market dynamic (it’s going to cost more to get here) and to ensure that the visitors who do come to Hawaii have an extraordinary experience.

The “Value” of a Customer
As business owners, we need to recognize the “value” of each customer we encounter. In this age of social media, travelers are sharing their experiences online on any number of travel websites like Expedia.com, TripAdvisor.com, Priceline.com, Orbitz.com, Hotels.com, to name just a few. They share their experiences about where they stayed, where they ate and what they did on their vacations. Each customer you encounter represents not only the potential for immediate revenue from that customer, but an opportunity for repeat business and the value of that client’s word of mouth referrals.A bad review online – stays online for a long time and can be very damaging to your business!Positive reviews on the other hand, can boost confidence in your business and result in more sales.

So how do we get our customers to write positive reviews?
This question can best be answered by asking another question. What are you doing to ensure that your customers are so happy that they will write positive reviews and recommend you to their friends? A customer who experiences outstanding customer service and enjoyed a fabulous vacation is going to be inclined to share their experiences about the places and people that made their vacation special.Be outstanding in whatever segment of the industry you are in and find unique ways to fulfill your customers’ needs – these are great ways to be memorable.When your business is driven by providing extraordinary customer service – your customers will notice and help promote you through the multitude of channels available both online and off.

Visitors to Hawaii Want Value.
Customers want to know that they have received “value” from doing business with us. “Value” is getting more than what you expected/paid for -the added benefits. Certainly offering a special or discount is one way to create value, but you can also create value by being known for outstanding customer service and/or a high quality product.You don’t need to be the “cheapest” when your reputation for superior service is well-known and confirmed by online reviews and word of mouth referrals.

Sustainable Tourism
Heightened awareness of the environment has made travel to natural areas one of the fastest-growing sectors of the tourist industry.“Green Travel” also known as sustainable tourism has emerged in response to concerns about the impacts of traditional travel and tourism.According to the World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism should “make optimal use of environmental resources”, “respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities” and “provide socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders.”

More than ever before, visitors to Hawaii want to be affected and improved by their travel experiences, gaining knowledge and a broadened perspective.They appreciate visiting communities who are working towards sustainability, preserving the culture, protecting its natural resources and the environment and providing its guests with the education and facilities to participate in these efforts.

Things You Can Do to be a contributor to Sustainable Tourism…
-Use alternative energy sources like solar
-Use eco-friendly product packaging
-Provide recycling instructions and bins in all rental units
-Install water purification systems in vacation rentals
-Encourage and promote the local farmer’s markets
-Provide information to visitors on local events and cultural activities
-Hire local tour guides who can educate visitors about Hawaiian culture
-Support and buy from local vendors
-Create a written policy stating your organizations’ dedication to conserving and protecting the environment and to honoring the Hawaiian culture – feature this policy on your website and list the ways in which your company participates in these efforts.

What do our visitors want?
Connection – a common theme that was weaved throughout the sessions was that visitors to the islands naturally want to feel connected to this amazing destination and its people. As “hosts” we can help facilitate that connection by offering unique and personal experiences, going the extra mile with our customer service and remembering our past clients and inviting them back.

When your customers provide you with personal information like an email address or share with you that they are celebrating an anniversary or other special occasion, keep a database with this important information so that you can remember them when they return and keep in touch with them via email.Email is a low-cost measure to stay in touch with past clients and reminds them of their “Hawaii Connection”.When done properly email marketing to past clients can aid in keeping your connection alive, ensuring repeat business as well as referrals.

And finally, don’t forget to keep improving the content provided on your website.The majority of travelers research and book their travel arrangements online prior to their vacation.Websites that feature customer-focused copy, valuable content, high quality photos, virtual tours and video will have a better chance of catching the attention of a potential customer than businesses who don’t.

To learn more about the Hawaii Tourism Conference, visit:

http://www.hawaiitourismconference.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=6

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Author | Michelle Harrington of Emagine Web Marketing
Michelle is a web development and internet marketing professional dedicated to helping small businesses in Hawaii achieve success online. Michelle provides free advice, tips and how to's on the Small Business Internet Marketing Blog.

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