Holiday Travel Is Trending Up. What Does That Mean for Travel Advisors?

If you'll recall, in my last blog, I shared a staggering statistic: almost 40% of the invoiced activity last week was still for 2024 departures. That’s an incredible number, and it presents a huge opportunity for us as advisors to drive even more travel plans for the end of the year.

Adding fuel to this trend is the recent dip in airfare prices, making holiday travel even more enticing for clients. According to a recent report, holiday airfare has dropped significantly—Thanksgiving flights are down by 6% compared to last year, and December holiday airfare has dropped by 9%.

Whether your clients are flying domestically or internationally, they can still score great deals on travel if they book by the end of October. Some of the most affordable destinations include cities like Nashville and New York for under $450 round-trip, while international deals to places like Cancun and Mexico City are also within reach.

I want to dive deeper into how we can make the most of this opportunity by focusing on holiday travel. With more clients than ever seeking experiences over material gifts, there’s no better time to position travel as the ultimate gift for the holiday season.

Should You Focus on Promoting Specific Products or the General Idea of Holiday Travel?

When it comes to holiday travel, you have two main approaches to choose from: promoting specific products that align with your niche or focusing on the general idea of holiday travel and why it’s the perfect gift. Deciding which strategy works best depends on your business model, your client base, and your goals for the season. Let’s explore both options and how to implement them.

Option 1: Promote Specific Products Aligned with Your Niche

If you specialize in a particular type of travel, now is the time to showcase the holiday-specific offerings within your niche. Whether it’s family-friendly trips to theme parks, luxury winter escapes, or adventure travel, your holiday marketing can be tightly focused on what you already do best.

Why This Works:

• Specialization Builds Trust: When clients know you’re an expert in a specific type of travel, they trust your recommendations. By promoting targeted holiday products, you reinforce your position as the go-to expert.
• Stronger Client Engagement: Tailoring packages to your client’s known preferences (e.g., family holidays, romantic getaways, adventure trips) leads to higher engagement and more bookings.

How to Do It:

1. Highlight Trending Holiday Destinations: Based on recent data, the top trending destinations for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s include Orlando, Cancun, New York, Tokyo, London, Miami, Paris, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Mumbai, Phoenix, San Juan, Delhi, Chicago, Punta Cana, Barcelona, Bangkok, Dallas, Madrid, Sydney, and Rome.
   
   Curate packages that focus on these destinations, within your niche when possible, or pick a destination that excites you. The actual package offer matters less than marketing the idea.
   
   
2. Create Holiday-Specific Itineraries That Can Be Customized
   • Offering sample packages is a great way to engage clients, but make it clear that these itineraries are fully customizable to meet their unique needs. For example, if you specialize in family travel, design sample packages that highlight family-friendly activities—like a trip to Orlando featuring holiday events at Disney World or a Cancun resort stay with festive dinners and kids' clubs.
     
     For luxury travelers, showcase high-end options like a New York City holiday complete with a stay at a five-star hotel and VIP tours, or a Punta Cana retreat with private beachfront villas and spa treatments.
     
     
   • Customization is Key: Let clients know they can personalize these packages—whether they want to adjust the activities, upgrade accommodations, or even switch destinations. Highlight that each itinerary can be tailored to create a perfect, one-of-a-kind holiday experience based on their preferences and needs. This not only gives them inspiration but also reinforces your ability to deliver exactly what they’re looking for.
3. Focus on Urgency: Holiday travel is time-sensitive. With booking windows narrowing, emphasize to clients that they need to act quickly to secure the best rates and availability for their ideal holiday trip.

Option 2: Promote the General Idea of Holiday Travel

If your client base is diverse or if you want to expand your offerings, promoting the general idea of holiday travel as a gift can help capture a broader audience. Position travel as a unique, thoughtful, and memorable holiday gift that beats giving “stuff” people don’t need.

Why This Works:

• Broader Appeal: By promoting travel as the ideal holiday gift, you can appeal to families, couples, and solo travelers alike, regardless of your usual niche.
• Emotional Connection: The idea of gifting experiences resonates emotionally with many people. Emphasizing the personal and lasting impact of a travel experience can drive interest and action.

How to Do It:

1. Focus on the Value of Travel as a Gift: In your messaging, highlight how travel creates memories that last far longer than material goods. Share examples of multi-generational trips, romantic holiday getaways, and surprise trips that clients can gift to their loved ones. Consider using phrases like “Give the Gift of Adventure” or “This Year, Gift Memories, Not Things.”
2. Offer Flexible Options: Not every client knows exactly where they want to go, so offer flexibility by promoting customization.
3. Leverage Key Data Points: The same trends we’ve seen for 2024 holiday travel apply here.

How to Choose Between These Strategies

To decide which approach is right for your business, consider the following questions:

• What Does Your Client Base Look Like? If most of your clients are repeat travelers with specific preferences, promoting niche products tailored to their needs may be the best way to engage them.
• Are You Trying to Expand Your Reach? If you’re looking to bring in new clients or offer a wider range of products, focusing on the idea of travel as a holiday gift can open up more opportunities to attract diverse bookings.

Step-by-Step Guide to Promoting Holiday Travel

1. Identify Key Destinations and Trends: Leverage recent data on trending holiday destinations, such as Orlando and Cancun for Thanksgiving or Tokyo and Paris for Christmas. Consider where your clients are likely to want to go and build your packages around those high-demand locations.
2. Create Compelling Packages: Whether you're focusing on niche offerings or general holiday travel, curate sample packages that offer great value. Be sure to add holiday-specific touches like festive meals or special excursions. These packages are lead-ins.
3. Craft Engaging Messaging: Use emotional, aspirational messaging to capture your clients’ attention. Highlight the idea that travel is the best gift, one that creates lasting memories. Make your campaigns urgent by reminding clients that holiday bookings must happen soon to get the best deals.
4. Utilize Multiple Marketing Channels: Promote your holiday travel packages across all available channels—email, social media, and direct outreach. Use visuals of popular destinations, and create a sense of excitement around giving the "gift of travel."
5. Leverage FOMO and Reviews: Create urgency with a "fear of missing out" (FOMO) approach. Showcase popular holiday destinations that are already seeing bookings, and emphasize the limited availability of certain dates or deals. Social proof is another powerful tool—use testimonials from clients who’ve taken memorable holiday trips in the past.
   • Include reviews and client success stories in your promotions. Use real client feedback to build trust and demonstrate how your packages have created unforgettable holiday experiences 

Travel is the Gift That Keeps On Giving

People are looking to escape the traditional stress of the holiday season by gifting meaningful experiences to loved ones. Whether it’s a tropical escape or a city adventure, travel offers something that can be cherished forever. By promoting holiday travel packages, you’re not just offering a product—you’re offering an experience of a lifetime. Take advantage of this growing trend by positioning your travel business as the go-to solution for holiday gift-givers who want something extraordinary this year.