Video is proving to be the new means of seduction for strengthening consumer commitment to travel service providers. In a recent exchange of views at the ITB Berlin virtual trade fair between Sebastian Beck, International Sales Director, ISO-Travel Solutions GmbH and Jens Boyd, Sales Director of tour operator Condorthe latter acknowledged the limits of traditional e-mails in capturing the attention of travellersespecially the younger generations.
According to Jens Boyd, theoday's consumers are less inclined to open their e-mails, especially when they realise that they are being used to promote ancillary services.. It's all a question of image management, as Sebastian Beck from ISO-Travel Solutions points out. From a purely statistical point of view, we now know that 80% of web traffic is or contains video. If you have a video link in an e-mail, you have a 50 % higher click-through rate.
Video is a way of enhancing your company's image and promoting related services.. "It's an excellent way of communicating attractively for airlines, hotels and car hire companies, but also for leisure facilities such as theme parks," continues Sebastian Beck.
The use of video is therefore a growing phenomenon, as confirmed by Condor's Sales Director: "Ne already have around a third of customers booking appropriate ancillary services via email or video. in addition to their initial flight booking," describes Jens Boyd.
It's all about data processing
ISO Travel Solutions is a leader in this market with its new product called Travel:up Video. The system brings together in a single video the entire range of services or products offered by a service provider. These are generally provided by individual video sequences within the company.
"Each video represents potential ancillary services that add value. When the customer contacts the email sent by the service provider, we receive data about their booking. This is then processed to offer a range of ancillary services in a short film. The video produced is then available on both the search engine and the booking system," explains Sebastian Beck.
In practical terms, a passenger flying from A to B on airline X will see in the video the appearance of additional services such as a lounge offer, additional baggage, a better seat or a meal in the cabin. They can then click on the service to check the price or book it. The video can be highly personalised thanks to the data supplied to ISO Travel Solutions by the booking engine. "The more data available, the more personalised the services offered," explains Sebastian Beck.
Difficulties integrating business travel
Is the business traveller a potential target? "Any traveller is in fact a target for the service provider. On the other hand, it would be more difficult to produce a video for a TMC corporate travel agency. I see two problems: the transfer of the data we use to create the product. Would a TMC agree to transfer its data? I'm not so sure," says Sebastian Beck. "And then, a travel policy that could conflict with the ancillary services on offer. Unless they are charged to the passenger...".
Could Travel:up Video continue to evolve? " This is likely to happen, but it will also require better coordination between service providers in the travel chain. and, once again, the possibility they will have of exchanging data with each other. We could, for example, envisage more ancillary services between airports and airlines. But generally speaking, their relations are often difficult", explains the International Sales Director of ISO Travel Solutions.
Nor does Sebastian Beck see any point in service provider A integrating the services of service provider B without remuneration. "For example, what would Lufthansa gain from booking a concert at the Philharmonic in Hamburg or a visit to the Pinakothek in Munich?
The revolution in proactive video as a marketing tool is certainly underway. "We're still in its infancy. But video really adds a new dimension to a product by bringing it to life. And marketing is all about creating emotions. How do you create emotions if not with videos?" asks Sebastian Beck...
