Did you know that shopping tourism is on the rise? This trend, which refers simply to the process of traveling with shopping as a primary goal, provides untold opportunities for retailers. In fact, around 80% of visitors to the US intend to shop at some stage, according to an article at https://wttc.org/, and those who do tend to spend big.
But how exactly can retailers tap into this growing demand? After all, shopping tourism brings entirely new audiences, with incredibly different expectations. Should you entirely scrap your current operations to meet this new trend? Of course not, but you could still make room for shopping tourism by implementing the following suggestions.
# 1 – Consider Cross-Industry Partnerships
Well-chosen travel-based partnerships are now incredibly lucrative for retailers, and there are a few different options. For instance, many retailers now host pop-up events within local hotels or resorts, while discount partnerships can also be beneficial.
In some cases, retailers are even choosing to introduce their own combined travel platforms online. This leads to diversification via a high-income option, and also provides the ability to link those trips directly to your brand. That might sound like a lot of work, but it’s surprisingly easy with ready-to-go platforms like https://www.tripbeast.com/. This white-label service ensures fully branded hotel and flight booking that sits directly alongside your standard sales offerings. Simply make sure to include cross-sales or incentives for those same travelers to come in-store during their stay.
# 2 – Give Geotargeted Ads a Go
Local advertising has gained major attention in recent years, and with good reason. After all, even travelers are more likely to shop with you if they can find you in a quick local search. But many retailers are also starting to realize the power of geotargeted ads for attracting the travel crowd.
This is especially effective if you target ads towards consumers who are planning to visit your town or city, as this can lead to preemptive interest and eventual sales. All of which you can utilize by simply leaning into local long-tail keywords such as ‘best shops to visit in…’
It also pays to aim geotargeted ads across a 3-4 mile radius. This could easily reach travelers staying outside town, who may then make a dedicated trip to see your shop. And if they do that, you can bet they’ll buy something in the process.
# 3 – Choose Travel-Friendly Merchandising
It wouldn’t make sense to change your entire product range to suit travelers who may still form a small portion of your overall customer base. But it does pay to remember that traveling visitors to your shop may need to navigate complexities like limited packing space or luggage restrictions.
As such, it can also pay to offer some travel-friendly merchandising. Small containers, airport-friendly liquid quantities, and even offerings to buy in-store and ship straight home can all help to attract a travel crowd. They could also become differentiating factors that mean those tourists spend their money in your store, rather than the one next door.
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