These days have appeared new ideas trying to find alternatives for our beloved sector.
I try to identify, classify and, together with my Touristologists, improve them in OUR classes, seminars, in-company training or start-up meetings.
A fundamental question for our Science is... How to make a clear difference between New Segments focus on SERVICE/PRODUCT or focus on PEOPLE?
This is of great importance in order to guaranty security for the Tourists and profit for Tourism enterprises and destinations. Because, if you have a New Segment focus on People...
1) You can create and build a community.
2) You can benefit from the power of Platform Economy and create your OWN platform.
Then,
3) Inside YOUR platform, YOU (or your Tourists using PRO-AM allow you to achieve SCALABILITY) can create GROUPS.
As you know, “GROUPS” is another word carved into my mind. There is nothing wrong with individual tourism BUT, If you want to run a profitable business… it will be easier, powerful, endurable… if we work with groups!
Managing groups gives you more bargaining power, economies of scale, more leadership and control over you chain of value… so, what are you waiting for?
4) Even if to travel is not possible, your platform can offer to YOUR Tourists:
- International contacts
- The possibility to share ideas with similar or complementary people
- To get news perspectives
- Access to anything related to their motivation...
Let’s see a few clues in order to know if your Segment is focus on People and not in Products/Service?
Do the members of this Segment Identified themselves as…?
Are they proud of going to a place that treat them as…?
Do you think that they love to meet with other members that are similar or complementary to them in order to improve their private or professional life?
You can describe them as a segment BUT if they don’t describe themselves, if they don’t share interests, if they don’t want to be together… then it won’t work!
Ok, let’s review some new ideas that have appeared recently for Hotels and Airlines.
First, some examples of Segments focus on SERVICE/PRODUCT
A) Co-working or Co-living: Local people that can enjoy having more space, better equipment and a relaxed environment in a Hotel instead of working at home. You also can call it “Day-Cation” Here you can see the examples of Hilton’s WorkSpaces or Hyatt Hotels’ program, Work From Hyatt expanded throughout North America.
B) Something similar, but in this case focus on Tourists is “Workation”. Tourists that can stay in your destination /hotel for a long-stay
C) There are enterprises offering to sell your rooms by hours (to work, for romantic experiences, to just relax before a meeting...) like you can see in this add by... By Hours
By the way, interesting idea to offer its services as a SaaS (Software As A Service) and to play a little bit of Platform Economy or Butterfly Strategy!
D) Ghost kitchen in their hotels or Airlines
Here you can see the example of Singapore Airlines offering “dining experience inside the Airbus A380”
Another option is the “in-flight dining experience in the comfort of their own home”
More information about the possible evolution of Ghost Kitchen here
E) Your balcony as the best seat.
Transform the balconies of your rooms as the best stands of a Rock concert as VIK Hotel Costa del Sol did!
F) Others try to play the Subscription game, a kind of Netflix for Hotels or Airlines
As you can see, in this article "such transitions could take time to bear fruit: You can’t speed up subscription profits — you have to play the long game. That may not be the quick fix the hotel industry needs right now."
All these ideas are very interesting BUT, as more and more enterprises are doing the same we can see the evolution from a Blue Ocean to a Red one!
What about... Instead of focus on selling YOUR products, YOU focus on satisfying Specialized Segments’ needs? Necessities... solving problems... finding opportunities... In this trip! In any trip! In anything important for this Specialized Segment! Time to try Deeper Segmentation.
Let’s see some examples of New Segments focus on PEOPLE
1) Do you remember, Singapore Airlines that we talked about above in this post? They also offer “behind-the-scenes tour of our training facilities for the entire family.”
Do you see the difference?
Find out what it takes to be a Singapore Airlines cabin crew and pilot. Enjoy additional activities like the junior cabin crew experience, flight simulator training session and so much more.
You can provide a learning experience for PEOPLE, wishing to become a member of an Airline. OR to provide a bonding experience for single dads or working moms or.... You can create a platform focus on this segment, you can seduce the members of this community to create groups, you can seduce them to travel together in a Bubble trip!
Shangri-la does something similar they have a problem of low occupancy during weekends because most of their customers are business people. They Touristologistly make the most of nowadays social tendency... I want to be the best professional BUT ALSO THE BEST Parent!!!
So, you can promote to your customers… use you hard earned points of OUR loyalty program to appear in OUR hotel during weekends and enjoy especial activities for your kids. Not only you are a great professional you are the parent of the month! By the way, good example of Versions Of Me !!! The business people doesn’t appear during the weekends BUT yes, the lovely parent!
You can read this article and see how they are practicing these ideas.
“In 2017 Shangri-La Hotel, Shenyang, in Shenyang China, launched its second round of “K20 Activities.” This two-day training program, available to travelers and locals, pairs up to 20 children ages five to twelve with professionals at the property for fun “training” sessions that provide insight into the in’s and out’s of luxury hotel operations.” Interesting practice Shangri-la!!!
2) YurbanHotels is offering its Hotels in Barcelona as studios for film and advertising shootings. A wonderful opportunity to focus on this Specialized Segment focus on People. The ones that want to create the movie, actors and actress willing to participate, producers wishing to invest time and money in the process. You can create your own platform. Offer hybrid events. Create and manage bubble trips offering SECURITY to your Tourists and Profit for your Business...
Touristology is yelling to YOU..
Don’t focus on selling rooms, food and beverage or meeting spaces! Focus on selling whatever your Segment need, when they need it, in the way they need it!
Are you listening to your inner Touristology voice???? Pay attention!
4) Or Disney Resorts allowing Dogs! It is NOT a Dog. It is a member of My Family!
4) Airbnbn now focusing on long-term stays
Airbnb now focusing on new segments: Digital Nomads...
Segments with necessities that will be better satisfied during a trip (international contacts/experiences, a boost of creativity, bonding experiences for professional or family groups…).
5) NH is offering Hybrid Events! They aim to Multinational Enterprises of groups of families. I am sure that you can visualize more examples of Deeper Segmentations Touristologists!
The future? You visualize it! You design it! You create it!
6) SchoolCations
“The $475-a-night Four Seasons Punta Mita, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, is launching a “schoolcation” program that provides tech support, classes, and “study buddies” who can supervise remote learning from a Wi-Fi-equipped beach cabana. (Stay for the semester, and it could cost $50,000.)”
That made me tweet
7) Blind? Visually impaired? But... ready to Travel!
You can get help from AI! Seeing AI
As I always say mixing AI and Humans is the perfect solution!
Do you see the difference between focus on SERVICE/PRODUCTS and focus on PEOPLE?
Do you see the power of creating and building a community?
Do you see the power of having your own platform?
Do you see the power of creating GROUPS inside it?
Here you can see a framework that will allow you to validate if a segment is focus on PEOPLE
1) Chip Conley pyramid: If I customize my Hotel/Airline/Tourism Destination... and my activities to them... Will it be a STRONG connection between the segment and the Service?
2-A) Butterfly Strategy: Could I sell other services from other enterprises?
2- B) "This community" world congress: Could my Hotel become a MAGNET for people / enterprises around the world wishing to do Marketing Research, sell something, hire employees...
3) Long Tail: Can I find this segment in Specialized places? Can I do, there promotion and distribution with more efficiency and less cost?
IF the answer is YES...It is a good example of Long Tail!
Then, as a consequence
You can create Hybrid experiences for this Segment!
You can create Bubble trips for this Segment!
Do you have any doubts? You can always ask to my #Touristologists !!! They are the best minds in the best sector ever!
