Alex Garland’s 1996 novel, The Beach—later adapted into arguably Leonardo DiCaprio’s worst movie—tells the story of a “beach resort for people who don’t like beach resorts” hidden on a remote Thai island.
The appeal of such a place and the satirical theme of the novel is all about demographics: it is a gen-x backpacker’s dream, a utopia for a generation desperate for authenticity that probably comes across as totally unappealing to other age groups and traveller types.
How people travel and what they do at their destination has always been a reflection of their values, priorities, and identity. Now, in the digital age, so much of that demographic information can be captured and used to inform your marketing efforts. As we pointed out
When it comes to writing tour descriptions, you can use these demographic insights to craft the perfect copy for your audience.
Here are a few demographic elements to consider when writing your tour descriptions.
Age
This might be the biggest one. Age impacts so many aspects of travel from practical considerations like budget, access, and free time, to choice of activities and more abstract things like what people hope to get out of a trip.
For example, Gen Z and millennials might be interested in the quality and uniqueness of the experience your walking tour has to offer. They might want see examples of Instagram-worthy moments.
Senior or retired tourists, on the other hand, might be more interested in comfort and relaxation. They might need reassurance that the tour is not too strenuous.
Families with children
A family with kids might transcend a few age demographics, so it’s important to emphasize that there’s something for everyone. The might also want to know about safety and convenience.
Parents often organize family trips with the hope of making memories, so you might want to emphasize what makes your tour unforgettable and special.
Families with young kids are often trying to avoid boredom at all costs, so sometimes it’s enough to simply present your tour as something to do.
Group size and type
A group of friends travelling for a rowdy weekend getaway are there for fun (often in liquid form). So, let’s say you run a beer tour; it would make sense to emphasize the free samples over the brewery’s history.
A couple or honeymooners might seek a more intimate, romantic setting. They’ll want to hear about options and upgrades, like sunset packages, to enhance the experience.
Solo travellers are often seeking flexibility, personal growth, and a chance to connect with others spontaneously. When writing for this audience, try to focus on what makes your tour unique or quirky rather than making it sound like the kind of corporate “organized fun” a solo traveller might be hoping to escape.
Budget
After age, this might be the biggest factor that dictates people’s travel priorities. It’s possible to get super granular about budget, but for our purposes, it makes sense to think in terms of two groups: budget-conscious travellers and luxury travellers.
As the name suggests, budget-conscious travellers want to stretch their money and get the best experience at the lowest cost possible. These folks would respond to language around sales, specials, and other discounts. They would probably be motivated by any package deals you offer or if you’re a part of a city pass that will help them save money on multiple activities on their itinerary.
Luxury travellers represent the other end of the spectrum. They don’t care about saving money and are happy to spend it to get premium service, comfort, and exclusivity. They’ll want to hear about upgrades and ways to avoid waiting in line with… everybody else. Like the budget traveller, who might be interested in package deals that offer cost-savings across the board, the luxury traveller would probably be into a luxury package that offers a top-tier experience of their destination.
It doesn’t hurt to ask.
None of this is to say you should generalize, stereotype, or assume everyone ticking the same demographic boxes is exactly alike. These are guidelines, not hard and fast rules.
When in doubt, ask your customers what they liked about your tour and what they generally look for in a travel experience. If you don’t already have demographic info from their book, get some to help qualify these statements. Their answers could give you some new testimonials and/or language you could use in your tour descriptions.
Consider incentives to encourage their participation—all demographics like a good incentive.
Now, let’s take a look at some best practices for tailoring your tour descriptions to specific OTAs.