Best Impressions

Best Impressions

best impressions main pic

The staycation boom of recent years means that UK holiday park operators now have access to more potential customers than ever before. This growing market brings extra challenges: how can parks best increase their visibility and rise above the competition? “Now, more than ever, understanding and creating a joined-up marketing approach is vital to your holiday park or campsite’s ongoing success,” says Andrew Hampton, one of the Directors of tourism marketing specialists Pitched. It’s taken as a given in these digital days that at the centre of any integrated marketing strategy is a well-designed website. “As the saying goes, first impressions count,” says Andrew. “Your website will be the first port of call for 99% of your customers, so it not only needs to stand out from the crowd but work seamlessly too – across all devices.” With traffic from mobile devices likely to equate to over 60% of all traffic to a website, Andrew advises his clients to spend more time thinking about the user experience on mobile: “Does the site display properly, is it easy to navigate, can users easily start an online booking, and can they find all the information they need?”

GOOD LOOKS
Visual appeal is key in creating a lasting impression on potential customers and authenticity helps to avoid potential pitfalls later. According to Andrew, park operators shouldn’t be tempted to scrimp on imagery and video: “People can spot a stock image from a hundred paces – they want to see pictures of where they will be staying, not something from a magazine shoot in America.” To be effective, websites must not only look good but drive bookings and enquiries. More often than not, customers need a nudge in the right direction and adding high visibility Call To Action (CTA) messages throughout a website helps to get people into the online booking process quicker. Ensuring high visibility of your website mbest impressions pic 2eans embracing the so-called ‘dark arts’ of SEO and PPC. Nurturing your website with regular, well-considered content as part of aSEO strategy is almost certain to help your organic traffic build over time but PPC can offer quick wins for those with bigger pockets. According to Andrew, PPC can be an effective way to cheat the system and propel your site to the heights of Google but a word of caution… “£100 here and there really isn’t going to cut it. During peak booking periods, park operators must be prepared to spend well over £1,000 a month if they want to get their ads in front of enough eyeballs to have any sort of impact.” Modern technology is continually opening up new marketing channels. According to Industry Expert and Managing Director of Key Digital Agency, David Lakins, Voice is an area that is having a huge impact. Incorporating Voice into your marketing strategy means focusing on two areas: Optimising your website for voice search, and developing your own voice assistants. “Voice searches change how your guests are searching. If your park website is going to answer the natural language questions people now use to search, your content is the first thing that should be reviewed,” explains David. In simple terms, this will mean incorporating longer voice-friendly key phrases and using question phrases in your content, for example, by creating an FAQ page on your website. Most voice searches take place from a mobile device, which gives an even greater reason to ensure your site is optimised for mobile. For David, effective marketing for holiday parks is about “having a strong digital presence - not necessarily being good at everything - but showing your guests that you understand them and the way they want to connect with a park.” Key Digital is at the forefront of looking at ways in which parks can use Voice for connecting with guests - particularly ‘in-stay’.With the popularity of voice control devices increasing in the home, it seems natural that the next step will be their use in holiday accommodation. Last year, Amazon started to trial their new Alexa for Hospitality system and as David says, “Watch this space…” Increasingly, Social Media channels are a vital route to market, as well as a key customer service tool. David believes that “more than anything, parks need to focus their attention on treating social networking as a preferred way to connect with guests.” He recommends looking beyond the three main channels of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keeping an eye on the chosen platforms of the next generation of consumers. David also advises that park operators consider using influencer marketing as part of their content strategy. This means developing “meaningful customer relationships and turning them into park advocates”, as well as building links with existing influencers. best impressions pic 3Harnessing the power of video is also critical to successfully generating engagement and building followers. For most parks, effective digital marketing means time to call in an expert. According to Smart Marketing’s Caroline Farrar, using an outsourced marketing expert brings “a valuable, outside perspective to your park, leading to fresh ideas and programs that drive results.” Caroline has worked as a Marketing Consultant for Holgates Holiday Park Group (six 5 star parks in North Lancashire and South Cumbria) for the past three years. “Initially, my core focus was on their digital strategy, social channels and a new website build. Now this extends to a monthly, retained service providing marketing support and strategy guidance. Measurability and budget management is also key to this support.” According to Holgate’s owner Michael Holgate, Caroline’s great digital knowledge fills an obvious “skills gap” in their business.With digital activity now accounting for 80% of the Holgate’s marketing budget, tracking and being able to offer a demonstrable return on investment is an important part of Caroline’s remit. A fundamental advantage of digital marketing is the ability to more easily measure success and ROI. Google Analytics is one of the most popular tools, and the good news is it’s free and easy to use! Andrew Hampton says Google Analytics should be “your best friend.” His agency, Pitched, use it on a daily basis. “Once configured, Google Analytics will record everything you need to know,” says Andrew. “From revenue from social media and email campaigns to your PPC performance, this is the place where you can view it all with relative ease.” With this increased, modern focus on digital marketing, it’s important that park operators implementing an integrated marketing strategy don’t ignore offline opportunities such as print (see case study) or more traditional communication channels.

SNAP HAPPY
PR may be ‘old-school’ but park owners should not dismiss it. Jon Boston specialises in PR consultancy for holiday parks. The bulk of his work, he says, is helping parks to gain editorial coverage both in print and online, and where possible on television and radio. But he wonders if some parks aren’t missing a trick when it comes to gaining free publicity: “The staycation boom is increasingly putting the spotlight on Britain’s tourism industry, and editors are often keen to feature interesting examples of what accommodation providers are doing to woo new customers,” he says. “Parks have a particularly strong hand to play here because they can usually offer a much more diverse and exciting alternative to more traditional options such as hotels and holiday cottages.” Jon recommends picking up on an interesting news angle that is likely to engage editors, and including quality imagery: “Fielding a good story is important – but just as crucial is supplying a great photograph to go with it.”

GLOBAL APPEAL
Finally, park operators should consider developing partnerships with larger groups to achieve greater economies of scale, or even working with Online Travel Agents (OTAs). David Lakins believes that OTAs are “the biggest threats to parks at the moment” due to the size of their budgets and their powerful marketing spend, which leaves many parks unable to compete. But if you can’t beat The Power Of The Print Brochurethem, why not join them? Mara Casadio, Marketing and Content Executive for Pitchup.com, says that OTAs can help parks avoid risk associated with promotional activity since commission is only payable on a successful sale. They can also help parks reach certain customer segments more efficiently. “With international tourists to the UK at an all-time high, parks can target this untapped market via OTAs,” explains Mara. “Pitchup.com is now translated into 16 languages. Nearly 25% of our traffic now comes from outside the UK as a result of media promotion, as well as other international activity including SEO, paid search and newsletters.” Pitchup.com’s investment in their award-winning mobile site means that they have a strong appeal to a younger, international audience who can book in just a couple of minutes, even whilst travelling. Parks are not necessarily investing twice or competing for the same sales lead. Mara explains: “One major group found an overlap of only 3% between their Pitchup customers and their existing customer database.” According to Jon Moxon, Business Development Manager of Hoseasons, the Booking Agent’s size and scale, accommodating over 1.75 million holidaymakers each year, means they can offer “unrivalled access to the UK self-catering market.” Parks can benefit from cutting-edge technological and booking solutions, as well as dynamic pricing software to maximise yield. Jon continues: “As part of the partnership, owners also have a dedicated account manager who draws on a huge bank of expert knowledge and data to provide our partners with the insight they need to best run their businesses.”

The Power Of The Print Brochure
Located near Penzance in West Cornwall, Kenegie Manor offers self-catering cottages, bungalows, apartments and barn conversions. Alongside website development, SEO and PPC services, Pitched also handles the park’s printed material. The annual brochure continues to be a big source of bookings and enquiries. The park also sends out several postcards and mailers to promote offers or to push quieter, shoulder weeks and months. Ed Newbold, owner of Kenegie Manor, says: “Print still has a huge role to play in the industry and, even in this digital world, is a vital part of our overall marketing strategy.” He continues: “In this post GDPR era, where email databases have been reduced, print continues to serve us well. An email can be deleted, easily forgotten or go unnoticed. A brochure will be picked up time and again and serves as a reminder to regular and new guests. Our brochure and mailshots have proven to be not only excellent marketing tools but also an important driver of bookings.”

 

 

 

 

One Stop Shop

Whetting your appetite for the Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show this November…

The Holiday Park & Resort Innovation show returns to Birmingham in November.

The Holiday Park & Resort Innovation show returns to Birmingham in November.

Building on the success of its launch in 2015, the Holiday Park & Resort Innovation show returns to Birmingham in November and this year the team is pulling out all the stops to make the show bigger and better than before. Taking place on November 9-10 at the NEC, the show is a must for park and land owners looking to diversify their land into a lucrative tourism enterprise, or those looking for new and innovative ways to put their park on the map.

Visitors to the two-day event can get a glimpse of the latest glamping trends and products, as well as a comprehensive lineup of seminars, workshops and suppliers needed to make a holiday park business a success. “Holiday Park & Resort Innovation is an entirely unique event for entrepreneurs striving for success in one of the most vibrant and competitive sectors in British business today,” says event organiser Will Mansfield.

“The show brings together top industry experts, leading suppliers, interactive workshops, live debates and seminars all focused on providing the inspiration, advice and resources holiday park and resort owners need to enhance the performance of their business,” he adds. The show will be expanding into Hall 8 of the NEC this year, with more than 300 suppliers and an estimated 3,500 visitors.Visitors will have the opportunity to learn from the top experts at google, Airbnb and Booking.com and hear from some of the industry’s most successful individuals such as Carl Castledine CEO of Away Resorts, George Bryan Director of Drayton Manor and Bernard Donoghue CEO of ALVA.

“As in 2015, the Holiday Park Innovation Show will again support The Family Holiday Association as its official charity and in addition we’re excited to announce our official trade partnership with the NCC,” says Will. “As the UK trade body for the tourer, motorhome, caravan holiday home and residential park home industries we look forward to working closely with the NCC before, during and after the event this year.” The show runs alongside Rural Entrepreneur Live, incorporating Farm Business Innovation & Country House Innovation in Hall 9, which provides landowners with the inspiration, advice and resources they need to diversify, innovate and make more money from their land and property.

Packed with relative content, this additional show provides visitors to Holiday Park & Resort Innovation with further unique opportunities they might not have previously come across.

Running on the November 9 – 10 2016 at the NEC Birmingham, tickets to attend the show are free. Visitors just need to register via the website www.holidayparkshow.co.uk.

Smart Choice

smartEnergy Controls is a leading supplier of electricity SMART Meters and pre-payment metering systems to holiday parks throughout the UK. The company specialises in providing its customers with fully managed metering solutions including installation and support for prepayment Card Meters, as well as data collection for SMART Meters that can be integrated with PayPoint for greater prepayment flexibility.
If you want to find out more about MID compliance or if you are thinking about installing or upgrading your meters, either to ensure your energy costs are recovered fully or to reduce your billing administration, then visit Stand 1346 where the team will be happy to sit and discuss your requirements with you.

Energy Controls
Tel. 0845 230 4535
www.econtrols.co.uk

Make a Splash

makeWorld Leisure UK can deliver the full turnkey option for your water leisure facility.
From initial design through to construction and handover, World Leisure UK can help to deliver your water leisure facility aspirations. The company benefits from close links with a manufacturing facility, which enables them to keep a large part of the manufacturing side of an installation, from moveable floors and filter vessels through to stainless steel handrails close to home. Their experience in the commercial sector ensures that their designs and installations conform to the current legislation, written especially for the swimming pool industry by the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group, Sport England and the Health & Safety Executive.

World Leisure UK
Tel. 01772 284883
www.worldleisureuk.co.uk

Fun For All

funFor over 45 years, World of Rides has been a leading UK manufacturer of children’s leisure rides in the UK. From its premises in County Durham, the company supplies major shopping centres, retailers, visitor attractions, fun farms, holiday parks, garden centres, family entertainment centres and hospitality centres that include national and single-site operators. Their vast knowledge and experience ensures that every ride they manufacture is rigorously tested both in the factory and onsite before being released for sale.
They maintain a dedicated customer support office which ensures that all their customers receive the very best advice on the profitable and safe operation of their rides.

World Of Rides
Tel. 01914 920 999
www.worldofrides.com

Home from Home

homeOmar is a leading manufacturer of luxury lodges and park homes with a reputation built upon 50 years of manufacturing experience.
All Omar’s homes and lodges are built to residential standard BS3632:2015. This means they are suitable for residential use throughout the year and are built to last at least 50 years.
Interiors have a choice of intelligent floor layouts to suit individual needs and are right up to date with stunning interior design. All homes come with quality branded furniture, white goods, double-glazing and central heating as standard.
With industry leading design, exceptional build quality and unsurpassed attention to detail, meet the Omar team on stand 1562 to discuss how they can help deliver your dream lodge.

Omar Park Homes
Tel. 01842 810 673
www.omar.co.uk

In The Fast Lane

trikeA world-first in design innovation, itrike easy-to-ride electric vehicles give the leisure market a superb opportunity to offer customers a new and dynamic transportation experience. They also present an excellent ROI opportunity for holiday rentals. Including both e-bikes and e-scooters, itrike’s range of noise-free electric vehicles have been cleverly designed to provide users aged from 14 years + with an exhilarating ride that is both fun and safe. They are propelled by a reliable, long-lasting lithium-ion battery coupled with a Bosch electric motor, providing a maximum speed of 15mph (e-bike version). Visitors will also have the chance to win an itrike at the show!

itrike
Tel. 01743 761107
www.itrike.co.uk

Take a Dip

takeRotoSpa is the UK’s only spa manufacturer. A family company established 15 years ago, the Midlands-based factory supplies the holiday industry all over the UK. From simple, robust, quality tubs for holiday lets to more complex commercial solutions to solve labour demand and legislative issues. Make RotoSpa your preferred hot tub partner. RotoSpa will be exhibiting a number of exciting holiday park hot tub innovations to enable owners and operators to reap the financial rewards of hot tub provision whilst giving them a newfound peace of mind that they will be able to comply with legislative requirements without undue strain on staff time.

RotoSpa
Tel. 0121 354 3428
www.rotospa.co.uk

Don't Miss Us

As the official media partner of the Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show, visitors should make a beeline for Holiday Park Scene magazine on stand 1641. We will be giving away complimentary copies of the magazine and the team will be on hand to discuss your business goals for 2017. Holiday Park Scene is an essential read for anyone involved in holiday park and campsite management. At least 5,000 copies of Holiday Park Scene are distributed six times annually to key personnel in all aspects of the holiday park industry across the UK and Eire. We have a combined online presence of 20,000. Talk to the team to find out more about the editorial, advertising and marketing services that we offer.

Holiday Park Scene
Tel. 01353 666663
www.holidayparkscene.com

Center Parcs Introduces Google 360° Technology

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Center Parcs villages have been mapped using Google Business View technology, including the first fully operational sauna to be virtually toured.

Center Parcs Introduces Google 360° Technology

Center Parcs has become the first UK holiday resort to be comprehensively mapped using Google Business View technology.

The technology allows visitors to the Center Parcs website to virtually explore every square inch of the villages at the click of a button, whether viewing the subtropical swimming paradise or taking a look inside the range of accommodation options on offer.

It took 20 days, over 180 hours and in excess of 25,000 individual images to create the 140 different virtual tours. All buildings have been captured internally, including each of the different restaurants, leisure facilities and Aqua Sana spa.

In combination with Google Street View of all Center Parcs Villages, this is the most extensive use of this technology within the UK holiday sector. Four of the five Center Parcs Villages have been mapped, with the recently opened Woburn Forest set to follow later this year.

Net Gains

Net Gains

Net-Gains

The caravan and holiday park sector is recognising the value of cashless card systems like Embed.

Startling figures from internet giants, Google, show that more than 80 per cent of Brits use the internet to research their holidays.

With more holidaymakers than ever then going on to book their holidays; from holiday and touring parks to caravan and campsites.

Sharp and effective websites with user-friendly online booking systems, search engine optimisation, e-blasts, apps and cookiebased promotion – the e-marketing revolution is here and is ignored at your peril.

“In today’s day and age, it’s more important than ever that park operators keep pace with technology – especially when it comes to maximising online bookings and sales,” urges Niall Norris of management software CampManager.

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E-marketing is not just about selling holidays, but also about user-friendly booking systems.

“There are basic principles, which if adhered to can really make a difference to a park’s online booking service,” Niall adds.

For a visitor to the website, the online booking system should be straightforward and easy to use, and clearly provide the visitor with all the information they need to book their stay. It must be logical, with quality pictures and descriptions so that customers can make their preferred selection.

“Customers like to feel comfortable and secure as they navigate around the website booking pages. Having the booking page designed in the same style as the website and having the payment taken directly from the website page considerably helps this, and directly increases the number of online bookings made,” advises Niall.

MAKING IT EASY

Equally, the system should be just as simple for the reservation team to use, making it easy for them to carry out tasks such as taking payment, amend bookings, calculate tariffs, generate arrival and departure reports and undertake online marketing initiatives.

“A common mistake that park owners make is using a system more suited for hotels,” says Niall. “A more flexible booking system is required for campsites and caravan parks, as the accommodation options are far more complex, plus all of the added extras available.”

“A key advantage of having a web based booking system that operates from one platform, is that when an online booking is made it immediately goes into the management system, therefore avoiding mistakes and errors.”

CampManager is fast becoming a popular choice for campsites and caravan parks looking for a complete management and booking system that is efficient and easy to use.

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