Tourism video still tops the list of effective content marketing for destinations, but it's important to keep with the times. Basic video strategies from five years ago just don’t cut it anymore.
Traveler tastes have moved on, and different kinds of travel video get the best engagement today. Here are five important video trends in tourism and destination marketing right now.
1. Virtual Reality (VR) for Tourism
With the recent launch of the Oculus Quest 2 headset VR is more attainable now than ever before. There are many different VR strategies and tactics to create an overall integrated campaign.
Currently, popular experiences like National Geographic VR, which takes users to places such as Antarctica – where they can navigate icebergs in a kayak, climb an ice shelf and survive a raging snowstorm as they search for a lost emperor penguin colony.
Through the pandemic, Germany’s National Tourist Board unveiled a number of immersive projects like taking a walk around Berlin or livestream a theatre performance then continuing on to Frankfurt to take in an interactive museum tour. The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation is using VR to showcase experiences such as beach yoga and snorkeling.
2. Video 360-Degree Tours
360 videos for destination marketing help to deliver powerful, immersive content that helps customers truly understand your destination or location.
360 marketing videos can offer a jam-packed view of local attractions, hotels and scenery; putting the viewer in the driver’s seat means they control what they see and how long they see it. All while helping to drive engagement and increase conversions on your website.
Threshold 360, the leading provider of interactive 360° virtual tours, has some great examples of destinations using 360 tours.
3. Drone Video for Destination Marketing
Aerial video used to be expensive, but today, aerial tourism shots can be accomplished cost-effectively with a single drone. With its birds-eye views, aerial video offers a perspective that people aren’t used to, making it especially captivating.
Rafat Ali, the founder of Skift, described drone videos as "a new arsenal that travel marketers should be looking at seriously now, while the novelty wow factor lasts." Just keep in mind that drones are regulated. Know the FAA rules and check your local laws and ordinances before shooting from high in the sky.
4. Capturing Authentic Video
"Authentic," "genuine" — whatever word you use, it's the same idea: people want reality. Gone are the days of stock photos and over-produced promo films. Instead, user-generated content (UGC) has surged ahead in video for travel marketing. Why? Because it's real.
One authentic method of utilizing video is through story format on social media. Millions of people use Instagram and TikTok every day. Encourage visitors to post videos of their experiences to show the true personality of your destination.
CrowdRiff has four examples to use the story format to reach today’s traveler, to get you started.
5. Livestreaming Attractions & Destination Hotspots
Streaming video through platforms like Facebook Live may sound ho-hum at this point, but it’s still a great way to add variety to your video marketing. It also gives people the authenticity they crave. After all, live video delivers real-time experiences with zero post-production polish.
The idea of going live can be daunting, especially the first time out of the gate. Learn more about livestreaming for tourism, give yourself some practice runs and when you're ready, remember to have fun!
