Travelers don’t really need a tour provider to sell them on a destination any more — inspiration and information about what to do and what to see in cities is readily available on the web and mobile.
Travel and tour providers need to convince travelers how much more they know a destination by leveraging their networks of local experts — there’s nothing like having a local guide who has the best kept secrets of a city. Access to an expert can change the course of a trip and lead into unexpected surprises to make the purchase even more worthwhile.
Video is a great way to allow experts to demonstrate their knowledge and connect possible customers. As a sector it’s not as prolific as media and bookings and tools, but there are a few brands that are clear leaders in garnering total views against the videos published on YouTube.
Viator, recently acquired by TripAdvisor, completely knocks out its competition by elevenfold, but STA Travel AU has the most impact based on the number of videos. STA Travel published 14 videos total and has the second highest total views. Four out of five of the top channels appeal to the millennials, including the aforementioned as well as Contiki and G Adventures. Sunwing is more for adults who aren’t out for adventure.
Two companies leveraged YouTube to create a separate page to experience their tours with a viewing room. Viator features videos of travelers meeting their local guides and checking out sites and Contiki shares the message of its social campaign through a video series branded “#NOREGRETS.”
Sunwing has organized its home page with playlists that are specific to locations of its tours. G Adventures also has a similar approach, but it groups its content topically, in a series they produced that introduces its guides, helps identify travel styles, and more.
STA Travel Australia has the youngest YouTube account of the five. With just over a dozen videos, it does not have enough content to make a playlist unlike its U.S. YouTube channel, which has 54 videos. Interesting thing to note is that despite the volume of videos, this channel has only 325,000 total views, roughly 10% of the US version.
Travel and Tour Providers YouTube Channel View Activity:
| Brands | Member Since | View Growth (Past 60-Days) | Total Views | Total Uploads | Views/Uploads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viator | May 2007 | 22,200 | 4,910,000 | 588 | 8,350 |
| Contiki | March 2006 | 2,190 | 2,640,000 | 141 | 18,723 |
| Sunwing | February 2011 | 2,070 | 1,540,000 | 277 | 5,560 |
| G Adventures | April 2008 | 1,380 | 724,505 | 100 | 7,245 |
| STA Travel AU | July 2011 | 1,320 | 3,560,000 | 14 | 254,286 |
Source: Skift
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