Travel Insights For Your Marketing Strategy
VISIT FLORIDA estimates that Florida welcomed 137.6 million visitors in 2022, an increase of 5% over 2019 and 13% over 2021.
The data makes sense. With summer coming soon, many are looking for a beach getaway, often heading towards the warm and welcoming state of Florida. With its pristine shores, exciting theme parks, and countless cultural attractions, no wonder millions of visitors go to the sunshine state every year.
Why is travel behavior research important?
Are you marketing or promoting a specific location and its benefits? Is your target market also looking to soak up some Florida sun, marketers? In the spirit of us fantasizing about our own beach getaway, GroundTruth observed over four million visits to top Florida tourist destinations between July 1 and September 30, 2022, to collect real-world behavioral insights during a peak travel period. Using these insights, we can make predictions about what is coming up for summer 2023.
So, get ready for this upcoming summer season and check our 2023 Travel Insights Spotlight on Florida! Keep in mind, we can also still apply the following insights and recommendations to other travel destination strategies.
Our top 5 Florida travel insights from 2022
Looking at Florida as an example, here are the top 5 insights we can use as learnings from 2022:
20% of Florida travelers reside in the Northeast
The top visited Florida tourist destinations are:
- Universal Studios – average dwell time: 106m
- Walt Disney World – average. dwell time: 109m
- Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park – average dwell time: 60m
3 out of 4 travelers stayed overnight
41% of Florida tourists are over the age of 55
70% of tourists visiting Florida were new visitors
Florida travel marketing advice for 2023
Target the correct demographic
- Use persona targeting to reach the right audience. In the example of Florida travel, nearly half of its tourists last summer were over the age of 55. That trend is continuing this summer too. With your target market in-mind, consider tailoring your marketing outreach and messaging to align with that market’s interests.
Real world behavior influences peak travel times
- Theme park, zoo, and entertainment center data shows us that as entertainment and recreation brand interest grows, so does peak foot traffic. Take note of growing summer crowds and tailor your messaging to them to influence conversions.
Fight for your share of the market
- The growing trend of new visitors to Florida means making sure your brand stays ahead of others. Consider working with a location partner to reach your current and prospective customers anywhere, at the right time.
Travel insights conclusion
Travel insights often fly under the radar for most marketers. However, our Insight Team’s findings demonstrate how real-world behavior can help predict marketing trends, inform strategic business decisions, and provide insights into brand loyalty and new customer growth opportunities.
Are you looking for the right data to make your ad campaign stand out during peak travel periods? Contact us here to see how GroundTruth can help your next marketing plan reach new heights.
