Destination Property
When marketing an exclusive destination, you are promoting more than features and an address, you are promoting a lifestyle. Marketing materials should do more than just show details of the property.
According to the Wall Street Journal, on-line destination shoppers spend 60% of their time looking at photographs and just 20% reading the description. Do your images trigger an emotion? Do they excite the consumer? Is the video engaging? Could you picture yourself visiting the property? And of greatest importance, does the video make the consumer want to book a stay?
Resort type owners and managers that are looking to attract upwardly mobile clientele understand that while cost has some weight, these travelers are primarily looking for adventure, scenery, and a variety of activities.
Marketing efforts going forward should include lifestyle images and videos that help the consumer to identify with the destination.
Images are the most effective way to convey the stay experience. Photos are critically important to a hotel website, especially in today’s hyper-competitive hotel marketplace. It is hard to sell rooms online without quality, authentic images that present a property in its best light.
Magazine quality images should be captured at the following locations:
- Guest rooms
- Hotel or property exterior
- Facilities pool, restaurant, fitness area, meeting, and event spaces.
- Lobby and common areas
- Images that highlight your property’s location. Stunning coastline at your doorstep, an iconic shot of the neighborhood, the nearby theme park, popular restaurants, boardwalk, shopping district…
Aerial photographs and video’s are extremely effective marketing tool for your real estate or destination property. These tools clearly communicate property boundaries, and the location of your site within a community. Providing a clear view of the proximity of local parks, highways, restaurants, shops, and entertainment.
Highlights of aerial images:
- Permits far greater viewing area and angle of view that exceeds ground level imagery.
- Unique angle of view grabs the attention of the viewer.
- Single image can clearly communicate property boundaries.
- Provides a clear view of the proximity of local parks, highways, restaurants, shops, and entertainment.
Lifestyle photography depict one person, or a larger group in a life-related activity. This kind of photography takes place in a natural and relaxed environment in order to add human connection and context to your imagery. Photographs that add a human connection and context to your imagery. These photographs help customers visualize themselves visiting and enjoying the environment. Professional lifestyle photographs create a personal, touch and mindset, that looks fun and inviting. “I want to vacation there!”
Where lifestyle images should be taken:
- Relaxing in guest room
- Entering the hotel or property
- At the pool, restaurant, fitness area, meeting, and event spaces
- Lobby and common areas
- Images that highlight your property’s location: stunning coastline at your doorstep, an iconic shot of the neighborhood, the nearby theme park, popular restaurants, boardwalk shopping district.
- Various activities including, sailing, hiking, bicycling, etc.
Relevant and engaging hotel videos are proven ways to reach potential guests. In fact, Google discovered that 56% of people traveling on business, and 35% of those on pleasure trips, interacted at some point with hospitality-related videos.
Videos convey a huge amount of information in little time. Making it a great way to showcase who you are and what your destination has to offer. Many luxury travelers are seeking more authentic experiences when they travel, mixing luxury with adventure, scenery, food, and culture.
A destination overview video will showcase standout features. With an average shot length of under 3 seconds, videos provide a highlight reel of different rooms, amenities, and local attractions. Video is a particularly effective way to sell hotel meeting space to Millennial event planners — 48% of this generation only watch videos on their mobile device.
Businesses with Google Street View listings are:
- 94% more likely to be viewed as reputable
- When searching for businesses, consumers use mapping products 44% of the time
- Listings with photos and a virtual tour are twice as likely to generate interest
- On average, 41% of these place searches result in an on-site visit