The Travel Copywriter

Tourism, Hospitality and Hotel Copywriting

14 Travel + Hotel Copywriting Lessons We Can Learn from Kids

14 Hotel Copywriting Lessons from Kids
What can the world’s youngest travelers teach us about hotel copywriting & travel marketing? Turns out, a lot!

Anyone who has prolonged contact with the elementary set, knows: kids are compact, opinionated powerhouses of wisdom.

They know who they are, even as they grow. They are headstrong, yet willing to learn. They flirt with pushy, but (almost) never take “no” for an answer. At least, not the first no.

They learn from us. And, we learn from them.

So, I thought I’d have a little fun with this post: Inspired by my own little person – and all the lessons he has taught me, over the years – I thought I’d share just a few of the many insights he’s provided into effective communication, human psychology, and the power of giving it your best shot.

From the importance of “no!” to the power of “why?”, here’s my take on a few lessons the world’s youngest residents can teach us about successful hotel copywriting and travel marketing.

Quick Look:

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7 More Travel Clichés to Scrub from Your Website

7 Travel Copywriting Cliches to Avoid
Stronger copywriting starts with good habits (and lots of practice). Here are 7 travel clichés to avoid – and 7 ways to say them better.

Thumb though most travel writing and you’ll notice something: certain words and phrases are used over and over and over. Like a cheap… well, never mind; that’s another cliché entirely.

It goes a little something like this: All views are spectacular. City centers always seem to be bustling hubs. Every church, bridge and B&B is charming. Markets and cultures are invariably colorful.

And if not that, well – you have your synonyms. Beautiful. Crystal clear. Stunning. Quaint.

Except, we know these descriptors can’t always be true. Anyone who travels knows that some views are marred; some downtowns feel claustrophobic; some oceans are muddied; some bridges are crumbling; and in some markets, the stench is more memorable than the sights.

Imagery is paramount in travel writing. (So is accuracy, to be clear.) The question is – is imagery as important to travel copywriting?

Travel writing and travel copywriting are two different beasts, after all: The former is creative nonfiction; the latter is marketing with purpose (aka, a goal in mind). That said, when it comes to description, travel writing and travel copywriting are very much the same: you want to hint and entice with your words.

The question is, whether you’re updating your hotel’s website, brainstorming your latest blog post, or penning a new itinerary for your travel agency, is your copywriting word choice as important as spelling out your amenities, getting in a few SEO keywords, and inserting your travel calls-to-action?

In short, the answer is YES. A huge (and hugely emphatic) yes.

But, maybe not for the reasons you think.

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Travel Storytelling – or Story Selling?

travel brand story selling storytelling-min
Travel brand storytelling – or storyselling, if you’d like – resides at the intersection of two questions: What makes you remarkable? and What do your guests hope and dream?

Think about the last really great movie or book you enjoyed. I’m talking about one that really pulled you in – real life fell away, you could hear nothing but this new world, and you forgot to eat or sleep. You escaped.

Escape is a wonderful feeling, especially when it comes to travel. Because travel is escape. When people search for travel – when they research their travel purchasing decisions – they’re already in the escape frame of mind.

That makes you lucky.

Travel brand storytelling is easier than most brand storytelling. After all, it’s easier to get someone excited about a wellness retreat in Costa Rica, than it is to sell them on a new brand of orange juice or a vacuum cleaner. Sure, they may be searching for a new brand of orange juice or a different model of vacuum cleaner – they may even be willing to put some time, energy, and a squeeze of excitement into that research – but travel is in a whole different league.

Travel is inherently sexy. We want to be sold our travel dreams.

But, easier doesn’t mean easy. Travel brand storytelling isn’t easy. Your story must resonate with travelers, if it’s going to work for you. Your story must appeal to the logical brain and charm the emotional heart. Your story must compel a purchase decision.

And that’s where travel brand story-selling comes in.

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16 Quotes (+ Takeaways) to Inspire Travel Brand Storytelling

Travel Brand Storytelling Quotes 5

For time immemorial, humans have told stories. Gathered ’round the fireside, on the laps of our parents, agog before a museum painting, in the embrace of a favorite reading chair – we crave stories and how they make us feel.

Be they the lyrical prose of epic poems or crudely scratched paintings on cave walls, beautifully bound tomes or water cooler chat-worthy Super Bowl ads, we love stories. Stories are the framework to understand our world and to spread ideas.

Even if I didn’t say that stories are necessary for human survival or mention the most recent neurological research behind stories, you’d already know – we, as humans, seek out great stories.

You – yes, you – did it. When you were little and every once upon a time captured your attention. When you were a little older, and you became engrossed in your first favorite TV or book series. And even now, when a good TED Talk gets your click. You, we – all of us – we love a good story.

And so, it should come as no surprise that your travel marketing needs stories.

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Just Launched: Facebook Group for Travel Copywriting & Content Marketing

travel copywriting facebook group
This group is for you. Yes, you!

Want more bookings? Then, this Facebook group is for you.

Yes, you – for all you small-business owners in travel & hospitality. For the hotels, the vacation rentals, the travel & tour agencies, and all you other tourism and hospitality businesses that want to fill your calendars.

This is for everyone who wants to grow a business through a better website, better copy, and better content marketing.

For anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by all the you-musts and you-shoulds of building, maintaining, and growing your own website.

This group is dedicated to all things travel copywriting and travel content marketing – from creating killer calls-to-action and writing for organic (unpaid) SEO goals, to sending more effective email marketing campaigns and blogging for bookings.

Ask questions. Share challenges. Revel in your successes.

Because this group is for you.