TRIBES, TRENDS and BUSINESS
TOURISM
Rick Taylor
EIAT September 2009

TRIBES

Tribes
Tourism marketing today is about defining TRIBES …

Tribes
Features Benefits Experience Identification
“What it is” “What it does” “What you feel” “Who you are”
1900 1925 1950 2000

Tribes
Boomers retiring, Gen X entering midlife, Gen Y entering work
(UK Population 1925 – 2007)
Man on
the Moon
Fall of
Communism Financial
Crisis
Economic
Boom Economic
Boom
9/11
WW2
Great
Depression
1946 1967 1985 2003 … Future …. Gen Z

Tribes
Generation X 1965 - 1976
Global Executives / Cosmopolitan Commuters
Senior Executives – short/long-haul travel on business
Superior flexibility – late bookings / last minute changes
Personalised premium journey packages
Growing numbers people living / working in
different regions

Tribes
Generation Y - Millennials 1977 - 1997
Information savvy – global networks
High expectations
Internet / Apple iPhone
All about experience, lifestyle,
personalisation

Tribes
Generation Z 1998 -
A smaller World
Half the world under 25 years (4 billion)
2 billion (25%) over 60 years

Tribes
Different Activities … Different Tribes
People join different tribes for different activities …
Reading
Driving
Banking
Travel
Sports Computing

Tribes
The Online Revolution
• Global online travel retail sector … $125 Billion!
• Tourism websites … 11 seconds … to capture
customer
• 1 Billion searches every day
Travelmole 2008

Tribes
Social Media / Blogging …
Second largest search engine!
60% market share
100+ million videos

Tribes
Social Media / Blogging …
250+ Million active users

Tribes
New York
Pod Culture: social network for guests before they arrive
Since implementing 2 years ago, customer retention at all time
high, revenue up 400%

Tribes
Hello,
My Father and I will visit New York in September.
We come from Spain, but I live in the States. It will be
our first visit to New York. 11th – 21st Sept 2009
We are looking forward to meeting people in the city.
See you, Lorena
Hello!
My name is Bea and I'm staying at the Pod from September 11th
till September 21st.
It's gonna be my first time in NYC and would like to meet some
people to have drinks or hear some jazz in the West village.
I am a 30 years old female. My e-mail is bartesero@hotmail.com
Hope to hear from you :) Have a nice trip, Bea.

TRENDS

Trends
Towards 2020 – The Big Picture
• Surplus society
Friction free commerce
Continuous commoditisation
Technology
Competition for loyalty
• Society time deficient
• Shrinking world, distance is dead

Trends
• Consumer democracy

Trends
New virus is ... choice
• More … freedom
• More … international travel
• More … access to the internet
• More … destination offerings

Trends
The Three ‘E’s
Ethical Consumers …

Trends
• Growth of volunteerism

Trends
• Human rights

Trends
• The struggle for beliefs

Trends
• Bottled water

Trends
The Three ‘E’s
Eco-consumers …

Trends
• Artificial trees may save the world

Trends
• Hotels …

Trends
The Three ‘E’s
Experience Economy ...

BUSINESS TOURISM

Business Tourism
Business Tourism … Leads the Way
“ Tourism is forecast to resume its
leading role in driving global growth …
creating jobs and alleviating poverty.
Business Tourism is one of the most
lucrative components of the global
tourism industry.”
WTTC 2009

Business Tourism
Economic Value
1.376
2019 5.575
US$ bn. Business
0.745 US$ bn. Leisure
2009 2.99
0 2 4 6
• Business = Major source of tourism income
WTTC 2009

Business Tourism
Economic Value
• Since 2000 - 53% growth in business travel
• Real growth 3.6% p.a. - 2009 to 2018
• Conference / Incentive travel to grow at fastest rate
• Revenues estimated to account for 45% of total tourism
income by 2019

Business Tourism
Tribes ...
International /
National Meetings
Trade Non
Incentives Corporate Events
Shows / Corporate
Exhibitions
Association
Government
Non
Government

Business Tourism
Perspectives … Destinations
Issue contributing to successful event % respondents
1. Attractive destination 70%
2. Ease of access / travel 57%
3. Quality of the venue 55%
Mood of the Market: EIBTM (Dec 2008)

Business Tourism
Perspectives … Venues
Factors influencing venue selection % respondents
1. Location 83%
2. Price / value for money 78%
3. Quality of service 51%
Mood of the Market: EIBTM (Dec 2008)

Tribes
• Frustrated customer service
• Year trying for compensation
• Unique learning opportunity

Tribes
You Tube 5.5 million hits
CNN feature
“ It takes 20 years to build a reputation,
and 5 minutes to ruin it.
If you think about that,
you will do things differently. ”
Warren Buffet

Business Tourism
Life in the third millennium ….
Fast, Urban, Tribal, Universal, Radical, Ethical

www.thebusinesstourismcompany.com
Destination Marketing, Management and
Development Consultants