MARKETING TIPS

What Do Women Want? 

This question evokes the screen image of ad executive Mel Gibson (in the movie with the same name), struggling with pantyhose, nail polish and leg wax after his new female boss asked him to answer this question. In the fantasy world of Hollywood movies, Gibson was able to read the minds of women, thus winning over his boss and the pocketbooks of women.

In real life, marketing isn't quite that easy. But here's what we do know. Women are the Chief Purchasing Officer in their households and that purchasing power extends to travel where they are considered the gatekeepers for all vacation activities on behalf of their families.

At a Marketing Committee meeting held earlier this year, Lisa Bookwalter, Travel Director for Meredith Travel Marketing, presented research to shed more light on the female leisure travel market, their influence, decision-making process, and the growing opportunities they present to marketers.

Women are making the vacation decisions 

Nearly all women (95%) are involved in vacation decision-making and 1 in 3 are the primary person responsible for determining vacation plans. Around half of the women surveyed research the details, suggest ideas, and book the trip entirely themselves.

Where do they go for their planning and research? Referrals from friends, co-workers, neighbors and family are the most powerful influences. Women like to browse magazines for ideas, but turn to the Internet for actual planning using sites such as Yahoo, Google, Expedia and Travelocity, as well as individual airline, hotel and car rental sites. Sixty-six percent turned to city, county and state tourism websites in the planning stage. About half also booked their airfare, hotel and car rental online.

Women are looking for relaxation and pampering 

In order to understand how to craft a message to women, it's important to understand why they travel. When asked what they wanted to do on their vacation, relax was at the top of the list for both women and men. Women want to be pampered by healing and restorative services, so it's no surprise that spas are the hottest trend going right now. They continue to crop up in resorts and hotels everywhere at an amazing rate. Besides relaxation, women also want to experience something new on their getaway such as local cuisine and culture.

Other top travel trends 

One in five women leave the men at home and opt for a getaway with just the girls according to the survey. The top reason? Over half were looking for a break from the daily grind. Another trend emerging is women taking trips that include special events such as a wedding or vow renewal ceremony or a family reunion that involves several generations of family.

Cruise travel is also increasing in popularity and 1 in 3 women said they are "likely to cruise within the next 12 months." While cruise travel is not entirely likely in Wisconsin, the state's industry can take a cue from the strategies that have proved successful for the cruise industry, such as the value of all-inclusive travel arrangements, activities, sightseeing, food, and other amenities that travelers appreciate.

These are just a few highlights from the meeting. If you would like more information about the Meredith Travel Marketing research, contact Sarah Klavas at 608-266-3750 or sklavas@travelwisconsin.com.

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