10 Marketing Ideas for Travel Agents | Brafton

Let’s rip the Band-Aid off quickly: Travel is a super-saturated industry for content marketing. On the one hand, that means your airtime amid the competition is about equivalent to Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’ in September of 2011 (diminishing).

On the other hand, it means avid travelers are actively seeking your services around the clock. There are also a few interesting trends emerging that place far greater value on exploring the niche bungalows of Nong Khiaw, overlooking the Nam Ou River, for instance, than making a beeline for the Louvre.

No, in the era of hyper-personalization and authenticity, you possess two of the most valuable tools there are: your personality and experiences. In this article, we’re going to discuss how you can use them to introduce some groove into your digital marketing strategy. 

Marketing Strategies Travel Agents Can Use To Grow (Before Everyone Else Does)

Your travel agency marketing strategy requires two baseline ingredients to get the show on the road: strategies and tactics. Think of your strategy as the terrain you’ll cross to arrive at your destination, whereas the tactics are the specific vessels that’ll get you there. 

Here’s what it looks like on the strategy front: 

Build a Strong Personal Brand

Just like it’s unwise to commit to a six-week zero-plan vacay with a friend you’ve never even left town with, it’s also not ideal to market your travel agency without a distinct personal brand. Your voice and expertise build up a sense of relatability and trust with potential clients. 

Are you the borderline local? The star-crossed voyager? The undercover bougie? Decide how you’ll show up authentically for your audience and disseminate a consistent message across all touchpoints, whether that’s email, in-person interactions, social media or otherwise. 

Don’t Try To Be Everything

Just like you wouldn’t encourage travel clients to try to visit every city in Italy if they’ve only got a week, be wary of marketing yourself as an “everything for everyone” travel agent. The industry is packed, so spreading yourself thin risks diluting your message. Instead, identify the niche you serve best and focus your energy on delivering value there. 

…But Also, Don’t Be Afraid To Add Your Spin

You might not encourage travel clients to stack luxury suitcases in the Lijiang River, but Louis Vuitton did. In a 2025 campaign, you’ll see designer luggage piled onto hand-lashed bamboo rafts in Guilin, China — and the message is clear. Rig aside, luxury is no longer qualified by Michelin stars or a VIP entry pass. 

If you’re also running on hot takes or are tired of booking for Costa Rica when Nicaragua’s just next door, lean in: Your vision and perspectives differentiate you. 

Develop Customizable, Repeatable Packages

Creating packages with at least the outline in ink gives you a set of tools to scale your business while still offering a personalized travel experience. Destinations and routes are a great start, but consider festivals and events packages that speak to your audience: 60% of travelers this year are boarding planes for sports and entertainment, according to a 2025 American Express survey.

Create a Loyal Customer Base

Attracting travel clients is a short-term strategy; retaining them has the greatest impact on your business. Retention is all about creating a customized experience, delivering high-level value at every interaction — whether via email, SMS or during a frantic call because someone can’t find their bus — and maintaining a warm relationship through regular engagement.

A loyal customer base will keep returning for quality, personal care and — if they believe your offering — they’re more likely to refer their network.

With the broad strokes now in place, let’s talk about the details. What individual tactics can you use to increase your visibility to potential customers?

Marketing Ideas for Travel Agents: The Tactics

Let’s talk about how these strategies look on the ground. Below are the pathways to landing your digital marketing strategy on the runway. 

Social Media Marketing

Short-form video was the top-performing content format in 2024, followed closely by images. Consumers are increasingly drawn to highly visual content — even more so when it comes to travel and destinations — so platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram are a safe bet to invest in. 

Here are some ideas for your marketing campaign: 

• Short-form video: Fire off a few short videos a week with highly engaging travel content like destination highlights, bite-sized travel tips and packing hacks. Face-to-camera brings authenticity and creates personal brand awareness. 
• User-generated content: Ask your clients to send their favorite snaps and videos from the trips you’ve helped them plan. Sharing them on your channels is great for community-building, especially if you’re short on time. 
• Run targeted ad campaigns: Pinpoint potential customers based on interests, travel intent or location. Promote niche packages and retarget according to engagement.
• Use stories and polls: Real-time interactions spark connection and brand loyalty. They also bring new insights into audience preferences. 

Aim to schedule three to five posts a week, but block 10 minutes daily to respond and engage.

Referrals and Loyalty Programs

People trust people, so use referral incentives to leverage your existing travel clients’ networks. They’re a cost-effective, scalable and community-building travel agency marketing idea. Beyond that, being generous with value is an easy way to retain clients and nurture brand loyalty. 

Here’s what you can try: 

• Tiered referral rewards: Encourage clients to refer friends and offer discounts or complimentary add-ons once you secure a booking.
• Create a loyalty program: Offer perks, such as early access to new trips, free packing guides or upgraded travel support.
• Ask for reviews: Incentivize reviews on Google, Yelp or your website with a discount or a small bonus if needed. 

Email Marketing 

If you’re showing up in a traveler’s inbox, send them something they won’t find on Google or TikTok. Email is a great way to nurture your community, but only if you lead with value and align tightly with your personal brand. 

Send highly relevant content via:

• Send personalized offers based on browsing or booking behavior. For instance, if someone looked at Morocco twice last week, send them a desert itinerary taster.
• Post-booking drip campaigns: Automate a campaign with four emails: one to confirm the booking, one to prepare, one to upsell and one to say bon voyage. After the trip, send another to check in or ask for feedback and reviews. 
• Regular value drops: Give away your secrets. Travel tips, destination guides and deals are virtually made for an email marketing campaign. 

Keep emails concise and direct. Add links to resources where appropriate and include only one call to action.

SEO: Be Where People Are Looking

SEO for travel websites is a digital slow burn that takes a while to gain traction and has a more lasting impact than social media campaigns.

Here’s how to do it right:

• Write content people search for: Perform keyword research and create informative and entertaining advice about places, cultures and unexpected finds.
• Use internal links: Connect articles with services and testimonials to gently guide your reader through a funnel.
• Don’t abandon technical SEO: Fast loads, mobile optimization and structured data matter more than you think. Use tools like SEMrush to track your progress.
• Local SEO: If you serve a local clientele, add your travel company to Google Business Profile, including reviews and photos. If you’re an online travel agency, you can still list a virtual business to boost your local SEO. 

Networking and Partnerships

Networking and partnerships give you boots on the ground at your travelers’ destinations. It helps build out repeatable packages and support local communities. Per Amex, 73% of travelers say it’s important to support local businesses when traveling. By partnering, you can help them achieve their goals, as well as:

• Create cross-promotional ops: Bring exposure to reliable small local businesses, and they can refer their networks to yours. 
• Outsource certain tasks: Partnering with a company that can handle communications and organize itineraries on-site saves you from 3 a.m. panic calls. 
• Build a network of trusted connections: Ideally, everything would always go to plan. However, when it doesn’t, it’s good to have extra hands at the ready. 

Travel Marketing Like You Mean It

Travel marketing is noisy, but there are plenty of creative opportunities to build a stable brand and attract new clients. Consistently showing up with your voice and authenticity across all channels will help create a community of loyal, committed travelers. 

Focus on customizable and scalable packages to set your business up for long-term growth, and — just like your audience — always lead with curiosity.