A rough analysis of travel demand
I used to do online travel and did an analysis of travel needs.
1. The top of the travel demand chain
Traveling is never the purpose. Therefore, traveling has other purposes. These purposes can be to go to work, to go to a certain attraction, to eat in a certain restaurant, to go on a business trip somewhere, to go home for the New Year, etc.
But no matter what the purpose of travel is, there must be a destination after all. This destination can be a country, a city, a building, a scenic spot, etc.
Therefore, we might as well define the purpose of travel as the desire for the destination.
With the desire for a destination, consumption of travel methods, accommodation, dining, entertainment, etc. has become a must.
In other words, the source of demand for air tickets, train tickets, hotels, attraction tickets, etc. is the desire for the destination.
In other words, it is precisely the desire for the destination that creates the need for air tickets, hotels, etc.
The desire for a destination is the top of the entire travel demand chain.
Stimulating users' desire for a destination can often seize the top of this demand chain. So, how can we stimulate users’ desire for the destination?
First, let’s analyze the desire for the destination. Then, analyze how to motivate.
2. Analysis of desire for destination
Desire for destinations can be divided into three categories: scenery (tourism), work (business) and gatherings with family and friends.
1. Scenery (tourism)
The desire to explore and the instinct to escape gave rise to travel. On this basis, strengthening interpersonal relationships has also become a cause of travel.
In other words, there are actually three needs for traveling: desire to explore, escape and strengthening interpersonal relationships.
(1) Desire to explore
The desire to explore is an innate desire of human beings. Therefore, many people travel and generally only visit a place once.
(2), escape
The instinct to escape is another source of motivation for travel. Escape is a human instinct of self-preservation. When various pressures and constraints in life and work reach a certain level, they are harmful to people's body and mind, so people naturally have the desire to escape.
The scenery of distant destinations becomes the best reason and choice. Life and work cannot be avoided, so we have to escape temporarily. Take a break from your own life and work. To cultivate, release and restore.
(3) Strengthen interpersonal relationships
A good environment, beautiful scenery, fresh experiences, a pleasant mood, etc. The atmosphere brought by tourism is naturally suitable for strengthening interpersonal and social relationships.
2. Work (business)
The hustle and bustle is all for the benefit of the people.
The word "profit" expresses the essence of business travel.
3. Gathering of relatives and friends
Travel for this purpose is mainly during holidays. For example, the Spring Festival transportation when returning home during the New Year.
3. Stimulate the desire for the destination (only analyzing tourism)
This can be done in two ways. One is to use content, and the other is to use social networking.
1. Use content to stimulate users’ desire for the destination
For travel websites, the most common method is to use content to stimulate users' desire for the destination, and then sell air tickets, hotels, attraction tickets, etc. accordingly.
However, the current problem is that the conversion rate generated by using content to stimulate users' desire for the destination is relatively low. In other words, even if a certain content successfully arouses a user's interest in a certain attraction, the probability that the user will ultimately purchase related travel products is very low.
So, what exactly happened during this process? Three decisions.
The first decision: decide to go.
From being inspired by the desire for a destination to deciding to go there, users often gain a deeper understanding (cognition) of the destination. This includes information about the scenic spots, customs, social conditions, food, accommodation and shopping near the destination. In this process, judging from the current situation, the cognitive cost and behavioral cost are still relatively high. In the end, there is a high probability that users will decide not to go.
The second decision: time arrangement and companion arrangements.
when to go? Go alone or with some people?
If there is no suitable time in the near future, even if you really want to go, you will put it on hold for now.
If you are going with someone or some people, can the schedule of the person you are traveling with be adjusted to a suitable time? If not, travel plans are likely to be shelved.
The third decision: purchasing decision. Which company to buy and what travel products to buy (including hotels, air tickets, etc.).
How to choose similar products? How to choose between different sellers? The content owner that initially stimulates users’ desire for a destination may not necessarily end up buying its products.
Or, it can also be said that now, many travel websites are facing a problem: the channel from content to conversion to consumption is not smooth.
2. Use social media to stimulate users’ desire for destinations
Because most of the time when you travel, you are not alone. In other words, traveling is a social behavior.
The social nature of tourism is mainly reflected in three aspects:
First, the same or similar desire to explore
It often appears in group travel situations.
Second, escape from the current situation together and experience a different life.
Mainly people who are relatively close and live or work in the same environment.
Third, it is simply to strengthen relationships.
Mainly business travel. For example, some conferences include travel projects.
It is worth thinking about how to reconstruct the social factors in the above situations to form products that stimulate users' desire for the destination and ultimately convert them. I think social tourism will have great opportunities in the future.
4. Analysis of travel needs
Travel demand can be analyzed from the following aspects.
1. Speed: fast
Generally, no one wants to spend a lot of time on the road, so speed is the first principle for users to choose transportation or travel methods.
Of course, there are also those who deliberately pursue slowness. That’s because what they pursue is not slowness but travel experience, such as the scenery on the road.
2. Price: low
This is the second largest factor influencing users’ choice of travel mode. On the premise of achieving the purpose of travel, the lowest price is the choice of most people.
3. Travel experience:
There are three basic elements to a travel experience. One is convenience, one is comfort, and the other is pleasure.
We talk about the travel experience from two aspects.
(1) Experience of travel mode
What are the modes of travel?
Short distance: walking, bicycle, electric car, motorcycle, driving by yourself, taxi, bus, subway.
Long-distance: train, plane, long-distance bus, driving by yourself, boat (this seems to be mostly for experience).
Different travel methods have different experiences.
Just compare long-distance high-speed trains and planes with driving by yourself (take the journey from Beijing to Shanghai as an example)
Put aside speed and price, just talk about the travel experience.
In terms of convenience, driving by yourself is the most convenient. You can start at any time, anywhere, and stop almost whenever you want. Second is the high-speed rail. Railway stations are generally built in urban areas (many in central areas), which are relatively close to the departure point. There are many options for getting from the departure point to the train station, so the departure time can be arranged more casually. Airports are generally built far away from urban areas and far from the departure point. There are relatively few optional travel methods from the departure point to the airport.
Then there's comfort. This is for the body.
The most comfortable one is probably the first-class cabin on an airplane, then driving your own car, and then the business and first-class seats on the high-speed rail. The worst comfort is probably the economy class of the airplane (personal feeling).
Finally, there is pleasure, which is about mood.
What factors influence pleasantness? The scenery on the road, the surrounding environment, the friendliness of the people next to you, etc.
(2) Travel mode connection experience
The connection of travel modes involves three things: choosing the next travel mode or means of transportation, finding and arriving at the starting point of this travel mode, and things related to the selected travel mode.
First things first, choose your next mode of travel or means of transportation. What are the next ways to travel? Where is the starting point? what is the price? This is what users will consider before choosing. But many times, in many scenarios, users do not know what travel methods are available, nor do they know the starting point of these travel methods, so there is no way to compare them.
The second thing is to find and reach the starting point of this mode of travel.
This is basically done on foot. It occurs at connecting points, such as airports, train stations, bus stations, etc.
Detailed connection navigation and connection maps have become necessary.
Especially airports and train stations, these two places have more options for travel, more people, and the buildings are larger and more complex. In addition, most people are not familiar with these places, so it is easy to not know where to go.
The third thing is related to the chosen mode of travel.
Mainly include: purchase, waiting, formalities, late arrival, delay, etc.
Purchase: It can be booked in advance (such as air tickets, train tickets), bought now and go, or paid after arriving at the destination (such as taking a taxi). Convenience is mostly involved here.
Waiting: Waiting for the train and waiting for the flight. Most modes of travel involve this. Especially in airports and train stations, where eating and rest are the two main needs. Mainly related to comfort and pleasure.
Procedures: security check, ticket check, boarding/boarding. The main thing is convenience.
Late: Passengers are late, there are two situations, one is to change the ticket, the other is to change the travel mode. Mainly involving convenience.
Delay: Planes, high-speed trains, etc. do not depart or arrive as scheduled. There are three situations: one is to continue waiting, the other is to change the ticket, and the third is to change the mode of travel. It’s about convenience, comfort and pleasure.
For connection, many products can actually be made.
(3) Safety and sense of security
The safety of travel modes and means of transportation, and the user’s sense of security regarding travel modes and means of transportation.
This varies from person to person and will not be discussed here.
