Destination videos have proliferated at a time when travelers seek further inspiration for their next adventure.
To survive in today’s competitive market, overflowing with online content, destinations need a unique voice. Video is one source that is becoming instrumental in creating this recognition. Already, marketers have embraced its potential at all stages of their planning which not only has the potential to inspire but also to stimulate a desire to travel.
Storytelling with captivating images are still vital, yet in today’s digital age, just not enough.
Destination videos have proven to be influential for information, education, and entertainment and a recent study by Google showed that two out of three consumers now watch travel videos when they’re considering traveling. It’s now proving to be one of the most significant tools in travel marketing today – allowing travelers to live, experience and discover destination for a short period of time.
According to Google market research, demand has grown with travelers becoming keen consumers of video, especially through smartphones.
Travelers now engage with videos when searching and planning a vacation. They´re eager to seek reviews from other travelers and experts, review videos from travel-related channels, hotels, airlines, cruises, and tours. Searches are focused on cities, attractions, point-of-interests and general travel ideas. In addition, travelers regularly watch content in categories that are closely related to travel, such as restaurants, spas and food and drink videos.
Videos are influencing travel decisions (The Traveler´s Road to Decision, 2014):
- 65% of travelers use video when thinking about taking a trip
- 48% of travelers use video when thinking about the type of trip to take
- 61% of travelers consult it when choosing a destination
- 67% of travelers use video when choosing activities within a destination
- 63% of travelers use video when deciding on accommodation within a destination
- 26% of travelers use video when deciding which website to book
ArrivalTV, a division of ArrivalGuides, aims to take full advantage of the changing landscape by providing travelers with high-quality, locally produced destination videos.
Pre-installed in TV apps and Amazon Fire brands, ArrivalTV is now the world’s largest provider of destination videos to Smart TV apps, set-top boxes (STBs) and is experiencing considerable growth through alliances with partners such as Foxxum, the front-runner in providing Smart TV solutions, and NetRange, a global supplier of Smart TV ecosystems.
Since beginning in 2014, the library of destination videos (to date over 298) has received more than 790 thousand views with a great number of destination videos being watched at weekends where users tend to watch them from the comfort of their homes using TV devices (92%).
To illustrate the importance of ArrivalTV within the travel industry, an example is taken from one of the oldest towns in Sweden – Vimmerby. A charming town where, the famous author Astrid Lindgren was born. Apart from having Sweden’s largest open-air theater, Vimmerby offers an unforgettable experience at Virum Moose Park. Since the official tourist board uploaded the Virum Moose park destination video to ArrivalTV, this small, unfamiliar city has gained more than 7200 views – the majority coming from SmartTV apps (98%). Views from Vietnam, USA, and Russia attest that ArrivalTV truly has a comprehensive global reach. Vimmerby is a classic example of a destination boosting their visibility considerably through their presence on ArrivalTV.
With inspirational videos, bookable accommodation and entrance tickets taken directly from websites, ArrivalGuides offers a complete solution and continues to grow and develop as a tool to enrich traveler´s experiences before, during and after their journey.
In conclusion, travel-related video content is showing substantial growth. The TV platform continues to be an important channel for ArrivalTV to engage and take travelers on an enduring journey with unique, authentic destination content on any device. It´s safe to say that exciting destination videos are becoming a new language of travel brand communication to reach, inspire and engage today’s savvy travelers.
