Millennials – those born between the year 1980 and 2000 – are influencing the tourism market today more than ever. Consisting of roughly 79 million people in the U.S. alone, millennials wield tremendous buying power and an insatiable appetite for new and adventurous experiences. As you set your sights on marketing tactics for your attraction in the upcoming season, ask yourself, how familiar is your brand is with this age group? Our top 4 tips will help demystify attraction marketing to millennials.

1. Make mobile-friendly a top priority. A 2015 Yahoo Insights Report revealed that 46% of millennial respondents used smartphones or tablets for travel booking, and the trend is only expected to increase this year. It’s a staggering reminder that a mobile-friendly website isn’t just important for search, it’s critical to your bottom line, too.
2. Get active on social networks. Millennials use a wide range of social media sites as their primary sources for news and information. Make sure your attraction is keeping up to date on all of your platforms regularly. Social media ads, when used wisely, can be a successful way to reach the millennial audience, as well. A September 2015 Nielsen survey showed that of all age groups, millennials put the highest amount of trust in social media advertising. Social media advertising platforms can also be useful when building your ideal visitor persona.
3. Monitor online reviews. They might be the YOLO generation, but don’t be fooled – millennials do their homework before committing to travel decisions. According to the Nielsen survey, 70% of millennials trust consumer opinions posted online. In addition to your own social media pages, sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp can help your attraction get a feel for what your visitors thought about their experience, and can help you build testimonials or point out issues that need to be addressed.
4. Don’t jump ship from traditional advertising. The times may be changing, but traditional advertising still has an important role in reaching your millennial audience. Despite this demographic’s pervasive use of social media and mobile technology in general, millennials still have great trust in advertising methods like news articles, ads on TV and in magazines, and billboards and other outdoor advertising. Focus on streamlining these efforts and creating a seamless experience no matter where your targets encounter your brand.

Finding a healthy medium of interactive and traditional marketing tactics will help your attraction reach the coveted millennial audience. Need help finding that sweet spot? We specialize in crafting customized, targeted marketing campaigns for attractions across New England. Drop us a line!