Whether your organization offers flights, accommodations, or local tourism information, providing your audience with helpful travel info is key to building and sustaining relationships. As the role of data in marketing continues to expand, destination content APIs can enhance the customer journey, improve team efficiency, and create a more seamless digital experience.
New to APIs? No worries. We’ll go over everything you need to know, including how APIs can help your team go lean in today’s ever-changing travel landscape. And while the term API may seem pretty technical, they can actually present creative content in a highly effective way. In this guide, we’ll help you discover how to unlock the value of these innovative tech solutions.
How do APIs work?
Before we dive into the value of travel content APIs, here’s a brief overview of APIs for marketers. An API – or Application Programming Interface – is a software that essentially allows two applications to communicate with each other. These solutions create the behind the scenes connections that make for a seamless and secure digital experience.
It’s very likely that you engage with many different APIs throughout your day, whether you’re paying with Paypal or using Google Maps through an app. Here are a few examples of APIs at work in an array of industries:
- HERE APIs offer mobility and transportation support by optimizing apps with maps, weather insights, and traffic light information.
- The Mailchimp Marketing API helps streamline email marketing by automating tasks, organizing audiences by tags, and managing events.
- LinkedIn’s marketing APIs empower businesses to optimize campaigns, manage leads, and analyze page engagement
APIs can be a great tool for distilling data and logistics – but how can APIs support your travel organization? Though the possibilities with travel APIs are many, destination content APIs enrich your digital channels with location-based content that informs and inspires. Whether you’re an OTA, hotel, airline, or DMO, your team and marketing initiatives can greatly benefit from a thoughtful API ecosystem.
Destination content APIs help optimize the traveler journey
Integrating a destination content API can offer many benefits to your travel content community. With the digital landscape of review sites, social media, and blogs growing ever more complex, travelers are seeking authoritative sources amongst information overload.
However, though travelers are increasingly using digital channels for planning and booking, they’re also looking for resources bundled within one organization – instead of wandering around the web. Providing helpful destination content establishes you as a trusted travel voice, strengthening brand trust and enhancing the traveler journey.
Recent research from the European Travel Commission offers insights into the future of Europe’s tourism industry, and highlights the value of destination content. Their Long-Haul Travel Barometer explores current sentiment for overseas travel to Europe from six markets: Brazil, Canada, the US, China, Japan, and Russia. A few key notes:
- 57% of Chinese travel respondents hope to visit Europe by the end of 2022, yet over half are hesitant to travel during the first trimester due to COVID safety concerns. Those who plan to book a 2022 trip are interested in content related to gastronomy and opportunities to observe wildlife.
- US travelers are increasingly showing an interest in visiting European national parks during the early months of 2022. On the transportation front, US respondents favored road trips and train travel.
- France, Italy, and the UK are top destinations of interest for Canadian travelers. Canadian respondents also expressed interest in cycling routes throughout Europe, and the possibility of train travel.
With this in mind, you can see how destination content can be an enormous resource for your audience, whether you’re highlighting eco-friendly transportation, Michelin-starred restaurants, or natural wonders. Travelers are seeking expert guidance while planning holidays, and APIs provide not only top attractions but hidden gems and other local experiences.
Here’s a look at our destination content API in action: Singapore Airlines uses our API to highlight local explorations while travelers are searching for flights. For example, a traveler searching for bookings to Wellington, NZ will simultaneously see information on local New Zealand attractions, from botanical gardens and museums to Lord of the Rings tours. Additionally, they’re connected with events scheduled during their travels, from art fairs to local markets.
Our API gleans information from hundreds of sources for over 500 destinations, and can display the information in over 15 languages. Our suite of APIs not only reflects destination content, but provides up-to-date COVID travel requirements, helping your travelers explore safely and confidently.
Destination content APIs can help strengthen your team’s efficiency
The value of a destination content API also extends throughout your organization, from your customer success team to your marketing initiatives. For example, travel content APIs can alleviate call center volume by providing information at the touch of a button. They can also provide your customer success agents with expert travel insights, readying them for any leisure-related questions that may arise. And helpful calls = happy guests.
Additionally, travel APIs can increase bookings by meeting guests with relevant content at the point of their interest. For instance, if a traveler is exploring a travel requirements map, they’re most likely planning a trip. Providing destination content for local attractions or accommodations can be of great value at this stage of the planning process. As travel organizations increasingly seek to umbrella all elements of a trip within their booking portfolio – like flights, lodging, and excursions – travel APIs help make those connections.
Our travel API is also fully customizable to align with your organization’s branding – a feature your marketing team is sure to love! From website to app, it can be seamlessly integrated into any of your digital channels. And the information sourced from APIs can provide invaluable insights on the rhythms and interests of your travel community.
Smartvel APIs: Supporting travelers and the future of travel
As vaccines empower the road to renewed travel, your organization can meet the needs of your travel community through tech solutions like APIs. Our destination content and travel restrictions APIs provide real-time insights on travel conditions, requirements, and places of interest, supporting guests with travel tips and peace of mind.
Interested in learning more? Connect with our team to schedule a demo.
