Mirela
If you’re in the travel industry, you’re one of the most likely to benefit from localizing your website or application. A significant portion of your audience probably consists of international travelers, and research shows that people (even multilinguals) prefer content in their native language. That’s good enough of a reason to start adapting your content, services, and marketing strategies to suit different languages and cultures. Let’s discuss the benefits to see just how localization supports the travel industry.
Firstly, it improves customer experience (CX)
When travelers visit a website or use a booking platform, they expect to find information in a language they understand. By localizing as much of your content as possible, you make sure your website, mobile app, and promotional materials are available in multiple languages. This way, it’s much easier for users to navigate and maybe even take action (your goal is for them to convert, right?).
According to Statista, over 5 billion people use the internet, yet fewer than 26% are proficient in English. Yet about 64% of all websites feature content in English, meaning that around 75% of internet users face challenges understanding most websites unless they use a translation tool. How’s that for CX?
Airbnb is one of those companies that actually considers CX. At the very beginning of the COVID-19 a pandemic, the company lost 80% of its business in about two month. But a couple of months into the pandemic, they began seeing how people started traveling again—working remotely from nearby destinations or abroad. Airbnb took note of this and updated guests and hosts in 62 languages around the clock with emails, notifications, help articles, and products. Their localization expansion was proving successful.
Higher conversion rates and bookings
Localization directly impacts conversion rates and bookings by making it easier and more comfortable for travelers to complete a reservation. Potential customers are far more likely to follow through with their purchase when they can browse, book, and pay in their preferred language and currency. Otherwise, there’s a high chance you’ll end up with abandoned carts.
The Can’t Read, Won’t Buy – B2C report, which surveyed more than 8,000 consumers across 29 countries, found that 65% of respondents prefer content in their native language. Furthermore, 40% stated they would not buy a product or service unless it is available in their language.
Personalized marketing and advertising
Localization plays an important role in marketing too. The travel industry is a competitive one. In order to attract and convert visitors, you need to speak their language. If you’re a travel company, localizing marketing campaigns is a great way to tailor your promotions to specific regions and cultures. Often, this results in higher engagement and return on investment.
AdParlor tested localized ads to find out how they perform compared to their non-localized counterparts. The results was that localized copy generated click-through rates that were 22% higher for women and 87% higher for men.
Of course, there are plenty of other marketing channels that can yield results, not just paid advertisement. Think of region-specific influencer partnerships and localized email campaigns. Large travel companies localize their their email marketing campaigns too, crafting copy based on the user preferences of each region they target. These efforts are paying off.
… and better user experience on mobile and apps
Travelers rely heavily on their mobile phones and apps to enhance their journeys. They use it to book flight and hotels, but also for itinerary management and navigation. A well-localized mobile experience would not only remove language barriers but also improve functionality.
Localization in mobile platforms has been shown to significantly enhance user engagement, increase bookings, and improve customer retention. A study by Distimo (now part of App Annie) revealed that localizing as little as an iPhone app title and description led to a 767% increase in downloads. This shouldn’t come as a surprise; localized content simply resonates better with users.
So, what should you localize?
Your website and app are the primary touchpoints for travelers, so they have to be available in multiple languages. Navigation menus, buttons, instructions, destination descriptions, travel guides, FAQ sections, booking forms, checkout pages, push notifications, and automated messages—these are all elements that require localization.
Offering pricing in local currencies and supporting preferred payment methods increases trust and conversion rates. Many travelers abandon their bookings when forced to manually convert prices or use unfamiliar payment systems.
Moving on to travel marketing—besides paid ads, you need to consider localizing social media, email campaigns, and optimizing SEO using region-specific keywords. Nowadays, it’s always a good idea to partner with influencers and travel bloggers to promote your services and products. People tend to trust recommendations from those they follow more than traditional ads.
Localize your travel content with POeditor
Now that we’ve talked about how localization supports the travel industry, are you convinced localization can benefit your business? If so, it’s time to start adapting your content for new audiences. With POEditor, it’s easy to translate and manage your multilingual travel content. Our platform enables you to organize, collaborate, and automate translations in a user-friendly interface.
Connect POEditor with your system using API support, GitHub sync, or third-party integrations. Next, gather your team, translators, or professional translation services all in one place and start working on transforming your business into a multilingual one. Human translation, machine translation, or both? Your choice; we offer all options.
Ready to attract more international travelers and boost your bookings? Try POEditor today and take your travel business global with affordable, quality localization.