Are you Making the Most of your Host?

If you're not online, you are not on the right track. That is the sentiment surrounding organisations and their necessary migration to the web. In the past, company websites were largely used as back up support for a business rather than a business tool. A bit like the Internet is throwing a party but half the guests are just showing their faces, rather than staying and enjoying the company and baby quiche. But having a "web presence" is not enough, not any more.

The Internet continuously churns out opportunities for businesses to make money, because let's face it, on the net - it really is a global economy. Travel websites in South Africa are apparently not making the most of the chances they've been given online. Instead of shouting a little louder in the digital open air market, South African travel website stalls are shrinking away from the haggling and relying on word of mouth to sell SA. Here's the flaw in the plan...people don't talk anymore, its the social networking age - they Facebook, they Twitter, they Digg and Stumble...but they don't talk. Word of mouth has morphed into word of many mouths and when news travels as fast as it does now, you have to know what you want people to say.

A study released by Ian Kruger predicts that accommodation and transport services might not profit from the 2010 FIFA-Xmas-in-July if travel websites don't increase functionality, maximise online marketing opportunities and start linking to other relevant sites.

The study reviewed websites of 100 travel-related businesses and the general consensus was that they were "under performing." Essentially, travel websites are acting as a "digital replica of a company pamphlet." That won't do. Not in an age were information is so readily available that users will go somewhere else when they can't get what they want from you.

Not only that but independent tourism is constantly on the rise, travel websites need to be easy to use. By that I mean, when a potential user lands on your site, they should know what you do, know what products you're selling, be able to communicate with you easily and of course, they must be able to pay you. Nice and simple. The shift to viewing your travel website as a sales resource can't be disregarded. It's not an option, it is a necessity.

One of the things that always strikes me about interaction at the annual Tourism Indaba's is that everyone is quite keen to talk about what they do, sell, network and market but when it comes to going from friendly brainstorming to working together, everyone is less enthused. Sure, the travel industry is competitive but there are two races being run here.

The first is the local competition between service providers, tour operators, accommodation establishments etc. We're so afraid of competition in SA that we don't even consider the possibility of working together. Just ignore the competition and they won't exist. Yip, that's going to work. The point is that there is a bigger race, one that based on ease and accessibility will determine whether an independent tourist will come here or go somewhere else. In short? Get some inbound links on your site. It's like Facebook, no one really has 4 823 friends, but...it makes you look popular and important doesn't it? Get some friends.

The quality and service online needs to meet international standards. South Africa is a fantastic travel destination but our online sales tactic sells the country short. So if you're not online, get online and in line with a great website and take the odds of winning from 50/50 to 20/10.