Classification of Digital Marketing Tools for Russian and Foreign Travel Agencies

Nowadays, as most consumers of tourism services use Internet to search, book, and pay for tourist products, digital marketing dynamically changes the way companies in the travel industry operate. Aim. This study aims to substantiate the necessity for travel agencies to use modern electronic technologies, develop new digital strategies, and implement them in the everyday practice. These strategies should be aimed at satisfying the needs of the customers online using the company’s own resources. Tasks. This study compares major digital marketing tools in Russia and abroad; substantiates the necessity of applying new digital marketing tools to ensure successful development, promotion, enhancement of competitiveness, lower costs, and higher financial performance of a travel agency. Results. The authors propose their own classification of the most effective digital marketing tools for the companies in both Russian and foreign travel industries. Strengths and shortcomings of digital marketing tools are thoroughly analyzed. The most efficient tools are identified, those that enhance the effectiveness of travel agencies’ operation to the fullest extent. Such tools include search engine marketing, online marketing campaigns, e-mail, online partnerships, social media marketing, and viral marketing. Considering that consumers of tourism services are clearly migrating to the Internet environment, travel agencies that ignore the aforementioned strategies are likely to go out of business in the medium term. On the contrary, implementing the advanced digital marketing technologies examined in this article will allow travel agencies to strengthen their positions and expand their business, entering new client segments in a broader marketing field in both domestic and global markets, thus increasing the effectiveness and enhancing the competitiveness of the business.

digital marketing, marketing tools, classificationof digital tools, marketing policy, travel industry, цифровой маркетинг, инструменты маркетинга, классификация цифрового инструментария, маркетинговая политика, туристский бизнес

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