A Brief Guide on CDPs in the Travel Industry in 2024

Customer data platforms (CDPs) have revolutionized the way travel companies operate in today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving industry.

With the ability to unify customer data from multiple sources and provide actionable insights, CDPs have become an essential tool for marketers in the travel sector.

In this article, we will explore the five key ways on how CDPs in the travel industry can enhance customer experiences and drive business growth.

Understanding CDPs in the Travel Industry

CDPs have two main functions within the travel industry: customer segmentation and customer journey mapping. These functionalities enable travel marketers to gain a comprehensive understanding of their customer base and optimize their marketing efforts accordingly.

1. Customer Segmentation

To deliver personalized marketing campaigns and tailored customer experiences, travel companies must have a deep understanding of their customers.

CDPs facilitate this by consolidating customer data from various sources, such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems, e-commerce platforms, and social media.

By integrating this data into a single platform, travel marketers can effectively segment their customer base and create targeted campaigns that are more likely to convert.

2. Customer Journey Mapping

Mapping the customer journey is crucial for travel marketers as it allows them to identify touchpoints and pain points throughout the customer’s interaction with their brand.

CDPs enable marketers to create a holistic view of the customer journey, encompassing how customers discover their website, their on-site behavior, and their interactions across different channels.

Armed with this information, travel marketers can optimize the customer journey to enhance customer experiences and improve overall satisfaction.

Five Ways to Harness the Power of CDPs in the Travel Industry

Now, let’s delve into the specific ways in which travel companies can leverage CDPs to their advantage.

1. Unify Traveler Customer Data

One of the primary benefits of utilizing CDPs in the travel industry is the ability to unify customer data from various channels. This consolidation provides marketers with a holistic view of the customer journey, enabling them to better understand customer behavior and preferences.

By leveraging this comprehensive understanding, travel companies can deliver more personalized customer experiences. For example, imagine a customer who books a flight using their phone and later checks into a hotel using a laptop.

With a CDP in place, the two companies can identify that it is the same customer and merge their respective data. This integration allows the hotel to store the data in their reception management platform and thus provide a personalized experience based on the customer’s preferences, enhancing their overall satisfaction.

2. Highlight Specific Amenities or Features

CDPs can be a powerful tool for travel companies to highlight specific amenities or features that may be of interest to their customers. By leveraging customer data, travel marketers can segment their customer base and target them with content that is relevant to their preferences.

For instance, if a customer frequently books flights to sunny destinations, a CDP can be used to showcase advertisements for hotels with pools or discounts on spa treatments.

Similarly, if a customer has specific dietary requirements, travel companies can highlight the meal options available on their flights. By tailoring their offerings to individual preferences, travel companies can enhance customer satisfaction and drive conversions.

3. Retarget Travel Options to Abandoned Carts or Inactive Customers

CDPs offer travel companies the opportunity to retarget travel options to customers who have abandoned their carts or shown inactivity. By analyzing customer data, CDPs enable companies to identify customers who have shown interest in their products but have not followed through with a purchase.

For instance, if a customer abandons their flight booking before completing the purchase, a CDP allows travel companies to retarget them with relevant content, such as a discount on their flight or a special offer for a hotel at their destination.

This personalized approach can help win back customers, improve customer experiences, and foster loyalty.

4. Coordinate Travel Messaging Across Channels

Travel companies often engage with customers through multiple channels, such as social media, email marketing, and advertisements. CDPs enable marketers to unify and coordinate their cross-channel marketing efforts.

By segmenting customers based on their preferred channels of communication, travel companies can deliver tailored messages that resonate with each customer segment. For example, if certain customers are more responsive to social media ads, marketers can prioritize social marketing campaigns for that specific segment.

Similarly, if a customer is more receptive to email marketing, personalized emails can be sent to drive conversions. This coordinated approach not only streamlines marketing efforts but also enhances the overall customer experience.

5. Elevate Traveler Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs are a crucial aspect of the travel industry, and CDPs can significantly enhance their effectiveness. By leveraging traveler data from various sources, travel companies can serve personalized promotions to repeat customers, ensuring that each offer resonates with their preferences.

For instance, if a customer has previously booked a flight with a particular airline, the airline can use a CDP to segment that customer and send them personalized messages about their loyalty program. This targeted approach enhances customer engagement, fosters loyalty, and improves overall customer satisfaction.

3 Best Customer Data Platforms for Travel Industry

1. NotifyVisitors

NotifyVisitors is a leading Customer Data Platform (CDP), seamlessly integrating customer data from diverse sources. This allows businesses to create a unified profile for each customer, fostering a comprehensive understanding.

Utilizing our platform, businesses can enhance customer experiences by delivering personalized and relevant interactions. 

Features

• Unified customer view
• Segmentation
• Journey builder
• Funnel analysis
• AI-powered features
• Real-time data ingestion and processing
• Identity resolution
• Predictive analytics

Pros

• Seamless integration
• Comprehensive data collection
• Powerful segmentation
• Personalized messaging
• Automated workflows
• Scalability

2. Amperity

Amperity’s AI-driven platform provides a 360-degree view of customer profiles, serving as a unified hub for data intelligence, and offering AI-driven ID resolution and management.

While delivering excellent audience segmentation and predictive analytics, users may find the interface intricate, with limitations in campaign reporting.

Pros

• Easy-to-use audience segmentation
• Excellent predictive analytics
• Unlocks insights instantly

Cons

• Complicated interface
• Limited campaign reporting

3. Segment.com

Segment.com offers businesses the essential data foundation for becoming customer-centric brands. The platform enables the collection, consolidation, and utilization of customer data from diverse touchpoints, facilitating real-time decisions to elevate customer experiences.

Pros

• Easy integration with existing CRM
• Real-time data integration
• Standardization of data via a shared data dictionary

Cons

• Confusing onboarding process
• Requires insertion of code snippets for accurate results

Conclusion

CDPs in the travel industry have emerged as a game-changer, empowering travel companies to deliver exceptional customer experiences and drive business growth. By unifying customer data, highlighting specific amenities, retargeting abandoned carts or inactive customers, coordinating travel messaging, and elevating traveler loyalty programs, travel marketers can leverage CDPs to their advantage.

If you are a travel company looking to enhance your marketing efforts, integrating a CDP, such as NotifyVisitors CDP, can provide you with a single, actionable view of your customers and prospects. With our user-friendly interface and fast implementation, you can revolutionize the way you engage with your customers and drive business success.