The 5 Stages of a Travel
Communications Strategy:
Extending the "Customer High"
Research shows the peak of the “travel high” happens at booking – not on the beach, not at takeoff, but the moment the trip is booked. A smart travel communications strategy must treat the post-booking, pre-departure phase as part of the experience itself.
When leveraged right, this journey drives engagement, upsells, repeat bookings, and referrals. To unlock these gains, travel businesses must deliver a communications journey as unique as each customer – from booking through to their return.
Next, we’ll explore how companies manage travel communications today, the challenges they face, and ways to optimise the customer experience every step of the way.
Stage 1: ‘Informing customers’ with the Customer Reservation System (CRS)
Using standard CRS-generated documents and emails to confirm bookings is common – but it falls short of today’s customer communication expectations.
CRS systems handle complex reservations but deliver only basic, text-heavy PDFs – often with simple branding and not mobile-friendly. The result? Transactional, uninspiring messages that clash with the excitement built by your website and marketing.
Imagine a customer, thrilled by your stunning visuals and immersive videos, then receiving dull, insurance-like documents and bland emails at booking – killing their “travel high” at the most critical moment.
Booking communications should match that excitement – personalised, relevant, fully branded, and aligned with the customer’s purchase. Anything less risks deflating enthusiasm, losing loyalty, and driving customers straight to your competitors.
Stage 2: ‘Filling the gaps’ with a dedicated Email Marketing System (EMS)
It’s no surprise EMS platforms have gained popularity – they offer a quick way to create image-rich, engaging emails and help fill the gap left by basic CRS communications.
Typically used for acquisition, EMS tools bring colour and inspiration into the mix. But their campaign-based nature can be limiting. Relying on high-level customer data, messages can feel broad and less tailored – making them easy to spot as marketing content.
In a world where 90% of consumers value being treated as individuals, this approach risks missing the mark. It’s often this need for deeper relevance and smarter personalisation that leads companies to explore Customer Data Platforms.
Stage 3: ‘Delivering personalisation’ with a Customer Data Platform (CDP)
Recent UK and US Customer Satisfaction Indexes reveal a clear trend – service quality is slipping, and more customers are facing issues.
At the same time, expectations are soaring. Travellers spending big on holidays won’t tolerate unanswered questions or slow responses. Fixing this can’t wait – it must be eliminated altogether.
The travel industry has a unique advantage: the length of its customer journey offers multiple touchpoints to connect, engage, and build loyalty.
Automating timely, relevant communication is critical. Even more important is capturing real-time customer sentiment and feedback at every stage – giving companies the insight to anticipate needs, act proactively, and reclaim control of the experience.
Stage 4: ‘Joining the journey’ with Customer Communications Management (CCM)
In the push for a truly multi-channel experience, many travel businesses are turning to CCM systems to deliver end-to-end customer communication journeys. Designed to integrate with any platform, a CCM automates personalised interactions across both digital and print channels – enriched with dynamic content and imagery.
Unlike EMS tools that risk disengagement, a well-implemented CCM strategy can enhance personalisation, boost engagement, and even reduce unsubscribes. It not only meets customer expectations – it can exceed them, driving loyalty and unlocking new revenue opportunities.
And while this is a strong step forward, it also opens the door to even greater potential…
Stage 5: ‘The immersive experience’ with the TravelComms platform
Delivering a truly immersive customer journey means extending the “travel high” from the moment of booking through the entire experience – before, during, and after the trip. With the right strategy, engagement becomes immersion, and every touchpoint builds connection, trust, and loyalty.
Enter TravelComms – the only travel communications platform built with and for the travel industry.
Like a CDP, it unifies customer data and content across your systems, but goes further by using real, live booking data – not assumed personas or generic AI profiles – to shape hyper-relevant, perfectly timed communications in any format, digital or print.
From essential documents to emotionally resonant updates, TravelComms manages every interaction across the full journey – not just transactional, not just marketing, but experiential. It replaces the need for multiple systems like EMS or CDP, slotting into your existing stack with ease.
The result? A seamless, personalised communication experience that exceeds expectations, strengthens relationships, and drives growth.
The only limit is your imagination.
Ready to extend your customer high?
Let us demonstrate a free demo tailored and branded for your business.