Q1 • 2023


07


pandemic—a strategy that is a blend of some tried-and-true tactics and a few modern tools. In the early days of the pandemic, when


travel ceased around the world, Tauck CEO Dan Mahar made it clear to customers and advisors that the company would “leave its porchlight on” so that when they were ready to travel, Tauck would be there. The company implemented flexible cancellation and booking offerings, as well as global safety protocols, in an effort to make guests feel comfortable even when they weren’t operating. Tauck also continued to market the idea of travel, even if it was not possible at the time. In March 2020, to virtually connect with consumers and partners, the company launched Inside Tauck, a monthly virtual event series designed to educate, inform, and inspire future travel. The platform remains active today as a content hub on Tauck.com, providing past and prospective guests with an hour’s worth of tr


their own homes. It f


their own homes. It features partners, product ects, and Tauck Dir


th of travel inspiration in the comfort of es par


el inspiration in the c


architects, and Tauck Directors from around the world sharing what guests can expect on our with Tauck. O’Brien proudly says the entire eting team at Tauck believes a silver lining s adv


s from ar


the world sharing what guests can expect on tour with Tauck. O’Brien proudly sa s the entir marketing team at Tauck belie es a silver lining of the pandemic has been the br


might think Tauck would face challenging times immediately following the pandemic. What the company learned, however, is that their customers were eager to get back on the road—or bus or plane or ship—as soon as the world reopened. “One of the things we’ve learned over our


98 years is that when external factors force people to postpone their travel dreams, those dreams don’t diminish. They only grow more intense,” says Julia O’Brien, Vice President of Marketing at Tauck. “The demand for travel is there, even with the lingering presence of COVID.” Indeed, by 2022, Tauck was back to offering


140 itineraries in 61 countries. While the demand for adventure among a travel-starved public is partly responsible for the business rebound, another reason is the company’s marketing efforts during and after the


“One of many reasons our guests travel


with Tauck is because of the unique and exclusive access we provide—the kind of experiences that would be difficult to curate


t of s, pr


on your own,” O’Brien says. “When the world shut down to travel, we needed to find a way to stay engaged with our loyal patrons during the height of the pandemic and still connect with those patrons and inquiries who were not ready to travel with us.” Once travel resumed, Tauck’s marketing


efforts included a number of guest and supplier testimonials “from the road” as well as real- time images and videos in the brand’s content and communications to help show that not only were guests back out there exploring the world, but they were having a great time doing so. Collectively, the brand has a wealth of shareable insider knowledge about the destinations that Tauck tours visit and the people who inhabit those places, and O’Brien


of the pandemic has been the brand’s advances in its content marketing.


O’Brien proudly says the entire marketing team at Tauck believes a silver lining of the pandemic has been the brand’s advances in its content marketing.


says the company’s digital channels—including a robust blog, a prominent YouTube channel, and an inspiring Instagram account—are focused on driving deeper connections and a stronger two-way dialogue with customers. “The goal of any content should be to


inform, engage, and/or educate your audience on topics of interest or value to them,” O’Brien says. “Although it often takes more cross- departmental coordination and creativity, our owned marketing channels, such as our social media accounts and the Taucker blog pages, give us a platform to bring our shared purpose to life outside of the on-tour experience. And when we do it well, we know it creates better customers.”


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