Why contextual marketing matters in today’s travel world

The travel consumer of today demands personal and frictionless interaction across multiple media channels, and this is a primary concern industry players are urging their colleagues to take heed.

“Travellers expect personal interaction regardless of device and channel, but it has to be contextual. They expect every channel to work frictionlessly,” observed Rita Marini, head of GTM marketing, APJ & GC, SAP Hybris, at Digital Travel APAC last week.

Contextual marketing, a buzzword at the conference, refers to interactions with customers tailored according to the platform of use, as well as the data accrued from the customer’s behaviour on the platform.

For example, KLM uses contextual communication within its app – powered by Nexmo – to gain intelligence on the user’s behaviour within the app before contacting customer service, in order to better aid the customer. KLM’s customer service is also integrated into its omnichannel platforms, such as in-app chats or SMS.

Having a contextual strategy makes it “easier (for companies) to track which channels, countries and markets are most receptive to the campaign, so (they) can reassign marketing dollars effectively”, advised Francisco Kattan, head of platform marketing, Nexmo.

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