How to market & promote a travel agency online

Today is a special day because I get to chat with an old friend who's turned his wanderlust into a thriving business. 

Meet Ganesha Balakrishnan, flight instructor and the Founder and Co-Owner of The Untold Direction (TUD), an adventure travel agency that's anything but ordinary. I met Ganesha over five years ago, and his love for adventurous travel was evident even then. 

But what's truly remarkable is how he's channeled that passion into creating a travel agency that offers one-of-a-kind, immersive experiences in “exotic” locations like Central Asia and Iran.

TUD is a testament to his adventurous spirit and keen business acumen. He started the agency during a rough period in his life and has since turned it into a go-to destination for travelers seeking authentic, local experiences. 

His agency doesn't just offer trips; it offers adventures led by local guides, complete with homestays and deep cultural immersion. And he's managed to grow this unique business through savvy online marketing, even on a modest budget.

So, if you've ever wondered how to successfully market a travel agency online, especially one as unique as TUD, you're in for a treat. 

Ganesha is here to spill the beans on his marketing plan for his travel agency, from targeted social media campaigns to the incredible power of word-of-mouth. Trust me, you won't want to miss this!

markonmag: Tell our readers a little bit more about yourself

Hello! I'm Ganesha Balakrishnan, flight instructor and Founder and Co-Owner of the adventure travel agency, The Untold Direction (TUD).

Ever since I was a young boy in Singapore, I've been captivated by the idea of adventurous travel. I remember watching travel shows on National Geographic and dreaming of the day I could embark on my own epic journey. 

Can you see Ganesha’s tent? 😁

My love for adventure isn't just theoretical; I once set up a tent outside the Great Wall of China and braved temperatures that plummeted below -20°C. It was a wild, unforgettable experience that money can't buy.

Saving up for my big trip was no small feat. After completing my National Service at the age of 20, I took up several jobs, including giving private tuition, to save enough money for my dream journey. With $10,000 in my pocket and a 60-litre backpack, I set off on a nine-month-long expedition from Singapore to Montreal, Canada. 

The catch? I didn't take a single flight.

Instead, I hitchhiked, couchsurfed, and even took cargo ships, traveling through 23 countries including places like North Korea, Turkmenistan, and Iran. I was on a tight budget of just SG$25 a day, but the experiences I gained were priceless.

I went to Canada to pursue my studies, but the journey to get there became a story in itself and cough the attention of the media. Before I knew it, my story was everywhere—from Vice to Mothership and even international outlets. I grew viral around the world. The attention was overwhelming but also humbling. It led to opportunities like writing a book about my journey, titled "The Long Direction," which has allowed me to share my experiences and philosophy with a wider audience.

I was supposed to attend college and flight school concurrently, but it was too much to handle. I’d rather be earning money, accumulating flight hours, and doing something that I love than writing a thesis.

markonmag: Why did you start a travel agency?

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was going through a rough patch in my personal life and needed something to take my mind off things. I had thought that seeking out work to do was the way to go about it. I figured I needed something that would consume a lot of my time so I wouldn’t get lost in my thoughts.

It just so happened that during that same period, there were many people messaging me on social media asking me how I did what I did - travel to some of the lesser-known places and immersing myself in the local culture. I have also always wanted to help people who have shown me kindness throughout my travels (I eventually hired them to be my local guides and paid them in USD).

Meanwhile, I noticed a growing trend of people wanting to travel in smaller groups with people they know. There was also a rising curiosity about so-called “exotic places” like Central Asia and Iran.

Starting a travel agency that does guided tours to the home countries of those who have touched my life seemed to accomplish both my goals while capitalizing on a growing trend.

markonmag: What were the early stages of the business like?

I had a falling out with my Co-Founder which led to me soloing the whole project at the beginning. 

I later met my current co-owner, Mikhail, via Couchsurfing during my 9-month travel. Like me, he’s quite the adventurous traveler. He’s cumulatively traveled for over two years and hitchhiked all the way from Southeast Asia to Saint Petersburg 3 times! 

Mikhail hard at work 😁

When I decided I needed someone else on the team, Mikhail was also in the process of figuring out what he wanted to do in his professional life. Given our common passion for adventure travel and immersing ourselves in local cultures, I decided to reach out and see if he was keen in joining me. And the rest was pretty much history.

I had intended for TUD to be a side hustle kind of business where I would not be fully invested in it. Back then I’d say that I would ideally be planning one or two trips per year. And it seemed that way for a while as there were not many bookings at the start.

markonmag: What the brand is about?

Zhanibek and Ganesha.

You can say we are a very down-to-earth business that brings a very intimate human and local touch to packaged group travel.

Our guides, whom we call Trip Leaders, are locals from the various countries we bring people to. So they are familiar with the language, culture, and the little nuances that make, say, an Iranian, an Iranian. And instead of resting in fancy hotels, we provide homestays where travelers get to experience what it's like to live like a local.

Many of the homestay owners and guesthouse partners were people I met while I was hitchhiking through the region. Zhanibek, one of our main homestay owners, was someone I met while hitchhiking. Back then, he mostly eked out a living through farming and selling bread.

When starting TUD, I approached him one night via WhatsApp and asked him what he thought about hosting a bunch of foreigners at his place for a fee. It was a win-win situation. For Zhanibek, he now has a good and steady source of income to provide for his huge family of 4 kids. For our travelers, they get to catch a glimpse into local life in rural Kyrgyzstan! How amazing!

This means that we don’t work with any tour agencies at all. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but most agencies overly focus a lot on comfort, which takes away the immersive experience we aim to provide.

Cozy homestays are a big part of TUD trips.

I met my Trip Leaders on my 9-month travel during homestays and I can attest to the engaging experience it provides to travelers. And this is the reason why people keep signing up for trips with us!

Another important part of our brand is the social aspect of it. As I’ve mentioned, I want to help people along the way. The countries I bring people to have some of the lowest GDP scores in the world. And I want to give back to the countries that have touched my heart during my travels.

To do that, I pay my employees in USD and they also earn a part of each trip’s profits on top of a base salary. One of my trip leaders even told me that they were able to make 6 months' worth of money from just a single trip.

markonmag: What are some of the core components of a successful marketing plan

Identifying your target audience

A first step to any good marketing plan for a travel agency is the segmentation phase. You need to know clearly who you are targeting.

I started out by targeting specific places that I was familiar with. These included Singapore and more affluent cities in Malaysia. I also targeted younger people.

Why? Because these are the people who I had identified as being keen in the specific types of services we provided. And they were also from places where you would find people who could afford the types of travel packages we provided.

Choosing Marketing Channels

Having an online presence through a website is a must these days. So there’s that.

Apart from a website, I picked marketing channels that I knew our target audience would be on - Facebook and Instagram. From there I decided to focus on creating engaging content on these platforms and run ads.

Budget and Resources

We are very fortunate in the sense that we don’t really have competitors in the space. So when it comes to ad budgets, I don’t really need to spend a lot on it. 

I only spend 100 USD once every two months and for now, that is enough given that we are still a small business and conversions are really high.

markonmag: So how do you promote your travel business online knowing all that?

Facebook and Instagram ads

While our budget is small, online advertising has played a huge role in helping me grow the travel agency.

Interestingly, I’ve noticed some differences in consumer behavior when looking at the data from the ads I’ve ran on Facebook and Instagram.

The Facebook crowd tends to be people who are a bit older and have more money to afford private tours of even smaller sizes. Instagram, on the other hand, has a younger crowd and more people who are keen on solo and adventure travel. These are also the people who tend to be more impulsive when spending on travel. It’s probably why conversion rates on Instagram tend to be higher.

Establishing an online presence with a website

Having a website for your travel agency is like throwing a welcome party for your potential customers. 

It's your agency's home on the internet where people can pop in anytime to check out your awesome travel deals, packages, and tips. Plus, it's super convenient for everyone—your customers can browse and book trips even in their pajamas, and you get to showcase your services 24/7 to folks all around the globe.

It’s also a great place to showcase customer testimonials to show potential customers that you are a legitimate business.

While not a priority now, I’d also like to explore the SEO aspects of digital marketing when I expand to larger English-speaking countries. The only reason why I haven’t done it yet is because search volumes for keywords relevant to my business aren’t high in Malaysia and Singapore and I don’t want to invest the time and effort at this juncture.

Word-of-mouth

You might think that in today's digital age, online advertising is the only way to go. But let me tell you, word of mouth has been a game-changer for us at TUD. It's become such a vital part of our marketing plan that I'd say it's one of the pillars of our success.

We don't pour a ton of money into traditional ads, but we've still seen our business grow in leaps and bounds. How? It's all thanks to our satisfied customers. People who've joined our unique adventures can't help but share their experiences with their friends.

And guess what? Those friends get intrigued and decide to book a trip for themselves. Once they've had their own unforgettable journey, they too become our brand ambassadors, spreading the word in their own social circles. It's like a ripple effect; one happy traveler leads to multiple new bookings.

So, how does this fit into our overall marketing strategy for our travel agency? Well, word of mouth acts like a self-fueling marketing engine for us. While digital marketing gets us the initial visibility, it's the personal recommendations that build trust and credibility. It's a perfect blend of how to promote our travel business online and offline. By marrying digital strategies with the authentic power of word-of-mouth, we've crafted a multi-faceted approach that's really driving our business growth.

Never underestimate the power of a personal recommendation. Even in this digital age, word of mouth remains a potent tool, especially when it's part of a well-rounded marketing plan for a travel agency.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC has become an invaluable asset in our travel agency marketing strategy. While Central Asia offers some of the world's most stunning landscapes and architecture, it's often overlooked by travelers from Malaysia and Singapore. That's where UGC comes into play in our marketing plan for the travel agency.

Insta stories by one of TUD’s former customers, Beth.

Our travelers love sharing their experiences on social media, capturing the breathtaking vistas, intricate architecture, and vibrant local cultures they encounter. These authentic snapshots and stories do more than just document a journey; they serve as compelling digital marketing for our travel agency. When people in our customers' social networks see these awe-inspiring posts, their curiosity is piqued. They start to wonder, "What am I missing out on?" and "How can I experience this too?"

This is a prime example of how you can market a travel agency effectively. UGC acts as a form of social proof, validating the unique experiences we offer and encouraging more people to book trips with us. It's a win-win situation: our customers get to share their amazing adventures, and we benefit from authentic, word-of-mouth advertising that money can't buy.

So, if you're wondering how you can promote a travel business online, don't underestimate the power of UGC. It complements other digital marketing strategies, adding a layer of authenticity that traditional advertising often lacks. It has become a cornerstone in our comprehensive approach to marketing, helping us showcase the lesser-known wonders of Central Asia and attract a broader audience eager for unique travel experiences.

PR

Having established publications like Vice, Tripzilla and The Travel Intern cover my story did help in establishing me as an authority in Central Asian travel. This kind of third-party validation is invaluable and something that traditional advertising often can't achieve. It lent credibility to both myself and TUD, making potential customers more likely to trust his services.

It also helped that my personal Instagram account went viral and it helped provide visibility to my travel planning capabilities.

Wrapping Up: Authenticity and Passion as the Cornerstones of Successful Online Marketing

And there you have it, folks! These are the top digital marketing tips for his travel agency, TUD. We've journeyed through the ins and outs of online marketing with none other than Ganesha Balakrishnan, the adventurous soul behind TUD. 

From identifying the right target audience to making the most of a modest ad budget, Ganesha has shown that you don't need deep pockets to make a big splash in the travel industry. What you do need is a clear vision, a deep understanding of your audience, and the willingness to take calculated risks—qualities that Ganesha has in spades.

His travel agency is more than just a business; it's a platform that allows people to experience the world in its raw, unfiltered beauty, all while giving back to the communities that make these adventures possible. 

If there's one takeaway from this enlightening conversation, it's that authenticity and passion can be your greatest marketing tools. Whether you're a seasoned business owner or a budding entrepreneur, Ganesha's journey offers valuable lessons for us all. Until next time, safe travels and happy marketing!