How to Promote Your Leisure or Vacation Business During a Recession

While our President sits in the White House and advises us to take our families to Disney World this summer to boost the economy, most consumers are just trying to find a way to pay for their utility bills. Rising oil prices have increased travel costs to an all time high, causing many leisure and vacation spots to suffer from decreased visitor numbers. Gasoline prices affect everything, from the prices of the food we eat to the airlines we can afford to travel with. That being said, consumers are looking for a way to still vacation during the summer (and all seasons, for that matter) without breaking the bank. That's good news for vacation and leisure business owners. While it may take a little extra work, now is no time to close the doors on your dream. Let your customers know that you are here to help them enjoy their vacations, no matter how grim the economy may look.

First, come up with a plan to make yourself the economical choice for current and potential clients. Rather than ignoring the recession and trying to smooth over concerns by simply not mentioning the problem, present yourself as a solution. Highlight the bad economy and possible recession in your marketing campaigns and how you can help. Let your customers know that they don't have to forgo their vacations.

Next, come up with discounts and special pricing plans to entice customers to vacation regardless of rising gas prices and the rapidly increasing cost of living. If you're like most business owners, your heart just skipped a beat after reading that suggestion. Offer discounts when money is tight as it is? Yes. It's far better to charge a few dollars less while enjoying close to the same amount of customers, than to charge full price for a small handful. Further more, discounts and specials are absolutely necessary to even garner a second thought from today's consumer.