Wadi Rum , Jordan that ’ s what you ’ re marketing .” He pointed to Delta Air Lines as a shining example of what to do when it comes to marketing material .
“ Delta Air Lines – I ’ m giving them the top mark – are the only airlines that are showing not only ethnic people , they had a poster with a woman in a hijab . That is fantastic . They had LGBTQ couples holding hands in a Delta advertisement ,” Mohta said , adding that a few years ago this would have never been the case and that it ’ s rare to see imagery like this from other travel companies .
Mindful Greetings and Inquiries Think about the way a simple greeting makes you feel . Whether it ’ s a “ good morning ” when you enter a building or a salute to a holiday you ’ re celebrating , greetings usually make people feel acknowledged and included . It ’ s important to think about the way you greet people in your travel business and throughout your promotions . Does the verbiage you use speak to everyone or only specific groups of people ?
Mohta encourages travel advisors and brands to include everyone in their greetings . “ The suppliers are celebrating Thanksgiving on a flight and Christmas on a cruise ,” he said . “ Why not go ahead and do that for others ? Why can we not market to the other communities and other beliefs ?”
Examples of holidays he gave to acknowledge in promotions are the Chinese New Year , Diwali and Hanukkah , just to name a few . A simple greeting can go a long way to make people feel included .
While marketing for holidays falls under a specific timeframe , it ’ s important to remember to include a diverse population in promotions throughout the year . For example , AAPI travelers should not only be observed in May , and LGBTQ + travelers should not only be celebrated during the month of June . Travel companies should challenge themselves to represent travelers of all types throughout the year .
When working with a new client , it ’ s always important to get to know them first , and this should be done free of assumptions . Mohta tells travel advisors to ask the right questions . He said when working with AAPI travelers , or new clients in general , asking about dietary restrictions is important , as well as if there are any cabin or room numbers to book or avoid booking due to the numbers being seen as significant or unlucky .
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