Reaching high-risk travellers
by FCO UK
(London)
The messages of the ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign are relevant to all UK travellers. But research shows that certain groups are particularly likely to experience problems on their travels, so it is important to ensure the travel-safe messages reach them. These groups are as follows:
- Young C2Ds (package holiday makers aged 18-30, hen and stag do’s)
- Older travellers (including over 55 package holiday makers and retirees abroad)
- Travellers to sporting events
- Gap Year Students
- British Minority Ethnic Groups
As part of ‘Know Before You Go’, the FCO has run a series of ‘mini campaigns’ targeting specific groups. These mini campaigns feature messaging which is tailored to each groups’ needs, and use media that they are more likely to see.
Examples of past activity
Sports fans
Sports fans travelling abroad to support their team are a high risk group because their trips often involve alcohol, potentially hostile fans of opposing teams and large numbers of people in small areas. What’s more, when their trip is only for a day or two, sports fans may not bother taking out travel insurance.
A number of mini campaigns have successfully targeted sports fans, including the 2009 Champions League Final where 30,000 Manchester United football fans travelled to Rome to support their team.
Young independent travellers
Because they make their own travel plans rather than booking a package through a tour operator, independent travellers are quite a disparate group to reach. However, as they often visit more ‘off the beaten track’ destinations and have no holiday rep to turn to if things go wrong, it’s important they are well prepared.
The campaign has a dedicated website, www.gogapyear.com to communicate specific messages to this audience and runs popular competitions on the site with partners to provide great giveaways and information.
Student Brand Ambassadors represent the campaign across eighteen UK universities by distributing promotional materials, organising features in student publications and on student radio and offering FCO travel advice alongside gathering knowledge about student travel habits.
In resort activity
Know Before You Go continued its successful partnerships to promote travel advice in resort, helping to reach a key audience of 18-30 year old holiday makers who are typically less likely to prepare fully for their trip and more likely to take risks when abroad.
In 2009, the campaign reached over 150,000 young people in destinations across Europe, Turkey and Egypt by working with tour operators Club 1830 and 2wentys to tackle problems common to this audience whilst on holiday.
The campaign also partnered with Holiday FM to provide coach tapes to be played on TUI and Thomas Cook airport transfer coaches across 70 resorts. These included KBYG adverts & messages, giving people hints about how to stay safe while on holiday.