How Marketers and Employers Can Provide a Spirit of Vacation All Year

What people seek on their vacation provides a window into their emotional, mental, and even physical needs. These insights can serve as input—at any time of the year and for companies beyond the travel sector. Marketing and employer branding strategies can offer delights, experiences, and sensations similar to those which people look for on vacation.

Insight for What’s Ahead: The June edition of the Consumer Confidence Survey^® from The Conference Board  shows that people across age groups want to have a good time with friends and family, escape daily routines, and enjoy good food. But there are differences: under 35-year-olds are particularly interested in meeting new people, improving their health/fitness, and learning something. Those between 35 and 54 value escaping their daily routine and enjoying good food the most.

People’s dream vacation involves socializing, escape from routine, good food and weather, self-care, and personal enrichment

Ways brands and employers can tap into vacation motivations year-round

Brands, retailers, and other consumer-facing businesses could provide offerings that emulate what people seek on vacations:

• Unique experiences, including at stores (e.g., food tastings, cosmetics sampling, interactive features such as golf putting);
• Events to socialize and enjoy food and cultural features (e.g., live music, book talks, fireside chats with an interesting guest); and
• Programs, products, and services for learning and personal projects (e.g., cooking, writing, dancing, travel, languages, exercise).

Similarly, HR professionals and internal communicators could craft employee benefit, engagement, and messaging plans to:

• Provide programs that help employees learn, improve their health, or foster an interest;
• Organize fun social events with co-workers featuring food;
• Mix up work routines with diverse projects and job rotations; and
• Give employees stretch appointments for personal learning and growth.