Like most business sectors, the travel industry was hit hard by the pandemic. However, with increased vaccinations and new COVID-19 cases dropping, business and leisure travel is picking back up. After over 16 months of quarantine and missed vacations, weddings, birthdays, graduations, and family gatherings, everyone is ready to get back on the roads and in the skies. Now that destinations are finally opening up again, it’s the perfect time for your travel company or destination organization to sponsor public radio and get the word out.
People are starving for new experiences, new places, and beloved favorite destinations after such a long involuntary hiatus. Some even call it Revenge Travel, where travelers are splurging to make up for isolation and missed trips from the last year or more.
This newfound joie de vivre for travelers is like a soothing balm to an industry that has been hurting for a while. However, it means that competition is fierce to capture the attention of the marketplace. For those in the travel industry, a public radio sponsorship can leverage a captive audience.
Public Radio Listeners Are Avid Travelers
According to NPR's 2021 Profile, public radio listeners are avid travelers. Compared to the average American, NPR News listeners take 52% more cruises. Fans of NPR Classical stations are 91% more likely to take a cruise compared to the average traveler. And NPR News listeners are 76% more likely than the average consumer to be a frequent flyer.
Public Radio Listeners Travel More Frequently Than Their Counterparts
Also impressive, of those who have traveled six or more round trips domestically in the last year, NPR News listeners have done so 67% more than the average traveler. Business travel was the most cited reason for domestic travel, with part business/part vacation coming in at a close second.
In the international travel category, fans of NPR News have traveled 139% more than average. Business and personal reasons for travel were cited more often than the average traveler. Always lifelong learners, the most popular reason for international travel by public radio listeners was that it gave them the opportunity to learn about other cultures.
Public Radio Listeners Spend More Than the Average Traveler
With numbers like these, it’s easy to see why your travel company or destination should sponsor public radio. The above-average incidence of travel means public radio listeners spend much more on travel than the average traveler.
NPR News audiences spent at least $6,000 on international travel in the past year - 122% more than the average traveler. And they were 72% more likely to spend between $3,000-$4,999 on domestic travel.
Public radio listeners spend more on travel. Capturing a share of an affluent and adventurous audience provides travel and tourism organizations significant ROI.
Public Radio Travel Sponsorship Puts You Ahead of the Competition
Public radio listeners tend to be highly educated, successful, well-traveled, adventurous, and intellectually curious. Whether traveling for business, pleasure, or a combination, they are on the roads, seas, or in the skies more than the average traveler. These travelers are avid supporters of public radio. That means that as a public radio sponsor, you automatically gain their interest and respect.
They are more likely to engage travel agents, take cruises, and take vacations. In fact, they’re more likely than the average consumer to be considered a travel super influencer. As we recover from the pandemic, more people are planning travel and looking for help or inspiration. To make sure they choose you, work with a public media partner to develop a sponsorship campaign.
