Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the cruise industry has played a major role in the global economy through job opportunities and high growth rates in terms of financial performance.  After nearly a two-year drought, cruise lines are embarking on international ports of call, despite some obstacles, such as the emergence of new strains of the Covid-19 virus and its variants.
 
“CLIA (Cruise Lines Industry Association) forecasts passenger numbers will not only meet but exceed pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2023. And according to Cruise Industry News' cruise ship orderbook for ocean-going vessels, nearly 40 new ships are lined up to debut this year alone, with more than 75 vessels on order through 2027,” according to CNN.
 
Cruising is undoubtedly back, albeit with a somewhat revamped look and feel. In addition to the ongoing pandemic-driven protocols, such as proof of vaccination or fulfilling testing requirements before and after embarkation, there will be several slightly different approaches to ensure the wellbeing of everyone onboard, and by extension, the population of all the destination spots.
 
Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency based in New York City, spotlights the top five cruise trends to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
Enhanced Contactless Experience
 
Now, more than ever, digital experiences are vital for the future of cruise lines as we emerge from the COVID pandemic. Granted, cruise lines have already begun employing the use of technology onboard, such as touchless payments and QR codes for menus.
 
Before embarking, you can expect to check in for the cruise ahead of time. Boarding passes will be available on your phone, and in combination with staggered arrivals, this will help speed up the boarding process.
 
“Smartphones and wearable tech like bracelets or medallions now commonly double as boarding passes and keycards; some wearable devices even allow guests to track traveling companions onboard,” according to CNN
 
Most, if not all, major cruise lines feature their own mobile apps. The more modernly designed apps offer key cards for cabin unlocking capabilities, tracking devices for kids, real-time visibility into venues.
 
Select cruise lines now feature numerous booking options to reserve dining and shore experiences, as well as booking spa treatments, shows, and activities with the tap of a screen.
 
Unique Cruise Opportunities
 
Recently, there’s been an increase in the cruise industry offering unique cruise experiences. Women-centered cruises are largely becoming common, with activities ranging from panel discussions to visiting businesses operated by other women.
 
“Women can travel in many ways, some of which include themed cruises, singles cruises, LGBT cruises, luxury cruises, party cruises, and relaxation. Although they are unique options available to women-centered cruises, these themed options are offered generally as well,” according to CruiseBooking.com.
 
Solo trips are increasingly common, and for solo cruisers, it definitely costs a pretty penny, which can make it difficult when you have a tight budget. In response, cruise lines are offering special discounts and are even now designing a stateroom for one.
 
 
Food and Beverages
 
This rising trend stems from focusing on dispersing cruisers to dine throughout the ship, which in this new era, future cruisers can expect to see an emphasis on. Majority of newly designed ships provide a wide range of venue choices, which will now include more specialty restaurants that either have a set per-person price or are available a la carte.
 
“The dining packages, which will vary in price and options across cruise lines, allow the cruisers to prepay for the specialty restaurants, to avoid the stress of paying the bill at the end of a relaxing venture.,” according to Travel Weekly.
 
Cruises are stepping up to the plate with healthier options on the menu that offer everyone something to enjoy. “The goal is to emphasize wellness and healthy eating, while cutting back on unnecessary fats and calories.,” according to CruiseBooking.com
 
Passengers can expect the self-service buffet to be replaced with a staff-served buffet, and many even offer a variety of complimentary locations on the ship!
 
New Destinations
 
The luxury expedition cruising market is expected to have its most successful year this year. Even before the pandemic, data shows that cruisers demonstrated a strong preference for a smaller and a more intimate ship experience.
 
Although this option is on the pricier end, these smaller vessels can visit exotic, must-see destinations, otherwise inaccessible to larger cruise ships.
 
This is great news because this means smaller expedition ships will account for fewer crowds, which will keep port cities steady afloat and mitigate over tourism.
 
In addition, future cruisers can expect more “cruise line private island calls and off-season destination options,” according to Travel Weekly. Get ready to show off your hot vacation spots this winter.
 
Array of Onboard Experiences
 
In recent years, large cruise lines have perfected the superior experience: a ship-within-a-ship! This concept combines the lavish and cozy atmosphere of small expedition voyages with the attractions of big commercial cruise liners.
 
Features can include private sun terraces, garden rooftops, pools and decks, bars, restaurants, and lounges with round-the-clock butler service reserved just for passengers staying within. Most of these exclusive ship areas are built with keycard access-only. As mentioned earlier, all this is dependent on the ship and the cruise company itself.
 
For those who are just looking to build excitement for their first cruise, you can expect an infinity pool on almost every cruise line! Some ships will even feature a cantilevered pool, which refers to a pool that just out over the edge, which in this case is a ship.
 
“Other onboard activities will expand to entertain passengers with trivia nights, cooking classes, wine-tasting, rope courses, etc.  Select lines are looking to arrange conferences and seminars.,” according to CruiseBooking.com. 
 
This is perfect for networking opportunities and elevating your education if you love to travel, but can’t seem to stay away from work or school.
  
By Rania Perales at Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.

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Generation Z, or Gen-Zers, are people who are born between 1996 and 2010 and range in age from 10 to 25 years old. According to Forbes, “Gen-Z comprises 40 percent of total U.S. consumers, which amounts to a staggering $143 billion in spending power.”
 
Gen-Zers are the key to the future in more ways than one, and it’s important to know how to market to them to keep businesses healthy and the market strong.   This generation is
tech savvy and they have grown up with smartphones, tablets and the internet. 
 
Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency based in New York City, shares key insights for marketing to Gen Zers.
 
What to Know About Gen-Z

• Trust in large institutions is on the decline from Gen-Z. According to Forbes, “two months of tracking saw a 10  percent drop in the average trust rating for 15 major institutions, the largest declines being with the police, U.S. government, criminal justice system, and the news media.”

 

• “Establishing transparency is key. As a generation raised alongside the growing tech sector, Gen-Z is definitely the most tech-savvy, meaning they know how to do their research. “They’re not afraid of doing a deep dive into your company’s history and seeing what you’re all about, so be sure to maintain honesty and transparency or it’ll be uncovered.” (Source:  Later Blog)

 
How to Reach Gen-Z
According to Forbes,” about half (49 percent) of Gen-Z gets the majority of their news through social media apps, as opposed to 12 percent who get it from TV.” So if you’re looking to get some news out to this generation, putting it on television is not the way to go.
 
Social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube Twitter, and TikTok as marketing tools are the best and most efficient way to reach an audience such as Gen-Z, who is constantly using social media.
 
“Emphasize eye-catching visual content. When it comes to social media, 81 percent of Gen Z say Instagram and YouTube are their preferred social networks of choice. And when asked which networks Gen Z wants to see brands use more of, 56 percent said Instagram while 38 percent pointed to YouTube.” (Source:  Sprout Social)
 
How Will Gen-Z Help the Travel Industry?
With such great spending power, Gen-Zers are also posed to reinvigorate the travel and food and beverage industries after they both tanked during Covid. According to FINN Partners, “nearly two-thirds of Gen Zers are planning “revenge travel,”’ and as the generation least concerned with Covid, they’re most eager to get back on planes and trains.
 
Though Gen-Zers have the most spending power as a consumer as a whole, their individual spending power as a young generation is limited, meaning they’ll be looking for discounted and more affordable travel options. In addition, Gen-Z is concerned with the impact of travel on the environment, so they’ll also be looking for more sustainable and environmentally-friendly travel options.
 
“Contiki published a survey last year to determine the travel habits of Generation Z. They had 1,200 participants ranging in age from 18 to 35. Let’s take a look at the most relevant results for 2022:”  (Source:  Moonstride) Here are highlights from the survey

• “Sixty-seven percent would buy a mystery ticket without knowing where they were going until the day before.” (Source:  Moonstride)
• “Fifty-eight percent would travel even if it meant being quarantined upon their return.”  (Source:  Moonstride)
• “Free cancellation (86 percent) and the ability to change their mind (74 percent) are important factors in booking. “ (Source:  Moonstride)
• “Eighty-six percent are looking for one-of-a-kind experiences (food-related, safaris, stargazing…)” (Source:  Moonstride)

Gen Zers who have just graduated from college are creating their bucket list and checking things off as they embark on two, sometimes three trips in a year.
 
How Will Gen-Zers Help the Food and Beverage Industry?
 
As for the food industry, staying in touch with younger consumers is the key to keeping business growing into the future. Nutrition Insight calls Gen-Z the “lifeblood of the future,” as marketing to younger consumers are what keeps F&B (food and beverage) brands in business.
 
Gen Zers are influencing the food and beverage industries with these developments.
 

• “The growing importance of food delivery, as well as take-out, grab-and-go food and beverages, and other off-premise dining: (Source:  Nestle Professional)
• “The emergence of alternative concepts like meal kits, street food, pop-ups, food trucks, and other nontraditional venues.” (Source:  Nestle Professional)
• “The evolution of all-day dining formats that encourage any time of day convenience, expanded choice, flexibility for snacking and healthy options.” (Source:  Nestle Professional)
• “The development of such digital solutions as tabletop tablets, self-service ordering kiosks, takeout and delivery apps, mobile payment, and other Gen Z technology”(Source:  Nestle Professional)

It’s important to note that Gen-Zer are more conscious with their spending, as they’ve been through multiple economic stressors, and are more health and time conscious as well, opting for ready-made and on-the-go meals often fortified with nutrients.
 
Our travel and lifestyle public relations professionals are here to help savvy marketers reach Gen Zers who are coming of age.   Give us a call.
 
By Marley Merrihew at Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.
 

 
Starting a home-based business is an excellent way to make a living doing something you love without stepping foot from your house. It’s easy to imagine the benefits that follow, not the least of which are flexibility, freedom, and convenience.
 
With that said, home businesses are like any other in that you must make good decisions and set yourself up for success. Today, Allen Marketing Communications, a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency based in New York City, discusses three significant mistakes to avoid making so that you can build your company quickly:
 
Neglecting to Get Help
You may be a solopreneur or operate with a micro-team, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need additional help to keep things running smoothly.
 

• Find a reputable accountant to help you stay financially sound.
• Hire a web designer to build you a beautiful, easy-to-use website.
• Work with a content writer to regularly produce top-notch articles and landing pages for your site. A writer can also ensure you keep a steady stream of engaging social media posts flowing.
• Have a virtual assistant handle the menial, day-to-day tasks that eat up all your time.

 
Underestimating the Power of Marketing
Effective marketing can do wonders for building your brand recognition and acquiring customers. Don’t make the mistake of downplaying its impact.
 

• Besides posting regular content on your social media accounts, engage with customers through messaging, comments, and other means.
• Explore other marketing channels like email, paid ads, and print ads.

 
Working From the Couch
You’ll be hard-pressed to run a thriving company without a dedicated home workspace that inspires productivity.
 

• Make sure your office provides some level of separation from the other areas of your home.
• To facilitate quicker payment from your clients, start with an invoice template that’s free to use and easy to customize.
• Invest in any other tools and equipment that can help you accomplish your daily tasks and long-term goals efficiently.
• Optimize productivity and promote mental health by maximizing natural light in your workspace.

 
The benefits of entrepreneurship are very real, but not every home-based entrepreneur succeeds with their first company. Avoid the pitfalls above, and take the necessary steps to position your business to flourish long-term. And never stop learning how to improve your daily routines for optimal productivity.
 
We would love to hear from you.
 
Guest Post:  Chelsea Lamb at Business Pop
 
Image via Unsplash
 

 
 
Branding distinguishes your company, product or service from competitors.  In today’s competitive market, small business and Fortune 500 companies often undergo a branding campaign to create a one of a kind brand that will resonate with customers and ultimately inspire them to choose your product or service.
 
Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a boutique NYC travel and lifestyle public relations agency, undertakes a holistic approach to develop a company’s brand DNA from the new logos and taglines to brand guidelines, to the brand vision and to recommendations on how employees should conduct business on your company’s behalf.
 
In responding to Branding RFPs, our travel and lifestyle PR spotlights these tips for developing an effective brand campaign.

Research 
Our talented team of brand marketing specialists work closely with an independent market research company to conduct competitive analysis, quantitative and qualitative research. Our quantitative research initiatives range from surveys and polls to one on one interview to gather invaluable insights about perceptions about our clients’ business and our clients’ competitors. 

These research findings serve the foundation for developing our branding campaign.

Our qualitative research activities range from targeted surveys to focus groups in priority markets to ensure the new visual identity, slogans and taglines resonates with our clients’ potential customers.
 
Stand Apart From The Crowd
Develop a tagline to create an emotional connection with your audience and to engage the brand.  Test the tagline with potential audience to ensure the messages are creating the desired effect for your product or service.  Enlist support from a graphic designer to create a one-of-a-kind visual identity to create a memorable impression and to set your client apart from its competitors.

Copyright and Trademark 
It is important to work with an intellectual property law firm to copyright and to trademark logos, slogans and taglines so clients own full rights for these creative works. 

Brand Position 
It is important to develop unique attributes to differentiate your company, product, service from competitors.  It is important to maintain an open line of communication with clients, secure feedback and adjust the creatives.

Brand Guidelines 
It is important to have a toolkit to ensure graphic designers, web developers, and marketers communicate the same message, have a uniformed look in all forms of communications.  The style guide should include everything from the color palette, font, and editorial guidelines to ensure consistency with the brand.

Create Your Company Culture 
The new brand DNA will transcend to your company culture.  All new employees should receive the brand guidelines during the orientation session.
​
A strong brand could be extremely helpful in creating positive and lasting reputation in overall. Everyone prefers to work with those who are people oriented or driven and actually show their concern for customers. Try to be one of those companies embodying people first attitude in everything that you and your employees do. 
 
Our boutique NYC travel and lifestyle public relations agency is here to help. Give us a call.
 
   
                    
 

 
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, health conscious consumers are looking for healthier and more sustainable beverages to boost their immune system naturally.  The pandemic has inspired many individuals to think about how we should be feeding our bodies resulting in the latest beverage trends.
 
In fact, the functional beverage market is “valued at US $118.7 billion in 2021 and the market is expected to reach US $265.9 billion by 2030, recording a promising CACR of 9.38 percent from 2021 to 2030,” according to InsightAce Analytics. Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a boutique food and beverage public relations agency based in New York City, shares the five  drink trends, from staying healthy to simply enjoying a sweet treat.
 
Bubble Tea
Bubble tea gets its name from the bubbles, also known as boba, or tapioca pearls that sit at the bottom of the drink. Created in the 1980s, bubble tea “is expected to skyrocket in popularity, and already has, expanding its market by almost $2 billion by 2027,” according to Tan Do Beverage.
 
The tea component of Bubble Tea can be made into more than 200 flavor combinations, and you can even choose different types of “bubbles” if you prefer something other than tapioca, such as jelly, aloe vera, or red bean. If you’re looking for a tasty drink that’s customizable to your exact liking, bubble tea is just for you!
 
Fermented Drinks
Gut health is one of the most important things to take care of in your body, as it dictates things like your mood and energy. With the ongoing pandemic, people have become more and more aware of the importance of taking care of their bodies and staying healthy, and doing so with fermented drinks.
 
Probiotic beverages, such as Kombucha, are expected to generate more than $77 billion in sales by 2025,”according to Tan Do Beverage. Water kefir, which has been shown to help aid digestion and boost your immune system, is another probiotic drink that doesn’t just taste good, but keeps you healthy, too.
 
Dairy-Free & Plant-Based
Dairy-free & plant-based alternatives to milk include options such as almond milk, oat milk, and rice milk which are more sustainable and allow those who can’t eat dairy to still enjoy milk.
 
“Plant-based milk is the most developed of all plant-based categories, with $2.5 billion in 2020 dollar sales. Plant-based meat is a rapidly growing category, with $1.4 billion in 2020 dollar sales, growing 45 percent since 2019.” (Source: Good Food Institute)
 
These alternatives are significantly less impactful on climate change and animal welfare.  Plant-based milk is often fortified with nutrients and vitamins to make them very similar in nutritional content. In saying this, almond milk has a much lower calorie-count, so if you’re worried about your calorie intake, almond milk or oat milk may be the healthier choice for you.
 
Juices
According to CSP Daily News, “Many consumers want more control over their wellbeing,” because of the pandemic. As a result, people are seeking beverages that provide refreshment and satisfaction while also offering nutrients.
 
Drinks such as cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices offer these nutrients without sacrificing great taste. In addition, consumers can buy a juicer and make their own juice in the convenience of their own home – this allows them to customize the vitamins and minerals they’re getting from the different fruits and vegetables they add.
 
Meal-Replacers Beverages
With society always picking up pace and time always seeming to move faster, grab-and-go meals have increased in popularity recently. But what’s even faster than eating a grab-and-go meal is a grab-and-go drink that can function as a meal. According to Let’s Chat Snacks, “39 percent of consumers use nutritional and performance drinks as a replacement for breakfast.”
 
These drink meals are convenient, affordable, and efficient, and as Americans move away from the standard three meals per day model and snack more often, these nutritional and performance drinks are becoming more and more popular and useful. They contain high protein content, high fiber, and offer a plethora of delicious flavors, from pumpkin pie to birthday cake. Who wouldn’t want to eat a healthy meal flavored like a birthday cake?
 
Our food and beverage public relations specialists are here to help. Give us a call.
 
By Marley Merrihew at Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.
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Twitter is one of the most popular social media sites out there today. In fact, this social media platform has “approximately 206 million daily users,” according to Statista.
 
Twitter is expanding its reach by rolling out new features that increase accessibility and engagement for its users.  Check out the latest Twitter updates in this blog from Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency based in New York City.
 
Co-Tweeting
Ever made a post that was so relatable to you and a friend that you felt tagging them wasn’t enough? Well, now you and that friend can publish a tweet together – Twitter rolled out an update this July that allows users to “invite any public account that follows them to co-author a tweet together,” according to Hootsuite.
 
Currently, the feature, officially called “CoTweet,” is only available to certain users as it is still in the testing phase. If somebody sends you a CoTweet request, you’ll get an invite in your Twitter notifications. If you turn it down, the CoTweet draft will be deleted.
 
Downvotes
Twitter’s downvotes are unlike most other apps in that other users can’t see the number of downvotes a post has. The platform claims that the new feature will help them gauge which content is not relevant or not contributing to any conversations.
 
The most recent rollout of a new batch of users gaining access to this feature was in February of this year, so not everyone has access to it yet. According to The Verge, “the results of this experiment have found that this is an easier way for users to flag unwanted content, rather than muting a conversation or reporting it as spam or irrelevant – which are much more tedious to do.”
 
Twitter Notes
If you’ve ever felt like you couldn’t fit what you had to say in the 280-character limit on posts, you’ll be very happy about this update: Twitter announced this June that they’re testing a new feature called Notes, where select users can publish a post up to 2500 words with a title up to 100 words.
 
Unlike a regular post, users with access to the Notes feature can make edits to their Notes posts after they’ve already published it. Profiles with access to this feature will now have a new Notes tab where all of their published Notes can be easily accessed.
 
Don’t be worried if you prefer the shorter posts, though – Twitter says it’s not planning a full shift from short Tweets to longer Notes, so your feed won’t be filled with long posts anytime soon.
 
Pin Reply
Instagram and YouTube have implemented the “pin reply” feature in recent years, and this May Twitter followed suit. The update lets users pin comments to the top of their replies section, allowing posters and creators to highlight responses they want their followers to see.
 
This new feature gives more control to users on how they engage with their audiences, and can even be used by brands to increase engagement with their followers. “The release is still in its testing stages, but it’s looking like there might be an official launch in the near future,” according to SocialMediaToday.
 
Twitter Blue
Twitter Blue is Twitter’s premium subscription that allows users access to exclusive features such as an undo button (finally), bookmarks folders, themes for your app and app icon, and even early access to Twitter’s NFTs. The service first launched  in June of 2021 but is still rolling out features across platforms and countries.
 
Twitter Blue costs $2.99 a month in the US, an affordable price when compared with other subscription services. If you like getting your news on Twitter, you may want to subscribe – the service also offers ad-free articles on participating websites such as The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Buzzfeed.
 
Our social media marketing specialists are here to help companies take advantage of the enhancements on Twitter.  Give us a call.
 
By Marley Merrihew at Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.