8 Strategies to Embrace When Everyone Else Is Chasing Billionaires

Win Over the “Normal People” Ready to Vacation in Your Backyard

Scroll through travel marketing right now and you’d think the only people who vacation are boarding private jets and booking $2,000 per night hotel rooms. (Do we have the Kardashian’s to thank for this, too?)

Meanwhile, there’s a massive audience of everyday travelers like teachers, nurses, office staff (you know, people like you and me) quietly looking for somewhere unique and affordable to escape for a few days. For destination marketers, that’s a clear opportunity that is so often overlooked.

Talk to “normal people” with respect and relevance so your DMO can build a powerful visitor base that isn’t constantly being poached by the latest luxury trend. Here’s how.

1. Define “Average Joe”

Your destination’s “Average Joe” shouldn’t mean “everyone who isn’t wealthy.” Consider life stages, budget realities and time constraints. Empty nesters on fixed incomes aren’t the same as young couples who want one big experience for their annual vacation. It all depends on which profile you’re seeking and who is seeking you.

Use visitor research and social listening to build a limited set of clear personas. Once you know who you’re talking to, you can choose tactics that appeal to that traveler.

2. Lead With Value That Enhances The Experience

Value isn’t about being “bargain basement.” It’s about helping travelers feel smart. Travelers want to know if they will come home feeling regretful or refreshed.

Messaging should highlight clear value like free parking, transit cards, breakfast, bike rentals and museum passes. Emphasize the time they’ll spend doing things and how the value offered will simplify the decisions they must make.

Language that screams “discount destination” serves no one. Instead, position your destination as the smart choice. When the value is undeniable, the booking is easier.

3. Prioritize Drive Markets and “Near-cation” Storytelling

Sometimes the best investment in marketing is targeting those travelers with nearcation potential.

Reach the right people by mapping your 2–5 hour drive radius and treat those markets like golden territory. Use creative assets that show road trips, quick weekend escapes and low-stress travel.

Channel-wise, think about connecting via streaming audio and radio on commuter routes. Use paid social strategies that target by location and driving distance, not just interests.

You want people in your region thinking they could actually do that next month. Not someday.

4. Use Relatable Creators and Real Locals

Most travel influencers still speak to average travelers, not the top 1%. Look for creators whose feeds show road trips, midrange hotels, kids in tow, affordable fashion and diverse body shapes. Their content is both inspirational and relatable.

Lean into trusted local voices like teachers who hike on weekends, bartenders who know the live music spots and parents who share playground/brewery combos.

While millions of followers may seem exciting, opt for micro-creators who have 5,000-50,000 followers with highly engaged audiences in your drive markets. Their engagement drives conversions.

Pair an influencer strategy with user-generated content. Repost real visitors’ photos and videos that show strollers and coolers, not just drones and designer dresses. When people see like-minded travelers enjoying a destination, it lowers the psychological barrier to visiting.

5. Meet Them on Their Channels

Your “Average Joe” isn’t necessarily reading the Sunday travel section. As online media overtakes traditional media, audiences are more accessible than ever if you understand where they are.

Look to Facebook and Instagram for families and older millennials who prioritize these networks. They are strategic places to share carousel ads for itineraries and promote value messaging.

TikTok and Reels attract younger and budget-conscious travelers with video content, while streaming and podcast ads can connect to your commuters and road trippers who are on the road. Email is still a powerful tool, especially with the rise of newsletter platforms like Substack. 

Local and regional lifestyle magazines, morning talk and radio shows, and community newsletters and blogs still reach highly engaged audiences. They are the people who can hop in the car and visit more readily.

6. Make Trip Planning Frictionless

If planning feels like work, travelers bail. Or worse. They rely on AI. Look at your DMO’s website and ask: “How easy is it for a stressed-out parent or tired accountant to figure out what to do, where to stay and roughly what it will cost—in under 10 minutes on their phone?”

Travelers face too many choices and too few curated itineraries. There is hidden or confusing information about parking, pricing and hours. Itineraries are the curation hack travelers want. Themes with transparent cost clues are vital to making your destination’s offer clear as glass. 

Prioritize a mobile-first design with large buttons, easy filters, tap-to-call and direct links to bookable partner sites. The less cognitive load, the more likely travelers are to choose you.

7. Speak Like a Friend

Ditch useless phrases like “world-class amenities,” “vibrant downtown,” “burgeoning culinary scene” and “something for everyone.” That says nothing specific about the destination and everything about your commitment (or lack thereof) to the user experience. Instead, speak like a trusted local friend, not a tourism committee.

And feel empowered to acknowledge reality. The world is turbulent, from rising costs to geopolitical challenges. Show travelers why your destination can be the counterbalance to that reality. That honesty builds trust—and trust is what turns “maybe someday” into “let’s go this weekend.”

8. Design Offers Around How Real People Budget

Travelers have the money to spend, but they are pragmatic and need clear guidance on how they can keep vacations within a budget.

Work with partners to create clear packages so that travelers can align their expectations with reality. Also consider messaging around installment or “book now, pay later” options that OTAs and some partners already offer. 

Collaborate with regional employers, local banks and school districts to develop offers and escapes that turn local audiences into travelers. The goal is to help them say, “We can actually afford this without stressing for six months.”

Final Thought: Don’t Apologize for Being Accessible

Aspirational storytelling has its place, but destinations are built on families booking chain properties and friends piling into vacation rentals. When your marketing respects and welcomes them, you build a stable visitor base. You reduce your dependence on a tiny ultra-affluent segment and strengthen your story as a place where real life feels better for a few days.

In a world chasing the top 1%, there’s tremendous power in telling the other 99%, clearly and confidently: “You belong here.”

Get in touch with Karyl Leigh Barnes at karyl.barnes@aboutdci.com to start your journey and better engage the 99% with DCI’s destination marketing strategies.