How to generate profits by providing value for Euro 2024

This monumental sporting event is expected to draw millions of visitors from across Europe, creating a vibrant atmosphere as enthusiasts gather to back up their national teams, revel in thrilling football matches, and immerse themselves in the local culture and attractions.

For tour operators and activity providers, the Euro 2024 presents an unparalleled opportunity to enhance brand visibility and secure unprecedented bookings, not only during the event but also in the years that follow.

To assist you in capitalizing on this unique occasion, we've compiled a comprehensive guide featuring a myriad of tips and tricks. In the subsequent sections, we will:

•    Delve into the tournament's schedule and organization, 
•    Present insightful statistics highlighting the economic growth experienced by the tourism industry in previous host countries, and 
•    Offer strategic recommendations for attracting visitors in the pre-event, during, and post-event phases.

This guide aims to equip you with the necessary insights to maximize your participation in Euro 2024 and leave a lasting impact on your business.

Without further delay, let's dive into the details!

Euro 2024 in a nutshell

Hosted by Germany, Euro 2024 will span 30 days, from June 14 to July 14, 2024, featuring a total of 51 matches.

With the German national team automatically qualifying as the host, the tournament will involve 24 teams determined through qualifying rounds.

Matches will be held in ten cities, including Berlin, Munich, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Gelsenkirchen, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne, and Leipzig.

The inaugural match and opening ceremony are set for June 14, 2024, at Munich's Allianz Arena, while, the culmination of the tournament – the final – is scheduled for July 14 at Berlin's Olympiastadion.

The potential impact on tourism

In the realm of the travel industry, professionals are well-acquainted with the "Barcelona Effect."

By hosting the 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, once perceived as an unremarkable industrial hub with minimal architectural allure, successfully transformed into a must-visit destination within Spain.

Even three decades later, the capital of Catalonia continues to enjoy the enduring advantages of the remarkable popularity catalyzed by that particular Olympic edition, consistently ranking among the top 20 most visited cities worldwide.

While the Barcelona Effect remains an exceptionally rare phenomenon, the positive impact of sporting events on host countries and cities is a more common occurrence, albeit on a smaller scale.

Such events contribute to increased exposure and a notable surge in visitors, both in the short and long term.

Let’s see how tourism impacted the countries that hosted the tournament in 2012 (Poland and Ukraine) and 2016 (France).

Poland and Ukraine in 2012

In Poland, the four host cities—Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw, and Poznan—experienced a 3.3% rise in tourist numbers, welcoming approximately 677,000 foreign visitors during the tournament.

Most visitors spent between 7 and 9 days in the country, contributing to an 80% accommodation occupancy rate.

Beyond direct tourism revenue, Poland gained enhanced image and visibility as a tourist destination, with post-event surveys reflecting increased interest in visiting the country.

Meanwhile, Ukraine witnessed a more substantial 8.2% increase, hosting around 1.2 million foreign tourists during the tournament, with an average stay of 4-5 days.

The overall tourism revenue for Ukraine during Euro 2012 was estimated at approximately €800 million.

France in 2016

During Euro 2016, France drew a total of 2.5 million tourists, with 1.5 million being international visitors.

The average stay for tourists was approximately 7.9 days, accumulating a total of 7.8 million overnight stays.

The economic impact of the event reached around €1.22 billion, attributed to fan zones generating €300 million, ticket sales contributing €230 million, and additional tourism expenditure amounting to €690 million.

How to benefit the most when Euro 2024 arrives

In the lines below, Casinos Not On Gam Stop outlines the optimal approaches you can adopt to maximize your benefits from Euro 2024.

Topics will include enhancing visibility through refined online sales strategies, adopting best practices for improved Google rankings, emphasizing the significance of maintaining communication with newfound customers, and delving into various impactful strategies.

Engage with online travel agencies (OTAs)

To leverage the influx of foreign tourists driven by the Euro, prioritizing the enhancement of your brand awareness among international audiences becomes crucial.

Despite potential budget constraints, a swift and effective method involves collaborating with online travel agencies (OTAs).

Functioning as expansive digital marketplaces, OTAs aggregate offerings from numerous tour operators and activity providers, facilitating easy comparison for users.

While popular OTAs draw millions of monthly visitors, the drawback lies in their commission structure, typically ranging from 20% to 30%.

Therefore, a meticulous distribution strategy is essential, aiming to leverage OTAs for exposure and subsequently capitalize on direct channels.

When selecting an OTA, it's crucial to align with platforms popular among your target audience.

For those seeking to attract tourists from major European countries, notable OTAs include Civitatis, Musement, Viator, and GetYourGuide.

It's noteworthy that most OTAs require real-time availability updates, achievable through reservation systems like Regiondo, a leading solution featuring a robust Channel Manager.

This integration empowers you to simultaneously manage listings on multiple OTAs, optimizing your outreach and visibility.

Implement multilingual localization for your website and offers

To effectively engage the diverse international audience at Euro 2024, it's crucial to localize your website and listings in multiple languages.

Beyond simple translation, true localization involves tailoring your messages to align with the cultural preferences and expectations of your new audience, often necessitating professional guidance.

This is particularly vital because, for optimal results, the localized content should also be SEOed in each target language. This entails thorough research on relevant keywords, crafting localized meta tags, and refining site structure for improved navigation.

While it may seem like a significant effort, achieving a high Google ranking will significantly enhance visibility, ensuring you maximize the opportunities presented by Euro 2024.

Harness the power of online and mobile reservations

In today's digital era, a seamless online booking experience is essential, particularly for major events like Euro 2024, to appeal to a diverse global audience.

Younger consumers, a significant portion of European soccer fans, increasingly favor the convenience of online bookings, with 83% of Gen Z and Millennials showing a preference for operators providing immediate confirmation.

To optimize your mobile booking site, ensure a responsive design for optimal viewing on various devices, make buttons and links touchscreen-friendly, reduce disruptions with fewer pop-ups, simplify steps and form fields for a user-friendly experience, use high-quality, mobile-optimized images and videos, and include buttons for quick phone contact.

Implementing these strategies aligns with the preferences of tech-savvy consumers, enhancing the efficiency of your online booking process for Euro 2024.

Provide diverse payment options

The European Championship will thrust host countries into the global spotlight, capturing the attention of a diverse international audience. Understanding that potential customers have varying payment preferences influenced by their country, age, and tech comfort is crucial.

Notably, not all participating countries use the euro as their official currency.

To capitalize on Euro 2024, it is imperative to enhance online bookings by offering a range of payment methods and supporting multiple currencies.

This approach ensures broad accessibility, catering to diverse customer needs and maximizing both reservations and onsite sales.

Additionally, prioritizing transactions through a trusted payment gateway is essential to guarantee the security of customer data, contributing to a seamless and secure booking experience.

Speaking of online bookings, when your clients are traveling abroad or attending significant events, the prospect of unforeseen disruptions can be stressful.

To alleviate concerns and enhance their sense of security, consider providing flexible booking options.

Specifically, we suggest:
1.    Permitting free or nominal fee rescheduling of reservations.
2.    Offering the option to cancel without incurring penalties.

Regardless of your specific booking and cancellation policy, ensure clear definition and inclusion in your listings.

When a customer books one of your experiences, furnish them with a copy of your cancellation policy along with their booking confirmation for transparency and reassurance.

Enhanced local search and targeted ad campaigns

In the realm of international travel, experiences are often booked on short notice.

Tourists frequently secure tickets for tours and activities just days before or upon reaching their destination.

To enhance your chances of attracting more traffic and, consequently, increasing revenue, it is crucial to optimize your website for local search.

This involves ensuring a strong Google ranking for location-specific queries (e.g., "things to do in Berlin").

Note! The Top Three Local Search Optimization Tips:

Google My Business (GMB): Claim and verify your GMB listing for increased visibility in local search and on Google Maps. Provide comprehensive information, including business details, high-quality photos, and business hours.

Keyword research: Identify popular keywords related to your listings and host cities. Integrate these keywords into your site's content, meta tags, and URLs to enhance Google's understanding of your site's relevance to specific locations.

Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like GMB, TripAdvisor, and others.

Reviews significantly impact local search rankings and overall reputation. Respond to all feedback, showcasing commitment to customer satisfaction.

To boost brand awareness and connect with an international audience during Euro 2024, consider running geo-targeted advertising campaigns on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram.

Geo-targeting allows tailored ads to specific countries or regions based on audience interests, particularly in football.

Note! Key Advertising Strategies:

Social media platforms: Run targeted ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, utilizing demographic information, interests, and location data to effectively reach potential customers.

Google Ads campaigns: Utilize Google Ads to target users actively searching for Euro 2024-related tours and activities. Optimize ad copy and landing pages for quality results and improved ad placements.

Retargeting campaigns: Employ retargeting ads on platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram to re-engage users who have shown interest in your offerings but haven't completed a booking.

Remind potential customers of your offers and encourage them to return to your website.

Connect with soccer online communities and partner with influencers and sports bloggers

Identify platforms: Find relevant online football forums and social media groups, such as Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, and soccer-specific forums, with active discussions and high engagement.

Create presence: Establish accounts and actively participate in discussions, sharing valuable content on local attractions to showcase expertise and build trust with community members.

Exclusive offers: Boost engagement by providing exclusive discounts or promotions tailored to the interests of each community, enticing potential customers to choose your services.

Find relevance: Research and select influencers and sports bloggers with a substantial following among football fans, emphasizing an authentic connection to both football and travel.

Reach out: Propose collaboration ideas, such as sponsored posts, reviews, or co-created content, aligning with their audience and your goals.

Leverage content: After successful collaboration, utilize influencer content to enhance visibility.

Share their posts on social media, feature their content on your website, and use testimonials to build trust and credibility with potential customers.

In a nutshell

Successfully navigating the opportunities presented by Euro 2024 requires a strategic and multi-faceted approach.

From optimizing online presence and engaging with relevant communities to collaborating with influencers and offering exclusive promotions, businesses can position themselves for maximum visibility and customer engagement.

By embracing flexibility in booking options and prioritizing local search optimization, establishments can cater to the diverse preferences and needs of an international audience.

The power of targeted advertising campaigns, coupled with meaningful collaborations with influencers, further amplifies brand awareness.

As the event approaches, businesses should continually adapt and refine their strategies, ensuring a seamless and enticing experience for potential customers.

In embracing these comprehensive strategies, businesses can not only capitalize on the immediate opportunities of Euro 2024 but also establish a lasting impact on their brand recognition and customer base.