Travel Blogging and Vertical Cooperation Networks

Vertical cooperation networks

Cooperation networks are an important strategy in cultural tourism marketing, especially for smaller service providers in rural areas.

These networks help overcome the limits of individual attractions or sites, which may not have the appeal to attract a large number of cultural tourists on their own¹.

Vertical cooperation networks is when service providers from different stages of the tourism value chain collaborate to offer tourists attractive packages.

For example, a cultural institution might partner with hotels, restaurants, transport providers, and tour operators to create a comprehensive tourism experience.

Vertical cooperation allows cultural attractions and heritage sites to reach a wider audience and contribute to the overall stability of the regional tourism industry.

Applying the principles of vertical cooperation networks to travel blogging follows a similar approach.

But, instead of creating a co-operative network, individual businesses create travel content that recommends trusted local providers in the same region — creating a comprehensive value chain for the traveller who is researching their options.

Applying the principles of vertical cooperation

Think about all the attractions in your area that could appeal to your segment of travellers. As a local service provider, no one knows your customers or your destination better than you do.

How many times have you written a list of recommendations in the local area for a traveller who wants to know where they can find authentic local cuisine? This is the same principle but published on your blog.

A great way to do this is by applying themes to your destination. If you know visitors to your eco-friendly hotel, for instance, value sustainable travel, why not recommend eco-friendly restaurants, electric car hire businesses, and cultural tours run by local people? This way, you align yourself with local initiatives and with people who prioritise sustainability in their travel choices.

This isn’t about forming actual cross-promotional partnerships – which could lead to penalties from Google, and break trust with customers. Instead, it’s about providing useful, trustworthy information for travellers who are heading to your local area and actively researching places online to add to their itinerary. They just want some reliable insider info.

This approach helps you meet the requirements set out in Google’s search quality guidelines—EEAT, which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Combine your local knowledge with SEO to become a resource hub recognised by Google and recommended to travellers and tourists researching experiences in your area.

When this happens, your business is no longer in the dark on search engines, but a valuable source of information for travellers and tourists—and you get to help other small tourism businesses out.

You might think there’s enough travel content out there about your destination, but I dare you to look closely at the quality of it. Chances are it’s been written by Joe blogs on the other side of the world who combed through the internet and rearranged existing ideas for the sake of publishing content. Your feet-on-the-ground knowledge is what will set you apart.

As a traveller and a copywriter, I know a thing or two about how travellers think when they’re planning their trips. If you’d like me to launch or improve your travel blog, get in touch.

In the meantime, learn about my travel copywriting services.

Sources
1. Hausmann, Andrea, and Sarah Schuhbauer. Basic Guide to Cultural Tourism Marketing: Practice Cultural Essentials. Wiesbaden: Springer, 2023.