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The brand’s new marketing leader brings over two decades of global marketing expertise to the pioneering brand known for revolutionizing outdoor travel.
Transitioning from a successful career predominantly focused on urban corporate brands, Bryan looks forward to directing his expertise towards championing wellness and advocating the benefits of outdoor travel.
HC: Can you share your journey into hospitality and marketing, and what led you to join Autocamp as Chief Marketing Officer?
BT: I developed a love for travel, adventure, and working with chefs at a young age, which definitely led me into the hospitality industry. I always found it exciting to discover new places and also a great way to strike up a conversation with someone new since everyone has a “favorite hotel” or “impressive dining experience”
Over the last 20 years, I predominantly focused on lifestyle brands in primary markets with roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Sydell Group, Thompson Hotels, and sbe Entertainment and most recently at Sage Hospitality. From opening Park MGM in Las Vegas to scaling Katsuya into the Middle East and learning how to launch a campus of Hotels and restaurants at Baha Mar, in the Bahamas, I enjoyed my time and learned a lot in all of these roles.
I was excited to transition into this new outdoor space and advocate for the benefits of outdoor travel after noticing the increasing trend of travelers prioritizing exploration and wellness and such an opportunity in the market.
HC: As CMO of Autocamp, what is your vision for the brand’s future, and how do you plan to differentiate Autocamp in the growing market of luxury outdoor experiences?
BT: AutoCamp’s main goal is to bring people closer to nature without sacrificing the comforts of high-end accommodations, thereby making the great outdoors more accessible. It doesn’t matter what type of vacation you are looking to take, from a couples retreat, or family reunion, from a solo wellness trip to a corporate retreat, AutoCamp caters to all types of traveler.
To further this mission and to offer a cost conscious vacation opportunity, we’ve aunched a new brand-wide “Adventure Affordably” promotion lowering our starting rates across all AutoCamp properties. Travelers are now able to find rates under $250 at each location with promo code ADVENTURE2024 at checkout. Our marketing team developed this campaign after noticing the rising cost of travel - from increased gas prices to outrageous flight fees - which is unaffordable for the average traveler. We believe this will differentiate the brand from competitors and allow the brand to continue to expand in the US and potentially internationally.
HC: Autocamp offers a unique intersection of outdoor adventure and luxury hospitality. How do you market this balance to attract both seasoned travelers and those new to outdoor experiences?
BT: Our team has meticulously crafted our brand’s messaging to evenly target both seasoned travelers and those new to outdoor experiences. We want to cater to those who regularly take nature-focused trips and elevate their experience, while also making camping and outdoor adventures more approachable and attainable for those who are less familiar with it. For example, we offer properties situated within prime locations in iconic US destinations and national parks, the unique experiences like stargazing and guided hikes, while also highlighting in-room perks including the AC, flat-screen TVs, luxury bath products, and the pools and hot tubs onsite at select properties.
Our Clubhouse are similar to a luxury hotel lobby, complete with mid-century modern designed furniture, communal fireplaces and branded retail. In addition, our property teams are incredibly knowledgeable of the local sights and help curate the guest experience based on what they are looking for.
HC: With technology increasingly influencing the way travelers research, book, and experience trips, how do you see digital innovation reshaping the way Autocamp connects with and serves its guests?
BT: There is a careful balance when it comes to the AutoCamp experience and technology since many guests are visiting our properties to intentionally put down the screens and get into nature. Therefore, we are looking at technology as a way to better enhance and communicate what guests can expect before they arrive.
We are creating dynamic reservation confirmations and pre-stay arrival notices to feature weather reports to assist in packing essentials, programming calendar to let guests know what they can participate in when on property and a full SMS texting platform to communicate to guests when they are on property.
In addition, Corporate Meetings and company offsites will be a big focus of ours in 2025, given that, we are increasing our Marketing strategy around this segment and will be featuring all of the technology elements that a corporate group would expect but not necessarily assume from a remote destination.
HC: In a competitive market like outdoor hospitality, what role do you believe storytelling, branding, and customer engagement play in differentiating Autocamp, and how has technology enhanced these aspects?
BT: Storytelling is crucial to help the AutoCamp brand stand out in a very compressed hospitality landscape. Not only is it important to tell the experience about an AutoCamp stay, but we focus on weaving in essential information of the local communities, parks, and activities to make the guests’ stay perfect.
For example, AutoCamp Cape Cod is the only lodging location in Falmouth MA to have access to a private residential beach via designated parking passes, because of this, it's important to weave that aspect of the stay into storytelling, so its more than just a stay in a beautiful location, but it is also access to a place that most tourists don’t have access to. In the future, we will be leveraging customer profile technology to help determine those guests that would be interested in such a value-add.
Additionally, Yosemite National Park has instituted a reservation system to access the park in high-season times to keep visitation manageable. We ensure that this aspect of the guest journey is highlighted in our Social Media recap videos and in our pre-arrival communication to ensure the guests have the best experience and are prepared. We redirect to the National Parks reservation system from our website and in our confirmation email communications to ensure the process is seamless.