Is Zipcar’s New Partnership Worth the Trip?

(Photo credit: Victor Hanacek via picjumbo)

Big things are revving up in the travel and tourism industry! Zipcar recently announced in a press release that it is teaming up with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing to attract more visitors to the state. Zipcar will act as Vermont’s magnet for encouraging members to get in their Zipcars to explore Vermont’s travel treasures.

At first glance, this partnership seems more like it will crash into the wall than cruise down the open road. For a program like this to survive, the consumers need to find value. Apart from the special promotions for Vermont brands and the obvious access to transportation, how will this add value for the consumers? It needs to answer the question, why does this matter to me?

However, after a closer look, the potential for success exists in the travel guides published by Zipcar. The Burlington, Vermont travel guide published on Zipcar’s blog is the key that starts the engine of success in this partnership. It adds value to the consumers’ travel experience by providing several suggestions for places to explore, shop, and eat in the area. This will definitely be worthwhile for consumers who find value in adventuring and exploring surrounding areas. Ultimately, this gives consumers more reason to visit Vermont and to (ideally) become returning visitors.

It will be interesting to follow up later with this partnership to see the impact on both Vermont’s tourism statics and Zipcar’s membership statistics. If executed effectively, this partnership could hold the key to future success for the travel and tourism industry.