AirAsia reaches out to millennials for #WhyIFly moments

When you’re voted the world’s Best Low-Cost Carrier for seven consecutive years, it must be challenging to reach out to fresh travelers. We’ve all already seen (hopefully) great local destinations like Palawan, Bohol, Tacloban and Kalibo. So to perk things up, AirAsia decided to try something different: they flew a batch of young Filipino travelers from the online world — from sites like Where To Next, Spirits PH and SinoPinas, plus videographer Patrick Martin — to those very destinations and had them come up with new, arresting images: things off the beaten path that local travelers might have missed. These photos and videos were posted on AirAsia’s #WhyIFly Instagram page, and some were unveiled at a special photo exhibit inside Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at 26th Street Bistro, BGC.

We saw photos (printed by Canon) of windmills generating power in Kalibo; snake-handlers entertaining crowds; cranes skipping across the waters; kids riding carabao in Palawan; the unexpected beauty of Tacloban’s coastline; and a short video by Martin exploring the Biri Rock Formations of Northern Samar, the azure waters of El Nido, the lush forests and hidden pockets of beauty in Bohol.

Many of those millennial bloggers and posters were on hand at Coffee Bean, where AirAsia Philippines CEO Joy Cañeba spoke about the low-cost carrier’s latest initiative.

AirAsia Philippines digital and creative senior executive Cherry Mungcal, KayakAsia operator Samuel Penoloso, AirAsia Philippines CEO Joy Cañeba and AirAsia Philippines digital and creative manager Pim Del Rosario took the stage.

“We went to Palawan and Bohol with some very creative kids for our Travelogue series,” said Cañeba. “We wanted to see some not-so-popularly known places in those provinces, and with the Department of Tourism we created this wonderful video posted on Instagram and Facebook. (Check it out at facebook.com/AirAsiaPhilippines and Instagram @AirAsiaPh.)

“The response was massive! We connected to so many new people,” she said, that AirAsia is launching a new online program: an online photo contest called #WhyIFly Challenge. All AirAsia travelers (no matter what your age) can post their best “undiscovered” moments and stories on Instagram from June 24 to Sept. 20, 2016. Participants must post one photo of their trip for five consecutive days, and provide an answer to the question “Why I Fly” in their captions; four random winners will be selected from the photo submissions to win AirAsia seats for two to Bohol, Palawan, Tacloban or Kalibo.

The idea is to share stories and adventures, and grow a community through travel. It’s not the first time AirAsia has reached out to millennials.

Some of the photos at the #WhyIFly exhibit (posted as @ayenonline and @rayniyel)

“A lot of media departments have issues connecting with this age group because millennials have a problem buying into what they’re selling,” noted Cañeba. “Before, it was ‘what clothes I’m wearing’ or ‘what brands I have.’ But right now, millennials value experience.” And what better way to show the world that you’re experiencing life than posting it online? Describing the online community as the “current power brokers” and “Instagram influencers,” AirAsia made it clear that there’s a new demographic in town — and they like to share things.

Says AirAsia Philippines digital and creative manager Pim Del Rosario: “This (AirAsia initiative) is for the next generation. We want to build a relationship with them, connecting with them and inspiring them to share their stories.” She tagged along to Bohol and Palawan for the Travelogue trip and was surprised by how on-the-go millennials were. “They don’t want to rest: they want to explore, they want to surf, mountain-climb, swim, go to different islands. We were afraid they might get tired, but they were really up for it.”

AirAsia Philippines digital and creative senior executive Cherry Mungcal said they discovered something else: “The plan was to discover unknown places, but after the trip, I was as moved by the people and their stories.” In Bohol, for instance, where firefly tours have become popular, there’s a real danger of shore erosion due to the tourist motorboats plying the waters at night; mangroves are being threatened, resulting in fewer fireflies lighting up the skyline. One local tour operator, Samuel Penoloso, started an initiative to use kayaks instead of motor boats, and AirAsia Philippines applauded the efforts of KayakAsia by awarding scholarships to three of its kayak boys, “so they can learn more and become even bigger advocates” of environmental protection.

AirAsia, which flies to 68 destinations in Southeast Asia, has built a reputation on allowing “everyone to fly.” Millennials are now a bigger part of that market. And they have their own unique angles to share. AirAsia is finding it’s not just about the affordable seats, but the stories that come afterward. “If you travel somewhere, what’s the adventure? What’s the story? What’s your reason for traveling?” asked Cañeba. “For AirAsia, it’s important for us to enable these reasons to come through.”