The giants are not just buying attention – they’re buying independence from Google, experimenting boldly with AI and social media
Jun 9, 2025
In Q1 2025, the world’s largest online travel agencies—Booking Holdings, Expedia Group, Airbnb, and Trip.com Group—collectively poured another $4.5 billion into marketing, continuing a trend that saw them spend $17.8 billion in 2024. This investment reflects an intensifying battle for customer acquisition, brand loyalty, and distribution control, as these companies diversify away from heavy reliance on Google by leveraging social media and AI. With Booking leading in direct channel growth, Expedia testing AI tools on Instagram, Airbnb scaling localized expansion, and Trip.com targeting aging travelers with storytelling, the marketing arms race shows no signs of slowing.
Key takeaways
Marketing spend keeps rising
- OTAs spent $4.5B in Q1 2025 alone, with full-year 2024 reaching $17.8B.
- Booking: $1.8B (+10% YoY); Expedia: $1.76B (+6%); Airbnb: $563M (+9.5%); Trip.com: $413M (+30%).
Booking Holdings prioritizes direct
- Direct B2C bookings rose from low-60% to mid-60% in the past year.
- CFO emphasized growing ROI from social channels and improved performance in traditional channels.
Expedia bets on social + AI
- Launched Trip Matching—an AI tool on Instagram that turns Reels into bookable itineraries.
- CEO stressed importance of visibility in AI ecosystems like ChatGPT and agentic platforms.
Airbnb targets global growth
- Expansion in markets like Spain, Italy, Brazil, India, and Japan outpaced core markets for the fifth straight quarter.
- Relaunched Experiences platform alongside a global TV campaign.
Trip.com bets on demographics
- Boosted spend by 30%, with special focus on marketing to seniors (“silver generation”) using a short-form drama series.
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