Marketing

🗺 Expedia Group conducted a global study with 2,500 travelers across 10 markets, revealing that 77% prefer booking multiple trip elements on one platform, and 95% are influenced by discounts. Gen Z shows strong interest, with 83% likely to book multiple parts on the same platform. 81% seek additional savings when booking together. The demand for immersive experiences has increased, with 92% valuing local activities. Future plans show 90% intend to book activities, 88% flights, and 75% rental cars.

🛫 Jun 1, 2026: Travel marketers spend over $250 million but may overspend during peak booking periods, missing value in shoulder periods. The study highlights that traveler research spans multiple channels before booking, emphasizing the role of non-brand marketing in attracting new customers. Attribution models often miscredit bookings, leading to underinvestment in awareness campaigns. Top brands focus on comprehensive measurement and maintain visibility during quieter periods for better returns (Source: Propellic, 2025 Report).

🏨 Hotel owners face rising costs and a doubled US CMBS delinquency rate since 2022. Minor Hotels, with over 600 hotels across 66 countries, maintains an "asset-right" strategy, owning two-thirds of its portfolio. In Madrid, an NH Collection rebranding boosted occupancy by 15-20% and ADR by 25%. Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna’s conversion improved rates by 42% in 2025. North America becomes a development focus, as American guests generate 16% of global revenue.

🗺 Day 1 of the Amadeus Advertising Summit in Nice highlighted a new era in travel advertising. Key speakers included Anna Sawbridge, Lalit Gupta, Paco Pérez-Lozao Rüter, and others. AI is transforming travel discovery, with speed and relevance as new priorities. The future lies in combining data, advertising, personalization, and AI. Hoteliers, airlines, and partners gathered to exchange ideas and shape the industry's future. #AmadeusAdvertisingSummit #AI #Data

📱 Google’s Demand Gen campaigns engage up to 3 billion users monthly via YouTube, Shorts, Discover, Gmail, and the Display Network, showcasing 50+ billion daily views on YouTube Shorts. Designed for visually impactful ads, these campaigns optimize traffic and conversions. CPCs range from $0.20-1, lower than Paid Search Ads at $1-$6+. Launching in 2026, Lookalike Segments will enhance targeting. Unlike traditional Google Display Network and Paid Search, Demand Gen targets interest via creative assets.

🛑 Last week, Google introduced Universal Cart at the Google I/O event, enabling easy checkouts with Google Pay without taking a cut from transactions. This strategic move aligns with Google's 20-year focus on selling ad placements rather than transactions. In April, Google expanded AI Max to travel-related ads, integrating them into AI Overviews and AI Mode. This shift transforms how advertisers engage, embedding ads within AI-driven answers rather than traditional search results.

🏨 Mark Vondrasek, Hyatt's chief commercial officer, missed his stock-based award target for direct bookings through Hyatt's site and app between 2023 and 2025. This reflects the ongoing struggle of major hotel groups against online travel agencies. Hilton's "Stop Clicking Around" campaign, launched 10 years ago, spent nearly $100 million across 18 countries to encourage direct bookings. OTA bookings reduce operating margins, whereas direct bookings provide valuable data and increase guest spending.

📰 Lodging Interactive, based in Parsippany, NJ, has launched a new weekly blog series aimed at helping branded hotels enhance their storytelling on social media. Since 2001, this digital marketing agency has focused on supporting the hospitality industry. The series will offer practical strategies for using organic social media without needing professional equipment, emphasizing real hotel moments. Founder DJ Vallauri highlights how this approach can differentiate properties in a competitive market.

📈 Inc. Regionals: Rocky Mountains ranks Cogwheel Marketing & Analytics at No. 32 among 69 companies, with a 137% growth rate between 2022 and 2024. The Rocky Mountain region includes Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. In the same period, regional companies had a median growth rate of 118%. Results will be available on March 31. Successful companies showed resilience and innovation amid economic challenges, adhering to revenue criteria and independence guidelines.