# How to Create Destination Ads Travelers Can't Resist

**Publisher:** Expedia Group  
**Published:** n/a  
**Category:** Travel tech  
**Type:** Report  
**Access:** Free PDF  
**Official source:** https://partner.expediagroup.com/en-us/resources/research-insights/how-to-create-irresistible-destination-ads  
**Canonical:** https://tourismintel.ai/reports/how-to-create-destination-ads-travelers-can-t-resist

## At a glance
- Expedia Group reaches 1 billion trips booked and 12 million daily visitors, positioning destinations to access high-intent audiences with larger travel budgets.
- The WANDER framework identifies six elements driving engagement: video (71% of travellers influenced), authenticity, narrative structure, 2–9 second pacing, human-enhanced AI, and representative imagery.
- Expedia Group travellers are 56% more likely to splurge on vacations; native display ads achieve over 80% higher engagement than standard formats.
- Four distinct traveller segments—Quality Seekers, Savvy Trip Takers, Family Planners, and Business Travellers—take 5–10 trips yearly and respond to tailored messaging.

## What the report covers
Expedia Group's advertising guide synthesises research on creating compelling destination ads using the platform. It presents WANDER, a framework derived from emotion-reading, eye-tracking technology, and global survey data, alongside four traveller profiles and targeting strategies. The guide combines first-party booking data from over 1 billion trips with insights into creative performance and audience behaviour to help destinations refine campaigns and reach high-intent audiences.

## Key findings
Expedia Group developed the WANDER framework—a six-component model for destination advertisements. Video influences 71% of travellers versus 24% for static images, according to the Science of Wanderlust survey. Optimal video pacing ranges 2–9 seconds per scene. Authenticity, narrative structure with clear calls-to-action, and representative imagery all drive engagement. The report finds less than half of travellers are comfortable with fully AI-generated visuals; human-enhanced content performs better.

Four traveller segments are profiled with distinct patterns. Quality Seekers take 5–10 trips annually to rural, coastal, or major cities; they cancel less and commit earlier. Savvy Trip Takers, characterised as young professionals, take 5–10 trips yearly focused on beaches, wellness, and adventure, influencing others via social media. Family Trip Planners book 1–5 trips per year around school calendars, targeting tropical islands and national parks. Business Travellers aged 25–44 prioritise city stays and weekday leisure, and are less price-sensitive.

Expedia Group reports measurable audience advantages. According to the report, 850,000 travellers have spent $10,000+ online in the past six months. Travellers are 56% more likely to splurge on vacations and 41% more likely to choose advertised brands. Native display ads achieve over 80% higher engagement than standard display formats. These metrics reflect first-party data from 1 billion trips booked and positioning during high-intent moments.

Multiple distribution channels are available to destinations. Options include co-op campaigns with local hotels, onsite display placements across Expedia Group properties, off-platform display on premium channels (CTV, social), and bespoke creative via E Studio. Destinations can use 175+ targeting parameters to refine audience selection and align campaign timing with traveller decision-making moments.

## Key numbers
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Total trips booked across Expedia Group platform | 1 billion | Cumulative 2015–2025; internal data |
| Bookings value in 2025 | $120 billion | Observed; Q4 2025 earnings |
| Daily visitors across Expedia Group sites | 12 million on average | 2025; identified and anonymous visitors |
| Travellers influenced by video in ads | 71% | The Science of Wanderlust, August 2025 |
| Travellers influenced by static images | 24% | The Science of Wanderlust, August 2025 |
| Likelihood Expedia Group travellers splurge on vacations | 56% more likely | Traveller Value Study, 2024 |
| Likelihood Expedia Group travellers choose advertised brands | 41% more likely | Traveller Value Study, 2024 |
| Engagement uplift of native display ads versus standard display | Over 80% higher | DMO native CTR vs standard display, 2023 |

## Why it matters
**DMOs & destinations** — The WANDER framework provides a science-backed methodology for allocating marketing budgets. Access to 175+ targeting parameters and 12 million daily high-intent visitors enables DMOs to reach quality travellers—those who spend more, stay longer, and return—with measurable engagement uplift from native formats versus standard display.

**Hotels & hospitality** — Hospitality partners can leverage co-op campaigns and bespoke creative to increase visibility and occupy prime inventory periods. The report shows advertised brands are 41% more likely to be chosen; hotels aligned with destination campaigns can capture demand from Quality Seekers and Family Planners without bearing full campaign costs.

**Travel tech & distribution** — Native and onsite placements deliver over 80% higher engagement than open-web display, informing platform strategy and inventory positioning. Insights on video dominance (71%), AI-generated content scepticism, and optimal pacing (2–9 seconds) provide technical and creative guidance for optimising ad delivery and formats across channels.

## Methodology and limits
The WANDER framework was developed using emotion-reading and eye-tracking technology combined with a global survey. Traveller profile data and performance metrics derive from Expedia Group's internal first-party data from 1 billion trips (2015–2025) and the 2024 Traveller Value Study. Engagement metrics sourced from internal data (2023) and Comscore Plan Metrix (April 2025, US base 18+). This brief is based on the publicly available guide summary; detailed methodology and full profile descriptions remain gated behind Expedia Group's advertising portal.

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© Expedia Group for the original report. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel (https://tourismintel.ai). Read the original: https://partner.expediagroup.com/en-us/resources/research-insights/how-to-create-irresistible-destination-ads