How Travel Marketers Are Activating Digital Advertising
At a glance
- Survey of 300 travel marketers worldwide conducted with Worldwide Business Research to assess post-COVID digital advertising strategies.
- Travel marketers prioritising direct response campaigns to align with changing consumer behaviours and demand for cancellation assurance.
- Third-party cookie phase-out driving adoption of first-party data strategies, loyalty programmes, and privacy-conscious marketing approaches.
- Connected TV, video advertising, and AI-powered personalisation gaining prominence as cost-effective channels for reaching digital-native audiences.
- Budget allocation shifting across channels as marketers prepare for cookieless future and explore emerging technologies like machine learning.
What the report covers
Sojern partnered with Worldwide Business Research to survey 300 travel marketers globally on their digital advertising strategies in 2021. The report examines how the travel, media and entertainment sectors are rebounding from COVID-19 impacts through budget reallocation, channel prioritisation, and adaptation to privacy regulation. It covers ad spend trends, direct response campaign focus, the transition to first-party data, and emerging technologies including connected TV, AI and machine learning in travel marketing.
Key findings
Travel marketers are shifting strategy toward direct response campaigns in response to post-COVID consumer behaviour changes. These campaigns emphasise flexibility and transparent communication, particularly around cancellation policies and safety measures. This represents a cautious but strategic budget reallocation designed to drive immediate sales while adapting to new traveller expectations.
The impending phase-out of third-party cookies is compelling marketers to embrace first-party data collection and alternative targeting methods. Strategies include building loyalty programmes, implementing advanced tracking mechanisms, and establishing direct consumer relationships. This transition is framed as an opportunity to strengthen privacy-conscious, personalised marketing whilst maintaining customer connections.
Connected TV (CTV) and video advertising are gaining traction as priority channels for travel marketers. These formats offer cost-effective audience engagement and particular appeal to younger, digitally-native demographics. The shift reflects broader recognition that video and streaming platforms deliver measurable returns in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming central to advertising strategies, particularly for personalisation and cross-channel targeting. Travel marketers are also exploring interactive formats and virtual reality to create immersive, memorable brand experiences. These emerging technologies represent strategic investments to improve campaign precision and consumer engagement.
Budget optimisation now involves identifying and prioritising high-performing channels to create effective multichannel campaigns. Travel marketers are encouraged to assess what is working across their channel mix, collect first-party data actively, and adapt strategies to the evolving digital marketing environment. This reflects a data-driven approach to post-pandemic recovery.
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Travel marketers surveyed | 300 |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
Destination marketing organisations must understand travel marketers' shift toward direct response campaigns and cookieless strategies to shape partnership models, co-op marketing programmes, and data-sharing agreements. Adopting first-party data approaches and exploring connected TV, video, and emerging ad tech will enhance destination visibility and visitor acquisition in a privacy-regulated environment.
Hotels & hospitality
Hotels need to prioritise direct response advertising that emphasises cancellation flexibility and safety measures, reflecting current traveller concerns. First-party data collection through loyalty programmes becomes critical as third-party cookies disappear. Investment in video and connected TV advertising, alongside AI-driven personalisation, will improve direct booking capture and guest engagement efficiency.
Travel tech & distribution
Travel technology platforms should enhance first-party data capabilities, privacy-compliant targeting solutions, and integration with emerging ad channels like connected TV. Platforms offering AI-powered personalisation, virtual reality experiences, and cross-channel optimisation will gain competitive advantage. Cookieless tracking alternatives and direct response measurement tools are now table-stakes for distribution partners.
Methodology and limits
Sojern partnered with Worldwide Business Research to conduct a survey of 300 travel marketers across global markets. The survey examined strategies, budget allocation, channel prioritisation, and adaptation to privacy changes. This brief is based on the publicly available summary only; the full report details remain behind a registration gate. Specific survey field dates, sample composition by region or sector, and granular data are not disclosed in the source text.
Official source
The report is © Sojern. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel — it quotes only figures published in the source and never reproduces the document.
Check the official statistics on Pulse
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