Global tourist arrivals are forecast to reach up to 95% of pre-pandemic levels in 2024. And travelers are still enjoying “revenge vacations” after years of limited tourism.
This is great news for travel industry players. But a boom in demand means more competition.
On top of a crowded market, rising inflation and travel costs are posing a challenge for the sector. And let’s not forget that traveler behaviors have also changed in a post-pandemic world.
So how can your business compete?
The best strategy is to stay ahead of the latest travel marketing trends. That way, you can respond quickly to turning tides and keep your competitive advantage.
Here are five top trends you should have on your radar.
1. “Bleisure” travel is gaining ground
Travel brands have reported the rise of a new segment: bleisure. If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s the crossover of a business trip and a leisure getaway.
And it’s a big travel trend in 2024.
A Hilton study showed that 46% of full-time and self-employed workers plan to travel for business or “bleisure” this year.
That’s impacting how travel brands segment their audiences and market tourist destinations. For example, the Hilton reports a 15% increase in the length of stay for business travelers in its Singapore market.
Here are some other interesting stats from the same Hilton study:
- 24% of business travelers plan to take a family member or friend with them on a business trip
- A third of Gen Z and Millennial business travelers plan to extend a business trip to squeeze in some leisure time before going back to the grind
- Bleisure is particularly popular among business travelers from India, UAE, and Mexico
- New York is the most popular “bleisure” travel destination
The lesson
New customer segments are entering the travel industry and your brand needs to act. Start by analyzing your current marketing strategies to identify any gaps or opportunities to jump on emerging travel trends.
Once you’ve identified these new traveler personas, you can build personalized customer experiences for each segment of your target audience.
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Travel marketing example – Embassy Suites Nashville Downtown by Hilton
Source: Hilton
Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Downtown is a prime example of the new “bleisure-friendly” hotel trend. As well as the signature Hilton hotel facilities, it has a meeting and event space, a coffee shop, and a restaurant.
2. CGI is picking up speed in the travel industry
The travel industry has seen a huge spike in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in ads, marketing campaigns, and sales. AI chatbots are taking over the customer experience, with big players like Expedia and Booking.com already launching AI travel planners.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are also making waves, getting potential travelers excited about booking their trip and allowing them to explore the local area before their vacation.
Now CGI is joining the party.
CGI is everywhere in 2024. Everyone from California Raisins to Maybelline is at it, and it looks like travel marketers are getting in on the action, too.
Travel companies listen up. CGI can be a wallet-friendly travel marketing strategy. It allows you to whisk audiences away to their destination before they even book their flight.
The lesson
CGI is one of the best marketing strategies to get eyeballs on your travel business and connect with your target audience. If increased visibility is one of your marketing goals, then experimenting with CGI ads could be one for the bucket list this year.
Need ad inspiration? Take a look at my all-time favorite slogans (all from the tourism industry).
Travel marketing example – Freenow’s viral CGI brand campaign
Freenow is a European mobility app. Users can access different transport services (taxis, car sharing, public transport) from one app.
To support this positioning, it created an app called “Feel FREENOW”. It’s designed for the non-stop traveler who wants to experience all a city has to offer, without wasting time worrying about getting from A to B.
The travel company’s recent campaign has gone viral thanks to its creative use of CGI.
It uses one of the oldest animation methods (a zoetrope) and CGI to create a stop-motion technique. The result is fresh and impactful.
3. “Set-jetting” is flying high
Forget jet-setting. This year’s travel marketing trend is all about “set-jetting”. Set-jetting entered the travel industry’s radar last year, and it’s getting bigger in 2024.
Expedia’s 2024 report shows that over 50% of people have researched or booked a trip after seeing the travel destinations in a movie or series. Hence the term, set-jetting.
Interestingly, TV and movies influence traveler’s vacation decisions more than social media.
Here are some of the biggest travel destinations influenced by the set-jetting trend:
- Malta – as seen in Gladiator 2
- The Scottish Highlands – as seen in Outlander
- Thailand – as seen in The White Lotus (season three)
It’s not just the big screen that’s influencing the travel industry. “Tour tourism” is also big news, with many travelers choosing tourist spots based on where their favorite musicians are playing.
The lesson
Travelers’ behaviors are changing. So you need to adjust your marketing strategies if you want to maintain your brand’s competitive edge (and customer loyalty).
The easiest way to do this is through social listening. Pay attention to your potential customers across your digital channels.
- What travel marketing trends resonate with your ideal customer persona?
- What does their travel planning process look like?
- What do they expect from the customer journey?
The first step is to monitor behaviors across the right audience. Next, identify patterns and use data (like customer engagement) to create marketing campaigns that speak directly to your target audience.
This is where personalization comes in.
CRM platforms allow you to segment target audiences and offer them a personalized customer journey. That way, you can create effective marketing campaigns that address traveler’s unique challenges and pain points.
Travel marketing example – Deadpool 3 puts Holkham Beach on the map
Source: Visit North Norfolk
Deadpool 3 is one of the biggest box office hits of 2024. And rumor has it, the superhero filmed a fight scene on Holkham Beach on the Norfolk coast. This is already driving visitors to the lesser-visited area of Southern England.
4. Wellness vacations
Have you heard of “dry tripping”? If you work in the travel industry, it’s a trend you’ll need to know in 2024. “Dry tripping” is taking a sober vacation, sometimes to a “dry” hotel or accommodation.
We’re seeing a new wave of health conscious travelers who are looking for wellness vacations. In fact, a study by Booking.com revealed that 20% of travelers are interested in health retreats and 14% are curious about psychedelic retreats.
Unsurprisingly, wellness is one of the biggest trends in travel marketing this year.
The lesson
Travel marketers, it’s time to update your marketing messages to target this new wellness trend. Loyalty programs, cheap car rentals, and virtual tours aren’t enough to drive conversions with today’s travelers.
If you want to engage customers, you need to consider how well your offering meets wellness demands. For example, do your services offer:
- Health and fitness amenities
- Healthy, locally-sourced food products (with plant-based options)
- Activities aimed at improving mental wellbeing
- Alternative activities for “dry trippers”
Travel marketing example – Hemlock Neversink New Age Spa
Hemlock Neversink is a health spa and retreat center in the Catskills that hosts private travelers and corporate getaways. It sits on 230 acres of woodlands, and offers travelers therapeutic activities like hiking and yoga.
There’s an indoor pool and full spa. The center also has its own restaurant, Bittersweet, with a healthy plant-based menu.
Travelers can participate in different “dry” events, including:
- Shamanic Drumming Circles
- Candle making
- Stargazing and cloud spotting
- Animal therapy
5. Destination dupes are on the bucket list
Dupes started as a social media trend where influencers recommend affordable alternatives to luxury brands. Now the trend has hit the travel industry.
According to Melanie Fish, the chief trend tracker for Expedia Brands, destination dupes are,
“destinations that are a little unexpected, sometimes more affordable, but every bit as delightful as the tried-and-true places travellers love”.
Examples? According to Expedia:
- Liverpool is the dupe for London
- Palermo is the dupe for Lisbon
- Paros is the dupe for Santorini
A Skyscanner study revealed that 93% of travelers would consider a dupe.
And some see destination dupes as an opportunity for travel brands to promote a more sustainable approach.
Rikant Pittie, co-founder of travel tech company EaseMyTrip, says the trend is,
“mutually beneficial scenario for both destinations and travellers, enhancing the overall travel experience with the scope to positively impact local economies and promote sustainable tourism practices”.
The lesson
Know your audience. Market research is the best way to collect customer data and get valuable insights into how prospective customers think.
Are they looking for cheap vacations? Special deals? Luxury getaways? The latest trends?
Once you understand your customer base, you can refine your marketing strategies accordingly.
Travel marketing example – Curaçao is a dupe for Saint Martin
Source: MoneyLion
Curaçao is one of the most popular destination dupes on TikTok, with travel influencers claiming it’s a more affordable and less-crowded alternative to Saint Martin.
You can see more popular travel dupes in the video below .👇
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Travel marketing FAQs
What is travel marketing?
Travel marketing is the process of promoting and selling travel-related products or services. The goal is to attract new customers, build brand loyalty, and increase bookings.
Common travel marketing strategies include:
- Advertising – a mix of print and digital ads
- PR – influencer partnerships and attracting media coverage
- Digital marketing – SEO, email marketing, paid ads, social media
- Experiential marketing initiatives – hosting customer events and contests
It’s a competitive industry, so almost every airline, hotel, travel agency, and tour operator has a travel marketing strategy.
What are the benefits of an effective travel marketing strategy?
A well-executed travel marketing strategy can reap some sizable rewards for your business. These include:
- Increased brand awareness in a crowded market
- Higher customer acquisition and retention
- Enhanced customer loyalty
- Opportunities to expand into new markets
- More upselling and cross-selling opportunities
What challenges does the travel industry currently face?
The travel industry is bouncing back from the impact of the global pandemic and we’re seeing steady growth. That said, industry players are still facing some challenges:
- Pricing concerns – rising inflation and travel costs are stopping some consumers from booking a trip
- Change in consumer habits – the way people travel is changing and new segments like “bleisure” (business and leisure) are opening up
- Demand for personalized experiences – 86% of travelers want personalized experiences, so travel companies need tailored campaigns and CRMs that deliver comprehensive customer data
- Sustainability – Consumers across all sectors want companies to improve their sustainability practices (greenwashing will no longer be tolerated)
What is the best software for travel marketing?
Different travel brands will need different software, depending on the audience and the type of content. That said, these are the essential tools for travel marketers:
- Hubspot – this CRM platform is ideal for travel marketing because it has features to manage social media platforms, email campaigns, and content
- Adobe Photoshop – the leading design software for creating travel marketing materials like travel brochures and social media content
- Filestage – the top-rated online proofing tool for managing feedback and approvals for marketing content like travel ads and artwork
Review and approve travel marketing materials 30% faster
Artificial intelligence, global inflation hikes, social media … travel brands face big changes. And as we can see from these travel marketing trends, those big changes impact consumer behavior.
Travelers are more influenced by culture than ever before, so your marketing strategy needs to reflect this. Targeted marketing campaigns and content are the best way to boost growth and connect with your target audience.
But more content production is costly and time-consuming.
Filestage is an ideal solution. It streamlines the approval process so you can speed up review rounds by 30% without sacrificing quality (or risking compliance issues). Find out more about how travel brands optimize content production workflows with Filestage.
