Marketing

📱 Meta released a feature showing top UK ads. Water2 leads with 11M+ views, The Essence Vault follows with 10.5M+ views, and Untamed has 4.3M+ views. AdScan 2.0 launched, rebuilt for this system, changing the ad landscape. Existing Admanage users get free access; new users comment “Adscan” for a free month. Reposting grants an extra free month.

🛰️ Hilton partners with Explora Journeys, part of MSC Group, to expand its loyalty program to cruises by summer 2026. Members can earn and redeem points on 16 itineraries until June 7, 2026, in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Caribbean, and Red Sea. The partnership emphasizes slower, immersive travel experiences. It aligns with Hilton's global strategy, integrating over 9,000 properties worldwide. Hilton Honors Adventures will soon offer details on new on-board benefits and redemption options.

🗺 Travellers, according to Expedia Group's findings, are more likely to engage in consumer activities: 20% more likely to buy a new car, 12% to try new restaurants, 20% to play video games, 27% to seek cosmetics advice, and 29% to make in-app purchases. Expedia targets them using 175+ parameters across digital platforms, ensuring impactful advertising. Brands seeking ready-to-buy audiences should leverage this strategy for effective consumer engagement.

📚 John F. Davis III, a pioneer in hotel distribution, passed away earlier this year. His work on Pegasus revolutionized the industry by enabling global, real-time inventory distribution through a neutral switch connecting hotel CRS systems to GDSs. This innovation reshaped business travel and agency bookings. Davis's philosophy emphasized solving infrastructure problems, supporting the ecosystem, and innovating reliably. His contributions remind us to continue evolving and challenging outdated models in hotel distribution and travel tech. #HotelDistribution #Innovation

📖 Earlier this year, GuestCentric's studies revealed hotels could double direct bookings in less than a year by combining strong brand narratives with streamlined online experiences. Elizabeth Holmes raised $900 million for Theranos via compelling storytelling. In the 1950s, smoking was glamorized by Hollywood, but health campaigns later changed its narrative. GuestCentric aids hotels with a unified digital marketing platform, enhancing direct bookings with award-winning websites and integrated booking engines, featured on Skift Travel Tech 250.

📈 Dec 19, 2025, Google’s AI Overviews reshape travel research, impacting hotel visibility and increasing search costs. Hotels face fewer organic clicks and rising paid search costs due to Google's deeper involvement in the discovery journey. As a result, hotels must enhance branding, direct channels, and diversify marketing beyond search, focusing on brand strength, loyalty programs, and metasearch. The shift emphasizes long-term value and direct relationships over short-term acquisition costs.

🛁 Dec 17, 2025, Phocuswright research reveals that traveler loyalty to hotels is increasingly unstable. Less than 50% of travelers consistently choose the same hotel brand, with many opting for variety despite past positive experiences. Only 40% of leisure travelers stick to one or two brands. Younger travelers prioritize novelty over consistency. Fundamental quality standards like cleanliness are expected but don’t drive loyalty. Emotional connection is crucial in loyalty programs, as switching often stems from curiosity, not dissatisfaction.

🗺️ Departure growth at lastminute.com soared in 2025, with increases of 7% in September, 12% in October, and 23% in November, marking November as the fastest-growing month. Shoulder season travel now constitutes 19% of annual trips, reaching 58% of summer's peak size. Top destinations include Mallorca, Tenerife, Crete, Amsterdam, and Barcelona. Notably, bookings to London surged 30% during late November, coinciding with Radiohead's concerts. Beach breaks account for 60% of autumn travel.