Articles tagged “advertising”

Don't get caught on the defensive - lines between transactional and on-site media revenues are blurring.

There’s $2 billion of opportunity for travel brands that give cross-shopping customers what they want - even when they’re not ready to buy.

The first quarter is a popular time for travelers to start planning spring break and summer travel. Based on TV spending estimates for the first quarter, it's clear that the top spending brands such as Southwest Airlines, Trivago.com and Royal Caribbean are bent on getting Americans enamored with the thought of summer vacations.

We'd rather see PricewaterhouseCoopers or another neutral party estimate the revenue impact of hotel chains' direct-marketing campaigns instead of relying on Expedia, which obviously has vested interests. Still, Expedia's chart furthers discussion and the dialogue under way with hotels, and speaks to how seriously Expedia views the threat and the issue.

Many cash-strapped independent hoteliers have been relatively laid back and allowed Booking.com to bid on their trademarked names and are even handing over their digital marketing and website creation to Booking.com's BookingSuite division. Given their resource constraints, that's not likely to change in any meaningful way anytime soon.

Trivago's TV ads are a key element of its growth and success; other travel companies should view them as a case study in taking the digitally oriented test and learn manta into offline advertising.

Big hotel chains like Marriott and Hilton, with their ample marketing and advertising budgets, can scoff all they want about Expedia and Booking.com pay-to play programs for sort-order preference as the chains push direct bookings on their own sites. But small chains and independents will likely use the programs, seeking any small advantage they can wrangle.

The argument of Priceline Group CEO Darren Huston is that chains are shooting themselves in the foot -- and their properties aren't happy -- when the chains offer lower rates on their own websites because then their listings on Booking.com won't convert as well as they should. But as Huston says in a different context, perhaps the hotels would reply that they are "playing the long game."

When Priceline.com decided to try to reinvigorate the brand, it studied the data: Travelers are taking shorter, more frequent trips, and many are booking them on mobile at the last-minute. Their customers are heading to Rome, Georgia more frequently to that other Rome where Vatican tours are available. The data called for a streamlined site and app emphasizing "deals near me," pay at the hotel, and easier-to-book products.

This likely will be a year of building out what TripAdvisor already has in hotel Instant Booking, vacation rentals and tours and activities. One big challenge will be how to focus effectively in so many huge areas simultaneously without some getting short shrift.