Unlocking Summer Travel Insights and Trends & The Future of Facebook
Welcome to this week's edition of Smart Hotel Marketing. Dive into the latest trends and insights that can help elevate your hotel's marketing strategy and stay ahead in the competitive hospitality landscape.
In today's newsletter:
- 🚨 5 Key Takeaways from Deloitte's 2024 Summer Travel Survey
- 👍 Facebook is Prioritizing Young people.
- 👩💼 LinkedIn Upgrades B2B Audience Targeting.
- 😎 The Rise of Hotel Social Media Ambassadors is here
- 🔥 TRENDING NOW - "Not My Problem" Sound
📊 STAT OF THE WEEK
(source: Hubspot)
🚨 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM DELOITTE'S 2024 SUMMER TRAVEL SURVEY
This year's summer travel season reveals intriguing trends and shifts that hotel marketers should be aware of.
Below are the top seven takeaways from Deloitte's 2024 Summer Travel Survey:
- Shift Towards High-Income and Boomer Travelers: High-income earners now represent 44% of travelers, up from 35% in 2023. Boomers' share has increased to 34%, indicating a shift towards an older, wealthier traveler demographic.
- Inflation's Impact on Travel Budget: Travelers are adjusting their budgets upward by about 10% to account for inflation. However, the frequency of trips is dipping, with the average traveler planning 2.3 trips this summer, down from 3.1 in 2023.
- Preference for Unique Experiences: There is a growing preference for unique and elevated experiences. Travelers are gravitating towards destination resorts, guesthouses, RVs, and camping over traditional hotels.
- Generative AI in Trip Planning: The role of generative AI in trip planning is growing, with nearly one in five millennials using it. Many users book trips based on AI recommendations, although adoption has slowed recently.
- Sustainability in Travel Choices: Two-thirds of travelers believe climate change is an emergency and are trying to travel more sustainably. This includes opting for off-peak travel times and favoring hotels with higher sustainability ratings.
🧐 STAY INFORMED
Facebook's Future Focuses on Young Adults and AI Innovation
- Young Adult Focus: To set Facebook up for success in the future, Facebook is prioritizing young adults, with significant growth in this demographic's daily usage, aiming to support their major life transitions.
- AI Enhancements: Advanced AI technologies are improving content recommendations and video experiences, with plans to develop the world's best recommendation system by 2026.
- Creator Support: New tools and monetization opportunities for content creators, such as Professional Mode, are making it easier for them to grow and earn on Facebook.
Impact on Hotels & Resorts — Hotels and resorts can use Facebook's advanced AI tools to target young adult travelers more effectively. By creating engaging content and leveraging AI-driven recommendations, they can reach potential guests during key life transitions like moving or job changes.
LinkedIn Upgrades B2B Audience Targeting with Advanced Data and Tools
- High-Quality Data: LinkedIn provides access to over 1 billion professionals and allows precise targeting based on job titles, industries, and company sizes.
- Advanced Targeting Tools: Features like Audience Insights, Predictive Audiences, and the LinkedIn Audience Network help marketers reach high-intent audiences across various digital platforms.
Impact on Hotels and Resorts — Hotels and resorts can leverage LinkedIn’s advanced targeting tools and partner integrations to refine their marketing efforts, especially for those hotels looking to attract more groups and meetings. By using high-quality data and automation, they can reach decision-makers seamlessly.
The Rise of Hotel Employee Social Media Ambassadors?
- More and more brands are leveraging social media ambassadors.
- Brands that embrace employee content are benefiting from more authentic and engaging content.
Impact on Hotels & Resorts — Hotels and resorts should empower employees to share their authentic experiences around the property on social media. This strategy enhances trust and relatability, attracting guests who appreciate real, behind-the-scenes insights. Embracing employee content can create a more genuine and appealing brand image.
🔥 TRENDING NOW - "Not My Problem" Sound Takes Over TikTok
This week, we’re diving into a fun and carefree TikTok trend centered around a catchy sound clip that says "not my problem." Creators are using this sound to highlight scenarios they’re happy to dismiss, with text overlaying the video to add context. Check out an example here: TikTok Video.
What's the Trend?
In this trend, people dance to the sound while overlaying text that addresses something they choose not to worry about, such as "when people say you can't take all of your time off". The playful combination of carefree dancing and the "not my problem" attitude makes these videos both relatable and entertaining.
Why It Works?
This trend is getting traction because it combines humor and a sense of freedom. People enjoy seeing others prioritize themselves and dismiss trivial concerns, making it a feel-good trend that’s easy to participate in and share.
How Can Hotels + Resorts Leverage This?
Hotels can creatively adopt this trend to highlight the irresistible pull of their destinations or unique amenities, making viewers yearn for a vacation.
Here are a few ideas:
- Destination Appeal: Use the sound and overlay text like "when people say I can't take another vacation to [Hotel's Name]/[City]" while showing a stunning view or fun activity at your hotel.
- Relaxation Moments: Capture a serene moment at your hotel’s pool or spa, with text such as "when people say you can't unwind on a work trip."
- Exclusive Offers: Highlight a special promotion or deal with the text "when people say you can't book that exclusive offer at [Hotel's Name]."
💡 TIP OF THE WEEK - Recipe Sharing
Sharing recipes of popular dishes or cocktails from your hotel’s restaurant can captivate your audience and entice food enthusiasts to visit.
- Create Visual Appeal: Post step-by-step recipe videos or mouth-watering photos of the dish or cocktail to grab attention.
- Highlight Signature Items: Focus on your most unique and loved menu items to intrigue potential guests.
- Encourage Interaction: Invite followers to try the recipes at home and to share their creations and tag your hotel.
🔎 WHAT'S HAPPENING AT CASUAL FRIDAYS
- The CF Team has been busy with many of our B2B initatives. Shooting in San Diego, Dallas, and Atlanta.
- Stephanie and I mixed a little business with pleasure in NYC.
