In the ever-evolving landscape of travel marketing, companies have faced unprecedented challenges over the past two years. As travelers adapt to a post-pandemic world, their preferences and priorities have shifted significantly, leading to a series of marketing missteps by many travel brands.
This article highlights insights from twelve industry thought leaders who identify the most pressing marketing mistakes made by travel companies and explain why these missteps matter.
From failing to adapt content to the changing needs of consumers to neglecting the importance of real-time communication, these expert opinions offer valuable lessons for marketers looking to navigate the complexities of the modern travel landscape.
Adapt Content To Changing Needs
One of the biggest marketing mistakes I’ve seen travel companies make recently is relying too much on generic messaging rather than adapting their content to changing consumer needs and concerns.
In the past two years, travelers have become more focused on flexibility, health, and safety. Some companies continued to use standard “dream getaway” marketing without addressing the importance of safety protocols or flexible booking options, which led to disconnects with potential customers who were still cautious due to the pandemic.
Another mistake is underestimating the power of user-generated content (UGC). Travel companies that didn’t leverage recent traveler experiences missed out on a major trust-building opportunity.
In my experience, showing real customer stories-like reviews, photos, or videos of actual travelers-can make destinations or experiences feel more tangible and reliable, especially in uncertain times. Those who didn’t tap into these authentic voices found it harder to build trust and attract new bookings.
Andrew Lee Jenkins, Owner, Andrew Lee Jenkins
Adapt To Changing Preferences
Over the past two years, I’ve observed several recurring marketing mistakes among travel companies that can hinder their success. One major error is the failure to adapt to changing consumer preferences.
As travel restrictions fluctuated, many companies continued to promote traditional travel experiences, neglecting the rising demand for local and sustainable options.Â
Another common pitfall is the lack of a robust online presence. In an increasingly digital world, travel companies that didn’t invest in their websites and social media channels found themselves struggling to engage potential customers.Â
Moreover, ineffective communication and transparency have hurt relationships with customers. Companies that didn’t clearly communicate their health and safety protocols or provide timely updates faced backlash and lost trust.Â
Finally, many overlooked the power of personalization. Generic messaging fails to resonate in an era where consumers expect tailored experiences. These missteps highlight the importance of adaptability and a customer-centric approach in marketing strategies.
Dylan Young, Marketing Specialist, CareMax
Provide Real-Time Communications
One of the biggest marketing mistakes I’ve seen travel companies make is overlooking the importance of real-time communications and updates in their marketing.
Over the past two years, the travel landscape has been ever-changing and often with little notice, thanks to changing travel restrictions and geopolitical advisories. Many travel companies continued to run set-and-forget campaigns without considering that ongoing updates and messaging would be required.
I have watched travel companies announcing their own specific new series of international travel packages at the beginning of the year, without ever changing their campaign from one travel advisory to consumers and making them cancel. Few spoke about options and changes.
If they had proactively communicated these changes and celebrated options for rebooking, their customers would have benefitted from this level of real-time information and trusted them even more.Â
As soon as they started including real-time updates directly in their ads and on their social media channels, they were met with an overwhelming positive response. Customers felt that they could now trust the company. It stabilized bookings. Flexibility, agility and real-time communications are now the name of the game in travel industry marketing strategies today.
Patrick Beltran, Marketing Director, Ardoz Digital
Adapt To The New Travel Landscape
One of the biggest marketing mistakes I’ve seen travel companies make is relying too heavily on pre-pandemic strategies. Many have continued promoting generic travel packages without acknowledging the shift in consumer priorities.
People are now looking for safety, flexibility, and personalized experiences. I worked with a travel client who was struggling with low engagement until we pivoted their messaging to focus on safe travel options and flexible booking policies. This resulted in a 40% increase in inquiries within a month.
The takeaway? Adapt to the new travel landscape. Travelers today want more than just a destination-they want peace of mind and personalized experiences.
Sahil Kakkar, CEO & Founder, RankWatch
Sell Moments Not Destinations
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen travel companies make is trying to sell “destinations” instead of “moments.”
Travel isn’t about the geography. It’s about the emotions and personal stories tied to the experience.
But here’s where it gets interesting-they miss the mark by not integrating user-generated content into their core campaigns.
Instead of obsessing over glossy, staged photos, they should be handing the camera over to the traveler and showcasing real, imperfect, but relatable content.
This not only creates trust but also turns their customers into unpaid marketers.
It’s like having a constant flow of authentic ads being created for you, and yet, so many travel brands still prioritize polished over personal.
Austin Benton, Marketing Consultant, Gotham Artists
Avoid Discount-Led Recovery
For some travel companies, there has been an onslaught of recovery strategies that have almost exclusively focused on discount-led recovery, enticing travelers with enticingly low prices and discount-driven promotions.
This may seem like an easy option, not to mention a tempting avenue toward immediate increased bookings. But like many decisions taken under pressure, they can lead to unintended consequences, such as long-term damage.
A constant “race to the bottom,” where price appears to be the only differentiator, can, to some degree, devalue travel experiences and endanger a company’s ability to reestablish pricing power once lockdown lifts.
As an example, a well-regarded travel brand (I won’t mention it) built significant revenues by running a series of hard-nosed discount campaigns.
Bookings rose initially, but the brand soon found that customers had been conditioned to expect prices to be discounted, and regular pricing became viewed as “way too high.”
The result was brand damage over time, as customers were booking only during the sale events at which the company could sell and dramatically reducing revenues between sales periods—the true brand value—by 50-100 percent.Â
This was not what the company had intended, but, being seen as the “discount” brand of choice, they had to painstakingly reposition the brand through customer service and the customer experience, focusing less on the price and more on the experience and service on offer, resulting in a premium price as part of the equation—a position they used to dominate all travel sectors through their earlier.
The lesson here is that while discounts drive short-term sales, a proper strategy hinges on an offering that has something unique to offer paired with strong brand differentiation and loyal customers willing to pay a premium.
Without focusing on what makes you unique and building your brand accordingly, while simultaneously boosting your service level, constant discounting leads to short-lived sales with no true growth in your long-term earnings.
Danilo Miranda, Managing Director, Presenteverso
Adjust Messaging To New Concerns
One of the biggest marketing mistakes travel companies have made over the past two years is failing to adjust messaging to post-pandemic concerns.
Many companies continued with generic travel campaigns, neglecting to address travelers’ changing priorities, such as health and safety protocols, flexible booking options, or cancellation policies. As a result, they lost customer trust and missed the opportunity to reassure hesitant travelers with information that aligned with their concerns.
Another mistake has been underinvesting in digital transformation. Many travel companies still rely on outdated websites and booking systems that provide poor user experiences, especially on mobile. Given that consumers now research and book trips predominantly online, a slow, clunky digital experience can lead to lost bookings and reduced customer loyalty.
Additionally, ignoring the power of personalized marketing has been a major misstep. Instead of tailoring offers based on previous behavior or preferences, many travel companies continue to send generic emails and promotions.
Personalized marketing campaigns that highlight tailored destinations or experiences based on past travel history are far more effective at engaging potential customers.
To avoid these pitfalls, travel companies must focus on personalized messaging, digital optimization, and addressing the specific needs of post-pandemic travelers to remain competitive and relevant in the evolving travel landscape.
Omer Lewinsohn, General Manager, Marketing Expert, Management.org
Leverage User-Generated Content
A common mistake travel companies have made recently is underestimating the power of user-generated content (UGC). People trust real experiences more than polished promotional ads, yet many companies still focus solely on curated content.
I worked with a travel company that shifted its focus to encouraging travelers to share their own photos and stories on social media, which boosted engagement by 50%. The authentic content spoke directly to potential customers, showing them what travel really looks like post-pandemic.
The lesson? Leverage UGC to build trust and authenticity. Your customers are your best marketers in today
Victor Julio Coupé, Partnerships Manager, Digital Web Solutions
Optimize Direct Bookings
As a veteran marketer boasting over 12 years of experience improving sales operations and driving growth across diverse sectors, I’ve witnessed myriad mistakes travel companies continue to make. Â
One glaring error is relying solely on OTA partnerships, which swiftly erode profit margins due to hefty commission fees. By optimizing their websites and social channels to boost direct bookings, which yield 3-5 times higher profits, travel brands can curb OTA dependence.
For example, redesigning a boutique hotel’s website and launching targeted social campaigns increased their direct bookings 43% in 3 months while decreasing OTA commissions 35%. Â
Another misstep is failing to leverage data and personalization. Advanced analytics now allow us to analyze billions of data points and determine the audiences and messaging to maximize conversion rates for each company. Personalized, dynamic campaigns have improved booking rates for travel clients by an average of 38% compared to generic mass marketing.
Many brands also treat all potential customers identically instead of analyzing behavior and CRM data to determine their likeliness to book. Highly customized email campaigns, for instance, have boosted repeat bookings over 50% for some hotel clients by offering custom content based on preferences and history.
Ryan T. Murphy, Sales Operations Manager, Upfront Operations
Dynamic Dates In Titles Tags
Our agency specializes in SEO and one of our biggest niches that we work in is travel, so I wanted to share some insight into a mistake that I often see travel companies make.
If your strategy relies on SEO it’s essential that you use dynamic data in your titles. One of the most common search queries people make is location + date.
So if your content has become outdated due to not changing the year in your title, your page will not show up.
This is especially true for bigger websites with hundreds or even thousands of pages, which makes it highly impractical to change the date manually. Adding a dynamic date is really easy and will solve this issue.
Gatis Viskers, Founder & CEO, Ambition Digital