Set among the beautiful vineyards near Tead’s tech center in Montpellier, France, “Talks with Teads,” hosted by Natalie Bastian, featured Claire Gibbs, the Director of Media Strategy and Planning, EMEA, at Hilton. This discussion delved into the evolving trends impacting the travel industry, offering a deep dive into Hilton’s innovative approach to navigating these changes.
The Discussion Included:
Key Trends Shaping the Travel Industry
Post-COVID, the travel industry has witnessed a surge in what’s termed ‘revenge travel,’ with individuals eager to make up for lost time. Claire pointed out a significant shift in how consumers seek travel inspiration. This transformation in consumer behavior necessitates a reevaluation of the customer journey, emphasizing the importance of meeting potential travelers where their search begins.
Navigating Cookie Deprecation
The looming deprecation of cookies poses a universal challenge, prompting a rethinking of how to effectively reach consumers across different digital touchpoints. For the travel industry, particularly, this change impacts the ability to track signal-based journeys, creating a need for innovative strategies to identify potential travelers’ preferences and intentions. Hilton is proactively exploring alternatives to cookies, testing new approaches to maintain the precision of targeted marketing in a post-cookie landscape.
Advice for Marketers in a Cookieless Future
Claire advises marketers to start with the fundamentals. Conducting an audit to understand current reliance on cookies and assessing the potential impact of their absence is crucial. This foundational knowledge will enable marketers to explore and test alternative strategies for audience targeting and ad delivery, ensuring readiness for the forthcoming changes.
The Road Ahead
As Hilton and the wider travel industry adapt to these evolving dynamics, the focus remains on creating authentic connections with consumers, leveraging new platforms and technologies to inspire and engage potential travelers. Claire’s insights underscore the importance of agility, innovation, and strategic foresight in navigating the future of travel marketing.
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