{"id":239344,"date":"2026-03-10T15:29:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T14:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/blog\/how-travel-brands-can-cope-with-ai-and-social-first-holiday-research"},"modified":"2026-03-12T20:03:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T19:03:16","slug":"how-travel-brands-can-cope-with-ai-and-social-first-holiday-research","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/blog\/how-travel-brands-can-cope-with-ai-and-social-first-holiday-research","title":{"rendered":"How travel brands can cope with AI and social-first holiday research"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>A few years ago, the travel research journey was messy, but at least it was familiar: a bit of Google, a few review sites, maybe an OTA comparison, then a booking.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Now it\u2019s even more fragmented.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>People ask ChatGPT (or Gemini, or Perplexity) to shortlist destinations. They scroll TikTok and Instagram for \u201creal\u201d opinions. They check prices on metasearch, read reviews on     <span class=\"tooltip-parent\">\n        <span>OTAs<\/span>\n        <span class=\"custom-tooltip\">\n            <span class=\"tooltip-arrow\"><\/span>\n            <span>An online travel agency (OTA) is a website where travellers can search, compare and book travel products such as flights, accommodation, car hire, cruises and experiences.<\/span>\n                            <br>\n                <a class=\"link-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guesty.com\/vacation-rental-guide\/what-is-an-ota\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\n                   <span> What is an OTA?<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n                    <\/span>\n    <\/span>\n    , then finally land on a brand website when they\u2019re closer to booking.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/newsroom\/eg-path-to-purchase-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Expedia Group<\/a> research found travellers spend <strong>303 minutes (5+ hours)<\/strong> consuming travel content in the <strong>45 days<\/strong> before booking, <strong>viewing 141 pages<\/strong> on average.<\/p>\n<p>And in that same research window, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aph.com\/community\/holidays\/travel-booking-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">80% of travellers<\/a> use online travel agencies as part of the journey, even if they don\u2019t end up booking there.<\/p>\n<p>So the question becomes <em>\u201chow do you market effectively when the journey happens everywhere?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The answer isn\u2019t <em>\u201cpost more\u201d<\/em> or <em>\u201csend more emails\u201d.<\/em> It\u2019s getting serious about journey orchestration. And that\u2019s exactly where a marketing cloud setup starts to earn its keep.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full borderradius20\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-239018\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker.webp 770w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker-300x117.webp 300w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker-768x299.webp 768w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker-767x299.webp 767w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker-488x190.webp 488w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker-44x17.webp 44w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The new reality: more touchpoints, less visibility<\/h2>\n<p>AI-driven planning is no longer niche. In the UK, <a href=\"https:\/\/yougov.com\/en-us\/articles\/52771-brits-more-comfortable-using-ai-for-trip-planning-than-last-year\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouGov research suggests<\/a> around <strong>1 in 5 travellers<\/strong> feel comfortable using AI-driven platforms for trip planning, and that figure has been rising.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelpulse.com\/news\/technology\/ai-goes-mainstream-in-travel-planning-new-report-finds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Other studies<\/a> put \u201cGenAI use in the travel process\u201d higher depending on the question and market segment (especially with younger audiences).<\/p>\n<p>What matters for travel brands is the impact:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>People arrive on your site with <strong>different levels of intent<\/strong> than before<\/li>\n<li>Your \u201csource of truth\u201d is no longer just Google<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll see more <strong>dark influence<\/strong> (AI helped decide, but attribution looks like \u201cdirect\u201d or \u201cbrand search\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a recent Spotler webinar on AI citation, our speaker Charlie Marchant shared her own search journey for a surf holiday. It\u2019s a simple example on the surface. But when you break it down, it perfectly illustrates how fragmented travel research has become.<\/p>\n<p>Charlie didn\u2019t start on Google. She started in ChatGPT. She gave it context not just a quick \u201cbest surf holiday\u201d, but:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Two-week trip<\/li>\n<li>August or September<\/li>\n<li>Beginner level (8-foot soft board)<\/li>\n<li>Warm water, no wetsuit<\/li>\n<li>Good surf school<\/li>\n<li>Budget constraints<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s already very different from traditional keyword search. It\u2019s conversational. It\u2019s detailed. It\u2019s personal.<\/p>\n<p>ChatGPT suggested Santa Teresa in Costa Rica. That sounded promising. So next step? Google. A quick search revealed surf schools there were closer to \u00a310k than her budget allowed.<\/p>\n<p>So, she went back to ChatGPT and refined the conversation. Removed Costa Rica. Added cost sensitivity. Narrowed the scope.<\/p>\n<p>Then came Instagram.<\/p>\n<p>She checked reels for specific surf camps ChatGPT had recommended. Watched first-hand content. Assessed the vibe. The instructors. The atmosphere. At that point, paid social ads kicked in. Retargeting began.<\/p>\n<p>Now the journey included:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>AI conversation<\/li>\n<li>Traditional search<\/li>\n<li>Social validation<\/li>\n<li>Paid retargeting<\/li>\n<li>Google Maps for location context<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Eventually, when she books, it likely won\u2019t be through a tracked \u201cAI referral\u201d. It will probably show up as a direct visit or a branded Google search.<\/p>\n<p>But the initial discovery happened in AI. And that\u2019s the key point.<\/p>\n<p>The surf school benefited from being recommended by ChatGPT. It shaped consideration. It narrowed options. It got them onto the shortlist.<\/p>\n<p>Yet in analytics, that influence might be invisible. The journey is bigger than the click.<\/p>\n<p>For travel brands, this is where things get interesting. Because if AI is shaping consideration early, and social is reinforcing credibility, and retargeting is reintroducing options, then your marketing platform needs to connect all of that behaviour once the customer enters your ecosystem.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can\u2019t control whether someone asks ChatGPT first.<\/li>\n<li>You can\u2019t control whether they double-check you on TikTok or Tripadvisor.<\/li>\n<li>But you can control what happens when they land on your site.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And that\u2019s where having a connected marketing cloud approach becomes critical.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What travel brands need to do differently<\/h2>\n<p>When discovery is happening in AI and social, your job changes.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re no longer guiding a neat funnel from search to checkout. You\u2019re stepping into a journey that may already be halfway through by the time someone reaches your website.<\/p>\n<p>That means four things become critical:<\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Be findable including in AI answers<\/li>\n<li>Capture first-party data when people land<\/li>\n<li>Respond to intent across a long, non-linear journey<\/li>\n<li>Measure what\u2019s driving bookings not just opens and clicks<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The shift here is subtle but important. Marketing can\u2019t just be campaign-led anymore. It needs to be signal-led.<\/p>\n<p>If someone arrives after an AI conversation, they may already have a shortlist in mind. If they\u2019ve come via TikTok, they may be validating credibility.<\/p>\n<p>If they\u2019ve bounced between OTAs and metasearch, they\u2019re likely price-sensitive or comparison-driven.<\/p>\n<p>Understanding that context and being able to react to it requires connected data and coordinated messaging. This is hard to do with disconnected tools. It\u2019s much easier when your data and messaging are operating as one system.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full borderradius20\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker2.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-239026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker2.webp 770w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker2-300x117.webp 300w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker2-768x299.webp 768w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker2-767x299.webp 767w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker2-488x190.webp 488w, https:\/\/spotler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blog-aisocialresearch-breaker2-44x17.webp 44w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where a marketing cloud approach helps<\/h2>\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1) Turn anonymous visits into identifiable journeys<\/h3>\n<p>If someone lands from TikTok, an OTA click-out, or an \u201cAI-inspired\u201d search, they often browse and leave.<\/p>\n<p>A marketing cloud setup helps you capture that interest early with low-friction moments like:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Preference capture (\u201cwhat kind of holiday are you planning?\u201d)<\/li>\n<li>Price alert sign-ups<\/li>\n<li>Destination guides \/ itinerary downloads<\/li>\n<li>Saved trips or shortlists<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The goal isn\u2019t to throw pop-ups everywhere. It\u2019s to give people a reason to raise their hand so you can follow up in a useful way.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2) Recognise intent even when the journey isn\u2019t linear<\/h3>\n<p>Travel intent changes. Someone starts by looking at Greece, then ends up booking Turkey because the dates work.<\/p>\n<p>With a marketing cloud (and a properly connected CRM\/CDP layer), you can react to signals like:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Repeated destination \/ category views<\/li>\n<li>Returns to policy pages (cancellation, deposits, amendments)<\/li>\n<li>Quote emails reopened multiple times<\/li>\n<li>Clicks on what\u2019s included or flight times<\/li>\n<li>Wishlist behaviour (even if there\u2019s no basket)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is where travel marketing moves beyond ecommerce-style \u201cabandoned cart\u201d logic. You\u2019re responding to hesitation, research, and reassurance needs.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3) Automate reassurance, not just reminders<\/h3>\n<p>This matters more now because social and AI can create <em>inspiration<\/em>, but they also create <em>doubt<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>People see ten conflicting opinions in a row. They ask an LLM for advice, then verify it on TikTok, then question whether the deal is legitimate.<\/p>\n<p>Your triggered comms can do the calm, confidence-building work:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Here\u2019s what happens after you enquire<\/li>\n<li>What our deposits and cancellation terms actually mean in plain English<\/li>\n<li>What\u2019s included vs optional extras<\/li>\n<li>Typical timelines and availability for school holidays \/ peak season<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That kind of messaging supports their journey.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4) Reduce \u201cdark traffic\u201d by improving measurement<\/h3>\n<p>You won\u2019t make attribution perfect. But you can make it better. AI can influence decisions without being credited for the conversion.<\/p>\n<p>A marketing cloud approach helps by tying together:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Known profiles + onsite behaviour<\/li>\n<li>Campaign engagement + booking outcomes<\/li>\n<li>Channel groupings including AI referrals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So, you can finally answer which journeys create bookings, not just which emails get clicks.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Connect the touchpoints with Spotler Marketing Cloud<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/commerce\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-gb\/commerce\">Spotler Marketing Cloud<\/a> is built for the reality travel brands are dealing with now: multiple touchpoints, long decision cycles, changing intent, and the need for reassurance at scale.<\/p>\n<p>It helps you unify customer data, recognise behaviour across sessions, and trigger messaging that supports the journey from inspiration to booking, even when that journey starts in AI or social.<\/p>\n<p>Want to know more how Spotler can help you? Feel free to <a href=\"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/sales\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"170239\">contact us<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/demo\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"89945\">book a demo<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Travel research now spans AI, social and OTAs. Learn how travel brands can connect touchpoints and drive bookings with a smarter marketing cloud approach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":86,"featured_media":239013,"template":"","cat_industry":[2668,2687],"cat_topic":[2674,2672,2676],"class_list":["post-239344","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","cat_industry-b2b-en-au","cat_industry-travel-tourism-en-int","cat_topic-cdp-en-au","cat_topic-email-marketing-en-int","cat_topic-social-media-en-int"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/239344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/86"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/239344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":239347,"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/239344\/revisions\/239347"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/239013"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=239344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cat_industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cat_industry?post=239344"},{"taxonomy":"cat_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spotler.com\/en-au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cat_topic?post=239344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}