From July 9-11, 2025, over 1,500 tourism leaders gathered at McCormick Place in Chicago for the Destinations International Annual Convention. The event focused on resilience, workforce development, and destination stewardship, while delivering insight for media agencies serving tourism clients. As traveler behaviors, technology, and platform dynamics shift, agencies must rethink old assumptions. These five takeaways are essential.
1. Inspiration is Social and It Starts Early
Expedia’s data shared in the Tools Symposium session revealed that:
- 66% of global travelers cite film/TV as inspiration.
- Over one-third say visual content influences them more than a year ago.
- U.S. travelers consume 524 minutes (about 17 hours) of travel content within 45 days of booking.
Social media and influencers play a significant role, influencing 73% of travel decisions. The conference reinforced that travelers often find inspiration on social platforms, well before making bookings. Advertisements presented solely at the point of purchase may not reach audiences at earlier decision stages.
Media agencies must shift budgets and strategies up the funnel. Build always-on, socially native campaigns with creators who spark emotional resonance. Focus less on sales language and more on visual storytelling that feeds wanderlust during the “dreaming” phase.
2. AI, One-Click Trips, and the Future of Seamless Travel
Expedia’s “Travel Shops” personalized storefronts and their “trip matching” from Instagram Reels were highlighted during a workshop as examples of how AI closes the gap between discovery and booking. Consumers can now move from viewing content to curated itineraries in one click.
Sessions on “AI at the Tipping Point” emphasized real-time personalization, leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT, Julies, Perplexity, and custom LLMs to transform planning.
Agencies must morph from crafting brand touches to building platform-native, commerce-integrated content ecosystems. Key steps to consider:
- Develop campaigns that directly feed into AI-assisted planning experiences.
- Partner with tech platforms enabling one-click bookings at point of inspiration.
- Adopt “agentic AI” strategies that predict what users want next and streamline the path to purchase.
3. Planners Don’t Want Ads, They Want Insight
At the “Digital Marketing Strategies for Meetings” breakout session, speakers stressed that destination marketing for events and meetings must go beyond the norm, as planners look for value-driven, personalized journeys, not generic sales pitches. Full-funnel, multi-channel marketing across LinkedIn, YouTube, Spotify, and the use of lead-gen tools is essential.
The meeting’s niche demands a strategic blend of B2B storytelling, emotional intelligence, and smart funnel mapping.
- Build campaigns around planners’ pain points and how a destination solves challenges, such as AV logistics, attendee experience, & ROI.
- Use layered retargeting to nurture planners from discovery through RFP submissions.
- Optimize ads dynamically, e.g., case studies that rotate based on venue or size of planner.
4. Demographics Alone No Longer Drive Travel Behavior; Intent and Occasion Matter Most
The “State of the Global Traveler” session highlighted the following shifts that media agencies must respond to:
- Millennials, now key family decision-makers, spend $5K+ per trip.
- Gen Z prioritizes time-saving tools and travel advisors.
- 31% of U.S. leisure travelers plan to use a travel advisor in the next two years.
- Sporting events (especially NFL) and kids increasingly influence trip decisions.
Targeting needs to evolve from age and income toward intent and occasion. Build campaigns around themes like “family bonding,” “sports tourism,” or “wellness escapes.” Travel advisors, once sidelined, are now influencers worth partnering with to use their expertise and endorsement. Personalize creative based on audience psychographics, e.g., highlight child-friendly itineraries for families.
5. Creativity Wins, Especially When Budgets Are Tight
With growing competition, leaner budgets, and a crowded media environment, creative bravery is more valuable than ever. The Visit Louisiana case study proved that bold, quirky, and hyper-local campaigns outperform “safe” ones. Destinations that take creative risks will stand out. Find the “uncharted” angle:
- Leverage hyper-local stories such as neighborhood legends, offbeat traditions, or micro-influencers.
- Introduce interactive and gamified content, for example, localized digital passports or scavenger hunts.
- Make creative testable, and low-cost by running small pilots to discover what resonates before scaling.
From Inspiration to Impact: Travel marketing in later 2025 isn’t just changing; it’s evolving into a multidimensional, emotionally connected practice.
The Destinations International Annual Convention 2025 made one thing clear: DMOs and media agencies that inspire early, simplify smartly, and connect authentically will lead the next generation of travel marketing. The playbook is being rewritten, and DMOs and agencies that adapt fast will be the ones rewriting it.
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