Expedia data shows impact of advertising tools in boosting partner revenue

Extent of extra visibility gained by using sponsored listings revealed

New data released by Expedia Group shows the impact of its advertising tools in boosting its travel partners’ visibility and revenue during popular events.

The OTA giant’s sponsored listings tools allow accommodation and airline partners to appear in a premium placement in search results on brands within the Expedia Group.

Its long-standing TravelAds tool allows hotel partners to boost their visibility while Flight Sponsored Listings is a more recent tool offering the same for airlines.

Properties running a campaign using its TravelAds tool, globally, receive 90% more visibility and 120% more bookings than non-enrolled properties, Expedia says.

Significant boosts in bookings and revenue were also recorded during major events last year for Expedia partners using TravelAds and Flight Sponsored Listings.

Hotels using TravelAds in the areas around Wimbledon, London, during the Grand Slam tennis tournament saw an average boost in revenue of almost 30% last summer.

During Taylor Switft’s homecoming leg of her Eras tour, Nashville hotels that ran TravelAds campaigns saw an average boost of 5% in both revenue and bookings.

An unnamed US-based airline saw a 30% increase in revenue when using Expedia’s Flight Sponsored Listings tool to promote its route between Dallas and Las Vegas around the time of the Formula One race in the latter in November. It contributed 20% of the airline’s bookings.

During the 2023 Super Bowl, hotels using TravelAds in Phoenix saw an average boost in revenue of just over 15% over the weekend.

Etihad saw bookings from the US to Abu Dhabi and the Maldives increase by almost 5%, a 30% boost, by using Flight Sponsored Listings.

Jennifer Andre, VP of business development at Expedia Group Media Solutions, said: “There is no doubt this latest data confirms the effectiveness of these advertising tools in helping our partners shine in the most competitive of moments throughout the year.

 “We’re excited to continue working with our partners during 2024’s biggest cultural moments — from the Paris Olympics to major world music tours — to offer them our full suite of advertising options and to elevate their listing when they need it the most.”

Expedia forecasts a continuing surge in what it calls ‘Tour Tourism’ in 2024.

According to a recent Expedia survey, more than 40% of people said they’d travel for a concert as an excuse to visit a new place.

When Taylor Swift’s 2024 Eras Tour schedule was announced for Asia and Australia, travel searches increased by over 250% year-over-year for the tour cities. When her 2024 European tour dates were announced, travel searches for May to August 2024 increased by nearly 65% for cities with corresponding tour stops.