The Power of Influence: Travel Marketing in 2025
As 2025 spreads its wings and our industry emerges blinking from the febrile intensity of the Peak sale period (how was it for you?), around 80 senior travel marketers gathered for the inaugural ‘Travel Marketing Huddle’ organised by the Joe Doherty and the Daily Telegraph team with Llama to consider what’s influencing customers in a world that refuses to slow down. Over three dynamic hours, panellists and speakers ranging from Lesley Rollo, dnata Travel Group’s UK CEO, Visit Jersey CEO Tricia Warwick and TikTok’s Head of Travel Hannah Bennett dug into what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next for travel marketing. Here’s a summary of the key takeaways.
Marketing's impact: More than just a tactical sales tool
The Huddle reinforced the undeniable power of effective marketing in influencing customer holiday decisions and the importance of crafting compelling narratives over time that inspire customers – and secure their loyalty – rather than simply battering them with offers or discounts. The brands winning today aren’t just showcasing destinations with stylised imagery; they’re crafting narratives that connect, engage, and convert.
Authenticity is key in a constantly changing landscape
Marketing moves quickly, but what doesn’t change is the principle of authenticity. Consumers are saturated with information, so brands which are truthful, consistent and genuine in their messaging win. Travellers are savvy and can easily spot inauthenticity - trust (and repeat custom) - is built through honest messaging, consistent actions, and delivering what you promise. No gimmicks, no fluff.
Head vs. Heart: A balanced approach
Whatever the size, travel brands now have access to more data than ever. Rollo made the point that it’s possible to ‘over-analyse’, and that marketers should have the courage to let ‘overrule your head with your heart’. In a world of metrics and analytics, it's vital not to lose sight of the human element and the power of intuition.
Marketing as the engine room: Continued investment is crucial
Rollo also emphasized the fundamental role of marketing across all of dnata Travel Group’s brand, describing it as the ‘engine room’ of the business. But an engine needs fuel to run, and careful care to do so effectively. Her commitment to continued investment in marketing, even in the hard times, underscores its critical importance for driving business growth and success in the travel sector.
Customer Recognition: A simple yet powerful gesture
Another key takeaway was the importance of recognising and thanking customers for their bookings. In a world of automated processes, a personal touch can go a long way in building customer relationships and fostering loyalty. A simple ‘thank you’, or a personalised reward, can make a significant difference in whether your agency will see that customer next time – and can be a great way to circumvent rising customer acquisition costs.
Lean in to macro trends which reinforce your differentiators
Visit Jersey’s CEO Tricia Warwick explained how the growing trend in ‘set jetting’ - which sees travellers using their favourite films or TV shows as inspiration for their holidays - is giving her destination a competitive advantage in 2025 as the classic series Bergerac returns to our screens. Set exclusively in Jersey, it gives the tourist board the chance to leverage the programme as a vehicle for authentic exposure of the destination, providing opportunities to reach new demographics across multiple channels, and fostering long-term tourism growth as the show gets aired across global markets via streaming services. Agents and travel marketers should study macro trends and think about how they can be applied - authentically - to what they do as a way to amplify what makes them different.
‘Bergerac’ returns to the screens in 2025 - bringing Jersey with him
Technology as a compliment to the human touch
AI and social media are cost-effective and universally accessible tools that any travel brand, regardless of size, can use to compliment personal relationships they have with their customers. TikTok and Influencers - and increasingly, AI-driven platforms - enable agents and brands alike to hyper-personalise how they communicate and build relationships with customers, and are rewriting the playbook. But research conducted by the Telegraph for the event showed that half of all consumers still prefer to use agents for both researching and booking their holiday - so adopting a strategy that blends technology with a human or high street presence can bring together the best of both worlds.
Moreover, as a panel discussion that brought together the physical - a tourist board, in this case, Visit Jersey - with the digital, TikTok - emphasised, the ‘no one size fits all’ adage still holds true. Brands and agents should listen to what their customers want, and fit their channel strategy around those needs - and not try to do the opposite.
The Huddle made one thing clear: Influence isn’t just about selling—it’s about guiding, inspiring, and earning trust. Get that right, and conversions will follow.
