High-intent AI referrals make structured data, conversational search, and easier checkout worth investing in now.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss why travel brands are missing from trip-planning responses, what AI answers are most likely to include, and what brands can do about it. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Senior Analyst Gadjo Sevilla and Vice President of Global Brand Partnerships at Verve Anna Slater. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.
Global reach can help wallets retain users, but added financial and lifestyle tools can deepen loyalty.
Gen Z wants to travel, and they are willing to prioritize it. But strong demand doesn’t mean that younger travelers have unlimited budgets. Some 93% of Gen Z respondents either had a summer trip planned or intended to take one in 2026, according to Bank of America Institute data. Gen Z travel spending was also up roughly 8.5% YoY through June, per Bank of America, outpacing growth among other generations’ travel-related expenditures. But there is an important caveat: Hotel transaction growth has stalled despite spending increases, according to Bank of America. This suggests that higher prices, rather than a spike in travelling, are responsible for at least some of that growth.
Destination marketers without an AI strategy will miss out on a high-intent audience.
Travelers are increasingly using AI to plan trips, but brands aren’t always part of those early conversations. New data from Verve Intelligence shows where influence is happening and when brands have the best opportunity to enter the consideration process.
AI referrals are converting at nearly the same rate as other traffic as consumers use the technology to research trips and find savings.
As demand follows the traveler instead of the season, discounts matter less than timing and signals.
It may have a hard time taking share from established brands as it expands into lounges and premium cards.
Travel advertisers can move viewers toward action and tailor video assets more easily with Google's Demand Gen updates.
As annual fees creep up, members need solid lounge service and experience to justify the cost of cards.
Gift-giving travelers are an increasingly captive audience for brands this upcoming holiday season. Watch and accessories brand Fossil tapped into this group successfully last year, and more brands will likely follow as travel media networks mature. US travel media ad spending is expected to reach $2.39 billion in 2026, up 22.9% YoY, according to EMARKETER's June forecast. While travel media’s share of commerce media is declining due to a concentration of endemic travel brands, according to EMARKETER analysis, Fossil’s positive results indicate that travelers are open to shopping, especially around the holidays and other high-volume travel periods. Reaching holiday travelers at major hubs In Q4 of last year, Fossil executed a travel media campaign in six major airport hubs, including New York (LaGuardia Airport), Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Chicago. The mix included in-flight Wi-Fi on JetBlue and American Airlines, in-stream video at airports, and a “virtual holiday pop-up store.” Fossil also amplified the campaign on Instagram and TikTok. Digital Culture Group (DCG) managed multiple arms of the campaign, in collaboration with media agency Assembly and ReachTV.
Fewer inbound visitors could hit airlines, hotels, restaurants, and retail.
US consumers are unlikely to bite for low cash-back rewards gated behind monthly fees.
Projecting exclusivity by partnering with prestige brands and experiences set Amex apart.
Broader international acceptance makes its app a one-stop shop for checkout.
Travel platforms should integrate into AI platforms that prioritize security to retain commercial users’ trust in agent delegation.
Chains add apartments and homes to capture longer trips, strengthen loyalty, and compete with Airbnb and corporate housing.
Travel co-brands are moving upmarket to court affluent passengers but still have to deliver on value.
US consumers turn to BNPL and credit to fund travel.