Smarter Marketing, Fewer Words, More Feels—2025 Hotel Marketing Predictions
The only constant in hotel marketing is change. Trends come and go, algorithms shift, and TikTok plays hard to get. Sure, AI is everywhere, but humans are still craving connection. Your future guests are scrolling faster, reading less, and expecting more. Hotels can stay ahead by cutting the fluff, cueing into emotion, and meeting travelers where they are—whether that’s in their inbox, on their For You page, or deep in a nostalgia-tinged daydream. Here’s what’s shaping the year ahead.
1. We adopted AI, and the thrill is gone.
ChatGPT is a household name. Everyone’s using it, apparently some people are even dating it (cue: eye roll). Thanks to AI, bad writing is becoming harder to read (albeit mostly free of typos), and good writing has become harder to find. How does this impact hotel marketing? Social media captions have long taken a second seat to imagery, and in the year ahead, we expect this trend to be even more pronounced, as humans become suspect of captions written by bots. Honing on the voice of the hotel and carrying it through all of your content, cross-channel, is key. Avoid language that could come across as impersonal or generic. Use descriptive words without being overly ornate.
2. When it comes to email marketing, less is more.
Great, cross-channel imagery, a quippy subject line, and clear calls-to-action allow us to exceed industry standards for email open and click through rates, year after year. Email continues to top the list of revenue generating marketing channels, and we continue to recommend two emails per month consistently for our hotel clients, and 1-2 emails per month for restaurants. Using a system like Revinate or Square, that integrates with your PMS or POS, will allow for revenue tracking. Over time, you’ll noticed which campaigns performed best, and which were a bust. Do more of what’s working, and less of what’s not.
3. Do more visual storytelling in the year ahead.
With people reading less but consuming more, the emphasis continues to be on visuals and storytelling. Strong imagery and videography can put the viewer into the action in a matter of seconds. User-generated content from a hotel or dining experience tells a very specific story, pulling in viewer and influencing them, similar to the way a well-written TripAdvisor review can convince a prospective guest to stay or dine. Work in influencer partnerships on a monthly or quarterly basis, and ensure package elements are included in their stay.
4. Tailor your content to a consumer that’s distracted, yet easily influenced.
Upgrade your static social media ads to incorporate video to capture your viewer’s attention and get your point across quickly. Include clear calls to action to drive conversion. We consider one of our strengths as an agency to be omni-channel marketing. We build multifaceted collaborations with influencer partners to share, promote, and sell hotel packages and experiences, while simultaneously growing our clients’ social following and email list.
5. On trend: a love letter to anywhere.
With the constant barrage of the 24/7 news cycle, many of us report feeling nostalgic for simpler times, when the world felt small, when ski towns were just towns, when life felt uncomplicated. Nostalgia marketing is having a big moment. Along with the return of 90s fashion, comes retro-inspired experiences (think board games, lawn games, in-real-life speed dating over apps, and more. We’re seeing hotels and restaurants follow suit, with “a love letter to <insert small town>” replacing authenticity as the new buzzword. When it comes to marketing these love letters, we’re taking a nuanced approach that’s less about the experience itself, and more about the feeling it evokes.
5. It’s a feelings game, after all.
Recent reports from Meta claim that the way we market to consumers will become even more sophisticated in the year ahead. We’ve always found the Facebook (now Meta) algorithm to be some of the best targeting available online, andthe algorithm will soon allow us to reach people based on feelings and emotions, adding a new level to the behavioral and demographic targeting that has long been available. While ad delivery based on a viewer’s psyche takes big brother marketing to a whole new level, it will undoubtedly give marketers a better shot at reaching the right person at the right time, with the right message.
6. Subscription models turn vacations into habits.
In today’s busy world, memberships and subscription services that sprung up during the pandemic have stood the test of time. Expect to see more travel-related subscription and membership-style services emerge this year. As opposed to the timeshare model, we anticipate more niche travel experiences and destinations targeting specific consumers including digital nomads, couples without children, and multi-generational families. The confidence knowing what to expect on your vacation, and having it “on the calendar” cannot be understated. When it comes to independent hotels and restaurants, start with gift cards. Buy now, enjoy later campaigns are a great way to turn your past guests into frequent visitors.
Less Shouting, More Showing in 2025
In 2025, human storytelling still wins. Email must be short, sharp, and revenue-driven. Let the visuals do the work, and remember that nostalgia is the new authenticity, so throw it back with a package or promotion and watch reservations roll in. Meta’s targeting is becoming more mood-based, and subscription models are turning vacations into habits. Did we leave anything out?
