Hilton, Melia, Expedia and AM Resorts Bet on Social and Video Marketing

We spoke with agency and brand executives to learn about their travel marketing plans for 2017.

This is what we asked them:

1. On which platforms will you invest/implement your campaigns in 2017?
2. What travel marketing trends do you expect to see in 2017?
3. In terms of marketing in general, what would you like to see more of in 2017?

Luis Perillo, VP of Sales and Marketing, Hilton Latin America Latina and the Caribbean

1. We are increasing our online and social media investments, along with the permanent use of print media and PR.
2. We expect to see greater investment in digital channels and social media.
3. We would like to see more holistic campaigns that include different types of media, to generate greater awareness among key audiences through campaigns that include social actions, PR, online advertising, print, TV, radio, etc.

María Aguayo, Marketing Manager, Expedia LatAm and Mexico

1. It always depends on the campaign, but digital media and television are a must.
2. Travelers today are looking for more authentic experiences, which means they also expect travel companies to interact in a much more personal way and also add technology to their offerings.
3. We hope that people in Mexico will take more vacations. We are very behind in balancing our work and personal life when it comes to paid vacation metrics. Mexicans receive an average of 15 days of paid vacation a year, but take only 12 days of vacation leave. Those three lost days means that Mexicans waste millions of pesos in paid vacation annually. We would like to see tourism continue to gain ground, see more advertisers in this industry, and see consumers being encouraged to travel more.

Christopher Arjona, Senior Director of digital marketing, distribution, CRM, and loyalty programs at Meliá

1. We’ll be focusing mainly on digital platforms (display, PMP, programmatic, social ads, etc.)
2. We want the industry to place a greater emphasis on programmatic marketing as a means of prospecting.
3. It will be interesting to know the general trends of the American traveler market that travels outside of the United States.

Erica Doyne, VP of Marketing, AM Resorts

1. AM Resorts’ campaigns are fully integrated, including extensions in social networks and online video, among others.
2. Marketers no longer trust a single traditional platform, but rather seek to engage consumers with new strategies including online video, digital advertising, mobile strategies, public relations and social networking. In addition, industry marketers now seek to target specific markets, such as wedding destinations, the LGBT market, and the Hispanic market.
3. The focus on experiences is gaining a lot of attention. Many travelers want to add something to their rest and relaxation, so the industry needs to offer more options.

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