ABTA Travel Marketing Conference 2025

This year’s flagship event took place on the 30^th floor of the Barclays Building in Canary Wharf. As venues go, it was pretty spectacular, with views stretching out across London. All very impressive and boded well for a good day’s conferencing.

But you’re not here to learn about the view, so let’s crack on as there’s a shed load to get through.

Welcome: Simon Atkinson, Director, Hospitality & Leisure, Barclays

Simon Atkinson kicked off proceedings with a welcome message, noting that the ‘Lates’ market is going to be big this year (read our blog Late Bookings are the New Normal for more on the topic!). Dean Harvey of Hotelplan followed, talking about how marketing has evolved over the decades, from handwritten memos to modern technology. Then it was straight over to Kantar Media’s Charlie Gordon who hit us with some fascinating stats.

How We’re Holidaying in 2025 & Beyond

Charlie Gordon, Insight Director, Kantar Media

Charlie Gordon’s session was jam-packed with insights pulled from the latest TGI dataset, painting a detailed picture of how Brits are travelling at present and what’s coming up around the corner.

Key stats

• 30 million adults in the UK went on holiday in the past 12 months.
• As of April, 48% of those surveyed had not yet booked their 2025 holiday (!!) meaning half the market was still in play.
• Among those aged 65+, only 37% were yet to book - suggesting those yet to book were predominantly from a younger demographic.
• Value for money remains a critical factor across all demographics (although what we mean by value for money is still very audience dependent).
• 14% of respondents said social media influencers play a big part in their travel decisions -rising to 24% among parents with young children, who want an ‘unvarnished’ view of a destination before booking.
• However, friends and family are still the biggest influence on how we book, with 48% citing this as the most important factor.

• Cruise travel is still a big deal. Two million British adults have taken a cruise in the last 12 months and one in four cruisers are now under 45.

• Cruisers are twice as likely to book holidays more than nine months in advance.
• Despite environmental awareness (24% feel guilty about travel impact), it rarely acts as a deterrent to making a booking.

Some great stats here, many of which I’ll be referencing in future blogs for sure. The key takeaway from Charlie? People are overwhelmed with choice, especially younger travellers. Make sure you cut through the noise and go for marketing strategies that adds real value.

Panel discussion: Customer travel trends and industry outlook – 2025 and beyond

Moderator: Dean Harvey

Panel: Charlie Gordon (Kantar Media), Clarissa Cappelletti (WeRoad), Ronan Gay (Black Tomato) and Kate Liberty (Newmarket Holidays)

Key points and takeaways

• The luxury market may be less impacted by the changing financial climate but it isn’t immune to global events such as conflict.

• Older travellers are more sensitive to world news, while younger ones prioritise connection and experiences.
• Only in finance and medical sectors is brand trust more important. Travellers spend thousands on trips and need to be confident before booking.
• USA is still a big seller. For Newmarket Holidays at least, sales haven’t dipped in light of the Trump administration. (Not the case elsewhere – read more about how the Trump Slump is impacting businesses).
• Solo travel and social travel are on the rise - WeRoad’s community-led model resonated here.
• Destinations such as Uzbekistan and the other ‘Stan’ countries are emerging hotspots (we’ll see if this comes through in our next quarterly search travel insights report!).
• TV advertising remains strong for the over-50s.
• Local resistance to overtourism is growing in destinations like Barcelona, prompting travellers to consider lesser-known alternatives or places with a cooler climate.
• The price of hotel stays has rocketed post-COVID (up 10%+ year on year in some places), nudging people towards off-season and off-grid locations.
• Lates are hugely important. Hold the line and stick to your strategy.
  

Leveraging Customer Data for Successful Marketing – Engage Interactive

Gregg Turner and Will Blackmore from Engage Interactive

While there wasn’t a single mention of my least favourite marketing buzzword ‘elevate’ this year (hooray!), my second most loathed word ‘leverage’ reared its ugly head A LOT throughout the sessions, never more so than during this slot. That said, Gregg and Will delivered a slick presentation on why first party data is more important than ever, especially in the face of vanishing third party cookies.

Key takeaways

• 81% of consumers expect personalisation.
• 69% of UK consumers are worried about privacy so building trust is essential.
• Travellers take up to 3.9 holidays a year, but only 35% join loyalty schemes.
• People hate filling in consent forms and often simply won’t bother. This obviously results in lower engagement and weaker insight.
• Use fun and engaging activations such as quizzes, predictors or potluck games to collect quality first party data.

This session closed with a clear message: data isn’t just about collection - it’s about turning it into value. With clear intent you can:

• Create a smarter CRM journey
• Segment and personalise with purpose
• Have live insight at your fingertips
  

AI Case Study: Taking a different approach, using AI to enhance your travel marketing

Tricia Handley-Hughes, InteleTravel

This was the session that made my ears prick up. I am still uneasy about the whole AI and travel marketing alliance (I would be – I’m a copywriter) but I’m aware half the time I’m just shouting / venting within the safe confines of my own echo chamber. I want to hear from the ‘other side’.

Turns out Trisha and I are kind of on the same page in many respects. She explained how InteleTravel uses AI to help travel advisors speed up responses, streamline admin and yes, write compelling content…but with the caveat that it does not and should not replace the human touch, but simply enhance it.

Key points

• We’ve moved from machine learning (pattern recognition) to generative intelligence.
• AI tools are used to automate repetitive tasks, allowing humans to focus on creativity and customer care.
• AI isn’t about replacing people; it’s about making the way they work more effective.

Even with my pompous ‘AI IS THE WORK OF SATAN’ hat on, this is all really valuable. I guess one of my main bones of contention is that the more travel agents there are using AI to generate copy, the higher the likelihood of identikit, bland content being churned out by multiple travel companies. How can this copy-and-paste approach realistically hope to compete with the influx of influencers and user-generated content offering genuine insider perspective and first-hand experiences?

Digital accessibility: providing clear information across your marketing and website

Lars Sørsensen, Accessibility Expert, Acquia in partnership with Paragon DCX

Lars delivered a poignant and powerful session on digital accessibility, reminding everyone that accessible design isn’t just a ticky box exercise - it makes good business sense.

With the European Accessibility Act coming into effect on 28th June this year, any travel services offered to consumers in the EU must be accessible to people with disabilities.

Why it matters

• 16% of the global population lives with a disability. That’s over 1.3 billion people worldwide – and the number is growing.
• Over 100 million people in the EU have a disability.
• More than 50% of people aged 65+ in the EU live with functional limitations.
• 20–30% of users experience temporary or situational limitations.
• Accessibility doesn’t have to be complex - just adding ALT text or changing image file names can make a big difference.

Lars was able to offer examples – good and bad - of first-hand travel booking experiences for visually impaired travellers. Skyscanner did reasonably well, Momondo… not so much. These active, real-life experiences gave us a real insight into just how difficult it is for those with a visual impairment to do a simple task like book a flight. We should – and must – do better.

This got me thinking about how accessible our own website is…or rather, isn’t. There is room for improvement and I intend to make those improvements. I will hold myself to account if that doesn’t happen.

Marketing in the age of the conscious traveller

Jason Gray, Marketing Director of Exodus Adventure Travels & Kasia Morgan, Head of Sustainability at Exodus Adventure Travels

76% of travellers aim to travel more sustainably. But is this actually true? Well…not quite. It seems it’s actually quite far down the list of priorities for travellers. That said, some are making sustainable choices, such as taking the train rather than a flight or supporting local businesses over global ones.

Sustainability may not be an overall driver but it is still important - maybe not as a selling point, but as something customers increasingly expect.

Key Takeaways

• Although 76% say they want to travel more sustainably, only 32% booked based on environmental or social credentials.
• The most effective way to communicate sustainability is by connecting it to the customer experience, e.g. sharing stories about rewilding projects or initiatives like the ‘Mountain Lioness Project’.
• Misleading green claims, such as those levelled at Intrepid or Booking.com, damage credibility. Follow the Green Claims Code which sets out six key points to check your environmental claims are genuinely green.
• Travellers don’t want to be sold ‘sustainability’. They want to see that it's embedded in your operations, delivered with integrity throughout the customer journey.
  

Panel discussion: The evolving role of social media in travel marketing

Moderator: Laura Stephen (ABTA)

Panellists: Leon Suarez Rojas (TikTok), Abbie Lewis (Hotelplan), Josh Pizey (HX)

While AI in travel is probably the hottest topic on the block, the role of social media is up there too, and has been for years. Nobody can deny the power of social proofing and user generated content, and there’s no sign of that power waning any time soon.

Abbie Lewis highlighted the importance of being present on the same platforms as your audience. For Hotelplan, that’s predominantly Facebook.

Other takeaways included:

• The landscape is changing. Producing large amounts of content used to be the key strategy, now it’s more about curating effective, valuable stories.
• ‘Owned’ content is more important than ever - fewer Shutterstock images, more authentic brand-owned visuals.
• TikTok users are seeking ‘edutainment’. Don’t just inspire, educate where you can to build trust.

Social media tips:

• Choose what you want to get from it
• Do your research and go to the platforms that your audience is on
• Don’t rely on algorithms
• Make content that YOU would want to see
• Embrace technology
  

‘Set-jetting’ the growing trend of using films and TV shows as inspiration for travel

Seren Welch, Screen Tourism and Destination Consultant, SW Consulting

Set-Jetting is a term you may already be familiar with if you read my recent blog The White Lotus Effect. For the uninitiated, set-jetting is where travellers visit a location as a direct result of seeing it on screen. It’s not a new thing – people like David Attenborough have been influencing our travel choices for decades. In 2015, one in five visitors to Britain cited a film or TV show as a reason for their visit. By 2023, Expedia reported that 39% of trip bookings were prompted by what people had watched.

The rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, Apple TV and Disney+ means set-jetting is hotter than ever. But, as Seren points out, for many travellers, it’s not just about box-ticking but engaging with the genre, i.e. immersing yourself in the local culture.

Key takeaways

• Set-jetting is booming, thanks in no small part to the rise of streaming platforms and some of the brilliant shows being made each year.
• Emotional connection and storytelling influence travel decisions.
• In 2025, VisitBritain research highlights 9 in 10 potential visitors to the UK have been influenced by film or TV.
• Sometimes, emotional attachment to a place can be planted years in advance.
• Travel is becoming more about emotional experiences than sightseeing.
• Keep an eye on where future series will be filmed or set and try and find a way to capitalise on any future demand linked to TV shows.
  

Case study: creating a new brand identity for your business

Caroline Child, Marketing Director, Kuoni

Out of all the fantastic sessions, this was my personal favourite. Caroline was witty, engaging and a great storyteller – just what the doctor ordered for that ‘difficult’ afternoon slot where the mind starts to drift towards post conference drinks (that might be just me, of course).

The aim of this well-known travel company’s rebrand was clear: rebuild Kuoni as an iconic, relevant and leader brand.

But what does this mean, exactly?

Iconic: More distinctive brand and design system

Relevant: More clarity re what you do, appealing to more people

Leader: More confident, charismatic and contemporary

And why rebrand? Because without it, they couldn't grow, thus limiting their commercial success. Prior to the change, Kuoni was seen as an 'expensive' option and one that customers felt wouldn't be worth returning to year after year.

Instead of focusing solely on visuals or slogans, Kuoni’s mission was to look from the ‘outside in’ and the ‘inside out’. This firstly meant working alongside a small agency not associated with travel to get a fresh perspective. It also involved asking its customers the question: ‘if Kuoni was a person, who would it be?’. The response was somewhat jarring – a ‘boring old white man’.

To help shake off this image, Kuoni swapped its black branding for a vibrant yellow – a change that went down well with existing customers, who welcomed the more modern, fresh look. The rebrand helped shift perceptions, allowing the company to shake off its stuffy, inaccessible image.

It wasn’t just about looking ‘from the inside out’. As part of the rebrand, every department within Kuoni had to establish what the aim of being an iconic, relevant and leader brand meant for them. This was an all-in investment across the business – Finance, Customer Support, etc.

Caroline’s tips for a rebrand were as follows:

• Travel (marketing) is a sea of sameness - be bold and stand out!
• Stay on track but allow for diversions (Caroline shared an anecdote where a design was pulled at the last minute as ‘the French Finance Director didn’t like it’ (but helped achieve a better end result).
• Get it signed and sealed before delivered
• Have clear KPIs from day one
• Enjoy being creative and visual

The key takeaway? Rebrands don’t need to be dry, dull or data-led. They can be lively, self-aware and fun, driven by what customers actually want. Kuoni swallowed its pride and took opinions on board that weren’t the most flattering. The result was a renewed connection with its audience and a clear move away from its heritage-heavy image. Kuoni is now seen as a forward-thinking, obtainable brand that’s taken bold steps to shed its formerly stand-offish reputation.

Panel discussion: the role of marketing in driving business growth and success in the travel sector

Moderator: Graeme Buck, Director of Communications, ABTA

Panellists: Ant Stone (G Adventures), Caroline Child (Kuoni), Sara Ali (TUI), Carl Ellis (Tripadvisor)

The last session of the day saw four great panellists highlighting the value of strategy, budget and accountability. At G Adventures, brand campaigns are planned annually and budgeted from the start, with their Black Friday Cyber Sale and January Sale consistently driving the best performance.

Caroline Child stated “marketing is the growth engine for any business”, while Sara Ali stressed the importance of internal alignment: “Have a good strategy that everyone buys into - the MD, Finance team, etc”.

Carl Ellis shared Tripadvisor's holistic approach across the marketing funnel to effectively boost bookings. On SEO, Ellis added that AI Overviews should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat, with optimisation principles remaining largely the same. Caroline reinforced that “content is still so important, so never stop producing high value content”. Across the board, panellists agreed that in a crowded sector where most customers are new, staying switched on and tuned into real customer needs is vital.

Key takeaways

• You don’t need a huge budget to deliver results
• Most travel customers are new and easily lost
• Internal alignment and accountability are essential
• SEO remains important - even with AI changes
• Consistent, high-quality content in all forms is key
• Branding should be ongoing, not a one-off
  

Final thoughts from Floor 31

Having moved up a floor to enjoy a glass of something cold and an even more fancypants views across the capital, I was still buzzing from all the great sessions laid on throughout the day. It was interesting to get a different perspective on the role of AI in travel and be hit with real life examples of just how laborious booking travel is for blind and visually impaired travellers. Hearing about Kuoni’s rebranding activities also shone a light on the importance of being prepared to stick your head above the parapet and get an honest appraisal from customers about your brand.

So with that, I finished my drink and made my way out of Corporateville, slightly tipsy but with a head full of some great stats and insights.

Thanks ABTA and see you next year!