How streaming TV can help brands reach traveler audiences

Travel audiences

July 1, 2022 | Theresa Yerger, Sr. Content Marketing Manager, Hospitality

As travel regulations ease up around the world, consumer confidence continues to rise when it comes to planning a long-awaited vacation. Plans to travel within the next three months are increasing among almost all demographics, especially millennials and travelers with a higher HHI.1 Travel advertising is also poised for rapid growth: Zenith Business Intelligence predicts travel ad spend will grow twice as fast as the advertising spend as a whole through 2023, with expected +36% growth in 2022 alone.2

Even with all of this opportunity, travel advertisers may feel unprepared for the shift in media consumption habits over the last two years.3 Knowing that the media landscape has become more fragmented due to endless amounts of content, services, and devices, it is now even more important for brands to consider streaming TV (OTT advertising strategy) as a channel to reach an active audience of consumers on the move.

Meet the Amazon “Straveler” (Streaming TV Traveler)

Amazon Ads recently worked with Kantar on a survey to better understand U.S.-based consumers who self-identify as Amazon customers and intend to travel in the next 12 months (Amazon “Stravelers”). Three in four Amazon “Stravelers” are millennials (26-40) and Gen X (41-56). The Amazon “Straveler” skews slightly female (53%) vs. male (47%).

Three insights about the Amazon “Straveler”

Case studies of Stravelers

1. Most Amazon “Stravelers” are looking to take a vacation for leisure

Travelers are ready to head out of town — soon. Of Amazon “Stravelers,” 80% said they will take a vacation for leisure in the next 12 months, but more than half (60%) intend to travel in fewer than three months. They have multiple destinations on their minds, with 70% of Amazon “Stravelers” currently planning more than one trip. They over-index on planning a visit to a theme park (+88%), beach (+34%), or natural park (+36%).4

Survey of Stravelers

2. Amazon “Stravelers” are highly engaged on Amazon devices and services

Survey results showed that Amazon “Stravelers” are connected across a variety of Amazon channels and properties. They visit Amazon frequently—81% report visiting at least weekly, with half of the audience visiting daily. Seven in ten own at least one Amazon device, including Fire TV, an Alexa-enabled device, or Kindle. More than six in ten use at least one Amazon video service. This audience is also interested in learning more about the entertainment they consume—78% search for content online related to what they’re watching.5

Ad recall of Stravelers

3. Ad Recall is Higher Among Amazon “Stravelers”

Nine in ten Amazon “Stravelers” recall seeing or hearing an ad, and 63% interacted with an ad. This engaged audience looked for interactive ad experiences and are very likely to scan an on-screen QR code to discover more about a brand offering (63%), ask Alexa to follow up on audio ads (63%), or use their voice control or remote to discover more about a Freevee ad (72%). Deals and discounts advertising messaging ranked the highest among respondents — 43% say they are motivated to engage with an ad if it’s related to a money-saving opportunity.6

How travel brands can use Streaming TV to meet consumers where they are

Viewers are cutting the cord and moving to streaming services more and more7 , presenting an opportunity for travel brands to use sight, sound, and motion to engage audiences who are likely to be planning vacations in the near future. Research shows that streaming TV ads help travel brands reach engaged customers, reach multiple audiences, and generally connect with consumers in a way that is useful – especially if the message is deal/discount focused.

1 Morning Consult, Tracking Trends in the Travel & Hospitality Industry, April 2022
2 Zenith Business Intelligence – Travel, November 2021
3 Attest U.S. Media Consumption Report, September 2021
4-6 Kantar and Amazon Ads Traveler Streaming Survey, April 2022
7 eMarketer, US Cord-Cutters, 2022-2026, Feb 2022