Every month, 463 million people turn to Tripadvisor for advice on their travel plans. Through years of experience, the platform has observed that travelers engage with a wide variety of brands beyond just those in the travel industry. From clothing and personal care to food and entertainment, there are numerous products and services that play a role throughout the travel journey.
Yet, many brands outside of the travel sector are unaware of the potential benefits of connecting with travelers at these critical moments. Even when these companies do recognize the opportunity, they often struggle to identify the best ways or times to reach their target audience.
According to a recent Tripadvisor study, 84% of global travelers engage with non-travel categories during their journey. This insight prompted Tripadvisor to develop an initiative aimed at educating non-endemic brands on the value they can bring to the travel experience.
Historically, Tripadvisor for Business—the platform’s B2B arm—lacked the data to effectively demonstrate the connection between travel and non-travel brands. Existing thought leadership platforms did not provide the necessary insights into how travelers engage with various product categories at every stage of their journey—from dreaming and planning to booking and experiencing their trip.
To fill this gap, Tripadvisor set out to conduct the most comprehensive study of its kind in the travel industry. The goal was to highlight how both endemic and non-endemic brands factor into travelers’ minds at different points during their journey. This research would not only showcase the potential of collaborating with Tripadvisor but also enable advertisers to market themselves more effectively to travelers.
The research aimed to uncover crucial data, including:
- The overall engagement levels with non-endemic categories throughout the trip, segmented by demographic.
- The role of non-endemic brands at specific travel stages, such as financial services during the planning phase and personal care brands during preparation.
- Detailed engagement patterns for subcategories like travel insurance and digital payment services.
- Category engagement by trip type, comparing the needs of beachgoers versus long-haul travelers.
- Brand rankings by market, highlighting how preferences vary depending on the traveler’s country of origin.
The findings would ultimately emphasize Tripadvisor’s role as a comprehensive platform that can help brands reach travelers at every stage, from awareness to conversion.
In partnership with Qualtrics, a leading experience management company, Tripadvisor surveyed travelers across seven countries—the US, UK, Australia, Italy, France, India, and Japan—all aged 18-75 and involved in travel decision-making.
The result of this research is “Brands We Travel With,” an interactive thought leadership piece designed to provide businesses with a deeper understanding of the traveler journey. This innovative platform offers unique insights into travelers’ needs at every phase of their journey, from inspiration to post-trip reflection. Users can explore the data by selecting the categories and themes most relevant to them.
The study covers key sectors, including accommodation, airlines, car services, financial services, mobile networks, personal care, fast food, retail, and more. For example, in the “streaming media” category, the research reveals how different age groups (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers) engage with streaming services during their travels and which types of trips are most likely to involve these platforms.
The “financial services” category is examined in detail, covering traditional banks, credit cards, travel insurance, and digital wallets. The study also highlights the stages when travelers are most likely to engage with these services, such as during booking when financial transactions come into play.
Additionally, the study identifies market-specific brand preferences. For instance, Visa and PayPal are the most popular financial services in the US, while Paytm and Google Pay dominate among Indian travelers.
The platform’s design mirrors the energy and dynamic interaction of consumer-facing websites, providing a non-corporate experience while remaining focused on delivering B2B value. With Tripadvisor’s signature green as the dominant color, the website is designed to engage visitors and offer an interactive, seamless experience.
To drive awareness, Tripadvisor promoted the research through paid content on LinkedIn, featuring video and carousel ads to encourage traffic to the site. The target audience for this initiative was enterprise-level advertisers in the Food & Beverage, Financial Services, and Travel industries.
Tripadvisor also leveraged sponsored editorial in leading advertising trade publications, such as Campaign US and The Drum, to discuss how brands can tap into the growing consumer demand for experiences over material goods.
PR outreach further expanded the program’s reach, with coverage in outlets like New Digital Age, MediaShotz, Inc.Com, and Campaign US. Customized sales assets, such as webinar backgrounds and email signatures, were created to ensure that all Tripadvisor representatives promoted the research effectively.
The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with testimonials highlighting the unique, dynamic nature of the platform. The campaign has already sparked interest from brands like L’Oréal, Pernod Ricard, and PayPal, which are eager to explore future collaborations.
In conclusion, Tripadvisor’s “Brands We Travel With” research has set a new standard for thought leadership in the travel industry. By unlocking valuable insights into non-travel brand engagement, Tripadvisor is helping reshape how advertisers approach the travel journey, opening up new opportunities for brands that had previously overlooked the potential of the travel market.
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