#Trending This Week - Remote-Work Weddings, Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sales Go Big, The Re-invention Of Kids Clubs, And Winter Travel Is Looking Good
Issue 168 • November 28, 2023
We have about 30 days left in the year to accomplish marketing goals and 2024 planning and we hope #Trending has been helpful to you all year long in providing tips and ideas for your travel or hospitality brand. This week’s latest tips and trends should be of interest. If you’re in the business of destination weddings, you may have noticed the latest shift: the rise in remote-work weddings. Winter travel is looking very promising — at least when it comes to Americans hitting the road — according to a recent study by TripAdvisor. It’s too early to tell yet, but tour operators, cruise lines, and even hoteliers went big with their Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales in an effort to motivate 2024 travel. And while family travel is still booming, the fact remains that Kids Clubs haven’t been all that exciting lately, but some resorts and hotels are out to make them more appealing to their target audience: the kids! Check it all out in our two-minute read below.
The Rise of Remote-Work Weddings
Destination weddings have gotten a lot more lucrative for hotels (and Airbnbs, too) as guests who are able to work remotely are tacking on a few days up to a week to stay at the destination pre- or post-nuptials. With the investment of airfare to get to the location and no need to rush back to the office, remote workers are finding it more appealing to just work from the wedding destination to enjoy the scenery and also hang out with friends and family longer. Read more in The New York Times here.
Winter Travel Looks Very Good
A new TripAdvisor survey is showing promising results for planned winter travel. More than half (58%) of Americans will travel this season. And of those traveling, 76% will take one or two trips this winter, while nearly one-quarter (24%) are planning three or more — well above the average of other global markets surveyed. Those traveling domestically are opting for New York City, Orlando, and Las Vegas, while the Caribbean and Mexico make up the entire top 10 list of in-demand international destinations for Americans. Read more in Travel Pulse here.
Black Friday/Cyber Monday Travel Sales Go Big
While it is still too early to tell yet how Black Friday/Cyber Monday travel sales did, tour operators, cruiselines, and hotels took no chances. With an eye toward the weakening of pent-up demand from COVID and an obvious slowing down of advance sales as they look into 2024 bookings, many travel companies have put nearly EVERYTHING on sale this year hoping to drum up more business. One tour operator believes Black Friday this year was about more than just the discounts — it's about making travel more financially accessible due to current economic challenges. This translates into booking deposits and pay over time plans with no interest. Read more in Travel Weekly here.
The Re-Invention Of Kids Clubs
There has been a quiet trend afoot where resorts and hotels are working to make Kids Clubs more appealing. Rather than dumping kids into a plastic-filled room overflowing with TV and computer screens, many properties are making Kid’s Clubs more warm, authentic, inviting, and simply irresistible for even the most finicky kids who don’t want to let go of Mommy’s hand and go off to play. We’re talking a move back to basics with really inviting and comfortable spaces kids can’t help but explore, warm and authentic locals playing with the children, and an overall trend toward creating more elevated and imaginative spaces and programming to attract discerning families. Read more in Travel Weekly here.
Need Copy Or Content?
JC Communications also offers custom content and copywriting. Check out the editorial we just wrote for ASRI, a new custom-published magazine by the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa. Access it here.