Overview
- Video influences booking decisions far more than static images, with 71% of travelers swayed by video versus 24% by stills, and long-form video proving especially effective at evoking emotion.
- Trust rises with specific tones—transparency (52%), clarity and confidence (46%), and authenticity (45%)—and content performs best with a clear beginning, middle, and call to action.
- Optimal scene lengths of 2–9 seconds improve comprehension, while rapid cuts under two seconds hinder understanding of the destination and story.
- Travelers favor AI as a tool when paired with people, with 41% preferring AI-enhanced content and only 16% indifferent to creation method, as 64% report spotting suspected AI ads and fully AI-generated influencers or landscapes trigger negative reactions.
- The study maps distinct traveler archetypes and generational splits, finding younger audiences more emotive and receptive to video and influencers while older groups lean toward brand messaging and traditional formats, and Expedia is applying the insights with GoTürkiye, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Panama in live campaigns.