How relevance in marketing drives consumer decisions

For many UK travellers, the holiday doesn’t begin at the airport; it begins months earlier. It starts with scrolling through destinations, watching videos, reading reviews and imagining themselves somewhere else.

 

That behaviour is becoming increasingly deliberate, with recent research showing that on average, Britons are now booking holidays almost five months in advance.

 

Against the backdrop of an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, early booking can offer reassurance and flexibility, allowing travellers to spread costs and secure better value.

 

But it also reflects something more emotional: a desire for anticipation, escapism and experiences to look forward to. Planning has become an integral part of the journey.

 

Technology is playing a growing role in this shift. Many travellers are now using AI-powered search tools and digital planning assistants to research trips in greater depth, exploring destinations, activities and itineraries long before committing to a booking.

 

These tools are extending the research phase, giving people more time and information to shape decisions around what truly matters to them.

 

This behaviour illuminates a broader trend: today’s holidaymakers are engaging with content attached to the hobbies, interests and communities that inspire their trips well before they click ‘book’.

 

Whether it’s food, culture, wellness, adventure, or sustainability, these passions and purposes are increasingly shaping where people go and helping determine which brands deliver that experience.

 

The importance of relevance

 

Early engagement doesn’t mean pushing promotions sooner. It means understanding intent and mindset and responding with relevant messaging. Indeed, consumer attention is fragmented and finite, and simply appearing next to travel adjacent content doesn’t guarantee engagement.

 

Relevance has become the new standard in advertising effectiveness - the difference between an ad that’s ignored and one that resonates, emotionally as well as commercially.

 

Crucially, brands should focus on helping rather than overtly selling. By providing useful guidance, inspiration or ideas, brands can support decision-making rather than interrupting it - whether that’s destination insights, activity recommendations or seasonal advice.

 

Brands that add value at this stage are more likely to build trust and familiarity, which pays dividends later in the booking journey.

 

Using insight to meet traveller intent

 

Data and AI-led analytics have changed the way brands understand this path to purchase. Insights into browsing habits, search patterns, and digital behaviour can reveal when someone is researching a trip, what kind of experiences they value, and which destinations are capturing their imagination. Crucially, this information allows marketers to anticipate needs and deliver timely, contextually relevant advertising messages.

 

There are new tools that allow travel brands to meet consumers across the purchasing funnel, by tailoring creative to intent, situation and mindset. Each message can be matched to the media content being consumed, creating helpful, non-intrusive advertising that drives brand-specific outcomes, such as brand lift, increased attention, higher dwell time, stronger consideration, or improved conversion.

 

The tech can understand the nuance of editorial, context, and creative, and score every opportunity for relevance before a single ad is served. Where legacy tools rely on rigid rules and templates, the latest generation of solutions can interpret tone, sentiment, and environment to make subsequent ad placements feel considered, connected, and effective.

 

Meet travellers at the moment of inspiration

 

Customers expect a personal touch from travel brands. They are taking a more considered approach to their trips, investing time and attention in those that align with their values and interests. Brands that recognise and respect this with personalised communications, rather than attempting to shortcut it with generic promotions, are more likely to secure long-term loyalty.

 

By aligning campaigns with travellers’ motivations, marketers can create meaningful engagement that persists throughout the booking journey. Indeed, having already transformed travel advertising through AI-powered search, AI is now transforming how travel businesses deliver creative messaging.

 

Ultimately, to succeed, brands need to plan ahead, just like the new breed of proactive travellers. The key task for marketers is to capture the engagement of bookers during those key moments.

 

By using technology to anticipate their intent and engage people when they’re immersed in researching, travel brands can significantly improve their chances of commercial success. Get it right and the outcome is a hyper-relevant experience for holidaymakers and greater returns for travel brands.