WTM London 2024: AI, Digital Marketing, and Business Travel Trends

The World Travel Market (WTM) London gathers the international leisure travel community, providing inspiration, education, networking opportunities, and a space for exhibitors to showcase their services to the global press.

A slightly astonishing 44 years old, WTM is one of the world’s most significant travel industry events. The 2023 edition welcomed over 40,000 professionals from 184 countries and things didn’t look like they were slowing down in 2024, with crowds of travel industry professionals, attendees from all over the world and some very region-specific attractions.

Over three days, top speakers and influencers shared their insights on the latest trends in travel, tourism, and beyond. We've compiled key highlights from some of the sessions, covering topics from AI technology to new growth opportunities for 2025.

Theme 1: Resilience and recovery of global travel

The WTM Global Travel Report, unveiled during the opening press conference, explored the evolving needs and behaviors of travelers while sharing insights for 2024 and forecasting the years ahead.

Dave Goodger, Managing Director of EMEA at Tourism Economics and lead consultant for the report, emphasized the impressive rebound of global travel. He noted that “leisure travel has been the market segment with the strongest recovery,” now accounting for 60% of all international tourism. Despite economic headwinds, regions like the Middle East have surged past 2019 levels by 13%, thanks to major events and increased connectivity.

Opportunity: Hoteliers can capitalize on this strong leisure market by creating and promoting exclusive experiences that drive direct bookings. Focus on unique packages, destination-based adventures, or premium amenities that guests can only book directly.

Theme 2: Shifting consumer behavior

Travelers today value experiences over material goods, a trend fueled by post-pandemic “revenge travel”—taking that well-deserved trip that was lost during the pandemic As the report highlights, “consumers are willing to spend more on quality experiences”, and there is a growing demand for “affordable luxury”, where travelers seek elevated but accessible experiences.

Opportunity: Hotels can cater to this trend by offering special perks like personalized room upgrades or curated local experiences. Highlight these offers in direct booking campaigns to attract guests seeking memorable and premium stays.

Travelers are more price-conscious, though

Despite rising travel costs and inflation, travel remains a top priority for many. “Rising airfares and accommodation costs have not deterred demand,” the report notes guests are becoming more price-conscious. Travelers are willing to cut back on other expenses to prioritize meaningful travel experiences.

Opportunity: Appeal to price-conscious travelers by clearly communicating that booking direct offers the best value. Implement price-matching strategies with major OTAs, like Booking.com and Expedia, to ensure guests feel confident booking directly with your hotel.

Theme 3: The rise of event and business travel

The WTM Report session also highlighted the increasing trend of “bleisure” travel, where business trips are extended for leisure. “Business travel is seeing growth, built around events,” with more professionals taking advantage of opportunities to combine work and leisure. Certain regions, like Europe, are seeing a boom in event-based travel, driven by conferences and concerts (shout out to Taylor Swift).

Opportunity: Design packages that appeal to bleisure travelers. Consider offering meeting room amenities, co-working spaces, or guided tours for guests who want to explore after work. Position your hotel as a hub for blending work and play seamlessly.

Theme 4: Making data actionable

During a panel discussion, Tom Mcloughlin (SEO Travel Founder), Robert From (Chief Growth Officer, Rail Europe), and Samuel Hancock (Deputy Managing Director, SVP - Media & Creative, MMGY) shared insights on how hospitality brands can use data effectively for high return-on-investment (ROI) and personalization.

Rob From made it clear: “We have lots of data, but the real issue is we don’t make it actionable.” To address this challenge, the panel provided actionable strategies:

Samuel Hancock’s Advice:

• Collect first-party data: Build rich traveler profiles using first-party data.
• Guide your strategy: Use these insights to understand your audience and shape an effective marketing plan.
• Leverage simple tech: Utilize cost-effective tools, like lead magnets, to attract and capture new leads efficiently.

Rob From’s Advice:

• Simplify your approach: Manage data efficiently and act pragmatically.
• Prioritize impactful levers: Focus on the top five to ten business levers that drive the biggest impact.
• Action steps for each opportunity:
  1. Identify the data needed to understand the opportunity.
  2. Determine what data must be captured.
  3. Define the data required to take meaningful action.

Opportunity: Build addressable audiences by collecting and segmenting guest data. Use this information to tailor marketing messages and offers that meet the needs and interests of your target travelers. Don’t know where to begin? Triptease can help capture first-party data for your hotel and automatically build targetable lists that you can use in your email campaigns.

Theme 5: Rethinking loyalty and guest engagement

In the same discussion about ROI and personalization, Rob From boldly stated, “If you want loyalty, get a dog. If you want growth, expand your customer database.” This argument, suggesting that traditional loyalty is dead, is polarizing for many in the hotel industry. Today, loyalty programs that attract returning guests typically belong to large hotel brands with widespread reach—think Marriott, Hilton, and Four Seasons.

For independent and medium-sized hotels, however, the “loyalty is dead” perspective holds more relevance. It’s not just about maintaining a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system filled with past guests but actively growing your database with prospective guests. With price playing such a crucial role in today’s booking decisions, guests are often loyal to the hotel that offers the best rate.

Opportunity: Grow your data with protective guests by using lead magnets, such as downloadable travel guides or exclusive offers. Additionally, create lookalike audiences based on your existing guests to target potential new customers with personalized marketing messages, maximizing your chances of attracting and converting prospective travelers.

Theme 6: The power of AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) took centre stage on day two, with sessions like AI in Travel & Marketing: Innovation or Overload?, the WTM Ministers' Summit: Exploring AI and Emerging Technologies and Digital Marketing Trends. Sultan M. Almusallam, Deputy Minister of Saudi Arabia, captured the essence of AI’s role: “Digitize the necessary, humanize the unnecessary.” AI should be used to automate operations, like check-ins and chatbots, but not at the cost of personal, human interactions.

AI’s impact stretches across various operational areas. For instance, it’s being utilized for demand forecasting, allowing hotels to predict occupancy trends and adjust pricing in real time. It also optimizes staff schedules, ensuring efficient labor management without overspending. AI also enhances guest personalization through predictive analytics, creating tailored experiences based on guests’ past behaviors and preferences.

While the potential of AI in hospitality is immense, challenges remain. The skills gap in AI is a significant hurdle, and as the volume of AI-generated content increases, it’s the quality that suffers.

Yet, there is also an opportunity here: investing in upskilling staff and training can ensure your team uses AI effectively.

When used correctly, AI can help brands connect with their audiences more effectively, from personalization to multilingual content translation. As noted, many brands are still in the early stages, with lots of AI tech but limited expertise. It’s crucial to invest in both AI tools and employee training to maximize AI’s potential.

Opportunity: Use AI to improve guest experiences through automated efficiencies while ensuring staff are available for personal interactions. Encourage your team to use AI tools like Chat GPT, Gemini and Claude more frequently.

Theme 7: Authentic social media content

In the Digital Marketing Trends session, Dan Christian (Senior Vice President at FINN Partners and host of the Travel Trends Podcast) discussed the impact of social media and video content. “Social media is the new SEO,” he emphasized, noting that most travelers use platforms like Instagram and TikTok during their booking journey. Additionally, podcasts have an engagement rate of 30%, far exceeding the 3% average across other marketing forms.

Authentic content often resonates more with travelers than highly polished promotional material. Hotels can encourage guests to share their experiences online, tapping into the genuine stories and moments that inspire future visitors. User-generated content provides an opportunity to showcase real guest experiences, which can build trust and appeal to a wider audience.

Opportunity: Experiment with short-form videos and podcast ad placements to engage your traveler market. To boost social engagement and direct traffic to your website, consider running social media contests or collaborating with travel influencers. These strategies can increase visibility and attract potential guests who are more likely to book directly.

Theme 8: Sustainability and responsible travel

The Digital Marketing trend session highlighted that “sustainability is becoming increasingly important,” with many guests choosing “fewer but more meaningful trips” to minimize their environmental impact.

Hotels are increasingly adopting innovative methods to minimize their carbon footprint. These include green building practices, energy-efficient designs, and waste reduction initiatives. Such efforts are not just environmentally beneficial but also resonate deeply with travelers, who are more likely to support brands that demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability

Opportunity: Promote your hotel’s eco-friendly practices, from waste reduction to energy-saving measures. Offer carbon-neutral stay options and packages that align with travelers’ environmental values. By weaving sustainability into your marketing, you can attract and convert eco-minded guests while positioning your hotel as a responsible and forward-thinking brand.

Are you ready for 2025?

The hospitality industry is buzzing with new trends and technologies, and while the data is promising—pointing to significant growth opportunities for 2025—it’s understandable if the sheer volume of information feels overwhelming.

If you’re feeling unsure about where to start or how to bring more traffic to your website, reach new audiences, and convert that traffic into bookings, Triptease can help. We offer a suite of marketing tools designed to reach, engage, and convert lookers into bookers, setting you up for success in this ever-evolving landscape. Why not request a demo today to learn more?