OOH Tips for Travel and Tourism Brands

Airlines, hotels, tourism boards, and online research platforms like Tripadvisor leverage out-of-home (OOH) advertising to reach all types of travelers. From roadtrippers to frequent fliers, business travelers to backpackers, out-of-home has high recall with adults who are on the move.

In this brief blog post, we'll share some tips for brands as they consider their next OOH advertising campaign.

First, let's consider some trends. As Summer approaches next month, here's what is being reported.

Trends for U.S. Travel:

• Decline of International Travelers : Amid ongoing global tensions, there’s been an increase of cancellations from international travelers. Operators have reported cancellations and overall decline of bookings, with U.S. National Parks also observing cancellations esp. from Canadian travelers.

• More Staycations: Many U.S. travelers are opting to do more staycations, with some booking more spontaneously. Americans are looking at closer-to-home destinations as well, as they monitor their spending habits and budgets.

• Roadtrippers: One poll conducted by Panterra shared that 43% of Americans plan to drive rather than fly for their upcoming trips.

If you’re considering out-of-home advertising for your next campaign, here are a few tips from us:

OOH Media Tips for Travel and Tourism Brands

• OOH Media Mix: Use a media mix of different OOH formats. Reach a business traveler as they arrive at the airport, enter a taxi or rideshare, and roadside billboards as they head to their destination. With more travelers hitting the road, a package of billboards will be key for market reach. Check out our case study for Tennessee Tourism.

•  Street-Level for Foot Traffic: For local attractions, use street-level units like bus shelters, kiosks, urban panels, etc. According to one study, 56% of adults have walked in a town, city, or downtown in the past 30 days. Depending on location, these types of units also are seen by vehicles and buses driving by.

•  Cost-Savings Highlight: Hotel brands should consider highlighting cost-savings. One study reveale that OOH ads most likely to engage consumers are price and/or cost-saving opportunities (51% of those surveyed), followed by hotel room images.

• Include Online Profiles: Make sure to include your website or social media elements in your ads. After seeing OOH ads, consumers engaged by visiting the hotel’s website or searching for the hotel online.

• Reaching Gen Z: Is Gen Z a target audience for your brand? One study revealed that Gen Z likes traditional media, with outdoor/OOH topping the list at 55% favorable.

Here at PJX Media, we can architect OOH campaigns that can reach your target audience and deliver messages that resonate with them. Here’s a few examples of our work.

Travel Nevada

Advertisements launched in Chicago to "Get a little out there" by leveraging wallscapes, bulletins, digital kiosks, and street furniture.

Winter Park Tourism

Leveraged high-impact spectaculars and roadside billboards in key feeder markets to reach their target audience.

Visit Myrtle Beach

Digital OOH inventory including airports, billboards, bus shelters, and retail/mall screens across 10 DMAs were activated, where some creative reflected the distance to Myrtle Beach.

Looking to activate an OOH campaign to reach travelers?

Get in touch with OOH experts!