Set-Jetting: Storytelling in Your Hotel Marketing
On-screen locations are increasingly turning into high-demand travel destinations as visitors flock to locations like Yellowstone, Bangkok, and Norway following their features in shows like White Lotus and Succession. The emerging trend, akin to social media discovery we’ve covered before, suggests that viewers get inspired by not only the gorgeous settings, but also local traditions, cuisine, and characters. And they want to be a part of that story, however romanticized it may be.
It’s no surprise. And yet, travelers have been envisioning their dream destinations in such terms long before it became a trend. And this very human impulse reveals ways that marketers can help sell their destination to travelers, whether or not it was featured in a hit show or film.
Big Productions are Boosting Online Searches
Recent travel trend data reveals that nearly 30% of travelers admit that TV shows and movies influence their decisions, frequently exceed traditional social feeds like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.
The luxury backdrops of White Lotus triggered a 300% spike in online travel searches for Hawaii and Sicily immediately after airing. When Succession set episodes against the dramatic peaks of Norway, travel searches for the country jumped by more than 65%. Even local storytelling drove searches in specific cities: FX’s The Bear sparked a 45% increase in searches for Chicago, while Apple TV’s Ted Lasso drove a 160% surge in queries for Richmond, London.
Viewers are intrigued by colorful, striking, and inviting places.
When Travelers Search for Your Region, Your Content Should Complete Their “Story”
But what if your hotel wasn’t featured in a multi-million dollar HBO production? Your location still has a compelling story to share, and your property can write its own script. Every traveler considering your region has a sketch of what they want their trip to look like, even in small flashes and ideas.
A visitor to California wine country may envision hillside vineyards, lavish table settings, a cool evening terrace, an afternoon soak. Coastal Maine may conjure rocky coastline, abundant seafood, and hiking through lush, green vegetation. Hoteliers have a term for these: itineraries, and if you can thread yours into a narrative with a beginning, middle and an end, you have a winning marketing content play on your hands.
How to Craft a Compelling Story
Describe experiences that transform a guest. They may arrive frazzled, tired, energized, or curious. Across their stay, their experiences calm, rest, activate, or provoke. By the end, our heroes have stories and perspectives to share, or newfound energy to take home with them. Remember, you could create as many versions as you have guest profiles.
Source photography, looping video, local narratives, and descriptive content that breathes life into your experiences. Guests with a small inkling of what your region feels like will feel validated and motivated to book.
Thread these stories throughout your other digital channels. Organic social video, carousels, and paid ads can all carry people along who are considering a trip, and nudge them back to your website to book.
Win the Tie-Breaker on the Direct Channel
When a traveler is in the final stages of planning, they typically narrow their choices down to a shortlist of three or four properties that offer similar pricing and locations. At that moment, they will leave their social feed or OTA for your website, and others, to make their choice. If you use generic text and uninspired stock photos, they’ll pass your hotel over for others that place them where they hope to be. The sites that win bookings tell a rich, authentic story that aligns with the vacation they envision and validate their emotional pull.
Looking for help sharing your hotel’s stories with your most likely guests? Reach the team at O’Rourke to get help auditing your current brand assets, uncovering your destination’s unique local narrative, and building a website and media strategy that turns compelling storytelling into direct revenue.