Hotel Marketing 5.15 | AI Search, Zero-Click Strategy & Prime Day Ideas

The Hotel Marketing 5.15 | Weekly Brief: June 23, 2025

In a Zero-Click World, Traffic is a Terrible Goal | SparkToro

Marketers must move beyond vanity traffic metrics and create content optimized for native platforms and in-platform engagement.

• Key Actions for Hotel Marketers:

  • Embrace platforms that are pulled into zero-click searches and platforms (GMB, TikTok, Cvent, etc.) with a focus on performing well on-platform (engagement)

  • Shift to engagement KPIs like brand lift and social actions

  • Invest in content and visibility inside trusted communities

44 AI Marketing Stats | AHREF

A roundup of 44 AI Marketing Stats from studies around the web, helping marketers make sense of the ever evolving AI landscape.

• Key Actions for Hotel Marketers:

  • Use some of these stats in your next ownership presentation to compare study data as it correlates to the trends you are seeing on your own website. Particularly interesting was the stat that AI Overviews now show up for more than 12.8% of searches, and decrease click-thrus by 34.5%.

  • Are AI queries or AI Overviews (snippets shown on platforms like Google) driving traffic to your site? If so, for what keywords? Optimize the content that is already appearing.

What is Google AI Mode | Foundation Inc

Google’s AI Mode builds on AI Overviews, using Gemini to deliver integrated, conversational results that keep users engaged within the search experience.

• Key Actions for Hotel Marketers:

  • Your Google My Business profile will become more important when it comes to AI Mode searches. Ensure your profile is up to date with accurate information, images, and review responses.

  • Diversify your content formats to include blog posts, videos, social clips, improving your chances of inclusion in AI-assembled results.

Additional News Clips:

• 2025 Hilton Trends Report | Hilton

• Marriott Relaunches Commerce Media Network Following 3-Year Test Period | AdWeek

• 19 Low-Investment Marketing Tactics That Really Deliver | Content Marketing Institute

• Digital Media Consumption Highlights the Rise of Influencers as News Providers | Social Media Today

Job Postings

• Market Manager, Americas | Trip.com Group | Honolulu - Remote

• Senior Manager Marketing - Marriot Select Brands | Marriot | Remote

• Marketing & Digital Strategy Manager | Remington Hospitality | Remote

• B2B Marketing Automation Manager | Choice Hotels | Remote

Career News

• Nearly 25% of Gen Z and Millennials Plan to Quit Their Jobs This Year

  • Nearly a quarter of Gen Z and millennial workers plan to quit their jobs to try their hand at entrepreneurship this year, driven largely by a desire for greater autonomy, purpose, and flexibility in their careers. As someone who left their job two years ago to pursue entrepreneurship, it’s not as glamorous as it appears, but the flexibility and variety is a perk.

Conference Recap Watchlist

It was a busy week for marketing, travel, and hotel marketing conferences! Keep an eye out for summaries and takeaways from these conferences that just wrapped up, and put them on your radar for next year:

• IPW25 | June 14 - 18 | Chicago, IL

• HITEC and HSMAI Commercial Strategy | June 16 -19 | Indianapolis, IN

• CANNES LIONS | June 16 - 20 | Cannes, France

Upcoming Dates

Awards

• Skift IDEA Awards | Enter by June 30

• Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards | Vote by June 30

  • Would love your votes for Ka La‘i Waikiki Beach, Fairmont Kea Lani, and Fairmont Orchid!

• HSMAI Adrian Awards | Calls for entries start July 16

Conferences

• Hotel Data Conference | Aug 6 - 8 | Nashville, TN

• Marketing Brew Summit | Sept 10 | NYC, NY

• Digital Travel Summit | Sept 15 - 16 | Orlando, FL

• ILTM Cannes | Dec 1 - 4 | Cannes, France

Holidays and Activations

• Independence Day | July 4

• TikTok Deals for You Days | July 7 - 19

• Amazon Prime Day | July 8 - 11

• Analytics Booking Window Review: Dive into your data to understand how far out guests are booking. Are you already seeing demand for the holidays or even into 2026? If so, now is the time to update website content to support those patterns. Use your insights to justify content requests from other departments, especially when asking for assets like Christmas menus in July.

• Benchmark year-over-year performance by channel: With AI shifting how users interact with content, it’s important to reset your baselines and speak to the trends you’re seeing. While a dip in traffic may be explainable, a drop in conversion is harder to defend. Benchmarks give you the context you need to adapt your strategy.

Because not everything fits in a box, all of the extras that I have bookmarked in my brain:

Newsletters I’m Reading

• Hawaii Hui

• Late Checkout