What travel companies are missing when it comes to marketing  

In 2015, I received a call from a media planner working with a top travel brand. “Can you spend $20,000 by Friday?” he asked urgently. The goal wasn’t performance; it was simply to clear the budget. This request frustrated me as I had spent years working as a travel supplier. At the time, performance-driven digital media was synonymous with search.

Fast forward to today, and the landscape has dramatically shifted. Despite the explosive growth of search query volume over the last decade, search CPCs have risen, on average, by over 400%. Many travel suppliers now view search engine marketing as “sold out.” Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) has plateaued, and inventory has become scarce. 

A pivotal moment came last month when Google searches on Safari declined for the first time in 20 years. This marked the beginning of a significant shift, where AI-powered answers, like ChatGPT and Copilot, are beginning to replace traditional search engines. So, what does this mean for the travel industry? 

The rise in CPCs, combined with declining search volume, is creating a challenging environment for growth via paid search. However, the emergence of marketplace advertising (also known as GDS marketing) has presented a powerful solution.

Media sold through OTAs (online travel agencies) and other marketplace platforms surpassed $2 billion in 2024, with double-digit growth expected to continue. 

At the heart of this change is B2B marketplace advertising. For hotel, airline, and car rental brands, e-commerce search or marketplace media is quietly becoming one of the most potent tools for travel marketers. Platforms like those offered by Sabre provide a targeted, high-impact channel built explicitly for travel. 

Marketplace advertising is not just an afterthought; it’s an essential component of any commercial strategy. It enables brands to engage travel advisors directly within their existing booking workflows, ensuring they maintain control over visibility, targeting, and messaging. This direct access to decision-makers at the point of booking is a game-changer. 

In fact, just B2B Hotel bookings through the Sabre GDS platform generate over $21 billion in room revenue annually at an average transaction value that exceeds $500.

These bookings typically come from high-value segments such as corporate and premium leisure travelers/audiences that are notoriously difficult to reach through traditional advertising.  

Its ability to deliver results makes the Sabre GDS marketplace media particularly powerful. 

With Sabre Media, you can directly target the exact decision-makers making the bookings, eliminating guesswork and dramatically improving ROAS. 

Sabre Media offers unmatched precision, letting travel suppliers target ads by agency type, region, or individual advisors. This means tailored offers reach decision-makers at the exact moment they’re booking. 

Unlike broad digital ads, Sabre marketplace media connects buyers already in the purchase flow, driving higher ROI and reducing noise. 

In today’s competitive travel landscape, where precision and performance are paramount, Sabre Media offers a measurable, high-value growth opportunity. Whether you want to increase share in managed corporate travel, raise awareness for a destination, promote last-minute offers, or influence booking behavior ahead of key windows, Sabre media gives you the scale, context, and targeting power to execute effectively. 

The takeaway is simple: in a world where reaching the right traveler is more competitive than ever, embracing B2B marketplace advertising could be the strategic edge that helps your brand thrive. Whether you’re looking to increase share in managed corporate travel, promote last-minute availability, or influence booking behavior ahead of key windows, marketplace media gives you the scale, context, and targeting power to execute effectively.