The challenge: the rules of marketing have fundamentally changed, and most operators haven’t kept up.
Only 22% of operators feel their marketing is working well. Direct bookings are falling from 29% of total sales in 2024 to 25% in 2025, while online travel agencies (OTAs) have surged to capture 37% of bookings. Rising digital marketing costs, AI disruption in search and shifting traveler behavior are all compounding the pressure.
|
22% of operators rate their marketing as very effective |
37% of bookings now go through OTAs — up sharply from 2024 |
50% of operators actively using or testing AI — up from one in three |
The operators winning right now aren’t necessarily the biggest. They’re the ones who’ve built their own marketing infrastructure, an email list, a direct booking engine, a repeatable content system and — increasingly — AI tools that do the heavy lifting.
This report, data from Arival’s Global Operator Landscape (4th Ed.) study of 5,664 operators worldwide, breaks down exactly what that looks like, and is packed with practical guidance you can apply this week. Learn more about the study methodology and research partner here.
Here’s what’s inside:
- The Marketing Reality Check
- Where Operators Stand Today — Spend, Effectiveness, Gaps
- The Shift in Search & Visibility
- AI search, Google Things to Do and What it Means for You
- Marketing Channels That Matter
- What’s Growing, What’s Flat and Where to Focus
- Distribution & the OTA Relationship
- Balancing Direct Bookings with Marketplace Reach
- Marketing Automation & Your Tech Stack
- Email, CRM, Retargeting — The Tools Operators Need
- AI for Operators: Practical Applications
- From Content Creation to Vibe Coding your Own Tools
- Your Action Plan
- Concrete Next Steps by Operator Size and Type
