Who Are the Top Advertisers in Travel? We Have the Answer

January brings winter weather to many parts of the United States, and the desire to escape along with it—if the ad spending of travel companies is any indication. Firms in this sector spent more than $67 million from January 1-January 31, 2017 on digital advertising. Top brands like Carnival Cruise Lines, Expedia and Disney jockeyed for eyeballs and attention across desktop, mobile and video, both by spending directly with advertisers and indirectly with ad networks.

Who reigned supreme in the quest for consumer attention? We looked at proprietary Pathmatics data to find out the top advertisers for this period.

Read on to pull back the curtain on January 2017 media brand ad spend.

1. Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line spent $4.8 million in total on digital advertising, just about 7 percent spent by all advertisers during this period, which was spread across desktop, mobile, and video. The company generated 290 million impressions for its ad spend, approximately 4 percent of total impressions generated by advertisers.

Carnival Cruise Line used more than $4.6 million of its total budget on direct buys. The company tallied 230 million impressions across channels from direct, or about 79 percent of all impressions generated by the company in January.

Total Spend: $4,812,400

Total Impressions: 290,325,500

Direct Spend: $4,617,800

Direct Impressions: 229,969,600

2. Expedia, Inc.

Expedia spent almost $4.4 million all told on digital advertising, roughly 7 percent of all advertising dollars spent by travel companies in this timeframe. Spending was spread across channels desktop, mobile, video (desktop & mobile pre-roll). The company garnered 852 million impressions for its money, approximately 10 percent of all impressions generated by advertisers.

Expedia put less than half - just over $1.9 million - of its ad spend towards direct buys, indicating a preference for programmatic. The company garnered 136 million impressions across the three channels from direct, or about 16 percent of total impressions generated by the company in this timeframe.

Total Spend: $4,381,000

Total Impressions: 851,667,100

Direct Spend: $1,981,400

Direct Impressions: 136,243,100

3. Disney Theme Parks & Resorts

Disney Theme Parks & Resorts spent nearly $4 million total on digital advertising, about 6 percent of all money spent by travel brands in this period. Spending occurred across three channels (desktop, mobile, and video). The company tallied 244 million impressions for its ad spend, just about 3 percent of all impressions generated by advertisers.

More than $3.7 million of Disney Theme Parks & Resorts' budget went direct to publisher. This suggests a preference for direct buys over indirect. The company generated 213 million impressions across channels from direct, or about 87 percent of all impressions generated by the company in this period.

Total Spend: $3,990,600

Total Impressions: 243,868,700

Direct Spend: $3,757,700

Direct Impressions: 212,789,700

4. Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide spent more than $3.9 million in total on digital ads, just about 6 percent of all money spent by travel brands in this timeframe, across desktop, mobile, and video. The company tallied 275 million impressions for its ad spend, just about 3 percent of all impressions generated by these advertisers. 

Hilton Worldwide used more than $3.5 million of its ad spend on direct buys, indicating a preference for direct over programmatic. The company generated 199 million impressions across the three channels from direct, or about 72 percent of all impressions garnered by the company in this period.

Total Spend: $3,909,300

Total Impressions: 275,021,000

Direct Spend: $3,558,600

Direct Impressions: 199,301,700

5. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. spent nearly $2.3 million all told on digital advertising, approximately 3 percent of all advertising dollars spent in this timeframe. Spending was spread across desktop, mobile, video channels. The company tallied 246 million impressions, just about 3 percent of all impressions generated by advertisers.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. allocated about $1.8 million of its budget on direct buys. The company garnered 94 million impressions across channels from direct, or about 38 percent of total impressions garnered by the company during this period.

Total Spend: $2,268,500

Total Impressions: 245,862,400

Direct Spend: $1,806,500

Direct Impressions: 94,449,400

Want to Spy on the Competition?

While the top cruise lines, resorts and hotels favor direct spending and a higher CPM, with each paying an average of between $9.00 and $17.00 CPM, Expedia favored a different approach. The travel fare aggregator and travel brand opted to spend primarily on indirect advertising, resulting in a CPM of just $5.14, a possible reflection of the difference in advertising ROI between these different companies. 

Try a free demo of Pathmatics to see full ad spend data for brands. It’s like looking over your competitor’s shoulder.