“Why luxury hotels should forget social media and return to… travel media.”

The luxury tourism market is a particularly demanding yet highly profitable sector of hospitality. High-income travelers seeking luxury and lifestyle hotels have expectations that go beyond simple accommodation; they want unique, authentic experiences with a guaranteed level of quality. A recent study by Skift and Curacity sheds light on how travel businesses can make the most of modern travel media to build strong brands and increase revenue.

The power of familiarity and trust

89% of luxury travelers state that they are more likely to book a hotel when they are already familiar with the brand. In addition, 81% trust recommendations from established travel media, while only 25% are influenced by social media. The credibility offered by independent, curated journalistic coverage is critical to booking decisions.

This translates into a central strategic principle: building brand awareness through reliable, specialized travel media is more effective than mere advertising exposure.

The (re)rise of email marketing

The study highlights the importance of email as a marketing tool. Subscription-based travel updates (newsletters) provide a mix of personalized content, third-party validation, and measurable performance. Unlike social media platforms, where algorithms limit reach, email goes directly to an audience that has already expressed active interest.

For luxury brands, this means they can connect editorial content with booking data, proving the effectiveness of the campaign.

The failure of over-reliance on performance marketing

Although most hotel executives recognize the importance of brand-building, their budgets remain heavily skewed toward performance channels (e.g., paid search, paid social). The result is a mismatch: while travelers value recommendations from independent journalism more, hotels invest primarily in ads that do not create the same level of trust.

The study points out that exclusive focus on immediately measurable results may lead to the loss of the long-term value that strong branding provides.

Strategies for luxury hotels to leverage travel media

According to the research, the most successful practices include:

Consistent presence in quality travel media
Print and digital mentions in outlets like Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure remain “gems” for brand-building, but must be reinforced with regular visibility in modern digital formats.

Investment in email marketing
Travel media newsletters build relationships with audiences already interested, strengthening reputation and driving measurable bookings.

Linking content to measurable outcomes
Attribution technologies allow hotels to track how an article or email influences booking decisions, even weeks or months later.

Storytelling with a balance of uniqueness and familiarity
Luxury travelers want to discover new, “unexplored” destinations, but with the quality guarantees of a recognized brand.

Partnership with specialized media instead of mass targeting
Instead of spending vast amounts on broad coverage, hotels can focus on media that reach the right audience with the right message.

Conclusion

The luxury travel market is not satisfied with campaigns based on discounts and special offers. It demands authenticity, curation, and trust. Travel media—especially when combined with targeted email marketing and modern measurement tools—offer the most effective vehicle for hotels to reach this audience. Shifting away from exclusive dependence on performance marketing toward a balanced brand-building strategy can be the key to sustainable growth in the highly competitive field of luxury hospitality.