Marriott International announced 13 deal signings in Turkey comprising over 2,000 rooms.
25.08.2023 - 13:46 / skift.com
Vrbo released the first of three new ads this week focusing on customer service guarantees instead of the homes themselves.
The new campaign highlights how Vrbo looks after customers, where others fall short, through upfront pricing, 24/7 customer support, and booking protection. The ad tweaks its messaging from “Whole Vacation Homes” to “Private Vacation Rentals.”
All ads were directed by documentary filmmakers ThirtyTwo and featured real families on vacation in properties booked on Vrbo.
The new ad, “Good Surprises,” released on April 26, shows a family of three enjoying a bucolic getaway. The video, edited in muted colors, communicates peace and calm. While the visuals are standard for a travel ad, the narration differs. Instead of solely singing the property’s praises, it emphasizes the ability to see the total cost of the reservation, including a breakdown of fees, before confirming a transaction. It’s a somewhat mundane message compared to more exciting options that describe the joy of travel, but provides a sense of security and trust that is missing in travel experiences today.
“When the Davises booked their family vacation home, they didn’t know about this view, the 200-year-old tree in their backyard, or their neighbors down the hill,” the script reads. “But one thing they did know was exactly how much they’d pay because Vrbo is different. You see the total price upfront. Of course, it’s good to leave room for surprises.”
Vrbo, an Expedia Group brand, shows the total price upfront, including the nightly rates and cleaning fees, but excludes the taxes. Airbnb does something similar.
A second ad produced in-house, titled “I Got You,” will be released on May 15, highlighting the company’s 24/7 customer support with a nod to a growing drive tourism trend. A third and final ad, “Ce N’est Pas,” will be released in Q4, highlighting the company’s booking protection.
Vrbo’s previous TV spots, like the one released during the Super Bowl,focused on Vrbo’s homes, emphasizing its priority on private, whole homes.
“We’ve always prioritized our guests, but now we’re putting them front and center in our advertising,” said Hector Muelas, senior vice president, Global Creative at Expedia Group. “As a pioneer in the industry, we’ve been taking care of families for a long time, and we think this long-standing commitment lends itself to this type of creative storytelling.”
The campaign responds to growing consumer pushback against some of Airbnb’s more frustrating processes such as extensive to-do lists at checkout, and the heightened competition between the two popular platforms.
However, Vrbo isn’t the first lodging company to create a campaign that goes beyond the aesthetics of its homes. Plum Guide
Marriott International announced 13 deal signings in Turkey comprising over 2,000 rooms.
Berney Arms is one of England’s most remote railway stations. You can only get to this stretch of the Norfolk Broads by train, boat or a long walk. It’s 25 minutes’ train ride from Norwich, but only two trains stop most days, and I’ve never seen anyone else getting off. Outside the train window, a roe deer steps delicately through green marshes and an egret stands poised by the water. The strange wild beauty is what keeps me coming back. This time I’m arriving with my husband on the 7.36am train from Norwich to walk along the River Yare to Reedham. We head through into the first carriage, the only one that fits next to the tiny station.
London is a vibrant, culturally diverse and perpetually evolving city made up of a series of interconnected, but independent, neighborhoods. In all, London is broken up into 32 boroughs that make up what is known as Greater London. Within those 32 boroughs there are roughly 48 neighborhoods as some straddle between two boroughs.
London has a reputation as one of the most eye-wateringly expensive cities to visit in Europe. Its fame and global appeal have long made it a top ‘bucket list’ destination, with jacked-up accommodation prices and exorbitantly priced experiences, from swanky fine dining to designer shopping.
London is a world unto itself and it's only natural that many travelers never look beyond the confines of the city limits.
You can listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify each week. Follow this link if you're listening on Apple News.
Whether it's disruptive passengers, weather issues, fuel shortages, or medical concerns, commercial flights can often divert or turn around for technical or health-related reasons.
If you prefer ski holidays to beach breaks, get ready to hop aboard the Eurostar Snow train.
My family of five recently traveled to Spain for two weeks. Because we live near a small airport, we had to connect flights from the US to Europe. Having read so many nightmare stories about lost luggage, and especially because we were traveling with our three kids, all under 6, I chose to buy AirTags for all of our suitcases just in case.
Watching The Pillowmanat Duke of York’s Theatre in London last night was, hands down, the most intense live theater performance I’ve ever experienced. Part of it, I’m sure, was because my husband and I were sitting second row center and were so transported into the show, it was hard to remember it was, in fact, a show.
Seasoned pilots skillfully navigated an array of hot air balloons, each uniquely designed in varying colours and models, during the festival over Cappadocia’s skies.
Record temperatures. Fires in Canada that covered New York in a dystopian haze. Floods that left one-third of Pakistan underwater. Sea ice levels at an all-time low. You don’t have to look far to find evidence that the climate emergency is getting rapidly worse.