Best Travel Ads This Week: Hotels and Destinations Make Their Case

This week’s ads all feature prominent brands in the midst of a marketing push to position themselves in a certain light. Their methods are diverse, but their goals are all the same.

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There have been many rumors about Virgin Hotels circulating within the industry so Richard Branson, in anticipation of the first hotel’s opening, is taking control of the situation by inviting fans to spread rumors about the hotel as well as spread some of his own. It’s a smart marketing play that gets consumers and the industry thinking about the possibilities at a Virgin-branded accommodations.

Best Western is in the midst of a video campaign that shares travel hacks with potential guests. Using every day items like buttons and straws, the videos show viewers how to avoid common packing problems. Creating such content increases brand loyalty as well as positions the hotel groups as smart and travel savvy.

Visit Brussels shows off its landscape and appeals to active tourists in its new campaign ‘Sized for Sports.’ The campaign shows athletes competing in a race around the city, which simultaneously suggests the city is work-out friendly and highlights its historic architecture and street culture.

Washington DC is working hard to brand itself a global cultural metropolitan that’s attractive to diplomats and millennials alike. Although it’s making strides with a series of new videos, the destination could do more to make the visuals actionable for viewers whose interest is piqued.

Tourism Thailand takes potential visitors on a 5-minute journey throughout the country in a video that is fascinating to watch if only for the breadth of environments visited. Highlighting the diversity of Thailand’s landscape is particularly important for attracting repeat visitors who may have hit the highlights on round one and are looking for a more authentic experience on a second trip.