Marriott’s Monique Perlmutter: 75% Of Travelers ‘More Open To Discovery’ During Travel Moments

Why It Matters

Targeting the discovery phase when travelers are most receptive lets brands boost conversion rates and capture premium ad inventory, reshaping travel‑media buying strategies.

Key Takeaways

• Travelers become 75% more open to discovery during stay
• In‑destination moments outperform pre‑trip phases for brand engagement
• Marriott Media uses 500+ attributes to target travel mindsets
• United’s airport and in‑flight data extend messaging continuity
• Travel‑related creative boosts ad performance in on‑property phase

Summary

Marriott Media, in partnership with research firm Kinective and United Airlines’ media network, released a study mapping traveler mindsets across the entire journey—from pre‑trip planning to on‑property stay. The report highlights a striking shift: roughly three‑quarters of guests become markedly more receptive to new brands once they step onto a hotel property.

The research identifies a psychological “reset” at arrival, moving travelers from a planning mindset to an active discovery phase. In this window, optimism and openness surge, making it the optimal moment for advertisers. Marriott leverages over 500 targetable attributes to deliver tailored messages—whether sunscreen two weeks before a beach trip or ski‑transfer services for a Colorado vacation—aligned with each stage’s intent.

Monique Perlmutter notes that most brands still concentrate spend on pre‑trip touchpoints, overlooking the high‑impact on‑property moment. United’s airport and in‑flight data, combined with Marriott’s hotel presence, enable a seamless, sequential messaging strategy that follows the traveler from gate to room, filling a previously untapped advertising gap.

For marketers, the insight translates into higher engagement and ROI by shifting budget toward in‑destination media and crafting travel‑centric creative. The collaborative model also offers advertisers a unified, data‑driven platform to maintain brand relevance throughout the traveler’s entire experience.

Original Description

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Research commissioned by Marriott’s RIOTT Media and Kinective Media by United Airlines reveals that 75% of travelers demonstrate increased openness to brand discovery during travel experiences, representing convergence of intent and availability that creates heightened receptivity.

“We found that about 75% of travelers are more open to discovery when they’re in this travel moment. It’s a little bit of the convergence of intent and availability,” Monique Perlmutter, managing VP of Marriott International’s RIOTT Media Sales, told Beet.TV contributor David Kaplan at the Beet Retreat San Juan.

The research, which we previously discussed with Kinective Managing Director/Head of Sales Aaron Gallagher, identifies distinct psychological states throughout travel journeys, with consumers exhibiting higher likelihood of optimism, openness, and receptivity to new brands during different touchpoints.

On-property moments

The most impactful discovery occurs when guests arrive at properties, creating psychological reset from planning to active experience that opens willingness to try new offerings.

“We discovered that that on property moment is very impactful. That is when our guests are really open to trial, and that is where it makes a lot of sense to connect brands,” Perlmutter said. “But a lot of brands have focused most of their media on that pre-trip state. They’re not really focusing on that in-travel experience.”

This represents missed opportunity since travel media networks only recently created infrastructure to reach consumers during actual travel rather than just planning phases.

Multiple mindsets require message matching

Travel journeys encompass discovery, booking, itinerary planning, pre-trip preparation, in-trip experiences, and post-trip reflection, with consumers exhibiting different mindsets requiring tailored messaging approaches.

“In the discovery stage, they might know that they have a time that they need to travel, but they don’t know where they want to go,” Perlmutter said.

RIOTT Media leverages nearly 500 targetable attributes to build custom audiences ensuring appropriate message delivery, while implementing travel-themed creative that performs better during travel moments than generic brand messaging.

United partnership creates journey continuity

Combining Marriott’s property and digital touchpoints with United’s airport and in-flight experiences enables sequential messaging across the complete travel journey rather than isolated brand encounters.

“Each of us as media networks, we have different touch points across the consumer journey. United is very active in the airport experience, as well as in that in flight experience where you have their attention. And then we carry that moment along with the guests into their hotel,” Perlmutter said.

Strategic brand campaigns can engage customers with similar or sequential messages based on journey stages, creating cohesive experiences that capitalize on travelers’ heightened psychological state.

Timing drives message relevance

Optimal messaging timing depends on travel stage and destination, with discovery phase appropriate for travel deals, two weeks pre-trip suitable for sunscreen messages to warm destinations, or ski transfer information for Colorado-bound travelers.

“That is the type of research that we’ve been able to pull and that’s how we’re pulling this together for brands,” Perlmutter said.

The collaborative research aims to educate brands about in-travel opportunities they’re currently missing while demonstrating how psychological insights can inform media planning strategies that maximize performance based on traveler data.

“The surprise is we need to be doing more of that. That’s what we’ve been trying to use this research to educate on,” Perlmutter said.