Australian travel & tourism industry ups ad spend by 103% post-lockdowns, finds Pathmatics
New data has revealed that brands in the hospitality and aviation sectors are spending big on digital ads since the reopening of Australia.
Between the period of 3 October, 2021 to 30 October, 2021 (the week prior to and after NSW’s “Freedom Day”) digital marketing intelligence platform, Pathmatics found ad spend for travel and tourism, including companies such as Airbnb, Tourism and Events Queensland and Booking.com, increased by 103%.
There was a significant uptick in the travel and tourism category, with spend tripling 198% in the first three weeks after NSW eased its restrictions. Top creatives from Destination NSW encouraged Australians to ‘feel new again’ and discover the best eats in the area.
Airlines increased daily ad spend by an estimated four times the average daily spend in the prior week.
Qantas invested the most, with its ad taking advantage of both interstate and international travel borders reopening. Virgin Australia was a close second with ads featuring prizes for the vaccinated.
Ad spend for rideshare brands spiked considerably with Uber’s weekly ad spend increasing by an estimated six times the average spend in the prior week. Top creatives centred around ‘earn with Uber’ – encouraging people to work for the brand.
[click to enlarge] Source: Pathmatics
Despite brands across the hospitality sector splashing the cash to win over Australian consumers, ad spend in the retail sector dropped by 41% from $2.5 million to $1.5 million during this time period.
Pathmatics co-founder and CEO, Gabe Gottlieb, said: “With the very welcome news that Australia is once again open for business, brands are spending big as consumers are eager to get out and about, and make use of their new found freedoms. Whilst online shopping was amongst one of the only recreational activities Aussies could partake in during lockdown, consumers are now turning their attention to old pastimes like dining out, booking trips away and taking part in their favourite group leisure activities and this is reflected where brands are spending their ad dollars.
“These insights provide a powerful tool to see which sectors and brands are upping their ad spend, and where to capture the attention of consumers who are eager to make up for lost time. With almost four in five Aussie adults now double vaxed and restrictions set to ease further over the coming weeks, we expect to see these trends spike even further – particularly as more international travel resumes.”
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topics
ad spend
Airbnb
aviation
Gabe Gottlieb
hospitality
McDonald's
Pathmatics
Qantas
Tourism and Travel
Uber Eats
Virgin
