Spring break isn’t just a time for relaxation – it’s a critical window for travel brands to capture high-intent consumers and drive measurable results. For 65M Americans planning trips, brands that leverage AI-powered, real-time consumer insights can outperform the competition, ensuring campaigns convert at a higher rate.
Whether travelers are headed to Europe to see the fields of tulips in Amsterdam, to Washington DC to stand in awe of the pink cherry blossoms, or to the Caribbean to enjoy a week of white-sand beaches, spring breakers represent a diverse group of consumers with different needs, preferences, and shopping behaviors. Using Resonate’s rAI-powered travel segments, you can increase your ROAS by 50% and drive conversion rates 39% higher than standard data sources. Here’s how to maximize your marketing impact this spring:
Price Sensitivity Drives Purchase Decisions
In an inflation-conscious market, price remains the top factor influencing travel-related purchases:
Marketing Tip: Increase conversions with price-focused promotions, exclusive discounts, and early booking deals targeted to high-intent travel audiences.
Loyalty Programs Can Be a Competitive Edge
While brand loyalty overall has declined, it remains a key driver for certain traveler segments:
- 14% of spring travelers actively seek loyalty programs when choosing where to book
- 42% use coupons, presenting an opportunity for discount-based engagement
Marketing Tip: Leverage data-driven personalization to frequent travelers with exclusive offers – loyalty points, VIP discounts, and special upgrades.
Domestic Travel Dominates Spring Break Plans
A whopping 79% of spring break travelers book domestic trips. Campaign targeting should prioritize US destinations and intent-driven audience segments:
- 38% prefer beach vacations, ideal for warm-weather getaway promotions
- 31% visited theme parks, making them a prime audience for amusement park and entertainment-driven marketing
- 15% visited a spa or resort, presenting an opportunity for wellness and relaxation-focused campaigns
- 12% took cruises, a segment heavily influenced by itinerary details and value-driven pricing
- 14% sought a more active vacation, a growing trend fueled by the rise in GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, which are driving increased interest in fitness and adventure travel
Marketing Tip: Activate Resonate’s Frequent Domestic Travelers, Entertainment-Seeking Travelers, and/or Economic Travelers segments to alight with spring break intent. Use audience segmentation to refine your approach based on traveler frequency, ensuring high-frequency travelers receive loyalty-driven messaging while occasional travelers see value-focused offers.
High-Impact Media Placement Strategies
Understanding where travelers engage ensures your campaigns convert at scale:
- Over 50% spend at least 20 hours online weekly, with 27% exceeding 40 hours
- They preferred streaming platforms like YouTube TV/YouTube Premium and ESPN+
- Their top TV networks include the Big Ten Network (BTN), the NHL Network, and the Travel Channel
- 60% spend fewer than 11 hours a week on social media, making traditional and streaming TV more effective than social ad placements
Marketing Tip: Prioritize CTV, digital video, and premium content placements to maximize visibility and engagement.
Drive Performance with AI-Powered Travel Insights
Brands leveraging Resonate data have seen:
- 50% higher ROAS compared to standard Facebook audiences
- 70% brand awareness lift in the first year
- 39% increase in conversion rates over traditional third-party data
- 82% lift in responsiveness using Resonate’s AI-driven audience modeling
Actionable Next Step: Find and activate spring breakers directly in your DSP to connect with consumers across CTV, linear TV, social media, audio, and video. Plus, Resonate Segments are available across all major verticals, making it easy to target the right audiences no matter your industry.
To learn more, schedule a media strategy session to identify how to maximize your campaign’s performance.
