The global hospitality market hit $5.52 trillion in 2025, and with marketing budgets climbing to 8.4% of total revenue, digital-first media has moved from side project to strategic growth pillar.
The performance numbers tell their own story: targeted social ads can lift room bookings by 22%, while email delivers an ROI of $53 for every $1 spent – among the highest of any industry.
Hospitality has always been about creating memorable stays. But today, hotels, resorts, and vacation brands are evolving into media ecosystems – leveraging loyalty data, digital engagement, and immersive storytelling to monetise every touchpoint.
And just as travel brands are building media ecosystems, hospitality is entering its own transformation – turning guest journeys into media-rich, revenue-driving experiences.
Why Hospitality Media Networks Matter Now
First-Party Data:
Hospitality brands capture guest insights across the full journey – booking behaviour, loyalty status, dining choices, spa visits, even local activity preferences. This is high-value, consented data that can fuel highly personalised content and offers.
High-Intent Touchpoints:
From pre-stay emails and mobile app check-ins to in-room screens and post-stay feedback, hospitality owns some of the richest engagement moments of any industry. Each touchpoint is an opportunity to deliver targeted, monetisable media.
Shift from Utility to Experience:
Apps, loyalty platforms, and hotel communications are no longer just transactional. They’re becoming curated media channels – combining inspiration, upsell opportunities, and brand storytelling.
Proof Points: Hospitality Brands Already Leading the Charge
Marriott Media formalised a media network that delivers brand content across digital and physical channels -including its website, app, in-room screens, and Marriott Bonvoy TV- leveraging first-party data and enabling closed-loop attribution
Stories from Hilton featuring lifestyle and destination content that keeps guests engaged beyond their stay with an expanded mobile platform deployed across 7,000+ properties, allowing real-time personalised guest communications via SMS, app, and WhatsApp
Airbnb’s Experiences transforms the platform into media-rich guest content – showcasing local activities and host-led stories through its platform and app
These examples underscore how hospitality brands are moving from selling rooms toward creating content-rich ecosystems that engage, inspire – and drive monetisation.
Hospitality Media Ecosystems Self-Reinforce
The same retail media flywheel effect seen in other industries applies to hospitality – where each interaction drives the next opportunity for engagement and monetisation.
How to Win as a Hospitality Media Network?
What’s Next for Hospitality Media?
Dynamic in-room digital signage adapts in real-time -showcasing last-minute deals, dining options, or events based on guest profile.
Localised content bundles in partnership with nearby attractions – turning your hotel into a destination gateway.
AI-driven personalisation, where narratives and offers are tailored based on guest history and stay context.
Hybrid loyalty-media platforms, offering content subscriptions or premium passes for exclusive storytelling and deals.
Hospitality media networks aren’t just about ads. They’re about storytelling, loyalty, and monetisation across every guest touchpoint. With data, digital channels, and immersive content, hotels can transform stays into media-rich, revenue-driving journeys.
And just as we’ve seen with retail, sports, travel, and financial services, hospitality is reimagined as the next industry poised to become a true media powerhouse.
Want to see where your hospitality brand sits on the media maturity curve? Take our free Hospitality Media Assessment.
