Skift Travel News Blog

With less than three months to go until the Super Bowl LVIII touches down in Las Vegas, the destination has launched a new campaign urging football fans to ‘celebrate excessively’ during its inaugural stint as host city.

As part of the campaign, which has been created by R&R Partners, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has launched an official petition on Change.org, proposing that ‘everyone in Las Vegas must be allowed to celebrate freely on February 11, 2024.’

You can view the petition here, which at the time of writing has 137 signatures.

As part of the campaign, an original track and music video has been released featuring Grammy-nominated artist Tobe Nwigwe and former NFL All-Pro wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. You can view the video below: 

“Las Vegas is built for celebration,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) in a press release. 

“People come to Vegas because they know that the excitement surrounding the game is just as important as the game itself. Whether they travel to watch the game in person or at a viewing party, fans know they will be surrounded by energy that is simply unmatched anywhere else in the world. As we prepare to welcome the Super Bowl for the first time, we are determined to show the world that when it comes to celebration, Las Vegas is in a category of one.”

When overdoing the celebrations at sporting events is usually discouraged, it is interesting to see Las Vegas take ownership of its status as the ‘home of Excessive Celebration.’

JW Marriott has launched a new Asia-Pacific campaign, taking inspiration from the K-drama genre and starring South Korean actor, Lee Min-ho. 

The three-minute video titled ‘Stay in the Moment’, tells the story of a headstrong son and his family, who face their issues and overcome barriers by embracing the life moments provided through the shared experiences of travel.

You can view the video below:

The campaign has been created to ‘underscore the beauty of human connections’, by emphasizing the strong familial bonds that are forged in unforgettable moments, said JW Marriot in a press release. 

“The ‘Stay in the Moment’ campaign focuses on the discerning luxury traveler who seeks well-being, mindfulness and profound connections－all the elements that speak to the spirit of the JW Marriott brand,” said John Toomey, chief sales & marketing officer Asia Pacific, Marriott International. 

“Lee Min-ho’s starring performance in the campaign video beautifully captures the JW Marriott experience, embodying the holistic and inspirational moments that shape our journeys and enrich our lives.”

Hotel Indigo has launched a new program wherein residents in the US and UK who share a zip code, or postcode, with select Hotel Indigo’s are now able to “borrow” everyday essentials at no cost. 

The ‘Borrowed by Hotel Indigo’ program has been designed to ‘reignite the popular habit of lending to a neighbor,’ according to a release.

So starting this month, locals will be invited to borrow what a survey from the brand has revealed as the most commonly borrowed items, including coffee, tea, sugar and olive oil.

The initiative has taken inspiration from the brand’s latest marketing campaign, which has been created to position the brand as the ‘World’s Neighborhood Hotel’.

“When our hotels join a neighborhood, we become a part of the fabric of the community. We put it at the heart of everything, and we welcome the neighborhood and its people into our spaces – it’s how we create an authentically local experience for our guests. Everyone knows the adage of ‘borrowing a cup of sugar’ from your neighbor – with this program, we want to embody this idea of being a good neighbor and strengthen social connections with those inside and outside of our hotels,” said Carol Hoeller, vice president global brand management for Hotel Indigo.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand unveiled a new marketing campaign “Meaningful Relationship” at the World Travel Market event in London on Monday.

The heart of the campaign is to encourage tourists to create more than just travel memories, it’s about fostering connections with the people, communities, nature and Thailand itself.

In tune with evolving travel trends, Thailand recognizes the modern traveler’s inclination towards prioritizing experiences over ticking off bucket-list destinations.

The “Meaningful Relationship” campaign seeks to tap into this shift, inspiring travelers to form connections that transcend the ordinary and ultimately foster a bond with oneself.

The Film

The advertising film features tourists from Korea, France, and Portugal, showcasing the attractions of Kanchanaburi, Chumphon, Nakhon Phanom, and the vibrant metropolis of Bangkok.

Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, shared the campaign’s vision, stating, “The new ‘Meaningful Relationship’ marketing communication concept is designed to encourage travelers to engage in a meaningful connection, whether it is with themselves, the local people, the community, nature, or even with Thailand. When travelers form a relationship with the people they meet and the place they visit, they will have an opportunity to create lifelong friends, cherished recollections, and enjoyable moments.”

Moreover, December will also witness the launch of the “Thailand Always Cares” campaign, emphasizing Thailand’s commitment to ensuring a memorable experience for tourists.

Latest Tourism Figures from Thailand

Thailand’s ambitious goal is to attract 25-30 million tourists and generate THB 1.5 trillion ($43 billion) in revenue by the end of this year.

According to the latest available data, in the first 10 months of 2023 (January 1-October 31), Thailand recorded over 21.6 million arrivals and generated over THB 927 billion ($26 billion) in tourism revenue. The top five source markets being Malaysia, China, South Korea, India and Russia. 

The 2024 target is set at total revenue of THB 3 trillion ($84 billion) with THB 1.92 trillion ($54 billion) coming from the international market.

After granting visa free entry to Chinese tourists from September onwards, Thailand announced last week that it would grant visa-free entry to citizens from India and Taiwan from November 10 till May 2024.

Andalusia Tourism launched a campaign on Wednesday warning tourists they’ll fall in love with Spain’s Andalusia region.

Called “Andalusian Crush,” the campaign features a video montage of Andalusia’s decorative architecture, culture, history and art with Games of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage as its narrator.

Dinklage warns viewers the region will break you “in a thousand pieces” and to be “careful of the Andalusian crush.”

A new campaign from Uber One has brought together an unlikely pairing in Hollywood legend Robert De Niro and Sex Education star Asa Butterfield, as they become ‘best friends’ thanks to their shared love for ‘eating food and going places’.

The three minute advert which comes from creative agency Mother London was directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker David Shane.

The advert sees De Niro and Butterfield bonding in a series of light-hearted scenes whilst enjoying a number of their favorite things, including clothes shopping, some down time on a swing set and a game of ping pong.

These experiences are all made possible thanks to shared Uber rides across the city of London and a selection of Uber Eats deliveries to keep their energy levels up.

You can take a look at the full length video below:

The Uber One campaign will be shown on TV screens across the United Kingdom, as well as in cinemas and across a number of digital and out of home activations.

Air France is set to commemorate its 90th anniversary with a fashion exhibition that will take over the window display at the Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann.  

The exhibition, which will run from 28 September to 10 October 2023, will showcase five dresses designed by Xavier Ronze, head of the costume design workshops at the Paris Opera Ballet. 

The designer took inspiration for the dresses from the signature hallmarks of the airline, including aircraft and technology, uniforms and fashion, its iconic posters, fine dining and tableware, and design and architecture.

In addition to the window display, the exhibition will also feature a selection of vintage Air France memorabilia, as well as a number of pop-up stores carrying items that have been specially created or reissued to commemorate the anniversary.

Visitors will also have the chance to attend real fashion shows retracing the company’s uniform heritage, with models dressed in the uniforms of pilots, cabin crew, airport staff and mechanics taking over a dedicated area of the store.

Air France boasts a rich history of collaborating with famous fashion houses to design its crew uniforms, encapsulating the essence of ‘French elegance’, as demonstrated in the video below:

Nashville based Graduate Hotels has unveiled its latest brand campaign, “Generation G,” which aims to ‘celebrate the common threads of the lifelong student experience: curiosity, adventure, and enthusiasm for life.’ 

Designed to shine a spotlight on ‘Generation G’ members, the campaign introduces us to a number of individuals through vignettes that offer a glimpse into their experiences and community connections.

You can take a look at the campaign video below:

“Graduate’s motto is ‘We Are All Students,’ a concept Generation G fully embodies. It’s the idea that no matter how young or old you are, or when you graduated college, there’s always more to discover. There’s always a new skill to learn, place to explore or dish to try. This campaign captures that spirit of undying curiosity, adventure and wonder that runs so deeply in college towns,” said Michaella Solar-March, chief marketing officer at Graduate Hotels. 

“Whether you’re about to start your freshman year, a parent dropping your kid off at school for the first time, a foodie, or an adventurer, young or old, you have a place at Graduate.” 

The campaign was produced by Known Studios, with the film directed by Daniel Iglesias Jr. The wider campaign also includes a bespoke playlist curated by DJ White Shadow, storytelling slams across the country with The Moth, a limited collectors’ edition Generation G zine available at each hotel, branded merchandise, and more.

The campaign is Graduate’s most ambitious and extensive campaign to date, as the brand looks ahead to its 10th anniversary in 2024. 

Etihad Airways has released a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the filming of its skydiving orchestra.

The original video, which was created as part of the carrier’s partnership with Paramount Pictures to celebrate the premiere of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, saw an orchestra fall from 13,000 feet at 120mph whilst playing the Mission Impossible theme song.

The campaign was released across Etihad Airways’ social media platforms in July, which you can take a look at below:

To complete the stunt, Etihad Airways and their advertising agency Impact BBDO had to ‘do the impossible’ – find talented musicians who are also skilled skydivers.

But following weeks of planning and preparation, custom rigging was created for each instrument to ensure the skydiving orchestra could safely play and pull their parachute when the time came, and a professional skydiving cinematographer jumped with them each time to capture it all.

Each member of the orchestra was tasked with learning their piece of music by heart, which they needed to be able to recite perfectly despite the unconventional conditions.

You can take a look at the behind-the-scenes footage from the Etihad Airways YouTube below: