Tariffs. Visa restrictions. Currency shifts.
They’re not just headlines—these global changes are starting to show up in how people plan their trips. And for travel marketers, the impact isn’t just about economics—it’s about behavior. Where travelers go. How they book. What they skip. What they second guess.
A lot of ad tech companies are talking about rising costs or shifting demand. But very few are looking deeper:
That’s where Sojern comes in. Because we sit on top of billions of real-time travel intent signals—searches, clicks, comparisons, and bookings—we get a clear picture of traveler behavior as it’s happening. Not just where travelers went, but where they want to go. What they looked at. What they almost booked—but didn’t.
Here’s what we’re seeing now—and why it matters to travel marketers like you.
The latest U.S. tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada aren’t just hitting businesses—they’re quietly reshaping how people think about travel.
When fuel, food, and everyday goods get more expensive, the ripple effects reach airlines, hotels, and transportation providers. And while travelers might not always see the tariff itself, they do feel it when that flight costs a little more or hotel prices inch up.
But what’s even more interesting than the price hikes? How travelers are adjusting.
We’re seeing early signs in the data—small but telling changes, like:
These aren’t dramatic moves, but they matter. Most travelers aren’t canceling outright—they’re just getting more strategic. They’re browsing longer. Comparing more options. Holding off before they hit “book.”
If you’re only focused on booking data, you’re already behind. The real opportunity is in identifying intent signals early—through search behavior, site engagement, and destination comparisons—and adapting your marketing in the moment.
Yes, tariffs and visa restrictions absolutely impact travel. But sometimes, it’s not the actual rules that change behavior—it’s the feeling around them.
We’ve seen this in the data: even before policies go into effect, just the news of potential visa delays or travel bans can cause traveler confidence to dip. Canadian and Mexican travelers, in particular, are starting to second-guess trips to the U.S.—not always because something changed, but because something might.
That kind of uncertainty makes people pause. And when one destination feels complicated or unpredictable, they look for alternatives that feel easier, safer, or simply more welcoming.
Mexico, for example, is seeing growing interest from Canadian travelers who might’ve previously chosen a U.S. vacation. It’s not just about cost—it’s about comfort and confidence.
Perception plays a huge role in travel decisions. The way destinations show up in ads, in search results, or even in headlines can shape whether someone books—or looks elsewhere.
And right now, that perception is just as important as the product itself.
Every travel marketer knows the feeling. You’ve got a few key markets that drive most of your bookings. But when something like tariffs or new visa policies hit, demand from those regions can dip—and fast.
That’s why it’s helpful to think about diversifying your demand, kind of like diversifying an investment portfolio. If one market slows down, others might still be ready to travel—you just need to be set up to find and reach them.
Let’s say outbound travel from the U.S. to Mexico softens. That doesn’t mean demand is gone—it just might be growing elsewhere. Maybe it’s travelers from Latin America or Europe looking for warmer weather. Or if Mexican travelers are pulling back on trips to the U.S., maybe they’re planning local getaways instead—think long weekends, road trips, or family reunions closer to home.
Diversifying where your travelers come from doesn’t mean giving up on your core markets. It just means adding some flexibility to weather the ups and downs. It’s a smart way to stay steady when the world around you isn’t.
Most ad tech platforms focus on optimizing current audiences. Sojern helps travel marketers expand into new markets based on actual intent data from the Sojern Traveler Ecosystem™ and demand shifts we see across the globe.
Attribution is essential. It shows where your marketing is delivering ROI, which channels are converting, and how travelers are moving through your funnel. But in travel, demand doesn’t always follow a predictable curve.
A sudden policy change, economic shift, or even a headline can change how people search, where they book, or if they book at all. And those shifts don’t wait for end-of-month reports—they happen in real time.
Agility means being able to:
Sojern gives marketers access to real-time traveler intent signals from billions of search and booking touchpoints. That means you can act early, not just react later. Together, attribution and agility help you build a strategy that’s not only smart—but responsive.
Because in travel, timing is everything. It’s the difference between staying visible and falling behind.
This isn’t just about buying ads. It’s about building a marketing system that adapts as quickly as your travelers do.
Even with trade tensions and policy shifts in play, the core truth remains: people still want to travel. They’re just more cautious about where they go, how much they spend, and how easy the journey will be.
For travel marketers, this moment isn’t just about reacting. It’s about stepping back and asking:
At Sojern, we’re here to help you answer those questions with confidence. Through our platform, our insights, and our partnerships, we help travel brands stay in sync with traveler behavior—no matter what the headlines say.
Talk to our travel marketing experts to learn how Sojern can help you stay agile, informed, and ahead.
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