Turn Down: 14 October 2025

The market research team at Punch Hospitality has gathered the latest news in the sector from the past week, so you can easily stay informed on the key details that will impact your hospitality marketing – without the leg work. At Punch Hospitality, our marketing strategies are driven by data and sector research, which means we can stay on top of the trends and successfully drive revenue for our clients. Interested in learning more? Explore the rest of our website.

But for now, here’s our weekly wrap up, Turn Down. This week we’re covering Googles further roll out of AI Mode, EU’s controversial new border system, and Reddits meteoric rise in commercial and transactional traffic. And as always, you can get in touch with any questions about hospitality marketing by emailing us or dropping us a call at 0113 255 7285

AI 

• Google has introduced AI mode across 40 new countries as it continues its rollout. It’s now available in over 200 countries, allowing users to utilise the latest Gemini models to search in the way that’s most natural to them. 
• A new usability study of Google’s AI mode has found that it holds user attention, and engagement time is high. Clicks are rare (the median number of external clicks per task was 0) and mostly transactional. Users are making their brand judgments directly from AI mode outputs, showing the importance of visibility as opposed to website traffic now. 
• Microsoft shares guidance on optimising your content for inclusion in AI search answers, including how to structure content, schema markup, semantic clarity, and pronunciation. 
• Google is testing AI-generated meta descriptions for SERPs with summaries created by Gemini. 
• ChatGPT has added third-party integration, partnering with travel apps like Booking.com and Expedia. 
• Google has brought its AI image generation tool, Nano Banana, to AI Mode and Google Lens. 
• Design platform Figma will be adding Gemini AI as it announces a partnership with Google. Google’s Gemini models will help address what Figma claims are the ‘evolving needs’ of product designers and their teams.
• Awareness of AI has surged year-on-year as people surveyed who had heard of at least one of 13 AI tools rose from 78% in 2024 to 90% in 2025. Weekly use rose from 18% to 34% and ChatGPT dominates over other AI tools and platforms. More younger people are using generative AI, and information seeking is the leading use case across countries.

Marketing 

• Reddit now generates more traffic from transactional and commercial queries than any other software review site. 
• Google Ads has added image quality recommendations to improve performance. 
• YouTube launches an Activation Partners Program to help advertisers get the most out of their work on YouTube. 
• Long-term influencer ROI was at the same level as TV on the all-channel index average. 
• TikTok is introducing Portfolio to the Creators Marketplace. It will allow creators to showcase their best videos to brands, helping secure fitting collaborations and support influencer marketing efforts. 
• Instagram is hosting its own awards, Rings. 25 users on the platform will receive an award, highlighting the top creators across a range of content topics and communities.
• WhatsApp is trialling a new feature that allows users to add Facebook profile links.

Hospitality 

• VisitSweden have launched a new initiative with medica progressions to offer ‘on prescription’ trips to the country as part of a marketing campaign. The campaign focuses on how holidaymakers can benefit from the county’s restorative experiences, and the ad even features real, professionally respected doctors, including the Vice President of the British Medical Association in the UK. 
• A new EU border system (The Entry Exit System) is being introduced on Sunday, with hospitality and tourism professionals warning it could cost the economy £400 million due to longer waits and delays. 
• A survey of 2,000 US adults who travel for work has shown that younger workers are more likely to invest personal funds to enhance their travel experience, such as 73% of Gen Z willing to pay out of pocket to upgrade accommodation. Younger generations are more willing to share their work travel on social media, and 75% are willing to self-fund luxury dinners and entertainment for better content. 
• Hilton’s 2026 Trends report has shown the rise of the ‘whycation’, highlighting emotional motivations for travel and experience. Home familiarity is becoming more important, travellers are seeking destinations for relaxation, and children are starting to play a role in planning trips.
• Train travel is becoming more popular for families in Europe, with 79% of parents recommending train travel, with 45% saying slowing down and enjoying the scenery was their favourite part of travelling.