Turn Down: 7 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 AI adapted for commerce, how Gen Z are shaping European travel, and evolving booking lead times for independent hotels. 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 

• From December, Meta will start using AI chats to personalise content and advertising across Facebook and Instagram. Users of Meta AI won’t have the option to opt out.
• Google’s AI Mode has been updated to respond more visually, a move aimed at sparking inspiration. It can now perform more comprehensive analysis of images, running multiple queries in the background, as well as handling shopping queries more visually. 
• OpenAI moves to integrate more commerce with instant checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol in the US. US ChatGPT users can buy from Etsy sellers in chat with Shopify merchants, coming soon.  

Marketing 

• 93% of marketers claim influencer content outperforms brand content in terms of reach, and 83% say it outperforms in terms of conversion. The industry is looking more at long-term partnerships rather than one-off collaborations, and it won’t be limited to social anymore. 80% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that partner with influencers on projects beyond social, including brand trips and in-person events. 
• A recent study has shown that Premium subscribers on X do get a boost in reach – 10x more reach per post compared to regular accounts. They also get a higher median engagement rate, with Premium basic accounts getting, on average, the highest reach of any account type. 

Hospitality 

• A report from The World Travel & Tourism Council claimed the industry will face a workforce shortfall of over 43 million by 2025. 
• Hotels are still the preferred accommodation for overnight travel among US adults, despite the economic climate. Inflation is a concern for 49% travellers, but 50% of US adults still plan to travel overnight for leisure by the end of the year. 80% of hotel guests plan to stay at mid-scale or high-end properties. 
• A study into luxury travel by Hotel Fauchon Paris showed that 70% of advisors indicated that a ‘complimentary night’ was the most appealing offer to clients, followed by added complimentary VIP perks. Loyalty programs are seeing a decline in influence, but of existing loyalty schemes, the most valued benefit is ‘gaining points usable at other properties’.
• Gen Z is leading the way in European Travel spending, with a plan to spend an average of $6,434 on international trips in the next year. The generation is expected to take an average of 3.4 holidays over the next 2 years. Europe is the top travel destination for European travellers, with Italy and Spain being the top countries to visit. 

• 54% of UK consumers don’t trust restaurants to pass 100% of tips onto their staff, despite the introduction of the Allocation of Tips Act 2023. 
• 70% of Americans aged 50+ plan to travel this year, up from the previous year. Trips from older travellers are also increasing in duration and are being booked within 9 months of departure – a shorter booking pattern than pre-pandemic. While the travellers are becoming more confident with digital tools, they still need a high level of trust as they’re concerned about potential scams. 
• According to SiteMinder, only 16% of small hotels are focused on attracting new guests due to the demands of operations.
• An analysis of over 600,000 reservations from independent hotels across Europe has shown that the average booking lead time has increased to 53 days. Extended stays are becoming more common, too. Ancillary revenue sales experienced a 5% increase YoY, especially across F&B sales, family-oriented add-ons, and pet-friendly services.