Holiday travel demand is building, and digital budgets in U.S. accommodation and hotels are already shifting to capture it. AdClarity’s latest analysis shows that Q4 2025 digital ad spend in the category is projected to reach around 400 million dollars, up roughly 22 percent from Q4 2024.
That growth will not be distributed evenly. Brands that align their channel mix and regional focus with how travelers actually plan and book will be the ones filling rooms when competition peaks.
Holiday Spend Is Moving into Fewer, Stronger Channels
Looking back over the last five quarters, hotel advertisers steadily concentrated budgets in a small set of high impact formats. Connected TV and social together already account for more than three quarters of category digital ad spend, with CTV leading at just over 40 percent and social close behind at about 37 percent.
Social generated more than 115 billion impressions over the period, well ahead of CTV and online video, making it the primary engine for upper and mid funnel reach. Display remains a relatively small share of spend, but with CPMs near 3.4 dollars, it still plays a cost-efficient supporting role for coverage and retargeting.
The Big Four Are Playing Very Different Games
The report highlights four brands that consistently dominate hotel advertising: Booking.com, Hilton, Airbnb, and Trivago. Their strategies look very different beneath the surface.
Trivago is almost all in on CTV, putting roughly 96 percent of its digital budget into large screen environments. Airbnb uses a more balanced split, with about half of digital ad spend in CTV and close to 40 percent in social, while Booking.com leans hardest into online video at nearly 50 percent of its mix. Hilton keeps CTV and social almost evenly weighted, signaling a strong focus on both brand building and broad digital presence.
What Hotel Marketers Should Do Next
Looking ahead to Q4 2025, the category is expected to center on a mix of around 60 percent social, 15 to 20 percent video, 10 to 15 percent CTV, and roughly 10 percent display. The most successful teams will not just copy that template. They will secure key social and video inventory before November, refresh creatives rapidly as offers change, and shift budgets quickly toward the best performing DMAs and audiences as booking patterns emerge.
Get the Full U.S. Accommodation and Hotels Outlook
This blog only surfaces a fraction of what is in the data. The full report includes quarter by quarter spend trends, complete channel breakdowns, DMA level shifts, and a deeper look at the strategies behind each leading advertiser. Access the complete Accommodation and Hotels Digital Advertising report.
