8 Best Travel Video Ads

Nothing sells travel better than amazing video footage. If you’re in the travel business and aren’t making video ads for social media, what are you waiting for?

We’ve created this list of eight popular travel video ads that tackle advertising in diverse, but equally effective ways. They have all racked up mass quantities of views, and probably a good number of leads.

1. A travel agency specializing in trips to Walt Disney World decided to get specific in this TikTok video ad. Rather than focusing on the variety of accommodations in the area, the video zeroes in on the Margaritaville Resort, using a green screen to simultaneously display the speaker as well as images of the resort and nearby attractions. It’s effective because it gives the casual viewer a concrete idea of what a vacation to the area would look like. A simple call to action with contact information ends the ad, which has been viewed 115,000 times.

2. Our next example also has a narrow focus. This video ad by a Ukrainian travel agent showcases hotels with the best food in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. The video starts casually, with selfie footage of the speaker standing before a stunning aquamarine sea. Then it segues into video footage of mouthwatering resort buffets and glamorous restaurants, as the speaker gives voiceover reviews. This ad has been viewed more than 300,000 times.

3. While the last two ads were pretty targeted, the next one wins the prize for specificity. In this TikTok ad by @aubreepaigetravels, Aubree actually invites viewers to join herself and her husband at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico during a particular weekend. The ad features a view of a luxurious bubble bath in a bathroom with a floor-to-ceiling view of the ocean. No word on whether anyone accepted the invitation, but the ad was viewed more than 20,000 times.

4. Though this list focuses mostly on small businesses, we wanted to include this YouTube ad by travel giant Expedia. It’s creative and doable even on a smaller advertising budget. The ad features a birds’-eye view of a living room with sped-up footage of people rearranging the furniture to look like a car on a road trip, or a pool perfect for lounging in. If this compelling ad had been made by a mom-and-pop travel agency, you can be sure viewers would take the time to browse the agency’s other videos—it’s that interesting. The short clip ends with Expedia’s brand logo and has been viewed 75 million times.


5. Awarding Travels has done a bang-up job of catering to viewers trying to choose a hotel in Cancun, Mexico. This top-10 video list of all-inclusive Cancun resorts features reviews of each resort over a backdrop of official footage of each destination. The video description includes a convenient website link for viewers who would like to learn more. It has been viewed nearly a quarter of a million times, and you can bet some of those viewers have clicked through and booked a vacation.

6. While the last ad assumed viewers were interested in an all-inclusive vacation, the next one takes a slightly different approach. Geared more for the research-minded, skeptical traveler, this video by Costa Rican Vacations focuses on the pros and cons of an all-inclusive trip to Costa Rica. It’s not click bait or a marketing gimmick—the ad really does discuss actual, legitimate reasons not to book an all-inclusive. This approach casts this travel agency as a straight-shooting operation that won’t  try to sell you on a vacation package that isn’t what you want.

7. While most of the ads we’ve discussed so far are short and to-the-point, Harr Travel goes a different way in this video. The ad is actually a full walkthrough of Beaches Turks and Caicos resort, clocking in at over an hour in length. The agency’s logo and phone number appear on the screen throughout. This review is super-comprehensive, and has no doubt been very helpful to some of the 40,000 people who have viewed it.


8. Our last example is fun and casual, and very effective. This super-short ad by @shannonkittner starts with a caption stating, “I need professional help with planning a trip to Disney World for my family and I don’t know where to start.” Shannon dances to music and pretends to dial a phone, after which captions pop up on the screen advertising her business and emphasizing the fact that clients won’t pay anymore for her services than they would booking directly with Disney. The ad grabs attention with the music and dance, then seals the deal with a value proposition that’s hard to beat.


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