Expedia Group Media Solutions has unveiled a new media platform that gives travellers the tools to shop and book travel as they are watching travel content, making entertainment tourism bookable. The site recently went live in Canada with additional markets in the pipeline.
Using the “shoppable” platform technology, the company is partnering with Brand USA to create a channel for their content to be ‘shopped,’ called GoUSA. Featuring Brand USA’s inspirational travel content and interactive maps, the innovative hub showcases the breadth and depth of engaging travel content for a diversity of trips across the USA while simultaneously giving travellers a way to book hotels, experiences and flights while the content is being viewed in real time. The platform is specifically designed to pair travel options inspired by the tailored content being viewed with bookable supply from Expedia, while allowing Brand USA to track and measure the impact of their content on travellers’ booking decisions, and particularly which content is generating the most engagement from travellers and influencing bookings.
“This platform is truly the first of its kind in a world where inspirational travel content is constantly evolving and symbolizes the next phase in entertainment tourism. The new technology creates a space where someone can consume engaging travel content and book experiences in the same place at the same time, effectively ‘shopping the series’, said Angelique Miller, vice president, Media Studios at Expedia Group. “We’re thrilled Brand USA are working with us and that we can extend the reach of their exciting and innovative travel content to new audiences by marrying it up with our breadth and depth of bookable hotel, flights and activities options on our sites.”
This new shoppable streaming platform bridges the gap in travel marketing between the growing influence of streamed movies and TV on tourism and travel bookings.
According to Expedia Group’s 2023 Travel Trends Report, 39 per cent of global travellers booked a vacation to a destination they saw in a movie or TV show they streamed.
