How marketers can inspire traveler wanderlust with emotion and authenticity
New Expedia research highlights why video, trust, and human-guided content now drive travel decisions
Expedia’s new “Science of Wanderlust” study shows that emotional storytelling, authenticity, and video are the most powerful triggers influencing travelers’ decisions — and that AI-generated content only works when paired with human input.
Key takeaways
- Video triples influence: Moving images drive nearly three times more impact on travel decisions than static photos, with narrative clarity more important than video length.
- Story-first approach: Videos with clear narrative arcs and slower pacing outperform fast-cut edits that reduce comprehension.
- Authenticity builds trust: Transparent, clear, and relatable tones rank highest for driving trust across generations and traveler types.
- Targeting is essential: Different generations and archetypes respond to distinct formats — from emotive influencer videos for Gen Z to guidebook-style content for Boomers.
- AI needs human oversight: Only 41% find AI-generated content helpful, and only when combined with human review; AI is best used for planning tools, not synthetic visuals.
Get the full story at Expedia