SEATTLE, OCTOBER 7, 2026 — Expedia Group today introduced Travel Audience Marketing at Advertising Week New York. Travel Audience Marketing is Expedia Group Advertising’s (EGA) full-funnel framework enabling brands to reach high-intent customers when their needs are real, using real data signals from actual trips.

The Three Buying Windows

Trips create buying windows, each of which is a moment when travelers are unusually open to spending and discovering new brands:

• Before the booking. When travelers are dreaming, researching, and planning — discovering destinations, how to get there, and places to stay.
• At the booking. When a trip turns from a possibility into a confirmed booking, and the purchases start to get specific: whether to splurge for a room upgrade, get a rental car, or book a specific activity.
• After the booking. When a wide range of everyday categories well beyond travel becomes relevant purchases for the trip, from clothes and electronics to entertainment and more. And once travelers connect a purchase to a trip they loved, they tend to return to that brand again — turning a single trip into a repeat customer.

The booking is not the end of the purchasing journey, but the point when customers start buying everything else they need for a trip. The opportunity for brands after the booking is estimated to be over $100B in the U.S. alone.* Globally, travelers report spending an average of $500 on non-travel items for their trips, which rises to $660 for U.S. travelers and equals 25% of what travelers spend on the trip itself.**

“Brands already plan their calendars around moments in their customers’ lives: weddings, new homes, birthdays, and the holidays. Travel belongs on that calendar, too — not just for travel brands, but for all marketers,” said Bill Watkins, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Advertising, Expedia Group. “That’s because every trip creates new buying windows, which are the precise moments that change what customers are ready to buy. Travel Audience Marketing helps brands show up in those moments and build relationships that continue after the trip – because whether you’re a travel brand or not, your customers still travel.”

Powered by EGA's Travel Media Network

Travel Audience Marketing is powered by EGA’s Travel Media Network, which connects brands with travelers across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo as well as Expedia Group’s B2B network. With nearly 12 million average daily visitors to Expedia Group sites, Expedia Group Advertising has the unique scale, capabilities, and insights into not only when, where, and with who travelers are taking trips, but also when they are likely to buy next.***

Extending Travel Audience Marketing to B2B Partners: Rapid Lodging Sponsored Listings API

Expedia Group is also launching the Rapid Lodging Sponsored Listings API for B2B partners. Rapid API is one of Expedia Group’s B2B solutions helping partners, from online travel agencies and airlines to financial institutions and membership programs, build an end-to-end booking experience using Expedia Group’s travel inventory and technology.

The new Lodging Sponsored Listings API enables partners to embed Expedia Group’s pay-per-click sponsored property listings directly alongside existing inventory and earn a share of ad revenue every time a traveler clicks. This creates a new source of revenue for partners with no separate ad sales team required. The API is available to partners who meet certain eligibility criteria such as having a traveler- or agent-facing lodging shopping user experience.

EGA also recently announced a new collaboration with Redion as its first dedicated advertising partner in the travel insurance category, reshaping how travelers encounter protection options during planning and booking; and the global launch of Vrbo Sponsored Listings, giving vacation rental partners the opportunity to secure premium placement in Vrbo search results on a pay-per-booked night basis with no upfront cost.

*Expedia Group internal data, 2026.

** The research was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Expedia Group among 3,500 travel decision-makers across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan, Mexico, and Australia. Analysis focused on the 2,166 respondents who reported making at least one non-travel purchase specifically because of a recent trip. The survey was fielded February 24-25, 2026.

*** Expedia Group internal data, 2025, identified and anonymous visitors.

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) is the global travel marketplace with one purpose: to help travelers explore the world, one journey at a time. Expedia Group™ connects travelers, partners, and advertisers through its trusted brands, leading technology, and rich first-party data, delivering predictive, personalized experiences that shape the future of travel. 

Expedia Group’s ecosystem includes three flagship consumer brands – Expedia®, Hotels.com®, and Vrbo® – the largest B2B travel business, and a premier advertising network. Guided by an experienced and passionate global team, Expedia Group helps millions of travelers in more than 70 countries explore the world with confidence and ease.

© 2026 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Expedia Group and the Expedia Group logo are trademarks of Expedia, Inc. CST: 2029030-50. 

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For more information, visit www.expediagroup.com.

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Media contact: press@expedia.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Travel Audience Marketing?
Travel Audience Marketing is Expedia Group Advertising's (EGA) framework for helping brands reach high-intent customers using real signals from an actual trip — not demographics alone — during key buying windows when travelers are most ready to spend. It’s powered by Expedia Group Advertising’s Travel Media Network.

When are travelers most open to buying from new brands?
Every trip creates buying windows: before the booking, when travelers are researching and planning; at the booking, when purchases get specific, like a room upgrade or rental car; and after the booking, when travelers shop for everything else they need for the trip, from clothes to entertainment. These buying windows are important to advertisers because they're moments when customers have a real need and are most open to spending across categories for their trips.

Is Travel Audience Marketing only for travel brands?
No, Travel Audience Marketing is built for brands across categories, not just travel companies. Whether a brand is in the travel industry or not, its customers travel. The buying window after the booking is especially important to non-travel brands, when a new buying cycle starts and travelers buy the non-travel items they need for their trip.

How much do travelers spend on non-travel items?
According to Expedia Group's Cartbound research, travelers spend an average of $500 globally — $660 for U.S. travelers — on non-travel items tied to a trip, about 25% of what they spend on the trip itself. EGA estimates the after-the-booking opportunity at over $100B in the U.S. alone.

What is EGA's Travel Media Network?
It's the infrastructure that powers Travel Audience Marketing, connecting brands with travelers across Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo and Expedia Group's B2B network, reaching nearly 12 million average daily visitors.

What is the Rapid Lodging Sponsored Listings API?
The new Rapid Lodging Sponsored Listings API enables partners to embed Expedia Group’s pay-per-click sponsored property listings directly alongside existing inventory and earn a share of ad revenue every time a traveler clicks. It’s one of Expedia Group’s B2B solutions to help partners build end-to-end booking experiences using Expedia Group’s travel inventory and technology, and creates a new revenue source for partners with no separate ad sales team required.