2026: Less Noise, More Intent

If 2025 was a year of throwing ideas at the wall (new and old) to see what stuck, 2026 is the year we clean up the mess and start building properly with strong foundations.

We view the year ahead as a necessary reset.  The frantic experimentation is calming down, replaced by a need for stability and strategy.  For travel brands, the "new normal" is no longer new, it’s just business.  The opportunity now lies in moving from reactive tactics to solid, strategic infrastructure.

Here is what we see coming, and where smart brands should focus their energy.

Social:  Discovery, Not Just Distraction

Social media has grown up. It is no longer just a "brand awareness" play or a place to park dance challenges.  In 2026, platforms are the primary discovery engines for travel.

We are seeing social influence every stage of the journey:  search; consideration; and most importantly; trust.  Travellers aren't just scrolling for inspiration; they are using video to verify reality.  They want proof of what a destination or hotel actually looks like, unpolished and unfiltered.

For brands that have treated social as an afterthought, this is the wake-up call.  Social is now search.  The winners won’t be the ones with the glossiest commercials, but the ones with the most "radical transparency", sharing the real experience and owning their narrative.

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

AI:  The Plumbing, Not the Magic Wand

The hype cycle is breaking.  In 2026, AI stops being a shiny toy and becomes the infrastructure we build on.  Think of it less as a magic wand and more as the essential plumbing of your marketing operation.

The smartest teams are moving from ad-hoc experiments to embedded capability.  They are using AI to sharpen human thinking, not replace it.  It’s about using tools for rapid insight, content efficiency, and making sense of data to personalise the traveller's journey.

If you aren't using AI to clear the clutter, you’re making things harder than they need to be. But remember:  AI provides efficiency; humans provide "mischief" and creativity that actually connects with people.

Google Search:  Answers Over Links

Search is changing faster than it has in two decades.  We are entering the era of Generative Search Optimisation (GEO).

The days of chasing blue links are fading fast.  With AI-driven summaries and "zero-click" behaviour, users want answers, not a list of websites.  This shifts the goalposts from keywords to authority.  Search engines are prioritising high-quality, structured content that clearly answers the user's intent.

This favors strong brands. You can no longer SEO your way out of a weak reputation. Brand authority, clarity, and genuine positive sentiment, built through: PR; partnerships; influencers; and UGC, are the new SEO.

Why?  Because AI models don't just read your website; they read the consensus about your website.  They look for external validation to verify you are who you say you are.  In 2026, your off-site digital footprint (who is talking about you) matters just as much as your on-site technicals.

Brand Investment:  The Long Game Returns

Will brand investment come back?  We believe the answer must be yes.

After years of performance-heavy short-termism, the pendulum is swinging back.  There is a reason full-funnel marketing was designed in the first place, and many travel brands seem to have forgotten it.  Focusing solely on bottom-funnel conversion isn’t a strategy; it’s a race to the bottom, and eventually, to brand obscurity.

You cannot harvest demand forever without replanting it.  Performance marketing captures demand, but brand creates it.

We are seeing early signs that travel leaders are ready to rebalance.  2026 is the year to move budget back into brand-building activities that drive long-term trust.  Whether it’s through values-led storytelling or creative campaigns that cut through the noise, the brands that invest in their identity now are the ones that will endure.

The Llama View

2026 isn't about doing more; it's about doing it better.

The technology is here, the platforms are mature, and the traveller is smarter than ever.  The brands that stop chasing every trend and start building a connected, authentic ecosystem, where social, AI, and brand strategy work as one, will win.

Let’s make 2026 the year of intent.