Priceline is the travel industry’s largest digital advertiser. It’s built its company using TV and digital advertising, but the majority has been on digital. In 2017, it’s expected to spend $4.3 billion dollars on digital, according to Skift, an industry website that tracks spending within the travel category. The vast majority of digital spend (estimated at 70%) is going to Google.
But that’s about to change. Booking.com, owned by Priceline, is reducing its digital spend and moving to TV. The company says it is re-thinking PPC and moving to TV to attract more direct bookings. The company is planning a 55% increase in TV spending.
Priceline Group CEO Glenn Fogel says the investments in television advertising would build a foundation for the future.