Pinterest’s Sydney Stanback on what travellers are searching for in 2023

At Click. 2023 Miami, Sydney Stanback, a Senior Manager on Pinterest’s Research team, shared some of the key trends the platform is seeing in 2023. From the interplay between fashion and travel to the best ways to harness the power of Pinterest, there’s a host of ways in which accommodation providers and travel brands can connect with new audiences. After sharing some of Pinterest’s key insights during the session on travel trends, we caught up with Sydney to take a deeper dive into the trends - and find out how you can leverage them. 

What are some of the biggest travel industry trends in 2023?

Sydney: A travel trend that is going to take off in 2023, thanks to Gen-Z and Millenials, is something we at Pinterest call “All Aboard”.  For example, searches for Train trip aesthetic are up 205% in the past two years (1). That’s all thanks to quicker boarding times, scenic routes, extra legroom, and a lower carbon footprint.  And the beauty of train travel is that going on the journey is just as fun as experiencing the destination. 

You talked a lot about the connection between fashion and travel on Pinterest, how can travel brands take advantage of this connection?

Sydney: The great thing about trends on Pinterest is that they transcend categories (2). Through a little creativity, a travel brand could take advantage of any type of trend within this report. At Click I spoke about the intersection of summer vacations and fashion, which is relevant to travel too! Travel brands can tap into that through the “Airy Styles” trend, which is all about the flowy and shimmery fashion that’s perfect for warmer temperatures! 

Can you tell us a bit more about the Trends tool on Pinterest and how travel providers can use this?

Sydney: The Pinterest Trends tool (available to everyone at trends.pinterest.com) displays a historic view of the top search terms across different regions and countries. You can use it to learn when people start searching for various keywords, find out what content is popular on Pinterest, and see what’s trending specifically among your audience. Travel providers can use the Trends tool to better understand what people are searching for within specific Travel interest categories including travel destinations, travel ideas, travel tips, flights, restaurants, and hotels. These insights can then help inform travel provider content, creative, and marketing / media plans. 

How are brands from the travel industry, such as accommodation providers, currently using Pinterest?

Sydney: Travel providers are leveraging Pinterest to reach potential customers who are on the platform engaging with Travel-related content and as they plan for travel. Since most people come to Pinterest undecided about their travel plans, this creates an opportunity for travel providers to provide inspiration for travel-related purchases. In fact we know that Pinterest travel shoppers are 4x more likely to say it is the most influential platform for their travel purchase decisions within the social media space (3).

What opportunities does Pinterest offer travel providers?

Sydney: Travel providers are able to create Pins (images or videos that link to a travel provider website) that can be published to their Pinterest profile and be promoted to reach a larger audience on Pinterest. To get started, travel providers can set up a Pinterest Ads Manager account and create a Pinterest profile. Additionally, travel providers can use our new Pinterest Trends tool to understand the trends their customers are searching (based on interests, demographics, season and more).

What audiences will travel providers find on Pinterest?

Sydney: Travel providers can reach high value travel enthusiasts on Pinterest. People on Pinterest in the US are 4x more likely to say Pinterest is the most influential platform for their travel purchase decisions within the social media space (4).  More specifically, Gen-Zer Pinners in the US are discovering new travel ideas and inspirations for their next travel experience, with some of their top travel searches being “new york aesthetic”, “summer bucket list”, “paris aesthetic”, and “adventure time” (5).

How could accommodation providers use Pinterest to market their property and attract new audiences?

Sydney: Accommodation providers can use Pinterest to market their property and attract new audiences by creating a Pinterest profile, creating / publishing Pins to their profile, and promoting these Pins to reach a high-intent, travel audience on Pinterest. Pinterest also provides opportunities for accommodation providers to reach audiences with specific interests (including travel, food, entertainment, etc) by utilizing our interest targeting capabilities when they promote their Pins.

What differentiates Pinterest’s audience from other social media platforms?

Sydney: What differentiates Pinterest from other platforms is the mindset Pinterest users have when they visit the platform.  People come to Pinterest to plan, and they have a very intentional mindset.  

What should brands consider when using Pinterest? Is there specific content that resonates particularly well with travellers?

Sydney: The best Pins are visually compelling, tell a good story and make people want to learn more; this is why travel brands are seeing a lot of success on Pinterest with video as a medium. Examples of content (or Pins) that resonate well with travelers include travel or vacation ideas, tips & tricks (or ‘hacks’) as well as travel guides.

How can brands stand out on Pinterest?

Sydney: Brands can stand out on Pinterest by ensuring their product or service is front and center (i.e. make your brand the focal point) within Pin creative; additionally, the Pin should include their logo, a text overlay that adds context to the Pin creative (e.g. 'Plan your perfect trip to Ireland'), and a URL / link to their website where potential customers can learn more and take action (including book or purchase) as they finalize their travel plans.

(1) Source: Pinterest, global search data, analysis period Sep 2020 to Sept 2022
(2) Source: Black Swan Data & Pinterest Trend Exploration, US & UK, June 2021
(3) Source: Reach3, US, The Path to Purchase among weekly Pinterest users who save travel content vs people on competitors in the social media space, Aug 2021
(4) Source: Reach3, US, The Path to Purchase among weekly Pinterest users who save travel content vs people on competitors in the social media space, Aug 2021
(5) Source: Pinterest internal data, US, top searches between December 2020 - December 2021