Skift Daily Briefing Hotel Giants’ Midscale Fix, Super Bowl Ad Strategy Shifts, Events Go Full Festival Mode
Travel brands are facing a “more for less” moment — and nowhere is that tension clearer than in the midscale hotel segment. As inflation, debt, and deferred renovations squeeze owners, major hotel groups are racing to protect trust by cutting renovation costs, tightening quality controls, and launching new brands designed to actually work at lower price points.
Travel marketing around the Super Bowl is also getting more selective. With ad costs soaring, brands are opting for sharper positioning over splashy presence — using the moment to signal product upgrades, cultural shifts, or long-term partnerships rather than betting everything on one expensive spot.
And in meetings and events, planners are borrowing directly from festivals as attendees demand experiences that feel immersive, interactive, and worth sharing. From roaming performers to live artists and unexpected moments, entertainment is shifting from background programming to a core part of how events create memory and meaning.
On today’s Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down what these stories say about value perception, brand signaling, and experience-driven engagement in travel right now.
This episode is presented by Lodgify!
Articles Referenced:
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Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IG
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Hotel Giants Have a Middle-Class Problem — Here’s Their Fix
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Here’s What Travel Companies Are Doing for the Super Bowl
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10 Types of Entertainers That Will Make Attendees Feel Like They’re at a Festival
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