RateGain Releases Sojern’s 2026 Destination Marketing Report

RateGain Travel Technologies Ltd has announced the release of findings from Sojern’s 2026 State of Destination Marketing Report. The report, which draws insights from more than 350 destination marketing organizations (DMOs) worldwide, highlights the strategic priorities and challenges faced by DMOs in the current economic and technological landscape. The report emphasizes the importance of measuring economic impact as the top priority for DMOs, surpassing traditional metrics such as visitation and engagement.

The report indicates a significant shift towards performance-led marketing, with a focus on accountability and measurable outcomes. Globally, conversion and ROI metrics are prioritized by 72% of DMOs, while economic impact data is equally important. In North America, 79% of DMOs prioritize hotel room nights and direct revenue over brand awareness. In Europe, 31% of DMOs report that their funding is at risk, leading to a focus on performance despite the importance of long-term brand building for 51% of DMOs. In the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, 88% of DMOs consider conversion the most important metric.

The report also explores the operational strategies of DMOs, noting a split between stage-specific and full-funnel campaign strategies. In North America, 51% of DMOs focus on mid-and lower-funnel activities, with conversions cited as the main goal by 31%, up from 15% the previous year. Globally, the focus on awareness has decreased from 59% in 2025 to 25% in 2026. The report raises questions about the long-term impact of underinvesting in brand visibility.

AI’s role in the travel industry is highlighted, with more than half of DMOs expressing concern or actively preparing for AI-driven search disruption. Two-thirds of DMOs now use AI for content creation, and the use of AI for data analysis and insights has increased from 28% to 51% in one year. However, 16% of DMOs report not using AI at all, indicating uneven maturity in AI adoption.

Regional variations are evident in the report, with North American DMOs focusing on performance, while European DMOs balance performance with brand building. In the AMEA region, advanced tactics such as behavioral and destination insights are used by 78% of DMOs, with 56% employing psychographic data for personalization. Paid social remains the most widely used digital channel globally, with Instagram and Facebook being the primary platforms.

The report also discusses the importance of co-op marketing, with 80% of DMOs running co-op campaigns to reach wider audiences, increase investment, and share costs. However, 27% of DMOs cite partner management as a challenge due to complexity. The report was produced in partnership with Dynata and supported by various travel organizations.

Sojern, acquired by RateGain in 2025, is a leading AI-powered marketing platform for the hospitality industry. It provides software and services that deliver traveler insights, audience targeting, and multichannel activation, supporting over 10,000 travel marketers annually.

RateGain Travel Technologies Ltd is a global provider of AI-powered SaaS solutions for the travel and hospitality industry. It works with over 13,000 customers and 700 partners in more than 160 countries, focusing on revenue generation through acquisition, retention, and wallet share expansion.