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Tumi levels up travel gear with ultra-light luggage | Travel Unpacked Newsletter

PLUS: Disney’s luggage service makes airport lines optional

Author

Zihan Lyu
April 09, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 32 minutes

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Welcome to Travel Unpacked, your essential newsletter for dominating the digital marketplace landscape as a travel accessories brand.

Editor’s Pick 🌟

Curious to know the optimal way to allocate your Google Ads budget? Fospha’s latest analysis of top performers reveals key insights into balancing Performance Max (PMAX) and Paid Search:

🥇 How Top-Performers Do It: For the highest-performing 25% of brands, a strategic allocation of around 55% of total Google budget to Performance Max and 12% to Paid Search appears to be the sweet spot for driving results.

🏢 Size Matters: Note, this optimal allocation does vary slightly between different brand sizes. Top-performing small brands were found to have a 52% PMAX / 15% Paid Search split, while top-performing large brands allocated more to PMAX, with a 59% PMAX / 9% Paid Search split.

Why? With extensive product catalogs and diverse customer segments, large brands can leverage PMAX's AI-driven optimization, while smaller brands benefit from the precision targeting of Paid Search to capture high-intent traffic while still leveraging PMAX for efficiency

Unlock the full potential of your Google Ads budget! Fospha’s new Performance Max and Paid Search Playbook is your guide to cultivating cross-channel synergies, reducing wasted ad spend, and maximizing blended performance.

Sector Spotlight 🎥

LUGGAGE SERVICE LAUNCH

Disney World now offers a Luggage Assistance service, allowing guests at select resorts to skip airport check-in lines by dropping off luggage directly at their resort for Southwest Airlines flights. Available at specific Disney hotels, the service ensures a seamless travel experience by delivering luggage from the resort to the airport, enhancing customer convenience.

For marketing professionals, this initiative illustrates the move towards enhancing guest satisfaction and streamlining travel logistics, potentially setting a precedent for hospitality and travel industries.

TRAVEL INNOVATION

Cabeau has introduced the Evolution X neck pillow and On-The-Go Sling Pack, products designed for enhanced travel comfort and utility. The Evolution X offers fully customizable support with features like adjustable straps and cooling vents, addressing diverse traveler needs. Both products are available online and at select retailers, bridging comfort and practicality in travel accessories.

MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Marriott Bonvoy's new campaign, "You Are The Greatest Souvenir," showcases travel's transformative power on personal identity rather than material mementos. By featuring exclusive experiences like outdoor lodging and boutique hotels, Marriott targets travelers seeking unique, culturally immersive journey.

LUGGAGE INNOVATION

Tumi's latest 19 Degree Lite luggage collection is a breakthrough for frequent travelers, achieving unparalleled lightness without sacrificing durability, thanks to its innovative Tegris material and optimized components. The collection includes various sizes and color options, with features like TSA-friendly locks and omnidirectional wheels.

TRAVEL ACCESSORIES INSIGHTS

Harper's BAZAAR identifies the top 15 weekend travel bags for 2025, emphasizing practicality and style for spontaneous trips. Key features include lightweight design, durability, and organizational elements such as shoe compartments and laptop sleeves. This overview serves fashion-conscious travelers, highlighting the intersection of style and functionality in travel accessories.

Expert Insights✍🏼

Tariff Turbulence and Travel Gear: How Smart Brands Are Redefining Value in 2025

Trump’s newly imposed reciprocal tariffs—targeting imports of all U.S. products—have sent fresh ripples through an already unpredictable global trade environment. For travel accessory brands that rely on overseas manufacturing or imported materials, the challenge isn’t just rising costs. It’s how to recalibrate value perception, brand messaging, and digital strategy in a market where both supply chains and consumer sentiment are shifting fast.

Consumers aren’t ditching travel—they’re getting more intentional about it. That intentionality extends to what they pack. Utility-first items like multi-use carry-ons, RFID wallets, and modular toiletry kits are thriving, while trend-based accessories are losing traction. Value now means durability, flexibility, and long-term usefulness—qualities that become even more critical when prices rise.

In this environment, messaging must shift from “what’s new” to “what’s worth it.” Highlighting how your product adapts across use cases, lasts for years, or saves space speaks louder than novelty or design alone. Tariff-induced cost hikes are easier to justify when tied to genuine longevity and smarter use.

Digital marketing teams must do more than optimize ads—they need to optimize empathy. Use first-party data to segment by travel behavior, not just past purchases. Target business travelers differently from digital nomads. Let real users tell your product’s story—whether it’s a packing cube that outlived three continents or a Dopp kit that still looks brand new after five red-eyes.

And don’t just claim sustainability—prove it. With tariffs tightening margins, it’s tempting to pull back. But brands that continue investing in recycled fabrics, carbon-neutral shipping, and transparent sourcing will win in the long run. Consumers are watching, and your values are part of your product now.

The tariff pressure is real—but so is the opportunity. Brands that pivot with purpose, design for lasting relevance, and market with precision won’t just survive this next chapter in global trade—they’ll lead it.

Influencer Corner 📢'

We chatted with Amy J. Oelkers, TikTok’s GM, US Head of Commerce, about how the power of discovery on TikTok is driving commerce everywhere | TikTok for Business

📌 4 in 5 users are discovering brands through creators' recommendations.

📌 After discovering something on TikTok (via a creator), 45% of users continued searching for more information on the platform.

📌 1 in 4 users search within the first 30 seconds of opening the app (internal user data).

In our Shoptalk 2025 wrap up with ClickZ.com, one thing was clear | Lee Arthur

This industry is operating in a new reality. From full-funnel AI to omnichannel orchestration, the conversations weren’t speculative,they were tactical.

Here are the biggest shifts we heard on the ground:

🔹 AI is everywhere
“AI isn’t a concept -it’s a capability,” summed up by voices across the floor. From text-to-buy to media measurement, brands are moving from testing to scaling.

🔹 Omnichannel is baseline
“Omnichannel isn’t a trend - it’s the new baseline,” said Sam Carter, CEO at Fospha. The new standard is unified journeys online and off.

Optimization Hub ⚙️

BUSINESS MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK

Breaking organizational silos is essential for building effective measurement frameworks, ensuring data-driven insights drive marketing success. By involving all stakeholders and focusing on real-world applications, businesses can align metrics with strategic objectives. Tailored frameworks improve communication and performance across departments, essential for today's competitive landscape.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Instagram's new monthly recap feature provides creators with valuable insights into their content performance, including total views, follower engagement, and specific audience activity times. This feature aids marketers by offering actionable tips to enhance content strategy based on the unique behaviors of their audiences, fostering a more tailored approach to growth and engagement.

ECOMMERCE OPTIMIZATION

Adjusting the Google Ads bid strategy, specifically the Target ROAS, can enhance Shopping Ads revenue without reducing profitability for eCommerce businesses. Use Impression Share and Search Lost IS metrics to identify and rectify revenue loss. Gradual budget and ROAS adjustments ensure consistent performance improvement.

📲 Like what you’re seeing?

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